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The role of music in movies
Music in film essay paper
Importance of music in films
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Music plays a huge role in todays society, as the music-in-film world progresses along side the improvements and changes in the musical industry we as viewers often underestimate the usefulness of music, in any form, can have over even the most unresponsive kinds of people. In almost everything we do and see music is involved in some form or another. Like a piece played at a wedding, a funeral, or even just a song played on the. Because of this, most great movies use music (or an absence of music) to illuminate the scenes and draw up the emotions the viewer needs to feel to make it a truly magnificent film. The 2003 Film Seabiscuit, which was based on the best selling book Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand, is a famous film …show more content…
depicting the life of an unlikely racing star, a small horse born with crooked legs. Known for its score, written by Randy Newman, it is a low key, mellow, over all pleasant experience all wrapped in Americana spirit. The score is effective at its task, all the while remaining anonymous in its charm. Randy Newman's work for the Americana genre of films has been both significant and applicable. Newman created a pleasant, sporadically exciting, instrumentally innocuous environment within this particular film. In the, well executed but unoriginal score of Seabiscuit, Newman curbs his orchestra in all but maybe a just a few cues in the more intense racing scenes. Acoustic guitars provide a basic, relaxing dimension of history and “heartland” sentimentality often linked to Equine Americana related films, to the drama. Randy actually used his own piano performances to add an additional layer of character depth to the film. Not only that but he also used his own woodwind solos throughout most racing scenes help to heighten the feel of the horse racing events, especially of the past. The music played as the title music is similar to that of the music used for emphasis throughout the entire film. The music playing at the scene where Red Pollard first realizes his passion for horse racing, when he’s watching these seasoned jockeys exercise their horses, where the soft string music is playing in the background, making us as viewers feel sentimental. Seabiscuits’ first race is an important scene, the music and score should reflect that wholeheartedly.
The music and musical cues while still reflecting the feel of the rest of the film, adds a layer of excitement and importance through the use of horns and upbeat tempo to make the viewer feel a connection to the scene. The trumpets at the beginning of the race not only signal the transition into more serious music, but it is also a reference to horse racing traditions. High tempo, risky feeling music starts playing as the race ensues, use of heartbeat tempo and pounding noises to create anticipation of the end of the race, the music then slows down into long drowsy notes and Seabuscuit is defeated. The use of string instruments, and longer woodwind notes emphasize the frustration being felt in this scene and really reflect the disappointment felt by the …show more content…
characters. The function of source music is to use objects within the film to enhance the musical score, source music can be a radio/band etc. an example from earlier would be the trumpets playing as at traditional race tracks, we know its source music because the characters react to it showing the viewer they can also hear it. Incidental music or atmospheric music is used throughout the film to add an atmospheric touch to the action. Aside from a few heart pounding race scenes, Newman's work is, for the most part, in Seabiscuit is kept to average levels of intensity. On the soundtrack, the consistently laidback score is only interfered with by the one or two source songs in the middle. I feel that leitmotivs are used in scenes like the above mentioned where Red finds his love for racing, similar score and musical instruments are used in similar realization scenes throughout the film Seabiscuit, I’m sure Newman did this purposely to subconsciously remind the viewer of their earlier felt emotions. When Seabiscuits’ next race comes up, Red Pollard is more prepared, as he gets a pep talk before the race soft, but intensifying music is playing in the background.
The conversation moves into the the scene where Seabiscuit is taken into the starting gate and the music pauses and they emphasize the sounds of the source music playing: the gates closing, the crowd roaring, then a long silent pause- all of the sudden the gates slam open and jubilant music resonances in the background. Triumphant music plays as the race continues, percussion and brass instruments reign over the noises in the crowd as Seabiscuit pulls towards the
front. If I could relate the score in Seabiscuit to another film we studied it would have to be Finding Nemo, coincidentally, the score for Finding Nemo was written by Thomas Newman also known as Randy Newman’s cousin. Randy Newman was known for mellow, almost Disney-like scores. In fact, often reviews relate Randy to his 7 features in Disney films including famously, Toy Story. The score for Finding Nemo is also subtle- yet animated, its use of emotion drawing instruments is similar to that of Seabiscuit. Randy Newman was maybe the more obvious choice for the next it Disney film, but since the subject matter in Finding Nemo coming from a different perspective, director Andrew Stanton insisted that the more well known for his serious work, cousin, Thomas, should write the score for Finding Nemo. Thomas Newman is best known for his work in The Shawshank Redemption (also studied in this course) and when it came time for him to enter the realm of animation, himself and directors alike thought of his as an odd choice. Especially considering the fact that many of his scores of recent time were mostly electronic focused work. Andrew Stanton the director of Finding Nemo, also a writer and was also used as voices on the previous Pixar films, even states that the reason he chose Thomas over Randy was because he he wrote the story for Finding Nemo while listening to Thomas Newman scores, resulting in him realizing that Thomas was the Newman for the job.
As the opening credits scroll on the screen, the violins in the orchestra play an anticipatory mood. Almost like a chase is occurring. This music sets the scene for the rest of the movie and the horror that will ensue. The same melody is continued into the first scene just at a slower speed. When Marion Crane and Sam Loomis are in the hotel room
From the very beginning of the novel, the item that draws confusion and ridicule from the War Office is an 1840 Erard grand piano (Mason 7). This establishes without a doubt that music and sound will be vital to the themes of the story. When creating the film adaptation of the book, the main music throughout will be the piano. During the opening credits, a fugue will begin, with a single phrase of music established as the main theme of the entire film. This piece will be continued throughout the entire film, with other instruments added at times to correctly portray the mood of the scene.
