Film is an incredible medium because it combines so many different art forms; acting, videography, cinematography, screenwriting, set and costume design, makeup, etc. Perhaps no art form is more inextricably linked to film than music. While viewing a film, most of us don't consciously acknowledge the music. However, if a film has little to no music, we will most certainly notice and the silence is likely to make us feel uncomfortable (e.g. No Country For Old Men). Music and film simply make sense together. A good film score should enhance the emotion and action of the film without being distracting to the viewer. A few years ago I made it my goal to start listening more closely to film music. Aside from the storyline, the score is what I pay the most attention to when viewing a film. The amount of extraordinary score music released throughout the history of film is overwhelming and I am by no means an expert, but I've decided to compile some of my favorites here along with a brief description of what I think makes them so memorable. Thanks for reading! Film: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Director: Andrew Dominik Starring: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Sam Shepard Music by: Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Standout tracks: "Moving On", "Last Ride to KC", "Song for Bob" Nick Cave and Warren Ellis (both of the band Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) have made a name for themselves as film and theater score composers. The Assassination of Jesse James, the pair's second film score, serves as the perfect accompaniment for Dominik's well-crafted period piece about the myth and celebrity surrounding one of America's most famed outlaws. The score, like the film, moves slowly, but with clear intentions. Relying heavily on traditional instruments like strings and piano, Cave and Ellis succeed in balancing typically western sounds with the somber mood of the film. This score is unique in that it does not consist of sweeping symphony sounds, but rather a stripped down, raw sound (especially in the strings) that makes it feel as though the music came straight out of the American West. The pace of the score, its reliance on repetition of melodic patterns, and droning background sounds bring about a startlingly powerful feeling of wistfulness. The use of vibraphone and bells in the music, notably in "Song for Jesse", is a pleasantly whimsical surprise to the ears, but the beautifully sorrowful solo piano and violin melodies are what stand out to me the most. Cave & Ellis clearly know what they're doing. Simple, balanced, and moving, this is most definitely my favorite film score. If you like Jesse James, you'll also enjoy the scores for The Road and Hell Or High Water. Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Director: Peter Jackson Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen Music by: Howard Shore Stand out tracks: "Concerning Hobbits", "The Black Rider" "The Breaking of the Fellowship" It sure is tough to sum this one up, but there was no way I was going to leave it off my list. The scale of this score is truly incredible. Shore used all of the resources available to him and had the score performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Voices. What was utterly vital to the story, and what Shore excelled at, was taking us, the viewers, to another world. He did this by threading into the score "over 90 identified leitmotifs (short, constantly recurring musical patterns), which are categorized by the Middle Earth cultures to which they relate." For example, "Concerning Hobbits" features the theme of the Shire and the Hobbits, while "A Knife in the Dark" features the theme of Isengard. These patterns are extremely distinct and recognizable. So many different instruments and sounds were utilized in this score that it's impossible to briefly describe the music in detail. However, I think something worth noting here is Shore's extensive use of vocal music. The vocal music, sung by a choir, takes on an ethereal quality when featured in songs that relate to the fellowship and their allies, and a hauntingly ominous quality when featured in songs that relate to the evil forces in the story. One of the most impactful vocal pieces is "In Dreams", sung by Edward Ross of the London Oratory School Schola and featured in "The Breaking of the Fellowship". It truly amazes me that when I hear a song from LOTR, I can immediately picture the scene, remember what was happening in the story, and most importantly, feel the emotion of the moment. No listener would disagree that the music of the LOTR is beautiful, emotional, and powerful, but for those who followed the Fellowship from the Shire to Mt. Doom and back, it is so much more than that.
This is one of the most moving scenes in the film and represents the power and emotional significance of music. Although the film is comprised mostly of Chopin pieces, it would be remiss of me not to mention Kilar's "Moving to the Ghetto Oct. 31, 1940", which serves as the theme for the film. The solo clarinet is a sorrowful representation of the horrifying routine Jewish people faced in the Warsaw Ghetto each and every day. My favorite scene, and arguably the most significant in the film, is when Szpilman play Chopin's Ballade in G Minor for Nazi officer, Wilm Hosenfeld (above video). Not only is the music relevant to the story, its beauty serves to contrast (and sometimes enhance) the utter darkness and horror of the time period. The piano specifically is a silver lining, both for the viewer and for Szpilman, reminding us that we are all human and that salvation is possible. The music of The Pianist doesn't simply enhance the story; it carries it.
