Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King seemed to have a lot of Classical Hollywood traits, while still seeming to fit into the modern movie era. To start off with, the movie had basically wall to wall music, a trait of classical Hollywood film scores, and also used a full orchestra. It also sounded like more modern instruments, like a synthesizer was used. In one scene, when the hobbits in the beginning are fighting over the ring, the eerie wailing sound sounds exactly like a theremin (it might have been a synthesizer but could have also be a theremin). The sound is used several times in the movie when the "ring" is present almost like a motif. The instruments used also seemed to represent the "emotions," just like in the Classical Hollywood film scores. In the herioc scenes, the music played ususally included brass and horn intruments to represent the bravery. For exmaple, when there is a speech about bravery given before the war, the instruments used in the music is brass and horns. These instruments are also used when they attack/war happens because the men are showing bravery, even though they know that there chances of winning, and even living, are slim to none. The romantic scenes are also represented by the steroetypical intruements: the violin, and sometimes the harp.

One difference is that the their were not leitmotifs like in most classical Hollywood film scores. While there seemed to be a few leitmotifs, like the "lady singing to represent the "good" such as when the white night scares away the evil birds, they were not as pronounced, or as frequent as, Classical Hollywood film scores. Another difference was that the music wasn't as "melodious." The music seemed to fit the mood of the scene more than trying to be harmonious. For example. a lot of the music was harsher, darker, and more dijunct to match the scenes like during the war scenes, or when the scenes were focused on the "evil/dark" side.

The music was also noticeable and dramatic in many of the scenes to match the drama of the scene and add more suspsense to the movie. For example, when Frodo reaches the "dead city" the music is loud and dark with low drum beats to add intensity and suspense to the scene...these drum beats then go on to match the marching of the evil army.

All-in-all the movie seems to carry some of the classical Hollywood film score traits while still having a current, modern feel.

Big Fish

The music in Big Fish does a good job of emphasizing the feelings of the scenes. The music throughout the movie usually fits into what is happening in the movie. Most of the music is mystical, representing the "stories" told by Edward. This mystical/fantasy music is first heard in the opening credits. Then the mystical music is heard when the stories are "narrated." However, there is more than just the fantasy music, there is also much music that fits the mood of the scenes. For example, when we learn that the son isn't talking to Edward, the music is sad. When Edward goes home to finally visit his dad, the music becomes reminiscent and slightly happy as he is walking up the stairs and sees picture of his childhood/family. Also, romantic music is played whenever there is a romantic scene (going back to a classical hollywood film trait).

The music is only used in the beginning whenever the "stories" are told and/or as a transition from the present to the narrated story. However, when the son starts finding more about his dad, and how these incident have happened, the music starts being used in the "present" and not just during flashbacks.

Another important element of the music, is the use of pre-existing music. Towards the end of the movie, a couple of pre-existing songs are used, including "All Shock-up" and "Five O'clock World." Some of the music in the movie, including the pre-existing music, also helps emphasis the time and place. For example, "All Shock-Up" is played when Ed is going to war. This song helps put into place when the scene was taking place. Also, when Ed was at the circus, the music played was circus music, representing the "circus" setting.

Malcolm X

The music in Malcolm X was essential to the movie. The music did a good job of setting up the time and place of the scenes. For example, in the first scene the music has a jazzy feel. It sounds like the jazz music that one would hear during this time period. The thing about the music that is different than alot of music heard in movies thus far is that the music is song by African American singers for the most part. In this first scene, an African American singer is singing. This helps fit with the movie as a whole, since it revolved around Malcolm X and African American struggles at the time. Towards the end of the movie, during Malcolm journy to Mecca sounds exotic and Middle Eastern, also setting the place of the scene. As he write letters to his wife during his journey, the music has a pipe instrument playing, which again represents the exotic feeling of Malcolm being in Mecca.

One important element was the use of diagetic music, which was usually jazz music. The first time the diagetic music showed up was during the barbershop scene. the music in the background comes from a radio in the shop. The radio music also sets up the time and place of the scene, since it is music one would expect to hear in a barbershop at the time. Whoever, I struggled determining the diagetic from the underscoring in the movie. While most of the music sounded like it was coming from the radio (usually jazz music), it was hard to tell if it was truely coming from a radio or not. For example, when Malcolm first tried cocaine, it is hard to tell if them music is underscoring, or if the music is coming from a radio in the house.

The music also adds to the mood/feeling of a scene. For example, when Malcolm X narrates about his family and the story about the KKK, the music is sad, eerie wailing, fighting the scary, sad emotions of the story. Also, the music played at the dance club is soft, romantic jazz when Malcolm dances with Sophia for the first time.

