The world of film music is unique and little-understood. It seems that no matter which direction this art form takes, it is destined for no man’s land. Music in film is many things at once: background music for the action on screen; an amplifier of emotion when dialogue can no longer do justice; or a showy manipulator when a movie cannot carry its own weight. Add to this confusion the commonly held belief that film music is inferior to concert music, and one can only agree with film composer Danny Elfman, that this is indeed one “crazy art form”. More often than not, our real-life situations are played out without the enhancement of a background score; therefore, the creation of music in film is seemingly a superfluous one. However, if the purpose of creating art is to heighten our compassion and understanding of the human condition, than film music is an art form born out of sheer courage.Picture in your mind the following movies: “Star Wars”, “Jaws”, and “The Godfather”. Do this same thing again, yet this time pay closer attention to the specific feelings that may or may not arise from such recollections. Surely there was some sort of feeling that came to you, as you envisioned each movie. Whether or not you describe these feelings in words, you did, at least, generate some sense of reaction. The fact that each title came with a very different reaction means that each movie has its own unique atmosphere. There are countless factors that contribute to a film’s overall feel, and one of these factors is undeniably the music that is written for the movie. No more so is this true than with the above three titles. All one has to do is hear the words “Star Wars”, and sooner than later the now classic John Williams fanfare will ring out in their mind. And how is it possible to hear the word “Jaws”, and not hum the two most famous musical notes in film history? Duh-Dum… Duh-Dum… Duh-Dum, Duh-Dum, Duh-Dum, Duh-Dum...etc. And just try to speak of the movie “The Godfather” without immediately recalling the music that underscored the feelings of power and grandeur. There are many reasons why these reactions come so easily to us; more often than not they are the same reasons that made these three films the classics they are today. Time and again, one can associate the greatest films ever made with the greatest film scores ever written. In this essay, I will move beyond the general understanding of such truths, so that I may delve more deeply into the precise methods of film composing. I will focus on two of the most popular film scoring devices (the use of leitmotifs, and the developmental method), and will reference two key examples of film scores that highlight these contrasting styles.
According to “dictionary.com”, the definition of ‘leitmotif’ is as follows: “A motif or theme associated throughout a music drama with a particular person, situation, or idea.” This definition has its roots outside of film music, and derives from the term ‘Wagnerian technique’. The legendary opera composer Richard Wagner was by no means the first composer to explore the concept of the leitmotif, yet he was the one who worked the most at establishing it to the level that it remains today. It is Wagner who had the most direct influence on the roots of film music, as many composers in the early days of film thought that the ‘Wagnerian technique’ of leitmotifs had a unique potential in the world of film music. Throughout many of Wagner’s classic operas the notion of musically highlighting specific characters (along with their own personal traits), philosophies, concepts, or scenarios, was one that had an infinite amount of potential. Whenever a specific character came on to the stage, a musical motif that represented the character’s nature would accompany him. This same device would occur with many of the opera’s other characters as well, so that the audience would (often subconsciously) have a musical understanding of what was transpiring on stage. The employment of such techniques brought a more rich and substantial listening experience, since the audience was able to have a more direct and personal association with the characters and the story. Since the world of opera involves not only music but plot and story as well, the pioneering film composers felt that it was only a natural progression to use the ‘Wagnerian technique’ in the world of film as well.The first composer to take this transformation to a level not seen before his time, was Max Steiner; and the film score which he composed that changed the world of film music forever, was “King Kong”. Over the opening credits of the 1933 classic “King Kong”, we hear a deeply ominous three note motif, which descends downward with each passing note. This opening musical theme is otherwise known as the “Kong” motif. Whenever there is a need to highlight the savage and barbaric quality of the monster that is ‘neither man nor beast’, this three note leitmotif can be heard in the movie’s soundtrack. The introduction of this famous leitmotif immediately gives way to a more rhythmic and march-like theme (the “Jungle March” motif), which in turn passes itself over to a more desperate and uneven musical theme (the “Ann Darrow/Stolen Love” motif). Finally, this brief succession of leitmotifs culminates in the most intense and frightening theme found in the entire score: the “Sacrificial Dance” motif. This entire musical introduction happens all within the span of 2 minutes, and throughout its entirety we are introduced to no less than four of the score’s main leitmotifs. These four motifs will all be further developed and understood as the movie takes off, and the story unfolds. This prophetic use of leitmotifs in the opening credits is a technique that has been emulated time and again, ever since the release of “King Kong”. It is a brilliant technique, since many of the major themes found throughout the score are revealed in such an economical fashion and long before their future development, that the audience is given the chance to have these musical themes subconsciously installed into their minds. The end result is a most ingenious and subtle one. When the time comes to recall these motifs amidst the visual action on screen, one can automatically associate the specific actions with their suitable leitmotifs.
