The role of music in film (and similar media like advertising) is a whole area of study, and could be the topic of an entire course. Here, I briefly review a few key ideas, some of which may be familiar from the chapter; I’m reintroducing here to refresh your minds before the discussion.
Note — the first two links below are to examples that are fairly violent–if you can’t stand the sight of blood, skip them.
One key distinction in movie music is between diegetic and non-diegetic music. Diegetic music is music that the characters in the movie can actually hear — e.g., the radio in that example from Reservoir Dogs. Non-diegetic music is music the characters cannot hear — the woman in the Psycho shower scene doesn’t hear the screechy violins, but we the audience do. This is an important distinction because diegetic music is often part of the action in the movie, and so the actors (and hence also the audience) are supposed to actively notice it (in he first clip above, he turns on the radio and dances to the music — he has noticed it, and the audience is consciously aware of it). Non-diegetic music is supposed to be in the background… it serves a number of functions (see below), but at least according to the classic “guides” for movie composers, the music shouldn’t distract from the visuals, and hence the audience shouldn’t really notice it (and by definition the actors don’t). Some film scholars say the music should be “inaudible and invisible” — meaning its influence on the audience should be subconscious. I like how Mel Brooks plays with this idea in this clip from Blazing Saddles. — at first the music is in the background and you assume (probably unconsciously) that it is non-diegetic. Then the band appears and you realize it was “in” the movie (diegetic) all along.
If we’re not supposed to “hear” it, what does movie music do for us? As discussed early in the class, music is a powerful trigger of mood. In that example from Blue Velvet, the initial instrumental bit sounds a little menacing. But then the song establishes a calm, peaceful mood. But finally the music transitions into something much more “creepy,” complementing the nature of the visuals — first the sound of the song gets distorted, and then it fades away and is replaced by a more menacing low hum and creepy sound effects. Some people think that music “signifies emotion” — this means that just having music present makes people respond more strongly emotionally, no matter what specific emotion they might be feeling (e.g., in theory, the same violin music might make you feel more scared, or more romantic, or more angry, etc., just by virtue of it being music). In some cases, of course, the music doesn’t “match” the action — e.g., the Reservoir Dogs example above… a bubbly pop song accompanying a fairly grizzly physical assault. This possibility for music contrasting with visuals builds into discussion option 1, below.
Music also contributes non-emotional meaning in movies. In some cases it can serve as a fundamental part of the story telling. In this example from Citizen Kane, for instance, the music is really part of the narrative — it isn’t just expressing emotion but also helping tell the story of what happens to the couple’s marriage. Music can also help reinforce the setting. For example, in this example from Nebraska, both right at the start and then at around 1.40, the instrumentation (fiddles, acoustic guitars) and musical style help establish a Midwestern, slow-paced, rural feeling: a sense of place rather than a specific emotion). Music can also reinforce a character’s presence, or even raise the idea of the character when the character isn’t present. When a character has his/her own melody or theme, this is called a leitmotif.
Here is a great example of the power of music to change the interpretation of a movie scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9V0cN4NWs
—————– Post / Respond —————–
For your Chapter 12 discussion post, choose one of the following two options.
Option 1: Discuss what film makers are trying to accomplish when they use music that seems mismatched with the action on the screen (e.g., the diegetic example provided early in this discussion). What outcome is achieved, and how or why is the music effective in achieving that outcome? Are there any theories from early in the semester that give hints about the power of contrast, for instance, in influencing listeners’ emotional responses?
OR
Option 2: Think of a movie with music that you found particularly powerful or interesting: just the (instrumental – background) MUSIC, not a song. Post a link to a short clip from the movie (e.g., from YouTube) . For your post, briefly describe why you think the music was effective, and where it fits into the discussion above (e.g., is it diegetic or not, is it influencing mood or reflecting something about the narrative meaning of the movie, or the movie’s setting, etc.?).
