Tubular Bells and The Exorcist

Music in a different context can make for a whole different experience

Oct 28, 2024

Composer Lalo Schifrin was hired to work on what would become the hit 1973 film, The Exorcist. He had written some, what is described as “heavy” music for the film that was show in trailers. When the trailer was shown to audiences, they were frightened by the music combined with the film’s visuals. Which seems like what you want for a horror film, but I guess not this scary? The studio told the director of the film, William Friedkin, to tone down the music.

According to Schifrin, he never got that memo. I have read different stories online about what might have happened between these two. Whatever happened, it resulted in Friedkin dropping Schifrin and going in a different direction.

Instead of new music, Friedkin would use modern classical music. A lot of which he had already selected as example music he presented to potential music collaborators. He picked lots of interesting pieces, but the most memorable is used in only two scenes in the movie, Tubular Bells, by Mike Oldfield.

The music was selected not because it was frightening, but because it had a light, almost lullaby-like quality. Yet, in its brief appearances, the music, combined with certain scenes, makes it sound downright sinister.

Oldenfield never saw The Exorcist. In a quote mentioned in a 1974 edition of American Top 40, Casey Kasem said that the musician thought the movie would be “too scary.” He was right.

Tubular Bells is a nice album to own if you are a fan of The Exorcist, but it’s a much longer album than the segments used in the film. Despite that, even when owning the record, it is one that only comes out this time of year.

(If you have retro finds you would like for me to share, I want to hear them. What old useful website are still lurking on the web? Some old TV show streaming online? Old tech being brought back? Let me know.)

ONE COOL VIDEO

I believe this is the original trailer that audiences found so off-putting. Give it a watch and let me know if, after seeing it, you would have had a difficult time going to this movie?

Warning: This trailer has lots of blinking lights. Do not watch if you have any sort of sensitivity.

TEN THINGS RETRO

💿 Soundtrack - When Dark Night of the Scarecrow was released on TV, I don’t think anyone expected it to have so much enduring popularity, but it has. That is why it is one of those rare TV movies that has had their soundtrack released.

🖥️ Computer Games - In a bid to mock the Communist regime, Czechoslovak kids created illicit video games featuring iconic characters like Indiana Jones and Rambo, which supported protests and found their way into 1980s text adventures. [via] Spun Counterguy.

🎵 Music - People who grew up in the last few decades are sadly probably more familiar with Ozzy Osborne from his reality TV work. But before that, he really did know how to rock. Watch Black Sabbath perform War Pigs back in 1970 and see for yourself.

📺 Television - What happens if The Golden Girls had found the Fountain of Youth in their senior living facility? Friends FOREVER on the animated Golden Girls 3033, of course.

🐁 Pizza Mouse - Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy a few years ago and things weren’t looking great for Mr. Cheese’s chain of pizza arcades. In the years since then, though, the chain has changed it strategy and looks to be finding its way in the modern economy.

📼 VHS - It might be just a novelty release, but Alien: Romulus is getting a VHS release. So fire up that VCR or head to a thrift store and pick one up. [via] Ashley Thomas

🎵 Music - New musical genres that gain popularity often get co-opted into advertising as a shortcut to what is “hip.” Sometimes it works out, but usually it is an embarrassing mess. Either way, as pop culture artifacts, they are often interesting. Enjoy this Rap video that takes you through the MS-DOS 5 Upgrade process.

🎃 Halloween - Remember, if you want to get the attention of The Great Pumpkin this year, you better memorize your Pumpkin Carols.

🎩 Hats - For centuries, people wore hats. If people spotted you without one, it could be scandalous and, in some cases, criminal. So what changed in the middle of the last century that made hat popularity dwindle?

🗺️ Maps - The Pinball Map was started back in 2008 as a way for pinball fans to locate machines to play. Nowadays, they have 10,840 locations and 44,736 machines waiting for you to discover.

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SUBSTACK RECOMMENDATION

Daniel Sherrier takes a look at early Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror episodes, and it makes me nostalgic. I used to make little mini-marathons out of them this time of year, but haven’t in a while. I think it might be a good time to revive the tradition.