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| From | Ken Kase <kenkase@nighttimes.com> |
| Subject | Re: Music in Film |
| Date | Mon, 16 May 2005 12:46:48 -0500 |
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I have to say that most film scores are as insidious as a laugh track on a
comedy show. I don't need to be told when something is funny or sad. It's
manipulation and most film composers go to the lowest common denominator.
Most film scores are derivative and lack any real effort beyond those
typical Hollywood stock methods that get recycled again and again.
--Ken
On 5/16/05 12:00 PM, "Larry O Dean" <larryodean@poetrycenter.org> wrote:
> Durben, Steven writes:
>
>> I wonder if Tarentino may be in part to blame for this irony fixation in
>> film? And as Alanis might say, wouldn't that be ironic! :)
>> I also can't help but wonder if and where Tarintino snipped the idea and
>> use of music for this scene from.
>
> His whole career has been based on borrowing heavily from other sources, and
> then explaining himself away as a film geek giving props to his influences.
> Reservoir Dogs is based on a (much better) Chinese movie called City on
> Fire, for example. The in-jokes in his movies are endless (and, to me,
> endlessly annoying). He has genuine talent as a director, I think, in terms
> of energy and framing, but I am not a fan, more because of this relentless
> borrowing and recycling than the graphic content of a lot of the movies. He
> is so post-modern it gives me a headache!
>
>> I think I'm with you in the sense that when the score tries to
>> hard to create the emotion rather then simply enhance the scene, it can
>> cheapen the impact for me (per ringing false). However, it's funny because
>> I have been revisiting some old Bergman films. In "Through a Glass Darkly"
>> for example, the music (Bach's solo cello) almost knocks you over at times
>> to convey the somber, isolated, dark mood and yet I love it's use.
>
> Bach -- instrumental music -- is a far cry from sticking, say, a Nick Cave
> number in that same scene with somber and/or downbeat lyrics, in an effort
> to telegraph what you're supposed to feel. A good example of a pop score is
> the instro Yo La Tengo music in Hal Hartley's Simple Men.
>
>> Similarly, to music being to heavy handed in conveying emotion...when the
>> score has lyrics that literally paint a picture of what your already seeing
>> on the screen to double the impact (I guess), that drives me nuts. I think
>> Forrest Gump had a few of these moments but I've forever blocked them from
>> my mind.
>
> Great example.
>
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