The Role Of Music In The Godfather

One of the first elements that we hear in the short animated film is Guided Perception. An example of the element used in the short film is when the magician moves his hand before he does a hat trick. In the short film, the swoosh sound his hand makes assumes that it is the actual sound. Another element that you can hear during the short film is Mickey Mousing. There are many examples of Mickey Mousing throughout the short film but an example of it being used is when the magician gets mad at the bunny and he stomps towards him.

The purpose of this essay is to analyse music from the film ' Star Wars' and discuss in detail, the function of this music, the elements of music used and how this music embellishes the film. This includes the purpose of the music. It is to represent a character/ action / set a geographical location/ create atmosphere/ to psychologically unite the audience.

Francis Ford Coppola directed the gangster crime drama film, The Godfather (1972), inspired by the novel of the same name, written by Author Mario Puzo. The film plays out in the beginning how Don Corleone declined to join the narcotics business with notorious drug lord Sollozzo. With this in mind, one of the greatest gangster films created by a man who decided to lead, and not follows. Moreover, explaining the formalist approach for this film which covers an array of elements that include plot structure, camera techniques, editing, mise en scene, and sound. The following film critique will analyze “The Godfather,” beginning by utilizing the formalist approach theory, camera technique and sound gradually introducing additional theories

Even though the film is essentially a visual experience, the use of sound has become extremely important in modern film. The modern viewer hears a complicated soundtrack that is as meaningful as the image on the screen. Three elements comprise the film's soundtrack: the dialogue, the sound effects, and the musical score. The proper balance and mix of these elements produced the essential emphasis required, which created the desired effects. As explained by Joseph Boggs and Dennis Petrie,

Throughout the scene, the use of non-diegetic sound is used to make the audience feel worried and scared as to where Jasper is taking Charlie and what is going to happen. The deep, dusky scary music played in the background has an effect on the audience, creating a dramatic feel as Charlie did not know what was ahead for him in the shadowy, dark forest, fearing for his life as Jasper Jones is portrayed as a bad person in society because of his skin colour. Furthermore, throughout the scene, non-diegetic sound is used as an additional background sound, intensifying when Jasper and Charlie come near Laura Wishart’s hanging, dead body. As Jasper and Charlie closely creep up to Jaspers property, the music suddenly intensifies, creating a mysterious approach about what is going to happen next.

Herrmann utilized a unified score that is constantly dissonant. Although there are variation of mood from loving sound to the terror of the shower, all the cues are observed to be used with minor seconds and major sevenths. He also uses distinct sound using the “percussive-sounding strings” through deploying microphone close to the instrument to demonstrate the sound to be harsher, which can be seen as some of the new approaches that Herrmann accomplished through this film as the start of “a New American Era”. In addition, new approach in film scoring can be seen through the lack of contrast in a cue. When a cue starts, it stays consistent and repeats the mood with no variation where there are absence of shifts within a cue. Moreover, descending and ascending chords of the Transition theme have an aloof characteristic with no display of emotions. This in return provides an overall disquieting mood to the story. During the Norman’s story, Hermann employs ostinato to maintain tension and discomforting sound of melody.

A composer depends entirely upon the nature of the film for all the clues needed to write a suitable score for a film. Brought into the production after a certain amount of film has been shot, the films concept will dictate how the composer will write the music. Whether based on the story line, or providing information by setting an atmospheric state, film music will always have different purposes between different films. Penguin Ballet by Nigel Westlake was composed to focuses upon the graceful, almost ballet like movements of the penguins underwater. Whereas, Writings on the wall by Sam Smith conveys ideas and messages which will be expressed throughout the film, especially through the use of lyrics. Although positioned within the film to provide contrasting messages, both these songs use similar musical elements to support the piece, and its position with the film. The discussion of this essay is that there are similarities between the musical elements that support the lyrics in a song and the action in a documentary. Through this, we will discuss the musical element’s of pitch, and timbre and texture.

Music has proven to be one of the most effective tools to aid films by helping the story flow and create emotional impacts within an audience. Hitchcock’s unorthodox and unique use of music is what creates the uneasy atmosphere of the film at the very beginning and it cues the audience to prepare for the upcoming scary scenes. The music is what arguably what holds the film together, without it the film would not hold up and there would not be as much suspense in this dramatic and psychological thriller. It’s the creepy music that makes Psycho such a memorable

In the cinema piece, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” the winners are welcomed with a musical performance by mechanical dolls that take up the same effect of playful horror films. Burton uses this piece to alter the expectation of the “wonderful” factory by adding a dysfunctional factor to the welcome. In, “Edward Scissorhands,” Edward desperately attempts to open the door while trapped in Jim’s House. His attempts are answered with nothing but the chaotic whine of the sirens and the metallic sound of his scissorhands. By this time in the film, the audience cares for Edward and supports his getaway. Their attachment to Edward overtakes the anticipated violent association with the sound of his hands. After the jabberwocky is slain in, “Alice in Wonderland,” the Mad Hatter breaks into random dance with electro music that seems to come from his joy itself. The audience is caught off guard by this, though nonetheless they appreciate the lighthearted humorous ending to the scene. Tim Burton uses diegetic sound to construct all Burton films especially to bring about situational

Another aspect of sound in this film was how it affected the story. By using sound dramatically in certain parts and not using it at all in other parts, sound gave this story an entity of its own. For example, during long stretches of film with mostly dialogue, there was no music played in the background, only a phone ringing in the distance, or the men's voices during their deliberation. These long silences also took place during editing shots of the town and images that surrounded this German city. This dramatic difference in sound was a revelation of how mood can be made by images and sound put together to make an incredible component.

These screams have an interesting connection to the rhythm of the film; each scream happens at a different point in time. In the first scenario, it happens in the beginning, then in the middle during the second scenario, and at the end in the final scenario.

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

The Godfather opens with a dark trumpet solo, which were the opening titles for The Godfather Part II and III too. This is Vito's theme. The theme is a waltz, but unlike an ordinary waltz, it evokes a range of varied emotions. It sounds intimate in the garden scene but threatening in the actual main title and "The Halls of Fear," for the scene in which Michael finds his father without protection in the hospital. The final appearance of the theme in the first film is over the end credits, where it is more sad than intimate or threatening.

Since the establishment of Walt Disney Company in 1923, it has created many classic animated characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Lion King, Bambi, and so on. The success of Disney animated movie is not only due to its wonderful storyline and the vivid characterization of the animated characters, but also because of the music produced in the film. Disney’s music, whether its theme music, its background music, or song music, are clever and perfect blend of the plot, prompting many Disney animated movies become classics. This paper will focus on one of the Disney’s animated movie, The Three Caballeros, and analysis the connections between its content and its music.