First of all, I've made some changes to the look of the blog, so I apologize for the last few posts being difficult to read and I hope the color I'm trying out right now will work well.
Now, it's certainly been a while since I've posted anything, but I am pleased to say that the purpose of this blog- to review soundtracks- has stood the test of time. I was afraid I would lose interest! And, though I have made some excuses about getting back to this, I haven't actually wanted to give it up!
So, I will review The Amazing Spider-Man by James Horner (2012 I believe) and I give it *****. This is actually a very important soundtrack for me sense it triggered the idea of reviewing soundtracks.
And what was it exactly about this soundtrack that gave me the idea of reviewing? It was the very beginning of that movie and the music playing during the Marvel logo. At that point I knew what sort of a movie it was going to be- which was important sense it was (reboot?) new version of Spider-man and I didn't really know what to expect, but the music let me know in the first few moments.
I think, in fact, that this is one of the best examples of how music can tell the story and explore elements of emotion and character in only a matter of minutes. Listening to the music at the beginning of the movie, it tells me it's going to be an unusual, different kind of movie. The music has a very human, explorative, scientist-discovering-something-new kind of feel- which James Horner is very good at doing. But at the same time there's a side to it that's seems very alien, it's mysterious and not completely pleasant. The music in the first few minutes tells you everything you need to know about the movie, it's emotion, it's characters, what happens in the story, what the characters do and what's really happening. I could go on and on talking about each different element of the music, it's unexpected innocence, it's pure melodies that imply youthful heroism, it's quieter, sad underlines etc. but I would probably repeat myself for lack of explaining my thoughts and it would help to have audio.
In short, I think this is a very good soundtrack and it's one of my favorite of James Horner. Strangely enough I do actually have something to say against it: and that goes for the music playing in the fight scene at the school. For some reason I feel like it doesn't fit and I can never shake that, nor can I explain it.
But for the most part I think the soundtrack is probably one of the best parts of the movie (I really like the movie, by the way). It exemplifies the emotion and thoughts going through the main character's mind, as well as his drive and strength. It's a very human soundtrack, in that it has great strength but at the same time it has a weakness playing in the background that you can't shake, because it's a part of the strength.
The fact that James Horner didn't return for the second Amazing Spider-Man has always caused mixed feelings for me. I really love what he did for this movie and I would have been very interested to see how he would go on. It's almost a complete tragedy except (there's always that confused, reluctant 'but') that Hans Zimmer (and everyone else) replaced him. And what he did for that movie is really rather amazing (although I would have been interested to see what Steve Jablonsky would have done, sense he was also apparently going to do that movie). But that's a review for another time.
So what method did Horner use for the Amazing Spider-man? I would basically say that he used method 2 with a bit of method 3. That is, he used a theme throughout the movie, drawing out different parts or expanding upon different ideas. The fact that the movie is about Peter Parker, first gaining superpowers, then learning to use them, then learning what to use them for- which seems like it qualifies for Method 3- I think should mean that Horner used some of Method 3. But interestingly enough, the last couple of tracks on the CD are relatively quiet- not a theme being brought out to it's fullest extent and power. In fact I'd say that was done in the track titled (I think) Saving New York. So I'd say Horner successfully did Method 2.5, sense it seems he used complete themes throughout the movie, also developing and drawing them out bigger as the character required.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Continued Study of Subject Themes
I think Subject themes will have to work for the last topic I was talking about. I wish I could give a summary of that, for the convenience of the reader, but you may as well just read the last post. I will do my best to further describe the topic by getting into it right now.
I will study the use of music in a scene that's tragic. Now a tragic scene is likely to happen just about anywhere, on several different levels. There are several good tragic scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies, as well as in Toy Story 3, but their completely different movies, context, ideas even emotions. But both movies had tragic scenes and there was tragic music to go along with it.
I don't think I can go into what similarities there are between the two movies scores and what was being played. I would have to understand it better myself first. But I am a writer and I can describe scenes easier and by describing scenes I can describe the music.
So what is tragedy? It's a specific form of sadness. It's a sadness of losing something and when you think about something in your life that's very dear to you and you've lost it, you know just how strong an emotion descriptor 'tragedy' is. It's powerful but at the same time it's weakening. You feel as though all your life and energy has been drained.
As you can imagine, if there was music being made for such a feeling, it would have to be quite specific. And consider what kinds of tragedy there is. Using the examples I did before, Toy Story 3's tragedy requires something more innocent, simple, less drastic. In that movie, it tells a story of a young man letting go of his childhood 'imaginary' friends, only letting go enough to let their adventures go on with another child. It's the sort of tragedy that has promise of going on. You know that although you won't see or hear about the adventures someone is having, you know they are still out there. You're sad that they're no longer a part of your life, but they're still out there.