An important shift in the music takes place once Malcolm is arrested and sent to jail. The music changes from typically diagetic jazz, to more mature music. This change in music represents Malcolm's change in character, to more mature and "spiritual." For example, when Brother Baines starts to talk to Malcolm about Mohammad, the music becomes soft, inspirational, and hopeful underscoring. In a sence, the music has a power to it that represents the "power/feeling" Malcolm feels about Allah and Mohammad. And when Malcolm and his followers go to visit Brother Johnson in the hopsital, the music has a powerful feeling to it to match the power that Malcolm and the crowd have. This powerful feeling is created by instruments like the horn and repetitive drums beats. As the groupd of Brother and Malcolm march to the hospital, the music increases in pace and excitement as more people join the crowd and become interested in it.

The shift is very intrugal to the change in Malcolm and is important to propelling the movie forward!

The Mission

The Mission has music that represents both the "natives" and the missions. To start off, the first scene has "pipe/flute" music that has a native theme to it. The instrument sound is heard many times throughout the movie, especially around the natives. For example, during the last scene, the "pipe" instrument is heard when the young natives travel down the stream. The pipes are also present during some of the scenes when the mission is being attacked. During one of the forest fight scenes, it is heard, and also heard when the mission church is on fire and they are still carrying on mass. The "pipe" is not used with the same song. The underscoring still fights the mood of the scenes, but the "pipe" instrument is heard over/in conjunction with the music to give it a more native feel. There are a few leitmotifs however, used. There are two leitmotifs that i specifically could recognize. One seemed to have a hopeful, religious feel to it. For example, the theme is heard when Father Gabriel is successful in climbing the falls to get to the natives. It is inspirational and powerful and represents the "presence" of God. The theme is also heard when his Eminence visits the mission of San Miguel and sees the natives. The theme helps represent the powerful feeling his Eminence gets when he sees the beauty and power of the mission and the natives. The other leitmotif is also has a spiritual feel. For example, it is used when Father Gabriel tells his Eminence that he is going to stay with the natives.

Diagetic music is also used throughout the movie. The diagetic music is usually the natives singing. They sing "Ave Maria" several times. They sing it when his eminence comes to visit San Carlos missionary. They also sing "Ave Maria" when they are still preforming Mass during the fight. The natives are also heard singing many songs in their native lanugage a few times in the movie. For example, the little native boys sings in his native lanuage in front of his eminence and the court.

Star Wars IV

The music from Star Wars IV seems to resort back to the classic Hollywood film score traits. The first thing noticed is the use of full orchestra again. The opening/Title scene begins with the "typical/well known" Star Wars theme. It uses a full orchestra, and much unlike the music from film noir films, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, the music very loud, harmonious, euphonious, and colorful. Throughout the movie, much like classical Hollywood film scores, there is basically wall to wall music and the music is typically very noticeable. The scenes without underscoring seem to stand out, such as when Darth Vader and Obi-wan Kenobi are fighting, or when the Jetti's first go in to destroy the Death Star. The music in the movie also seems to fit the mood of the scene. If there is a dramatic scene, the music helps build intensity with sequences or with repetition. And when there are "evil" characters, like Darth Vader, the music becomes dark and scary, portraying the characters as villains.

Many of the classic Hollywood techniques are used. Mickey mouse-ing for example, is used to match the Storm Troopers steps in one scene on the Death Star, and used to match Princess Lei running in another. And the use of leitmotif, or a repetitive theme used throughout the movie, is also used. There seem to be two major themes that stick out to me...the Star Wars theme and the "Jetti/the Force" theme. The Star Wars theme is usually heard in heroic or dramatic situation. For example, when princess Lei is rescued, the Star Wars theme is played, and when Luke is about to blow up the Death Star. The other theme is used whenever the force, or the idea of the Jetti's are used. When Ben's voice tells Luke to use the force when he is attacking the Death Star, the force leitmotif can be heard. When Ben first appears the theme is heard, and when Ben is talking to Luke about his father and the idea of the Force, it is also heard. These are just a few examples of the theme being used as a leitmofic for the Force. There was also very little use of diagetic music. The only time it is heard is during the "bar" scene in the begining when the band of weird creatures are playing exotic sounding music.

The movie's music takes a step back from where music has been heading, back to more classic Hollywood traits.