Moving ahead to the scene in “King Kong” where the lead actress (Fay Wray) has been kidnapped from her boat by a group of natives who live on an uncharted island, we come across a sacrificial dance which the native people are performing. Fay Wray’s character ‘Ann Darrow’ is in the process of being tied up between two separate towers, a situation which Steiner underscores through a barbaric and brutally intense realization of the now fully developed “Sacrificial Dance” motif. The very moment Ann Darrow is being tied up to the towers, her own musical theme (“Ann Darrow/Stolen Love” theme) can also be heard. These two themes play off each other throughout the entire scene, and grow in intensity as the scene becomes more and more barbaric. Once the natives have finished tying Ann up to the towers, two giant doors of an equally massive wall shut her in so that no outside person can break in to save her. As the doors slam shut the music comes to an abrupt stop, only to return shortly thereafter as the native leader announces and introduces his fellow people to the great ‘King Kong’. Steiner uses some source music as two native guards let out a thunderous crash of a massive gong, in order to highlight the ritualistic worshiping of this indescribable beast. We soon hear the roars of what will become known to us as ‘King Kong’, as he approaches Ann from a nearby forest. As soon as Ann –and us the audience- sees Kong for the first time, we hear a terrifying version of the “Kong” motif, followed immediately by Ann’s infamous scream of terror, accompanied by the “Stolen Love” theme. Throughout the musical interplay of both themes, there remains a sustained series of terrifying screams from Ann that coincides with the horrifying roars of the great Kong.
Whether or not the audience is consciously aware of these particular motifs and their symbolic meanings is of no real importance; the effect remains the same. With the riveting and intense sound quality of the musical accompaniment, the viewer is drawn into the movie’s visuals through a much more profound experience. Most importantly, the music compliments the images on screen in a way that does not overpower them. The result is a perfect marriage of story, thematic detail, and music. The score to “King Kong” is commonly regarded as the film score that started it all for film music. Consequently, Max Steiner has long been labelled the ‘Grandfather’ of film music, and these two scenes in the movie are only a couple of examples of what makes “King Kong” the ultimate ‘leitmotif’ film score.
Many of the greatest film scores have utilized leitmotif as a musical tool; developmental scoring, however, is a more subtle technique. One of the first major film scores to use the method of developmental film scoring was “Citizen Kane”. The composer of this 1941 masterpiece, directed by Orson Welles, was Bernard Herrmann. Herrmann is commonly cited as the greatest film composer who ever lived and “Citizen Kane” is always ranked amongst his finest accomplishments. “Citizen Kane” tells the story of a great newspaper tycoon named Charles Foster Kane, as he travels through life with many different dreams and aspirations, always holding on to the hope of finding true love, despite all of his endless changes in personality and outlooks on life. Of course the heart of “Citizen Kane” really lies in the quest of one person’s attempt in finding out the meaning of Kane’s last word on Earth: “Rosebud.” This person’s hope in finding the answer to this question lies in his belief that if one could define the meaning of a person’s dying words, they may have a greater chance at understanding what life is all about. To approach the task of scoring such a movie (one that is in constant change, thematically speaking), Herrmann decided to use the developmental technique, since he felt this style best reflected the ever changing atmosphere that made up the life story of Charles Foster Kane.
