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!