On the other hand, Lord of the Rings has a tragedy that is quite often to the point where you don't know if there is any hope and if things will go on. Good people die or suffer, there is parting and desperation. Obviously this calls for a different kind of tragedy that is completely overpowering.
Now, I said at the beginning of my last post that I would like to get into these emotion themes (another good name) when I am describing a soundtrack. And I think that is the only way I can go on with this topic, by theorizing why a composer used a certain progression or instrument in some scene. For instance, in the movie Independence Day (1996) when the aliens have unleashed their weapons on earth and various cities are being destroyed, the music in that scene is somewhat different from the music in similar scenes from other movies. It's a crucial scene, similar to coming to a high point in the mountains where you can look around and see where you've been and where you will go, as well as far off places that you can't possibly reach. Every story must have such a scene. And in that scene in Independence Day, the music is required to explain- to show- the viewers the emotion of the movie.
Now the music in that scene is pretty much an extension of the alien theme, that is threat, danger, grimness and last time I saw the movie I couldn't help but wonder why the composer (David Arnold) did that sort of music. In a way it doesn't seem to fit, especially as that scene is coming to an end. It feels almost as though you've come to the end of an adventure, but for some reason it keeps going, and it feels quite unnatural. But that is what it's actually supposed to do.
It's interesting, sometimes music is supposed to feel wrong. It's supposed to make people feel things that aren't really comfortable and doesn't make sense. And that's what the music in that scene in Independence Day is supposed to do. It's supposed to make you feel as though, as awful as this turn of events is, whole cities being destroyed and people being killed, it is not going to end there. The aliens will not be satisfied with just that, and that's what the music is saying.
The movie's storyline is what shapes the soundtrack. The music in that scene in Independence Day probably wouldn't have worked at all in something like Dark Knight (2008), because the storylines and characters are completely different.
So this is how I'm going to get further into my studies of emotions in music, and how they are expressed. I feel like I may as well say that, rather than 'reviewing' soundtracks I am studying them sense I hate to critique things (unless it's by accident)
I will study the use of music in a scene that's tragic. Now a tragic scene is likely to happen just about anywhere, on several different levels. There are several good tragic scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies, as well as in Toy Story 3, but their completely different movies, context, ideas even emotions. But both movies had tragic scenes and there was tragic music to go along with it.
I don't think I can go into what similarities there are between the two movies scores and what was being played. I would have to understand it better myself first. But I am a writer and I can describe scenes easier and by describing scenes I can describe the music.
So what is tragedy? It's a specific form of sadness. It's a sadness of losing something and when you think about something in your life that's very dear to you and you've lost it, you know just how strong an emotion descriptor 'tragedy' is. It's powerful but at the same time it's weakening. You feel as though all your life and energy has been drained.
As you can imagine, if there was music being made for such a feeling, it would have to be quite specific. And consider what kinds of tragedy there is. Using the examples I did before, Toy Story 3's tragedy requires something more innocent, simple, less drastic. In that movie, it tells a story of a young man letting go of his childhood 'imaginary' friends, only letting go enough to let their adventures go on with another child. It's the sort of tragedy that has promise of going on. You know that although you won't see or hear about the adventures someone is having, you know they are still out there. You're sad that they're no longer a part of your life, but they're still out there.
On the other hand, Lord of the Rings has a tragedy that is quite often to the point where you don't know if there is any hope and if things will go on. Good people die or suffer, there is parting and desperation. Obviously this calls for a different kind of tragedy that is completely overpowering.
Now, I said at the beginning of my last post that I would like to get into these emotion themes (another good name) when I am describing a soundtrack. And I think that is the only way I can go on with this topic, by theorizing why a composer used a certain progression or instrument in some scene. For instance, in the movie Independence Day (1996) when the aliens have unleashed their weapons on earth and various cities are being destroyed, the music in that scene is somewhat different from the music in similar scenes from other movies. It's a crucial scene, similar to coming to a high point in the mountains where you can look around and see where you've been and where you will go, as well as far off places that you can't possibly reach. Every story must have such a scene. And in that scene in Independence Day, the music is required to explain- to show- the viewers the emotion of the movie.
Now the music in that scene is pretty much an extension of the alien theme, that is threat, danger, grimness and last time I saw the movie I couldn't help but wonder why the composer (David Arnold) did that sort of music. In a way it doesn't seem to fit, especially as that scene is coming to an end. It feels almost as though you've come to the end of an adventure, but for some reason it keeps going, and it feels quite unnatural. But that is what it's actually supposed to do.