The films musical score alerts the viewer to an approaching attack of the shark and they automatically build this association with the music in their mind. Horror films often make use of high string instrument notes that irritate viewers and increase tension. Music plays an important role in film editing and the editor must choose its placement wisely to ensure its intended effect on the viewer’s mind and
In The Important Places filmmaker choose awesome music because it gives viewer to feel in the best mood while watching. Similarly, Contributing Writer for Film Rejects, Allison, says “Music is an important part of any film, but with documentaries, the music becomes all the more important because it is reflecting real world issues and not just a works of fiction.” I agree with Allison, because music is the one media to draw viewers’ feeling, which touches the soul as well as capable of bonding people together from different background, and cultural heritage. This make music is key in the filmmaker, specially documentaries film to draw millions of people
In a film where music is needed to denote the messages the film is dictating, there is obviously a lot
The music suited the movie very nicely. By the type of music playing, you could determine what sort of scene was coming up, either fast and light...
Not only is the song supporting the climax, but it also contributes to the characters. As the Hoovers dance like maniacs, the song establishes the exhilaration for the characters and audience. In the eyes of the crowd, the Hoovers are super freaks. As the Hoovers drive back to Albuquerque, the last song is “How it Ends.” Devotchka’s composition is categorized “a simplifier of emotion.”
Music can decipher a narrative event by indicating a perspective. To unify a set of diverse images and provide rhythmic and formal continuity and momentum, a film’s structure is more often than not, directly articulated by a musical structure. Music can assist the dialogue and visuals of film and often is inaudible (e.g. music is meant to be heard unconsciously, not consciously). Music has been used by directors to reinforce or strengthen certain weak scenes in film and then on the other hand when music is not needed to reinforce a scene
Band of Brothers is written by Stephen E. Ambrose, and follows the E (Easy) company, 506th regiment, 101st Airborne on their journey as paratroopers throughout World War II. Ambrose was born in Lovington, Illinois on January 10, 1936. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and majored in history. Ambrose was a history professor for thirty-five years, in addition authoring many books, including famous biographies on Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon. In 1988, Ambrose attended an Easy Company reunion. Here he got the inspiration to write Band of Brothers, and began collecting the veteran’s stories. The book was published in 1992.
One example is the introduction scene in Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton adds scary music to introduce Edward, and give his audience a thrill letting them know that this movie is going to be full of suspense and emotion based off of the music Burton chose. Burton uses music as a way to connect the audience with the characters in the movie, like Edward. Edward’s character is scary by itself because of his scissor replaced hands. In a scene where Edward hurt Kim’s boyfriend Jim, Burton added suspenseful music to add conflict in this scene because after hurting Jim, Edward is in trouble.
For example, in the movie The Lion king, the song “The Circle of Life”, the instruments used in the song are a piano, vocals, a small woodwind, and percussion. The music starts with very powerful vocals which grab your attention and pull it towards the screen and what is about to happen. The vocals then turn to harmonies from a choir. The music is primarily background offscreen. This means that it consists of sound effects, music, or vocals that originate from the world of the story. For examples, in the movie The Lion King, the animals talk. In real life, animals do not talk. Also in the scene where they sing “Hakuna Matata”, the music in the movie tells what is happening through the lives of the characters, but in the real life all we see is people talking and screaming but not the music expressing our feelings, like The Lion King. Another scene is where the animals sing “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”. The song is telling their love story in through the music but in real life we tell our love story by
This created interest in the audience and engaged them closer to the movie to lead them to the Climax and turning point of the movie. Overall, the mood that was created by the examples of Music was upbeat and aggressive and used the film techniques foreshadowing and Contrast to engage the
The importance of music in movies is highly regarded for manipulating the viewer’s emotions and helping them immerse into the story. Music is one of the prime elements in cinema. Without it a movie would feel dull and unexciting. There are three elements in a movie: one is acting, the second is picture, and the third one is music. It is a holy trinity; if incomplete, there would be a lack of sensation and excitement. Both acting and picture can stand independently from one another, but music is the one that makes the movie memorable.
Music has been many different things to people, an escape, a revolution, an experience, a feeling, a message, a memory, a single moment, peace, class, etc. Music has played a large role in the lives of many. The story of music and it’s evolution is beautiful, from ancient melodies being plucked on a harp, to the british invasion and the popular revolution. Music has changed, and it has effected so much. In the recent decades popular music has manipulated humanity into acting inappropriately.
Also, music plays an important role in culture by being entertaining. Let's face it; people listen to music because it's exciting! It can affect a person's thoughts and feelings towards a particular subject, but not ultimately change their mind, which is what makes it so pleasurable. What else would put life in the world if music didn't? Music provides background music for almost everything in a person's everyday life. Try to imagine what television would be like without music. There would be no catchy jingles to stupid commercials that would end up getting stuck in your head for days and no theme songs to your favorite shows. Even a movie without sound would make you not want to watch it. Whether you think so or not, a soundtrack to a movie makes a person emote to the screenplay more- it makes you feel what the actors are feeling. That is what makes it so entertaining! If there were no songs to a movie, you might as well just not watch it at all. And what about a cell phone? How would you know when to pick up your phone if you didn't hear it ring your favorite song? Hearing that ring tone on a phone provides a small source of entertainment, but also serves a very important purpose.