So I checked out the first episode of Anita Sarkeesian's Tropes vs Women in Video Games but what I was most shocked by is footage of an old ad for Ocarina of Time that BLATANTLY used the soundtrack from Conan the Barbarian, specifically the track Riders of Doom.

Can anyone tell me if this ad is a random fake that somehow ended up part of her video or if Nintendo seriously lifted the score from Conan and somehow got away with it, and if they did... why?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6WWUgQMCI8

Chances are, they paid for it.

The vast majority of commercials use music that you probably recognize from something else. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story had songs from its soundtrack on damn near everything for years.

Dragonheart turns up all over the damn place in trailers.

A Nightmare Before Christmas' music used to get popped into trailers for christmas movies a lot, too. Dunno if it still is.

Yeah, music from movies and other games is just as purchaseable for use in ads as most big record label music, so I'm guessing, yes it's real and it's not a big deal.

And I was just watching the video you referenced. She does a good job of keeping it balanced and noting that it is perfectly acceptable to enjoy and criticize the same thing.

Farore! I have never prayed to you before, I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you will remember this day, where we fought or how it ended. What matters is that light stood against darkness, that's what's important. Courage pleases you Farore, so grant me one request grant me your strength. And if you do not listen, then to hell with you!

I remember a lot of movie trailers from the mid to late 90's using various bits of the score from The Crow (most usually that one track with the boys choir).

-- Ben

The opening themes to The Goonies and Beetlejuice also make the rounds routinely.

Great songs never go away, they get reused.

O Fortuna gets used a lot of as well. That is an awesome song.

Also noticed the distinctive SAW theme popped up in the trailer for 'The Box'. I have no doubt that companies do this legally but it's kind of lazy and really jarring when you recognize the music being used, especially in OoT's case since that game already HAD a cool soundtrack, just confusing.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that the score is almost always the last piece of work on a film. Maybe the music often isn't ready when trailers are made, etc.