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.