Death By Lightning - Netflix
- Mikebmiller
- Posts: 961
- Joined: Mar 27, 2018
I was watching Death by Lightning on Netflix the other day. It's a 4 part series on James Garfield and the guy who shot him. They have a scene in the white house at a reception with members of a Marine Band brass ensemble playing. The band gets about 5 seconds of screen time. I guess they weren't going for authenticity as these guys are playing 4 valve euphoniums and the trombones are on F attachment horns with open wrap valves. I guess only a brass geek like myself would notice this. Kinda like the scene in The Crown from the '50s where they had a British military band and the guys were playing Rath double valve bass bones.
- nateaff
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Jan 23, 2024
My guess is that the money was already spent on beards and wool coats haha. Minor lapses in period-correctness aside it's a terrific show, and the Candice Millard book it's based on is even better!
People who are huge nerds about anything will always find some tiny thing like that, I recently re-watched the Robert Redford western Jeremiah Johnson and no one other than me seemed to care that it would have been impossible for the Crow chief to have a stringer of Rainbow Trout, as they hadn't yet been introduced to the west.
999/1000 people couldn't possibly care, but for us sickos we'll never unsee it
People who are huge nerds about anything will always find some tiny thing like that, I recently re-watched the Robert Redford western Jeremiah Johnson and no one other than me seemed to care that it would have been impossible for the Crow chief to have a stringer of Rainbow Trout, as they hadn't yet been introduced to the west.
999/1000 people couldn't possibly care, but for us sickos we'll never unsee it
- JohnL
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
I suspect that, in both cases (Death by Lightning and The Crown), they engaged actual professional musicians who supplied their own instruments.
They may well have been faced with the choice of having real musicians actually playing (with their own personal instruments) or having actors/extras pretending to play period instruments (or replicas thereof). I think more people would notice "faking it" than would notice anachronistic instruments.
They may well have been faced with the choice of having real musicians actually playing (with their own personal instruments) or having actors/extras pretending to play period instruments (or replicas thereof). I think more people would notice "faking it" than would notice anachronistic instruments.
- Mikebmiller
- Posts: 961
- Joined: Mar 27, 2018
There are plenty of civil war era bands around that could have provided both players and instruments that were period correct. But yeah, less than 1% would ever notice. I read that book as well.
- StephenK
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Mar 26, 2018
Totally ruined it for you!
I had something similar in scenes from dramas.
I had something similar in scenes from dramas.
- nateaff
- Posts: 113
- Joined: Jan 23, 2024
[quote="Mikebmiller"]There are plenty of civil war era bands around that could have provided both players and instruments that were period correct. But yeah, less than 1% would ever notice. I read that book as well.[/quote]
A lot of low to medium budget shows film in Georgia, where Civil War bands would be fairly easy to find, but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.
A lot of low to medium budget shows film in Georgia, where Civil War bands would be fairly easy to find, but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.
- Mikebmiller
- Posts: 961
- Joined: Mar 27, 2018
[quote="nateaff"]<QUOTE author="Mikebmiller" post_id="289285" time="1763415391" user_id="213">
There are plenty of civil war era bands around that could have provided both players and instruments that were period correct. But yeah, less than 1% would ever notice. I read that book as well.[/quote]
A lot of low to medium budget shows film in Georgia, where Civil War bands would be fairly easy to find, but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.
</QUOTE>
Wow, they could have gotten Zoltan Kiss for the band scene!
There are plenty of civil war era bands around that could have provided both players and instruments that were period correct. But yeah, less than 1% would ever notice. I read that book as well.[/quote]
A lot of low to medium budget shows film in Georgia, where Civil War bands would be fairly easy to find, but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.
</QUOTE>
Wow, they could have gotten Zoltan Kiss for the band scene!
- robcat2075
- Posts: 1867
- Joined: Sep 03, 2018
[quote="Mikebmiller"]... They have a scene in the white house at a reception with members of a Marine Band brass ensemble playing. The band gets about 5 seconds of screen time. I guess they weren't going for authenticity...[/quote]
[quote="nateaff"]...but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.[/quote]
"Runaway production" they call it.
Not-made-in-Hollywood is the new normal now even if a show is American financed. There are too many other places now that have available professional movie-making crews and studio sound stages to be ignored.