2001: A Space Odyssey

A Space Odyssey has very different music than any other film we have seen thus far. The music and almost more importantly the lack of music create a completely different feel for the movie. To start of with, the movie opening title/credits start off with a musical cue that is now used in many other movies/shows. It is what I will call the Space theme. It uses drum beats and horns specifically for parts of the theme, but also uses a full orchestra. It is a grand sounding, adventurous, and slightly eerie theme. However, there is no underscoring in the Dawn of Man section (only background sounds and noise, like the wind are present) until the monolith from the earth arises. However, it is not like any other music we have heard before. He really has no melody or harmony, but is more of a howling, eerie sound. When this "music" is played, all the other sounds from the scene disappear and only the music can be heard. For example, the viewer does not hear the apes screeching anymore. When the scene changes, there is abrupt silence.

The theme from the opening title is heard again when the ape starts playing with the animal skeleton and learns to make a weapon/tool out of it. Could it possibly be a leitmotif to represent progressiveness/advancement or destruction? Or is it just underscoring to represent a significant moment in the movie?

Music is prevalent again when they show the earth/space, and space craft traveling in space. This time the music is pre-existing music. It is a famous classical piece (however, I cannot think of the name of it at the moment). The music is very harmonious and melodious, and is played with a full orchestra. It does not seem to really match what is going on in the movie, but seems to be there as filler for the lack of action happening. In the movie, music seems to adds some excitement, or movement, to the movie when there is really no action prepelling the movie forward. The classical piece is heard again, also where their are unimportant scenes showing space travel. The scene is long, and the music fills up the whole scenic view. Again, there is no talking or no other noice while the music is played. The music stops where ever people need to talk.

When another spacecraft flys over the planet, a new eerie hum is heard; it sounds like it could be from a therimin. The music then stops once the camera shows the inside of the craft and when people start talking. The eerie music helps create the mood of space and the emptiness, eeriness, and loniness of space. And unlike music we have heard in other movies, the music is more like an eerie wail; it is not "pretty" sounding, but more annoying and haunting. However, in a later scene, when the monolith appears, the same eerie howling theme from the apes saw the monolith is present.

Another theme is heard when the "Jupiter Mission" is shown. This theme is more melodious than the eerie howling, but is still dark, eerie, and creates the feeling of outer space.
Another theme is really not music but heaving breathing and an constant, unchanging noice. It is used whenever the man leaves the space station to fix the radio. However, when the computer "revolts" and sends the man drifiting into space, there is just eerie silence, and no noice at all. However, the breathing theme reappears when the other man takes the computer apart. At this time, we also heard diagetic music; the computer singing "Daisy".

During the "Jupiter" section of the movie, when there is the weird, crazy colored, crazy visual scenes, there is another theme. This theme is also eerie and echo-ishy with a lack of harmony, just like most of the other themes.

The movie ends with the "Space" theme from the beginging, and the ending credits plays the same classical piece from the movie.

Vertigo

The movie Vertigo has significant underscoring in the movie. There seems to be several musical themes that are used throughout the movie. For example, there is a repetitive leitmotif with a romantic but eerie theme between John and Madeleine. Also, there seems to be a leitmotif whenever John "spies" on Madeleine during the first part of the movie. It is a creepy, eerie theme that adds to the mystery and spookiness of the idea that Madeleine is possessed. After the stalking scenes the theme is prevelant it seemes whenever the "possessed" idea is present. So while the theme orginally seemed like a leitmotif for John spying, it was more a theme for the eerie idea of the possession.

The underscoring for all the musical themes in the movie seems minimalistic, at least in a sense. The music is very repetitive and while there is a motion of notes, the music does not "go anywhere" just like in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." The music is repetitive and helps increase the intensity of a scene and also builds suspense. Also, the music is not very harmonious (it is more sharp, disjunct, and short in some instances). Another device used in both films is the burst of loud music at the moment of a suspenseful or important scene and then the music typically stops. For example, in Vertigo, there is a sharp blast of music when a close up of the tombstone is showed to the viewer. And when Madeleine jumps into the river, there is also the loud burst. This idea helps add to the intensity of the scene and "startles" the viewer forcing them to notice and pay attention to the drastic and important ideas in the movie.

While there was a lot of underscoring, diagetic music was also present. For example, their was organ music in the Church while John was spying on Madeleine, and diagetic music from the record player when Midge play music in the begining and when she visits John at the mental institution. There is also diagetic music, the church bells, at the end when Judy falls from the church bell tower. There seemed to be only one scene where the lack of music created an effect, in the court room during the trail. It added to the seriousness of the situation and also acted as a form of respect, much like in that of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington where there is no music in senate and during court scenes.

