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.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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.
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.
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