And one is probably no more likely to find an authentic 1880's America setting in America than in Hungary anyway.
A knowledgeable period American instrument consultant + hardware might have cost them as much as all the musicians together.
[quote="nateaff"]...but the show was shot in Budapest, Hungary. I guess if you don't know if a show is gonna be a hit you go cheap on locations.[/quote]
"Runaway production" they call it.
Not-made-in-Hollywood is the new normal now even if a show is American financed. There are too many other places now that have available professional movie-making crews and studio sound stages to be ignored.
And one is probably no more likely to find an authentic 1880's America setting in America than in Hungary anyway.
A knowledgeable period American instrument consultant + hardware might have cost them as much as all the musicians together.
- JohnL
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
[quote="robcat2075"]Not-made-in-Hollywood is the new normal now even if a show is American financed. There are too many other places now that have available professional movie-making crews and studio sound stages to be ignored.[/quote]
Add to that how much easier it can be to do location shoots (far less red tape), and the fact that places other than SoCal offer all sorts of interesting locations to shoot at and/or in that haven't been seen in movies and on TV dozens of times. Even people who have never been to Los Angeles recognize the LA River, the Biltmore Hotel, LA Union Station, Burbank Airport, and Sepulveda Dam.
Some locals here turn spotting SoCal locations doubling for someplace else into a game...
Add to that how much easier it can be to do location shoots (far less red tape), and the fact that places other than SoCal offer all sorts of interesting locations to shoot at and/or in that haven't been seen in movies and on TV dozens of times. Even people who have never been to Los Angeles recognize the LA River, the Biltmore Hotel, LA Union Station, Burbank Airport, and Sepulveda Dam.
Some locals here turn spotting SoCal locations doubling for someplace else into a game...
- robcat2075
- Posts: 1867
- Joined: Sep 03, 2018
[quote="JohnL"]Add to that how much easier it can be to do location shoots (far less red tape), and the fact that places other than SoCal offer all sorts of interesting locations to shoot at and/or in that haven't been seen in movies and on TV dozens of times...[/quote]
The standard Hollywood back lot sets had also been used and re-used too many times. Many have noted this and other cross-pollination in 60s and 70s TV...
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The standard Hollywood back lot sets had also been used and re-used too many times. Many have noted this and other cross-pollination in 60s and 70s TV...
<ATTACHMENT filename="FloydTrek2.jpg" index="0">
- bbocaner
- Posts: 315
- Joined: Mar 26, 2018
This bugged me too. FYI, it's not supposed to be the Marine band, the scene is supposed to take place at a private event in Albany. One of the trombone players who played for it posted on one of the trombone groups on Facebook - he said the producers did not care what instruments they used. I find it hard to believe they went to so much effort with costumes, sets, even facial hair - and just didn't care about the instruments. I would argue that Civil War bands aren't right either, and that 1880s instruments are probably closer to modern instruments than they are to Civil War instruments. But at least use cornets rather than trumpets! 1880s instruments are super cheap and easy to find, too. It's a shame...
- JTeagarden
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 24, 2025
Funny, I commented on the same thing the other evening as my wife and I were watchng.
Truly not the kind of detail anyone but a knowledgeable brass player would care about, so 99% of viewers (maybe higher) really couldn't care less.
Re: rainbow trout, these are native to the American west (although not everywhere).
Truly not the kind of detail anyone but a knowledgeable brass player would care about, so 99% of viewers (maybe higher) really couldn't care less.
Re: rainbow trout, these are native to the American west (although not everywhere).
- Kbiggs
- Posts: 1768
- Joined: Mar 24, 2018
To me, an outsider to the movie and tv industry, it looks like these types of decisions come down to money and knowledge.
Too often it comes down to the first question: money. After all, it’s only entertainment. ;)
- Did they account for enough money to research appropriate musical instruments along with period clothing, architecture, buttons, bottles, food, etc.?
- Did they hire or consult with people who are knowledgeable about these things, or are curious about them, or thought of asking questions like, “What does food, or architecture, or clothing look like in 1880s America? What about 3rd C. A.D. Rome vs. 1st C. B.C.? Early vs. late Victorian England?”
Too often it comes down to the first question: money. After all, it’s only entertainment. ;)