The opening scene of “Citizen Kane” begins with the image of a ‘No Trespassing’ sign posted to a gate. Upon revealing this image, we hear in the musical score a short succession of five notes, which ends up being known as the “Power” motif. This theme has a dreary and tragic sound quality to it, and evokes a feeling of utter desperation and exhaustion. The camera then pans upward from this ‘No Trespassing’ sign as it makes its way up the gate, until it reaches the top where we can see in the far distance a mansion sitting on top of a hill. Throughout the camera’s panning of the gate, a secondary musical theme is heard. This secondary motif is otherwise known as the “Rosebud” motif, and has a more enlightened sound to it than its predecessor. It is also a slightly faster paced theme than the “Power” motif, and contains within it a touch of hope through its searching-like quality of sound. The timing of the “Rosebud” motif’s introduction blends perfectly with the visuals on screen by beautifully reflecting the many changes of the gate’s architecture (the gate’s visual style changes no less than three times). Much more meaningful than being a mere reflection to an ever changing look of a mansion’s gate, is the true meaning behind the “Rosebud” motif in the first place. Since this motif is, in many ways, representative of Kane’s constantly evolving quest for the ultimate truth in life, one can see how this musical gesture combines so well with the symbolic image of the ‘changing gate’. The result is that the audience is left with a raw sense of longing and nostalgia for the key to life’s truths.
Later on in the film, there is a scene which depicts the breakdown of Kane’s first marriage to a woman named Emily Monroe Norton. The scene lasts only 3 minutes; yet through a brilliant use of economical editing we are able to bear witness to a disintegrating marriage all within this brief passage of time. With nearly every single cut of a frame, Herrmann beautifully captures the marriage’s fall from grace, as he employs a theme-and-variation-like device very reminiscent of the ones used in the days of Mozart. As the scene begins with Kane and Emily full of joy and cheerfulness as they sit close to one another at their breakfast table, Herrmann uses a single theme that is really a combination of the “Power” and “Rosebud” motifs. Throughout the many cuts and moments in this scene, Herrmann edits his own way through his ‘marriage’ theme, along with its own musical disintegration. He does so through a brilliantly constructed set of variations on his derived ‘marriage’ theme, which helps heighten the intensity of the conflict on screen. As the cuts grow more rapidly and Kane and Emily grow further apart, the changes and moderations of the initial musical motif become more pronounced. This methodical process builds its way up to a climax, until it reaches the last shot in the scene. In this shot we see Kane and Emily sitting at their dinner table as far away from each as possible, as they exchange glaring looks to one another while reading rival newspapers in total silence. The music in this last shot is a recapitulation of the opening ‘marriage’ theme, but it evokes a much greater sense of tragedy and loss.
If I had to pick one musical cue in all of film music that best represented the artfulness of the developmental film score, it would be this cue from this classic scene in “Citizen Kane”. It captures everything a developmental score should have within it: recognizable themes; a rise, development and fall of these themes; and a perfect blend with the film’s own story, imagination and thematic detail. It is not only one of the best scores of its kind, but is one of the greatest film scores ever written.
Film music is a constantly evolving art form. Whether it’s from the silent era or from film music being made today, it is one art form that will never remain stagnant. Film music today tends to lean more towards an atmospheric style of composing, which is plain to see in scores such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Atonement”, “There Will Be Blood”, and “Brokeback Mountain”. For some film music fans and critics alike, this style of composing is inferior to that of the classics of the past. Whether or not film music today is becoming less artful or prominent than it was before, is merely a matter of opinion. It is forever exciting to witness the many faces and changes that film music goes through; this endless ‘changing of the guard’ however, is paradoxically the most permanent aspect of film music. It seems that the art of writing film scores is destined to reside in never-never land, as it tries to find its “voice”.
No comments:
Post a Comment