3 Mulligans

Back when television offered only what broadcast over UHF and VHF frequencies – usually about six channels total, but depending in which direction your antennae was pointed – I fondly remember staying up late to watch In The Heat Of The Night with Dad and Craig; Christopher wasn’t old enough to join us.

There’s a scene where a creepy café guy uses a knife to open the jukebox, and once the song starts playing he gives us a little dance. This scene was originally shot using a different song, the already popular “Li’l Red Riding Hood” by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs, but a licensing problem prevented its use in the film. Quincy Jones co-wrote this substitute and it fit perfectly, just like how the rest of his score fits the entire film. It propels the action sequences, creates suspense, and helps remind us what the Deep South was like in the ‘60s.