It's interesting, sometimes music is supposed to feel wrong. It's supposed to make people feel things that aren't really comfortable and doesn't make sense. And that's what the music in that scene in Independence Day is supposed to do. It's supposed to make you feel as though, as awful as this turn of events is, whole cities being destroyed and people being killed, it is not going to end there. The aliens will not be satisfied with just that, and that's what the music is saying.
The movie's storyline is what shapes the soundtrack. The music in that scene in Independence Day probably wouldn't have worked at all in something like Dark Knight (2008), because the storylines and characters are completely different.
So this is how I'm going to get further into my studies of emotions in music, and how they are expressed. I feel like I may as well say that, rather than 'reviewing' soundtracks I am studying them sense I hate to critique things (unless it's by accident)
Friday, June 27, 2014
I remembered something else that I wanted to talk about. Like the three methods I would rather discuss this later on, but I think I should get into it now so I can hopefully get into the soundtracks I'm talking about with more detail.
I'm not really sure how to explain this properly or even what I should label it. I've already spoken of the language of music so that's been used. I can simply describe it, using examples, and hope that some sort of a label comes to mind at some point.
Basically, imagine yourself watching something scary. It might be a horror, a thriller- it might be something that only has a scene or two of scariness. So lets say a character is 'alone' in a room, expecting some sort of an attack, and then, as has been seen often before, you see the villain standing behind the hero.
Now, like I said, you've probably seen lots of scenes like these. When a character's slowly looking around, just starting to think she's safe, you're yelling at the screen "look behind you!"
Now, when you see the villain standing behind the hero, it's exactly what you've been expecting. But for some reason, it's not what the viewer next to you was expecting and when she sees the villain standing behind the main character, she jumps, which in turns makes you jump. That's what the music is for too.
Imagine the same scene, but it's accompanied by a huge bang of music. You practically don't remember that there was music, but it was there, just as though it was an extra viewer and reacting to the scene. And there's the example I have for you.
Obviously music is supposed to enhance stuff. Music is like a bridge between the movie and the viewer, because it shows us- makes us- feel what we're supposed to. But there's a pattern to it- there always has to be.
For instance, a scene like the one I described is most likely to have a sudden bang of music and it's extremely unlikely to have a soft piano melody. But- besides the fact that it simply wouldn't fit- why is it likely to have a bang rather than the piano?
And it's not just in scary scenes where this pattern occurs (though it's one of the most noticeable) and this pattern can range from the bang to make someone jump to a recognizable theme. Keeping with the horror-like movie, even though one horror movie doesn't use the same music as the last horror movie, it uses a sense, a style that the viewer immediately recognizes as scary, menacing. The same goes for any type of music. In order to make music for a movie, the music has to keep to whatever style works with the movie it's accompanying.
Now I could get into all sorts of detail, talking about the keys people use or why making the orchestra go down rather than up can make a situation feel more doomed (that can actually be quite interesting) but it would take a while to get into it and I don't need to. But what I'm interested in is what all of that, the key, the tone, the volume, the direction the music is going in, what that overall creates and what it makes you feel. I am fascinated by what sequences or tunes or instruments are used to make a theme that is majestic or a theme that is frightening or villainous. What is it in Darth Vader's theme that says: "Villain" as well as the Joker's theme? They are completely different, and yet, when you hear them separate from their respective movies, you know they are themes that go with villains.
I think I will be studying this topic for a little while, simply so I can try to explain it (to myself more than anything). But I will also be using it in other ways, such as bringing up questions like: "After the city's been destroyed, why is the music going on with the 'destructive' theme rather than starting something tragic? What is it trying to say?
Anyway, I will return to this topic (hopefully come up with something I can call it) and figure out something more definite.
I'm not really sure how to explain this properly or even what I should label it. I've already spoken of the language of music so that's been used. I can simply describe it, using examples, and hope that some sort of a label comes to mind at some point.
Basically, imagine yourself watching something scary. It might be a horror, a thriller- it might be something that only has a scene or two of scariness. So lets say a character is 'alone' in a room, expecting some sort of an attack, and then, as has been seen often before, you see the villain standing behind the hero.
Now, like I said, you've probably seen lots of scenes like these. When a character's slowly looking around, just starting to think she's safe, you're yelling at the screen "look behind you!"
Now, when you see the villain standing behind the hero, it's exactly what you've been expecting. But for some reason, it's not what the viewer next to you was expecting and when she sees the villain standing behind the main character, she jumps, which in turns makes you jump. That's what the music is for too.
