Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Music of a Movie

For me, a movie only has the potential to be great if the music is great. Even if the actors are horrible, the movie can still be okay. Think about watching a scary movie without music. It is definitely not as scary, and there is no suspense to lead up to the scary parts. Also, the parts when something jumps out at you, there is no orchestral hit to accompany the jumping out. Music often brings great suspense to scenes often dealing with fighting crime, a chasing scene, or an action scene. The most obvious example for me is in "National Treasure." If you've ever seen the movie, you will also agree that the movie is accompanied by some awesome music. Whenever Nicholas Cage and his costars are running from the "bad guys," there is this music that makes you want to listen in and see what happens. Here's a link to hear the music, and I must say that this music doesn't give the music in the movie full justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwTMJMD1As

In my opinion, some of the most powerful music that has ever accompanied a movie is the music in "Titanic." When I watch the movie, it is the music that makes me eyes start to water. Yes, the story is sad, but I could handle it alone. The music along with the visual just digs right down into me. The music makes the story what it is, and it makes it a masterpiece. In most Best Picture films, as was "Titanic," the music is utilized to its full extent- think of "The Lord of the Rings" and "Million Dollar Baby." The first uses regal music along with music that gets your heart pumping blood more quickly while the second often uses gentle piano. Both have their effects, and both substantiate the feelings of the movies.

Music in movies is like the voice of a recorded book. When you read the book, you get the story and you understand it, but when someone is saying it, you get the emphasis, the connotation, and often the most raw feelings are exposed. Similarly, movie music is like saying something instead of writing it. Isn't it much easier to write, "I love you," than actually say it? And isn't it much easier to write down mean things than actually say them to a person face to face? Of course it is, but when you actually say those things, they go right to the heart. When someone tells you they love you there's a feeling that you cannot replace. Respectively, you are much more hurt when someone screams at you nasty comments instead of them writing them down. Music in movies helps display the power of the emotion, and it sets the mood of the whole movie. Overall, there is nothing like the perfect mixture of a movie and its music. It is something.

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