Movie scores create lasting memories

“BUH-DUMP. Two notes, and you’ve got a villain. It’s totally bril,” Jack Black said to Kate Winslet while holding a copy of “Jaws” in “The Holiday.”

Two notes from that famous John Williams score and instant fear reverberates through movie watchers.

The same is accomplished with two high-pitched “ree-ree” sounds and quick stabbing motion from the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic “Psycho.”

Movie scores are much like stage lighting; when it’s bad, you notice, but when it’s good, it compliments everything just right without ever making itself known.

Imagine a scene of an alligator crawling out of a pond.

In your mind, set it to scary music.

Now, set it to circus music.

The music is entirely capable of changing the entire feel of the scene, and of the film.

A truly amazing music score inspires a mood and creates a tone with just a few simple notes, as is the case with the Harry Potter and James Bond films.

Those few notes, carried throughout each song and each film in the series instantly inspires a mood and a memory.

John Williams is responsible for the vast majority of infamous movie scores including “Jaws,” the Indiana Jones films, “E.T. The Extraterrestrial,”

“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and the Star Wars films.

All of these movies can be identified by a few notes of their scores, an incredible feat for any composer, and no doubtedly what Jack Black’s character in “The Holiday” hopes to achieve.

The difference between a soundtrack and a movie score is a movie score is written by a composer specifically chosen for that film, whereas a soundtrack uses a compilation of often popular songs to set the tone.

“Forrest Gump,” boasts an incredible soundtrack with music from The Doors, Elvis and Buffalo Springfield.

The songs are impeccably chosen, but do not instantly signify the film.

These scores are well written because they pull the movie together seamlessly, developing characters and setting moods.

Attraction between two characters, incredible disappointment, sadness or elation can often not be expressed by the actors solely, regardless of talent.

Films need movie scores the same way actors need scripts.

Neither can stand alone and accomplish a quality product.

The first time I saw the very first Pirates of the Caribbean film in a theater, I consciously remember thinking the score was incredible.

Though completely cheesy and very over the top, it instantly made me want to grab a sword, amputate a leg and develop a wicked case of scurvy. 

The score to “Amelie” made me want to travel to Paris and waltz on cobblestone streets.

I confess, I’ve driven entirely too fast while listening to the Pirates of the Carribbean soundtrack and danced around like a fool while listening to the “Amelie” score.

These scores work because they function the same outside of the film as they do inside.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comments