Citizen Cane

I found this movie to be the hardest one to blog about yet. The music seemed to play an interesting role. In the movie Citizen Cane, there seemed to be a lot more diagetic music then we've heard in most of the movies. For example, Susan, the singer, contributed greatly to the diagetic music with her opera singing which appeared several times throughout the movie. The movie also had a few instances where diagetic music mixed with the underscoring background music like when Susan's opera signing mixes with the orchestrial underscoring from the previous scene. The begining also causes a problem. In the first couple of scenes, their is a newsreel that has much underscoring in it. However, after the newreel ends, it pans to a group of people who were watching the newreel, so the underscoring in the newreel is really diagetic music since the people watching the newreel also heard it. The music from the newreel is clique since it sounds like most of the music one would hear when viewing a newreel of the time period.

The underscoring in the movie acts in a certain way. In the movie there is little underscoring. However, underscoring is most typically present during transitions between scences and is typically just a short score. The underscoring does not seem represent a full orchestra, but a smaller orchestra. The underscoring also has a waltz theme in many of the scenes. For example, during the montage scene with Kane and his wife at breakfast, the music represents a waltz. However, as the montage changes, the waltz also changes. As the scenes show the couples deteriorating relationship, the music represents this by becoming less romantic, and more darker and angrier. And while the underscoring is typically in between scenes, it also appears to help propel the action and mood of the scene forward. For exmaple, their is a romantic feel to the music when Kane meets the "singer." And when she leaves him towards the end, the music has a sad, lonely feel to it. The music also represents Kane's sad, lonely life at the end when we discover that Rosebud is his sled from his childhood. The music has the desperate, hopeless feel to it that I felt as I watched the last scene.

Double Indemnity

The movie Double Indemnity, with scores by Miklos Rozsa, follows many characteristics of Film Noir. One characteristic of Film noir is one prevailing score with typically a dark and pessimistic mood. The opening music in Double Indemnity is the one prevailing score that is repeated throughout the whole movie, and the score was dark and pessimistic like most film noir scores are. The score had harsh and disjunct melodies, contributing to the dark mood of the music. Also, the orchestral music was not typical orchestra melody that was heard in earlier films. It was more wavering and irregular. The main score helped to transition between scenes, which in this case was typically from Walker's narration into the recorder, to the flashbacks of the scenes that already happened. The underscoring was typically not noticeable until scenes of great dramatic importance happened, like during the murder and when Walter and Phyllis are together in the end and we know that Phyllis has a gun. Also, the music ends loud when Walter falls over. In the scene when Phyllis and Walter are together for the last time, it is the first time diagetic music is heard in the film, which is jazz music from the city. This idea is also a characteristic of film noir because they use jazz music which was coming from the city.
The film also contains a "love" theme, however, it is still darker than most "love" themes seen from the classical movie era which was light, soft, and usually played by violins.

The Sea Hawk

The opening music helps create the mood of the movie. The music has an adventurous air to it. It also has elements of romance with the harp sound that is repeated throughout the movie as a leitmotif of Captain Thorpe and his ship. The harp is also prevalent during the romantic scenes between Thorpe and Dona Marie. The horn in the opening music sounded royal and heroic, foreshadowing the presence of royalty in the movie (Queen Elizabeth in this case) and Thorpe heroic actions.

Like in King Kong, underscoring is mixed with diagetic music in the scene where the slave rowers are rowing to the beat of the drum. During this scene, underscoring comes into the scene and fits in rhythm to the drum beats. While the drum beats can be heard to the people on the ship, the background music along with the drum beats can be heard by the viewer, creating a musical score that incorporates the two elements. This idea is also seen later on in the movie when Thorpe's crew is signing after they escape and capture the Spanish ship. The signing is clearly diagetic music, but in the background there are instruments playing that fits in with the saliors song (however the saliors cannot hear the intrusments). The intruments are underscoring, but they still are played in tune with the singing.

Compared to the Spanish ship, the underscoring that takes place when Captain Thorpe's ship is in the scene is exciting, light, heroic, and slightly fantastical. This music really fits the mood of the people on board his ship while the drum beats of the Spanish ship create an air of repetitive, boring, rigorious, and slightly cruel nature. On top of that, Captain Thorpe and his ship have a kind of leitmotif associated with them. While many times, the same victorious, heroic song is played in the underscoring, Thorpe is typically accompanied by a harp cresendo, where the musical notes rise. This creates an almost fantasy atmosphere that portrays Thorpe as heroic, romantic, and well loved.

During the fight scence between the Spanish ship and Thorpe's ship, there is alot of underscoring taking place which helps increase the intensity of the scene. To me, however, the lack of underscoring after the scene was more distant and created a contrast with the loud, hectic music of the battle. Also, as the Spanish ship sank, there was mickey mousing. As the ship slowly sank, the notes in the score slowly decreased, corresponding a 1-1 ratio of the music to what was happening on the screen. Mickey Mousing was also used other times in the movie, such as when Dona Marie was running down the hall way of the castle. The music corresponded to her running. In the scene where one of Thrope's crew falls over and dies when they are abroad the Spanish ship, the music desends as he slowly falls over.

