Take Eight: Score!

I hope you took notice of the playlist I have displayed on the right of this blog. The songs on this playlist is music from many of my beloved films. I am sure you figured out where some of them are from. Especially, if you have been keeping up with my blog and watching or have watched some of the films I recommended. This music is the background music in films and is known as the score of a film. A score is specifically made to accompany a film. Usually scores are orchestral style music. However, recently the styles of scores have been incorporating electronic fundamentals as well. The score’s purpose is to enhance the emotional impact of the scenes in a film.

Composers write scores and are in the guidance of the director and or producers of a film in order to get the right feeling of music for the film. In order for a composer to make music for a film they must see a rough cut of the film. This is why most scores are written towards the editing process of a film. Placing the rough cut with the score the composer takes note of the timing making sure the right part of the music is in sync with what is happening in the scene of the film. Once the composer has written and orchestrated the song he must conduct it be it with an orchestra, chorus, etc. And finally once the music has been composed and orchestrated, the orchestra or ensemble performs the music with the composer conducting. The film is playing on a large screen while the orchestra is performing.

Scores ordinarily do not incorporate lyrics. However, there are some rare instances where a composer will write up a song to be sung by a singer. One example of this would be “My Heart Will Go On” which was the main theme song for the film Titanic (1997). The music was written by composer James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings and Celine Dion sang it.

Scores are one of my favorite parts of a film. They are always so beautiful and do enhance the feelings you feel while watching a scene in the film with a score in the background. Horror films are a great example of this. Think about the last time you saw a horror film, now imagine one scary scene, was there music playing in the background? More often then not there is. Now imagine that same scene but without the score. It will probably not be as scary as you felt to be with the music. In Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Hitchcock originally did not want the shower scene to have music. However, when composer Bernard Herrmann, played the score while playing the shower scene Alfred Hitchcock changed his mind. The score from the shower scene in Psycho has been declared be many to being one of the scariest theme for any film. (Above left: Psycho shower scene with & without music) How about you what do you think about the music in the shower scene? Did you feel your emotions were more disturbed with or without the sound? Me personally, I thought the music did it more justice. Though some may argue that the scene gives more raw and fearful feelings with the sounds effects from the slashes of the knife rather then the music.

Weather you have seen the films or not most people recognize the theme from Star Wars. The composer of the score from Star Wars is John Williams and he uses a technique in which he has themes for important characters and events. The themes will often have a recurring musical phrase associating with the character or event. This is known as a leitmotif. Star Wars has many themes for is central characters like Dark Vader and Princess Leia. Princess Leia’s theme is one of my most favorite scores. It’s tune is so enchanting and romantic. John Williams is serious the man. He has won five academy awards. He has composed the themes for Jaws, Superman, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark and many more.

Aside from John William my favorite composers would have to be Hans Zimmer (The Lion King, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Pirates Of the Caribbean), Howard Shore (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy), Alexandre Desplat (The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I & II, Twilight Saga: New Moon) and Danny Elfman (Edward Scissorhands, Silver Linings Playbook).

Do you have a favorite score or composer? If so, what is it? I’m both curious and intrigued to know :)

Take Four: Blockbusters!

Aside from the fact that he inflicted audiences with fears of the ocean and its inhabitants, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws made it so more filmmakers adapted films that gain big commercial success. These big successful films are known as blockbusters. Blockbusters are known for the mass production and both financial and commercial success. Although, there have been blockbusters in previously eras, such as Gone With The Wind (1939), Cleopatra (1963), and Ben Hur (1959), the 1970s marked the blockbuster game-changing movement during the New Hollywood era.

Jaws premiered on June 20, 1975 making it a summer blockbuster. This film was regarded as the first film of New Hollywood’s blockbuster era. Summer blockbusters became increasingly more popular amongst filmmakers. Major film studios and distributors planned their entire annual marketing strategy around a big release in the summer. Jaws was distributed by Universal and its domestic total gross was $260,000,000. With a production budget of $7 million Jaws was a huge phenomenal success for Universal. So of course, more and more major film studios were quick to jump on this strategy. It should be noted though that along was this great success was also some hardships. Jaws almost did not see the day of this success. There were so many issues with Jaws himself. The mechanical shark was a huge chunk of change and yet it had so many technical errors. Steven Spielberg (shown in left picture) was only 27 years old when he started Jaws. This was the film that would either make him or break him. The only thing breaking in this case however was the shark because this film ended victorious.

Jaws was not alone in its success. 

George Lucas’ Star Wars became the most successful film of the decade. And since Star Wars was released in May 25, 1977 that means it outdid the great Jaws itself. Star Wars is a sci-fi film written and directed by George Lucus and was distributed by 20^th Century Fox. This film had spectacular special effects, editing, and storytelling. This film was produced with a budget of $11 million and earned $460 million and that’s just in the United States. Overseas the film brought revenue of $314 million. Along with it’s huge financial success the film gained much praise critically as well. This film took home six academy awards out of the ten nominations it had been nominated for. Star Wars IV: A New Hope, as it was later changed, did not finish here. George Lucas made five other films following this one, which also brought much success.

Blockbusters marked the start of a lot of film-based merchandising. Where studios would sell merchandise based on the films such as lunchboxes, clothing, stationary etc. Blockbusters are the films most people recognize as far as cinema goes. For example, more people are likely to have seen Star Wars then they are to have seen a film like Bonnie & Clyde. Blockbusters have reigned over industries in film.

Please enjoy these blockbuster recommendations and may the force be with you!

• Gone With The Wind (1939)
• Jaws (1975)
• Star Wars Trilogy (1977-2003)
• E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
• Titanic (1997)