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Grex Arts Item 58: Carmina Burana at the Movies
Entered by polygon on Sat Jun 19 18:23:08 UTC 1993:

I've heard that "many" movies have used excerpts from Carmina Burana
in sound tracks.  However, I don't ever recall seeing (hearing) it.

Can anyone cite an instance (or two or three) of this?

Are there any films which used relatively extensive excerpts, as opposed
to a brief moment in one scene?

19 responses total.

#1 of 19 by aaron on Mon Jun 21 00:17:55 1993:

Hmmm...  Sounds like you've never seen "The Omen."

#2 of 19 by polygon on Mon Jun 21 00:19:35 1993:

Never saw it.  Should that one be on the list?

#3 of 19 by md on Mon Jun 21 13:25:06 1993:

Nope, I don't think so.  Carmina-Burana-like noodling on the soundtrack,
but not the real thing.  

Well, this is an interesting question.  I could swear I've heard "O
Fortuna" in the background of something, but I can't think of what
it is.

#4 of 19 by glenda on Mon Jun 21 13:27:42 1993:

O Fortuna was used a lot in one of the Conan the Barbarian films, the second
one I think.

#5 of 19 by aaron on Mon Jun 21 19:38:28 1993:

re #3:  Perhaps you should refresh your memory.

#6 of 19 by banzai on Tue Jun 22 04:06:36 1993:

It was over-used in "Excalibur" among many others (O Fortuna scpecifically,
I've never heard anything other than that used in a soundtrack).

#7 of 19 by md on Tue Jun 22 12:38:32 1993:

The Wagner in Excalibur was very effective, I thought.  I agree, O Fortuna
is overplayed.  Played out, in fact.

#8 of 19 by md on Tue Jun 22 19:04:57 1993:

I forgot to mention the most important thing of all...  

The part of Morgana in Excalibur was played by current reigning 
Cinebabe Deluxe, Helen Mirren.  

(Excalibur and The Omen do have something important in common: The 
Omen starred Ms. Mirren's predecessor, late Cinebabe Deluxe Lee 
Remick.  It would've been an interesting coincidence if the movies 
had both used Carmina Bruana for their music.  But, of course, The 
Omen did not use Carmina Burana.) 

Here's a related question:  Hasn't O Fortuna been used in TV 
commercials, too?  Anyone remember which one(s)?

#9 of 19 by lark on Wed Jun 23 01:41:01 1993:

O Fortuna was used in Oliver Stone's "The Doors",
during a rather tasteless bedroom sequence,  and 
Danny Elfman uses it (cleverly disquised) in "Batman"
as the Batcar is racing through the woods toward the
Batcave.

#10 of 19 by banzai on Wed Jun 23 03:08:14 1993:

Although .. I have to admit I actually like Aptheosis's re-make of O fortuna
(call the same) it's a techno/rave remix.  I always thouht it was too short,
Apotheosis fixed that!  B>

#11 of 19 by aaron on Sat Jun 26 15:09:49 1993:

re #10:  The Apotheosis version was based on samples from The Omen.  The
         samples were used without permission, and the record company that
         owned the version of Carmina Burana used in The Omen sued.  I guess
         Apotheosis didn't have md's discerning ear, as they quickly settled
         out of court.  If you have a copy of an Apotheosis album containing
         their version of O Fortuna, hang on to it.

#12 of 19 by md on Mon Jun 28 13:12:32 1993:

Ohhhh, *that* Omen.  I thought you meant the one with Gregory Peck
and Lee Remick, that Jerry Goldsmith wrote the music for.  Goldsmith's
song "Ave Satani", which was nominated for an Academy Award, is the
Carmina-Burana-like noodling mentioned above.  Goldsmith did win an
Oscar for his score, although "Ave Satani" didn't.

#13 of 19 by md on Mon Oct 11 17:19:58 1993:

At open house at our children's school last week, our daughter 
pointed out some percussion instruments in the music room and 
called them "the Orff drums."  (When I commented, "So Carl Orff 
invented those!", Lauren said, "Do you know Mr. Orff?")  

Then, a couple of nights ago, O Fortuna from Carmina Burana came on 
the TV and I said to Celeste, "That's by Carl Orff, the guy Lauren 
was talking about at open house last week."  "Oh, *I* know that 
music," said Celeste; "they used it in 'The Omen.'  Michael?  
Michael?  Are you okay?"

#14 of 19 by brae on Mon Mar 28 22:28:47 1994:

Didn't Starkist tuna use the song O For Tuna???

#15 of 19 by gregc on Sun Apr 30 08:03:20 1995:

Ok, I'm confused. Are you guys being sarcastic with each other or is there
2 different "The Omen" that are being talked about. I only know about the
movie that md mentioned.

#16 of 19 by md on Mon May 1 12:37:00 1995:

Only one that I know of.  Music by Jerry Goldsmith.

#17 of 19 by aaron on Sun May 7 20:19:26 1995:

MD is being sarcastic.  On the other hand, I am recounting the actual
court events of how the pop song, "O Fortuna," which sampled music from
The Omen, was held to have violated the copyright held by the owners of
Carmina Burana.

Frankly, out of all of the responses in this item, I prefer #14.

#18 of 19 by md on Mon May 8 12:46:50 1995:

Nevertheless, Orff's "O Fortuna" is not in the movie _The Omen_.
Sorry, but there it is.

#19 of 19 by aaron on Sat May 13 07:59:51 1995:

I am not sufficiently interested to view The Omen again to see if "O
Fortuna" is used, or if a derivative piece is used instead.

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