Tension and anticipation mount as the viewer begins to understand that the Joker himself is present at the bank robbery. As the Joker approaches the bank manager, we hear that raw droning again. It turns out that the sound is a mixture of a slowly bowed cello and guitars played with pieces of metal. The volume and intensity of the sound builds and builds as the Joker says, "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you...". Then we hear strings rapidly dropping in tone, causing a feeling of dread, as the Joker removes his mask and says, ...stranger." When describing the process of creating these sounds, Zimmer is quoted as saying, "I took the idea of anarchy, someone who has that philosophy, what that does, and that fearlessness. And I thought, 'What if I can define a character in one note?" Actually, it's two notes that clash beautifully with each other and make it really like a taught string that gets tighter and tighter but never breaks." What makes Hans Zimmer a risk-taker is his choice to create a score full of annoying, ear-splitting sounds. He said he wanted to create something people could "truly hate". Logic says that that wouldn't work, that it would make the audience feel put-off. Yet, it worked...extremely well. And it elevated The Dark Knight to a level most other superhero films have not attained. Film: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote Music by: John Williams Stand out tracks: "E.T. And Elliot Get Drunk", "The Magic Of Halloween", "End Credits" I didn’t see E.T. until I was 18 (weird, I know) and it was assigned to my Music for Film class. It was the first time I had paid such close attention to film music and the first time I wrote in great detail about its impact on storytelling. E.T. is the film that sparked my interest in score music and will therefore always have a special place in my heart. What I love most about the score is how it enhances and directly relates to all of the actions taking place in the film. This is especially apparent in the scene where E.T. and Elliot accidentally get drunk. The scene opens with a curious E.T. rummaging through the refrigerator. The strings in the background give the viewer a slight sense of danger. We know that E.T. shouldn’t be in the fridge and the music mixed with his discovery of beer tells us something bad might happen. Mixing in the playful woodwind section portrays E.T.’s curiosity and adds to the humor. When E.T. burps, Elliot burps. The only problem is that Elliot is in the middle of class at school. With each scene change (from E.T. to Elliot), the music changes as well. Strings that begin on a high note and quickly descend help us understand Elliot’s worry and confusion at his own intoxication. Elliot’s music is opposite E.T.’s in that the former is more serious, while the latter is playful and comical. My favorite part of the scene is when E.T. walks across the kitchen and the back and forth staccato notes (played by a mixture of woodwinds and horns) match the beat of his footsteps, ceasing when E.T. hits his head on the cupboard and burps. The climax of the scene is when Elliot’s kiss with a classmate is paralleled with E.T.’s viewing of The Quiet Man on TV. The music turns from chaos to beauty. Students and frogs are running loose in the classroom, but we can only hear the scene from the movie E.T. is watching. Elliot has his first kiss and E.T. can feel the sensation through Elliot’s experience. John Williams’ genius is shown at the end of the kiss when the source music used smoothly leads into the original E.T. theme. The whole scene comes back around and reminds us that E.T. and Elliot are experiencing the same feelings in unique ways. If not for the music during this scene, E.T. and Elliot’s experiences would seem too separate from each other. E.T.’s experience would be seen as strictly comical while Elliot’s would seem too serious. The music connects the two characters and shows that E.T. and Elliot’s experiences are humorous, but have consequences as well. We are reminded that the two beings are inextricably connected. The score for E.T. is truly a masterpiece and I could analyze it for hours. It enhances emotions and makes the already heartwarming story even more dramatic than it already is. John Williams’ musical style relies heavily on full orchestration to create huge, overwhelming tone changes and mixes the real with the fantastical to link the magic of E.T.’s visit to earth with the reality of Elliot’s life in suburbia. The music is a major part of what makes E.T. such a marvelous film. Other Favorites
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