Also, when there are romantic scenes between Thorpe and Dona Marie, the underscoring is soft and light, which intruments that typically portray love, like the violin or harp. Both of these intruments can be heard in the underscoring when Dona and Thrope are in the garden together and other times when they are together.

Gone With the Wind

Theodore Adorno and Hans Eisler would find some musical elements in Gone with the Wind as bad habits. He would have found many songs to be euphonious, with a desire to have beautiful sounding melodies. Many of the songs sounded beautiful and melodious. He would have stated that much of the music was meant to be memorable for the listeners, and not meaninful to the movie. However, Adorno and Eisler would have liked the obtrusivness of the music. They did not believe that music wasn't meant to be heard. In Gone With the Wind, they would have liked that much of the music was very noticeable. For example, in many scenes, the music increased as the drama increased making me very aware of the music. It also increased the intesnsity of the scense because of the increasing volume of the music, such as when Bonnie was jumping with her horse.

Many of Copland's Five Points were also noticeable in the film. Much of the music in Gone with the Wind was background filler such as when Ashley was chopping wood and not much else was going on. It was also a filler when Ashley was just lying in bed after he had been shot in the arm. The music also helped build a sense of continuity in the film during transitions between scenes and during a short montage when the women were gossiping about Scarlet and her business. The music was used to underline psychological refinements. For example, when Scarlet's husband was angry, the music was angry and intesne sounding. And when Scarlet was sad when looking at the picture she had of Ashley, the music changed to slower and sadder music. This helped increase the emotions of the viewers and helped them understand what emotions the characters were feeling. Also, the music provided underpinning for the theatrical build up of a scene. For example, when Scarlet's daughter was riding the horse, the music got louder as the scene intensitifed and forshadowed her daughter falling off. This idea was also used when her father rode the horse. The music in Gone With the Wind helped build a more convincing atmosphere as well. For example, in Bonnie' room, the music sounded like caroseul music, representing childhood.

Gone with the Wind had both diagetic and underscoring. Underscoring took place through most of the movie, but when there was a lack of underscoring, it was noticeable. For example, when Scarlet's sister was upset because of Scarlet marrying her love, the scene seemed less dramatic without underscoring playing its role. Diagetic music was used when a man was singing, and also when Scarlet and her husband were on their honeymoon on the steam boat and the band was playing as they ate dinner.

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein

The lack of underscoring in Frankenstein had a huge impact compared to The Bride of Frankenstein, which did have underscoring. Although the movie had some diagetic music, it did not play a huge role in the movie. It's main role was at the wedding where people were dancing to music. It did show the excitement and joy typically surrounding the movies, but not much else.

Without underscoring, silence seemed awkward. The transitions between scenes also seemed awkward and not as smooth as if their was music, unlike The Bride of Frankenstein where many transitions between scenes seemed smoother because of the underscoring music which helped link the scenes together and take away from the awkward quietness.

Due to the lack of music in Frankenstein, I felt less emotional attachment to characters and scenes, and felt like I understood character less. For example, in the Bride of Frankenstein, I could understand the characters better based on the underscoring. When Dr. Pretorius entered for the first time, the underscoring helped identify that we would be more sinister and possibly create a bad situation based on the dark, sinister, and suspicious underscoring music in the background. And when Dr. Pretorius was showing Henry his "creations," the music associated with what he made. The ballerina had music one would associate with a ballerina: graceful and elegant underscoring. Also, diagetic music in The Bride of Frankenstein also helped identity the role of a character. The blind man, for example, played the violin and was playing a song that portrayed him as friendly, human, and loving. However, in Frankenstein, when the monster was first introduced to light, I was unsure what his reaction was. Was it sad, angry, mad, or scared? If underscoring had been present, I might have understood the situation better.

In Frankenstein, the intensity of a situation was mitigated by the lack of underscoring. However, In the Bride of Frankenstein, the background music helped intensify scenes and build foreshadowing. The dark, scary music, built suspense and made the movie have more drama. The drum beats in the underscoring of the final scenes built anticipation and kept me on the edge of my seat. And the light, feminine music after the "Bride" of Frankenstein was brought back to life added to the effect of her creation and her gender.

In all, underscoring plays an important role and without underscoring, I noticed that I felt like the movie was lacking excitement and intensity and was missing an important element of the movie.