Music As The Background: Spaghetti Western And Silent Movies

Sound is a very important part of a movie as it can set the mood in the situation; Tim Burton used diegetic sounds perfectly in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory to set that dark eerie mood. At the beginning of the movie where you see all the machines that are used to make chocolate, a the machines are working it is playing a low pitched song while the viewer hears the machines press down on the chocolate to mold the chocolate. The sounds the machines make combined with the music makes the scene’s mood a lot less more cheery like yeah chocolate but also gave an mysterious feel about it. Another example is when the group is greeted by wax puppets singing an upbeat song,

Music plays a critical role in the narrative films as it is important technique that filmmakers use to support the narrative and influence the way that the viewer interacts, responds and interprets the events as they unfold. The godfather, which is one of all time Hollywood movies, represents a good use of music that succeeded in supporting the dramatic events that take place in the movie. Moreover, both diegetic and non-diegetic music in the godfather movie are used to achieve the overall purpose by using the different principles and functions of film music that range from setting the mood of the viewer to providing continuity within the movie. In this essay, we will take part of the godfather movie in which we can observe and analyse the

Music also plays a key role in reminding the audience that this movie took place in the past.

     The music helped in elaborating this great film. As I mentioned in class different instruments helped create different moods for different scenes in the movie. We heard the cello and the violin to create sadness and remorse. The flute created eeriness and the trumpet created awareness. I thought these were instruments and tools that help make this film extraordinary.

1) Describe the three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era and cites specific examples from The Birth of a Nation. (10 points)

The background music or soundtrack is usually used in films or scenes to emphasise the general emotion that the director wants the viewer to feel. It is used in the background of the scene, where the Titans are playing the second half of the game. It is a song with a very upbeat and hopeful tune, that has very positive lyrics.The soundtrack in the previous scenes were very suspenseful and intense, so the sudden change of background music is contrasting.

“The most exciting moment is the moment when I add the sound… At this moment, I tremble.” (Akira Kurosawa) Sound is arguably the most important concept in cinema studies, being there ever since the beginnings. It can radically change the way a motion picture is looked at and it can render what the director may sometimes find hard to depict using only his camera. Looking upon silent cinema one discovers an era which wasn’t at all silent, but rich in sound of different forms, from the simple narration of the images shown on screen, accompanied by a piano, to the complex score later composed specifically for that film. An example of that complex score is shown in Sunrise, a film by F.W. Murnau, which lies at the border between silent cinema and sound cinema. Considered to be one of the first films with an actual score, Sunrise is a great example of the multitude of dimensions and effects sound can have.

Silent film has no recorded sound but can include background music and special effects. Since there was no way to record people talking, music was used instead. Music establishes setting, creates mood, atmosphere and may foreshadow. Charlie Chaplin is one of the most famous producers and directors of the silent film era. Not only did he write, he acted and scored movies too. In Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (1925), the dance of the rolls in the official version was officially composed by Chaplin to help correlate with his actions by using an Orchestra. It was later recreated; however, it was composed using a piano. Although, people of that time period may argue that Chaplin’s version is the best one and more effective because it is an original, the piano version is the best.

1940s- In the 1940s music in film entirely became Western Classical music. One of the most vital composer of all times is Bernard Hermann start exploring the true taste of film music. He broke many barriers and tradition to make music that supported his own film.

     The music is appropriated to the visual images. When George is thinking about his daughter is going to leave him, it has background music of ¡§My Girl¡¨, and the lyric fits his feeling. The film uses narration, George tells what is going to be happened and defines the places. It is effective because the story is very realistic and the language is funny.

Literary devices are used in stories to create a mood. These devices are used as techniques to add to the overall energy of the story. One cinematic technique used in movies is music. Music has been used in movies since the beginning of motion pictures. Music can create anticipation, excitement, fear, etcetera. Music enhances the emotions of the film.

The importance of music in movies is highly regarded for manipulating the viewer’s emotions and helping them immerse into the story. Music is one of the prime elements in cinema. Without it a movie would feel dull and unexciting. There are three elements in a movie: one is acting, the second is picture, and the third one is music. It is a holy trinity; if incomplete, there would be a lack of sensation and excitement. Both acting and picture can stand independently from one another, but music is the one that makes the movie memorable.

Music can be extraordinarily influential in films, as it has the ability to evoke emotion not displayed by on-screen action. Music used in films can play many roles; it can depict time and place, mood, atmosphere, character, and can be used to underscore the onscreen drama and titles. Alan Silvestri and John Williams successfully manipulate the use of music in film to establish characters (along with their personality, actions and changing emotions), as well as underscore the mood for the entirety of their given films. The contrasts of Silvestri’s “The Feather Theme” with Williams’ “Batman Theme” exemplify the power of music in film.

The music of "The Godfather," is very haunting and scary at times, but also takes on a folklore type of theme. I think the music is typical for this type of film, but it does contribute a lot to the family values

In the movies, there are a number of factors that will impact the quality of the film and the story. This is because producers and directors are using different techniques that will enhance their ability to entertain. The Sound of Music is taking numerous ideas and is integrating them together. To fully understand what is happening, there will be an examination of the film and various concepts. This will be accomplished by focusing on: the storytelling, acting, cinematography, editing, sound, style / directing, impact of the film on society / vice versa, genre, application of at least one approach and overall textual themes. Together, these elements will highlight the effects of the film and how it has influenced others inside the industry.