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Why are theme songs of movies based on cartoons so generic or nonexistant?

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Why are theme songs of movies based on cartoons so generic or nonexistant?

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Old 07-29-07, 08:04 AM
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Why are theme songs of movies based on cartoons so generic or nonexistant?

Ever since the trend of releasing good movies (starting off with Marvel's 1998 Blade) created from cartoons/comic books, why have the theme songs either been:

1. Not the same ones based on their famous cartoons.
2. Some forgettable, generic rock song


The only ones that used the famous theme song was in Superman Returns and a parady of one in the first Spiderman (the street performer). Actually the only sort of memorable one is the one used in the Spiderman movies, but it's just music. I'm assuming many of the movies can't use the original cartoon songs or re-inventing the cartoon song due to cartoon producer rights. But still, why do they always opt for either no theme song, or some generic rock song?

I just watched the highly entertaining Transformers movie and surprisingly good Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and I was waiting for some type of song during the movie and even during the credits for some type of reference to the cartoon song.

When I think of the recent crop of superhero/comic book movies, such as X-Mens, Blades, Hellboy, Batman Begins, Avengers cartoon movies, Hulk, Iron Man cartoon movie, Daredevil, The Punisher, Transformers, TMNT, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Fours, etc, none of these movies have a theme song, whether it be vocal or music.

Do producers think it's cheesy to have a theme song for these films because comic book movies are considered to be taken more seriously now? Or they are ashamed of its cheesy past? The main attraction of watching these cartoons (for the ones with a cartoon) growing up was the appeal of the opening theme song or the theme song when the heros do their thing "a la James Bond song."

Even during the Transformers movie, I think I only heard the famous "transforming sound" maybe twice. It should have been every time an Autobot or Decepticon transformed.
Old 07-29-07, 10:53 AM
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I'm gonna boycott IronMan unless it features this over the opening credits

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0Wn4iYoMcAA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0Wn4iYoMcAA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
Old 07-29-07, 11:55 AM
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Old 07-29-07, 12:01 PM
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Pretty sure the first Spiderman has the 1967 theme song on the end credits. Original recording too.
Old 07-29-07, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by toddly6666
Do producers think it's cheesy to have a theme song for these films because comic book movies are considered to be taken more seriously now?
I think that's it.
Old 07-29-07, 12:51 PM
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As I was watching the new Transformers movie, I was thinking the same thing. Where is the theme song? Kept waiting for it to come in in the beginning, then when the end credits rolled. but NO luck.
Old 07-29-07, 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by rw2516
Pretty sure the first Spiderman has the 1967 theme song on the end credits. Original recording too.
It does
Doesn't Spider-Man 2 have a bit where the Japanese lady plays the classic 1967 theme on the violin?
Old 07-29-07, 01:47 PM
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I didn't even know of that Iron Man theme song, and it was awesome! Do they also shy away from a lyrical theme song because they think it will get worse reviews? I just can't believe it that they would rather play it safe by having none, then to try and have an original or use the original theme song.

And yes, as I posted earlier, the street performer (japanese girl) was singing the original Spiderman theme song in one of the Spidey flicks...

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