Imagine the same scene, but it's accompanied by a huge bang of music. You practically don't remember that there was music, but it was there, just as though it was an extra viewer and reacting to the scene. And there's the example I have for you.
Obviously music is supposed to enhance stuff. Music is like a bridge between the movie and the viewer, because it shows us- makes us- feel what we're supposed to. But there's a pattern to it- there always has to be.
For instance, a scene like the one I described is most likely to have a sudden bang of music and it's extremely unlikely to have a soft piano melody. But- besides the fact that it simply wouldn't fit- why is it likely to have a bang rather than the piano?
And it's not just in scary scenes where this pattern occurs (though it's one of the most noticeable) and this pattern can range from the bang to make someone jump to a recognizable theme. Keeping with the horror-like movie, even though one horror movie doesn't use the same music as the last horror movie, it uses a sense, a style that the viewer immediately recognizes as scary, menacing. The same goes for any type of music. In order to make music for a movie, the music has to keep to whatever style works with the movie it's accompanying.
Now I could get into all sorts of detail, talking about the keys people use or why making the orchestra go down rather than up can make a situation feel more doomed (that can actually be quite interesting) but it would take a while to get into it and I don't need to. But what I'm interested in is what all of that, the key, the tone, the volume, the direction the music is going in, what that overall creates and what it makes you feel. I am fascinated by what sequences or tunes or instruments are used to make a theme that is majestic or a theme that is frightening or villainous. What is it in Darth Vader's theme that says: "Villain" as well as the Joker's theme? They are completely different, and yet, when you hear them separate from their respective movies, you know they are themes that go with villains.
I think I will be studying this topic for a little while, simply so I can try to explain it (to myself more than anything). But I will also be using it in other ways, such as bringing up questions like: "After the city's been destroyed, why is the music going on with the 'destructive' theme rather than starting something tragic? What is it trying to say?
Anyway, I will return to this topic (hopefully come up with something I can call it) and figure out something more definite.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Well, it's been a little while since I've posted anything. I will review a soundtrack to a movie, but even now I'm not sure which one I will do. I will try to do something that's not my favorite.
ah-ha! I have it!
Wall-e (2008) by Thomas Newman. I give it ****
This soundtrack I actually find quite fascinating. It has an atmosphere that's different from what I would have expected, there are parts that sound desolate, lonely, a little creepy- but only in the sense of one lone little robot on a deserted, garbage ridden world. The robot's lonely and has a lot of personality, but it doesn't actually stop to think about how strange and unpleasant it's situation could be. The music has the perfect balance of feeling and lack of emotion, it's amusing but not silly, it has depth but too much speed to let you stop for long.
I remember watching the movie and hearing the music, and it did exactly what music should do for a movie. It deepened the layers that, no matter how much anyone can try, cannot be accomplished through words or visuals. Only music can give something that level, making a movie 3-dimensional in feeling, and that's what this soundtrack does.
Not all of it is good, I'll admit. The stuff that isn't 'good' is simply not very memorable. But this music has a lot of humor too. It's not epic or big, but it deepens the movie and carries the atmosphere of the movie well. It's a little sterile, a little detached, a little silly, a little unreal.
Being an animated movie, which seems to give soundtracks different rules to go by, I'm not sure what method this soundtrack uses, therefore it seems safest to say it uses the second method. The characters are already established and what needs to be accomplished is something the characters have been working toward for so long that they have technically already accomplished it, even if they don't know it.
Basically, in a way, I'd have to say this is a very important soundtrack and it is not, by any means, a least favorite. It's one of my favorite parts of the movie, and I'd have to say it was one of the first soundtracks to an animated movie that made me realize animated movies didn't have to have silly music. There have been so many soundtracks both before and after to prove that idea wrong!
ah-ha! I have it!
Wall-e (2008) by Thomas Newman. I give it ****
This soundtrack I actually find quite fascinating. It has an atmosphere that's different from what I would have expected, there are parts that sound desolate, lonely, a little creepy- but only in the sense of one lone little robot on a deserted, garbage ridden world. The robot's lonely and has a lot of personality, but it doesn't actually stop to think about how strange and unpleasant it's situation could be. The music has the perfect balance of feeling and lack of emotion, it's amusing but not silly, it has depth but too much speed to let you stop for long.
I remember watching the movie and hearing the music, and it did exactly what music should do for a movie. It deepened the layers that, no matter how much anyone can try, cannot be accomplished through words or visuals. Only music can give something that level, making a movie 3-dimensional in feeling, and that's what this soundtrack does.
Not all of it is good, I'll admit. The stuff that isn't 'good' is simply not very memorable. But this music has a lot of humor too. It's not epic or big, but it deepens the movie and carries the atmosphere of the movie well. It's a little sterile, a little detached, a little silly, a little unreal.
