Should film music be heard?
- Thread starter kathy
- Start date
I would say that it very much depends on what's going on in the film. It's a very delicate balance and all comes down to which experience the film makers wants to give the viewer/listener in the different scenes. Sometimes the music should definately just blend in the total impression (actually I would say most of the time if measured in percentages), but other times the music will have a stronger role in itself. Think of many of the John Williams scores, he is the master of that balance as his music can go from "background" that blends in almost 100% to musical themes that becomes as fameous as the movie itself.
Brad Stark
New member
Should film music be heard?
I think the film medium is an artistic one, and in the realm of art there is the ultimate Pandora’s Box presented by the possibility of choices.
Simply put, I just think this question just comes down to the question of choice, without a real “right” or “wrong” answer.
Obviously music is very prevalent in movies, and part of this may be due to tradition, but it may also be because directors believe that the choice to add music to a movie will add something to the final artistic product (excuse my accidental euphemism).
Good luck on your paper.
I think the film medium is an artistic one, and in the realm of art there is the ultimate Pandora’s Box presented by the possibility of choices.
Simply put, I just think this question just comes down to the question of choice, without a real “right” or “wrong” answer.
Obviously music is very prevalent in movies, and part of this may be due to tradition, but it may also be because directors believe that the choice to add music to a movie will add something to the final artistic product (excuse my accidental euphemism).
Good luck on your paper.
cod_almighty
New member
I think film music should have the eventual goal of supporting and improving the film. Nobody non-musical goes to the cinema to listen to music... Effectively it is a tool, not an end point and should be used as such. If it can be heard too much then something's wrong, but if it's mixed way down to almost inaudible levels in favour of the SFX (War of the Worlds), then I feel it's a bigger failure. But then I'm a musician!
morriconelover
New member
There are movies where music is essential, end movies where music is not needed. And music can really be used in different manners.
Yesterday i went to see "L'enfant", the third Dardenne movie in a social realistic trilogy, and only point where music was heard was a scene shot inside a car, where the young couple is listening to the car radio while fooling around, and the classical music played reached almost a magical level, even though it was not music forced into the movie.
So music is a way of controlling and manipulating the feelings and sympaties of a viewer.
I would say it is harder for a movie director to create something without music, cause it demands more of his skills towards the actors, the visual style, and the power the movie has without music.
Yesterday i went to see "L'enfant", the third Dardenne movie in a social realistic trilogy, and only point where music was heard was a scene shot inside a car, where the young couple is listening to the car radio while fooling around, and the classical music played reached almost a magical level, even though it was not music forced into the movie.
So music is a way of controlling and manipulating the feelings and sympaties of a viewer.
I would say it is harder for a movie director to create something without music, cause it demands more of his skills towards the actors, the visual style, and the power the movie has without music.
Magnum
Banned
Hi
Personally I feel like the music of a movie can either make a good film great or an average movie poor. Most of the time we do not even notice the music but subconsciously it does have a major effect.
Think of a horror movie where the music is quiet when leading up to some horror behind a door then bang! the horror is revealed with ear shattering high pitched tones.
I think it definately effects the emotional experience we have and to be honest don't think many people would be affected at all by movies without the soundtracks, infact many people when discussing movies will relate just as much to the music as to the storyline.
Magnum
Personally I feel like the music of a movie can either make a good film great or an average movie poor. Most of the time we do not even notice the music but subconsciously it does have a major effect.
Think of a horror movie where the music is quiet when leading up to some horror behind a door then bang! the horror is revealed with ear shattering high pitched tones.
I think it definately effects the emotional experience we have and to be honest don't think many people would be affected at all by movies without the soundtracks, infact many people when discussing movies will relate just as much to the music as to the storyline.
Magnum
Maya
New member
I agree with Magnum on this. Film music can add drama, mystery and suspense. I could not imagine a film (trilogy) like "The Lord of the Rings" without the powerful music that was running throught it.
As for horror films, I sometimes close my eyes at the gorey bits, but then get spooked out by the music!
As for horror films, I sometimes close my eyes at the gorey bits, but then get spooked out by the music!
StuckOnBandaid
New member
It definately depends on the movie. I definately agree that music in a movie can be an emotional experience. Horror movies are a great example. If I watch a horror movie, I don't mind the gorey parts, but I just cannot listen to the music. I have to admit, I usually plug my ears. Music can definately be an antregal part of a movie, and the overall experience of a movie.
Debbie
New member
I think music is an essential component of any movie whatever the subject is. Can you imagine Jaws being given the cult movie status it has enjoyed for the last few decades without the haunting music of John Williams to scare the pants off of us?
No music in some ways makes a good movie great and get it wrong and the movie may be a flop.
No music in some ways makes a good movie great and get it wrong and the movie may be a flop.
irir123
Banned
one of Ilayaraja's recent but very underrated album for an even more underrated very different dark comedy/Indian film - "Mumbai Xpress" reviewed by a popular progressive music website "Sea of Tranquility"!
here is the link: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/revi...ontent&id=4824
enjoy! way to go Ilayaraja!
here is the link: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/revi...ontent&id=4824
enjoy! way to go Ilayaraja!
Gary Blanchard
New member
I agree that a lot depends on the movie, the sequence, the setting, etc. One of the best uses of music in a film, to me, was Spaulding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia. The movie was basically a monologue with changing camera angles providing most of the motion. Laurie Anderson's score added depth and dimension to that film, yet never overpowered it. One of the worst uses of music in a movie, to me, was Lawrence Kasden's Grand Canyon. There was a lot of music that seemed to portend a dramatic, traumatic event which never happened. I walked out of the theatre a nervous wreck.
In short, I guess I feel the music should touch the awareness, perhaps be "heard" when it is appropriate to the scene, and should be congruent with whatever is happening on the screen.
Of course, when you get to movies like Powaqqatsi, Anima Mundi, and other
Godfrey Reggio/Philip Glass collaborations, the music is as much a pert of the film as the image and needs to be heard.
In short, I guess I feel the music should touch the awareness, perhaps be "heard" when it is appropriate to the scene, and should be congruent with whatever is happening on the screen.
Of course, when you get to movies like Powaqqatsi, Anima Mundi, and other
Godfrey Reggio/Philip Glass collaborations, the music is as much a pert of the film as the image and needs to be heard.
Dinardo
New member
I like good music in films. There's just something chilling about Breakfast At Tiffany's Moon River. Makes me cry almost all the time, as embarrasing as that may sound.
As someone previously mentioned, I also think epic movies would be nothing without an epic score.
I've seen some good films that have used silence (not including silent films of course, don't get smart on me) to give more gravity and emotionality to a scene though. Indie films tend to do this a lot. Probably due to budget constraints.
All in all, I consider film music an integral part of a film as long as it flows seamlessly in to support the film and not take over it.
To give a more current example, I consider Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette's film scoring a bit too indulgent and disjointed, much like the editing of and the whole movie, really.
I guess you could force an anology to Marie Antoinette's personality, but, nah, it's too much of a stretch.
As someone previously mentioned, I also think epic movies would be nothing without an epic score.
I've seen some good films that have used silence (not including silent films of course, don't get smart on me
) to give more gravity and emotionality to a scene though. Indie films tend to do this a lot. Probably due to budget constraints.All in all, I consider film music an integral part of a film as long as it flows seamlessly in to support the film and not take over it.
To give a more current example, I consider Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette's film scoring a bit too indulgent and disjointed, much like the editing of and the whole movie, really.
I guess you could force an anology to Marie Antoinette's personality, but, nah, it's too much of a stretch.