While viewers recognize and have become accustomed to the distinctive style of AMC's "Mad Men," the show could have had a very different look.
"Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner has teamed with New York's Museum of the Moving Image to present a new exhibit about the show, called "Matthew Weiner's Mad Men, which will run through June 14, as reported by USA TODAY.
The exhibit opens in time for the April 5 bow of AMC's "Mad Men," the story of advertising executive Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm, and the mid-20th century world that surrounds him.
"Matthew Weiner's Mad Men," presented with support from Lionsgate and AMC, takes the visitor inside Don's world and recreates his office, the kitchen of his Ossining, N.Y. home, and art, costumes and and other props from the show.
"Mad Men" first aired on AMC in 2007. It is expected that the April 5 season will be its last, but like Don himself, the show may rebound with a vengeance.
Weiner told USA Today that there were a lot of ideas that were on the drawing board, many of which went in the circular file. He added, however, that he's satisfied with the opening sequence and particularly the opening theme song, called "A Beautiful Mine."
"A Beautiful Mine" was written by producer RJD2 and rapper Aceyalone. Weiner discovered the song after researching the hypnotizing music he'd heard while listening to NPR. Apparently, Weiner had his own opinion about the length of the piece of music and certain rifts in the song.
So the artists and Weiner put their heads together and came up with a version of "A Beautiful Mine" that would work for the "Mad Men" opening, according to mic.com.
In fact, Weiner said, the Nancy Sinatra song, "You Only Live Twice," from James Bond fame, almost made the cut as the "Mad Men" opener.
Weiner said "You Only Live Twice" was one of many songs on his iPod that he intended to use for the show in some aspect. He later deemed it would be better to use "You Only Live Twice" for the season 5 finale. The season 5 finale shows Don as possibly going back to his playboy ways when his second wife follows her career desires to become an actress. He is sitting alone at the bar when a woman comes up to him and asks if he is alone. Fade to black.
But aside from the music, Weiner said the entire sequence that comprises the opening credits might have been different had the wind blown in another direction.
While viewers are used to seeing the black-and-white image of the suit-clad ad executive falling through the air, Weiner's original thought was to open with a series of photos depicting models, athletes and families selling products and doing endorsements.
Watch the trailer for Season 7 here.
