The Queen

The first thing I noticed about the music in The Queen was how little there was. The composer of the film took a very minimalistic approach to underscoring. The next thing that I noticed was that one of the theses that was heard throughout the movie was a somewhat unsettling and mysterious melody. This music was often contrary to what the audience would expect for several scenes. For example, this melody was played in scenes showing mourners putting flowers on the palace gate. Normally, the audience would expect very slow and somber music, but instead they almost waiting for something else to happen. This music even though contrary to the cliches, did an excellent job to including the audience in the emotions of the characters in the film. The audience members were experiencing the same frustrations and unrest with not hearing from the queen about Princess Diana's death that the English people were feeling. It also helps that most of the audience remembers this historical event in real life and can relive their emotions about the event as well.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

The music in the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is very similar to those of other epic films like Titanic. The main theme is used throughout the three hour long film. It varies depending on the situation in pitch, in speed, or in the instruments used, but the melody stays the same. The melody is used so much throughout the film that it becomes somewhat repetitive and the audience almost expects it to be played. I also noticed that strings were used extensively in the film. Almost all underscoring featured in the film contained strings as the main instrument used. In fact, the movie was almost wall to wall stings. The other most noticeable instrument used in the film was the theremin. This unique instrument was heard whenever the ring was revealed, like when Sam pulled the ring out of his pocket towards the end of the film to show Frodo that he still has it. The use of the theremin helped the audience to feel the intense power of the ring even though they could not see it. Finally, the music in the film helped to tie together the constant changes of scenery and to clue the reader into what events were coming next.

Big Fish

The music in Big Fish is a great example of some of the contemporary elements of film scores. First, the film score for the movie is an eclectic score, mixing symphonic underscoring with popular music, such as songs by Elvis and other rock and roll hits. Second, the main use of underscoring was in the development of the film's overall theme, which varies and transformed throughout the movie. The use of the film's theme at the very beginning of the movie and closing out the final scenes helped to create a strong sense of unity for the story line and really finish out the movie in a complete way. Another contemporary feature of the music in this film, is the minimalistic approach to underscoring during the present-day scenes. Whenever the characters are interacting or talking in the current time period, there is almost never any musical underscoring. However, whenever a story is being told in a flashback, music is usually present at all times, whether diagetic or underscoring. Finally, the underscoring in the film featured an extensive use of piano. The use of piano as a primary instrument in film music is a fairly recent development. In this film, the piano is heard in almost every underscoring piece and plays a major role in the film's overall theme. If I had not taken this class and not had the knowledge of what to look for in film music, I might not have even noticed the music in this film because it is so similar to what we typically hear in present day films.

Malcom X

The music is almost wall to wall in Malcom X. There is a lot of cross-cutting between very different scenes. The music that accompanies these different scenes varies drastically and would only make sense in combination with the scenes in the film. A great example of this is at the beginning of the movie. There is a trumpet solo playing during Malcom's opening speech, which immediately changes to ragtime music underscoring at the train station. Then this underscoring immediately jumps to eerie, slow music when Malcom is talking about the Klan comes to his childhood house and when his father is preaching at his church. Then the music jumps again to upbeat jazz and swing music when they are dancing at the club. The music and the scenes in the film helps to make each other fit together even though there is constant changing of scenes and moods. If either element was eliminated, the movie would just be a mess of confusion.

The Mission

The underscoring music in The Mission helps to clue the audience into the emotional state of the characters in the film. For example, when the woman tells Mendoza that she doesn't love him, a twangy guitar and low strings underscoring begins to play, symbolizing his heartbreak. Also, when Mendoza kills his brother, the music immediately changes to soft and slow music, implying his immediate remorse for what he has done. Probably the most powerful example of music implying a character's thoughts and emotions is when the pope approaches Father Gabriel's mission. There is chanting and upbeat tribal musical music heard which creates an almost magical feeling for the audience and also helps to express the pope's awe and respect for the native people and what the Jesuits have accomplished.

Star Wars IV

The music in Star Wars IV has many of the characteristics of the Classic Hollywood Film Score. There are leitmotifs for several characters and places, such as a light romantic theme for Princess Leia, a daunting theme for the evil side of the force, and the memorable theme for Luke, which is actually the melody that eventually becomes the theme for the Star Wars films in general. Also music supports the action and emotional impact of the scenes in the film, for example a lot of sequencing complements the fight scenes. Also, the film features almost wall to wall music. The main time that no music is featured is when the light sabers are being used and only their sound can be heard. The majority of the music in the film is also underscoring, which uses the full extent of orchestral instruments.

2001: A Space Odyssey

While this is one of the most confusing movies I have ever seen, the music added a lot to the plot. I first noticed the cliche space exploration music used at the beginning of the movie and at the end. This is probably the first time that it was ever used, but this movie has set the standard for its extensive use in future movies. The underscoring of transition from waltz-like music to menacing and mysterious, almost eerie music, to represent space, clues the viewers that space travel has no longer been just for pleasure, that there is a unknown and almost scary view of space now. The theremin is used throughout the movie to represent things that are "other-worldly" and it helps to establish a time and place for the viewer, time being the distant future, and place being the unexplored realms of space. While the existence of sequencing and certain leitmotifs, such as the one for the monolith, helps to clue the viewer into what was going on and keep them emotionally engaged, the lack of underscoring also helped to create intense suspense and anticipation. Throughout this film, music, and lack thereof, helps to further the plot of the movie and to greatly intensify the emotions and fear of the characters and situations.