Being an animated movie, which seems to give soundtracks different rules to go by, I'm not sure what method this soundtrack uses, therefore it seems safest to say it uses the second method. The characters are already established and what needs to be accomplished is something the characters have been working toward for so long that they have technically already accomplished it, even if they don't know it.
Basically, in a way, I'd have to say this is a very important soundtrack and it is not, by any means, a least favorite. It's one of my favorite parts of the movie, and I'd have to say it was one of the first soundtracks to an animated movie that made me realize animated movies didn't have to have silly music. There have been so many soundtracks both before and after to prove that idea wrong!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Sense I mentioned it in my last post, I will now review the soundtrack for Inception (2010) by Hans Zimmer, which I give overall: ****. By the way, I've never been clear about the terms soundtracks and scores. One of them is more commonly music made by various artists for the movie, while the other is the composer that made music for the movie itself. The latter, obviously, is the one I'm talking about and I'm sorry if there's any confusion.
Anyway- back to the review. I think I should explain why I didn't give this soundtrack 5 stars. Unfortunately I can't really explain it, because when I listen to the music it really is amazing. And giving it 4 stars looks so petty and wrong. It should, at the very least by 4 1/2. But ma
Anyway- back to the review. I think I should explain why I didn't give this soundtrack 5 stars. Unfortunately I can't really explain it, because when I listen to the music it really is amazing. And giving it 4 stars looks so petty and wrong. It should, at the very least by 4 1/2. But ma
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Well, here I go. I was realizing the other day that I'm probably going to just review (or praise) the soundtracks I really like, which probably isn't fair to everyone else. That doesn't mean I'm going to go watch movies simply to hear the music, and listen to every single soundtrack that comes out (I'd have a lot of catching up to do!) but I'll try to listen to the soundtracks I'm not so fond of. For now, I will start off with a soundtrack I know pretty well.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010) by John Powell. I should probably do stars: *. That's my star and I give this soundtrack *****, which will be my highest rating unless I really have to give a soundtrack more than that, which is quite possible with this one. And by the way, I'll be doing overall review rather than individually analyzing the tracks, unless something really catches my interest.
I'd have to say that this soundtrack is probably one of the best ever made. It has an adventure that is rare and difficult to capture. It has life and it enjoys it. It's like the perfect soundtrack for a dog- I often think of it in connection with my dog, because it's playful, adventurous, unique and- at least for me- there's a definite note of loyalty, courage and unashamed life. That last thing is especially something I like about it- how unashamed it is about itself, it's not apologetic and, more importantly, the music plays out the themes and tunes to their fullest and strongest.
I love how soundtracks, whether the composers realize it or not, seem to capture the character of something in the movie. And in this case, with the boldness and joy, the music captures the wildness of the dragons and you feel a deeper emotion that isn't necessarily revealed in the movie, of the creatures loving to live, flying powerfully through the sky and defiant of any trouble that would cripple a human.
And there is obviously Hiccup's storyline, and the music captures that as well. A more playful, delicate side. The music, though bold, is never really abrasive. You certainly get a sense of the boyish, Viking mentality and character- it's that feeling of wanting to jump out of your seat and, more or less singing with the music, run around the house, leaping off furniture and spinning round and round.
The importance of music in a movie is that it brings out something. Sometimes it emphasizes it, sometimes it reveals a layer that you wouldn't know anything about. This is the case with most soundtracks, this one included.
As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, John Powell uses Method 2. There is obviously a theme involved here, but the last few tracks bring it out completely. These characters are already established, but there is a side tune of a wilder kind that implies something new and powerful will change everything- such as the idea that dragons are not strictly dangerous. The most important, triumphant track (Coming Back Around) greatly proves that what is true and living, a mentality of adventure and boldness, will prevail and come back around in the end. It's a new chance, joined with the old way of living, that is now stronger and cannot be defeated.
It's the closest you'll come to the sound of flying freely in the sky. The music to How to Train Your Dragon is one of those soundtracks that seem to talk. Have you ever heard someone speaking in a different language and you know it isn't nonsense? It makes sense, even if you don't understand it. That's the way I feel with music sometimes, as though the music is speaking a language I don't understand, and this soundtrack is one of those kinds.
John Powell was nominated for an Oscar for this soundtrack. Unfortunately for me Hans Zimmer was also nominated for an Oscar for his soundtrack to Inception (2010) and that's a soundtrack I really like too. I would want either one of them to win- Social Network (2010) actually won- but I have no idea which. However, as I said at the beginning, How to Train Your Dragon is one of a kind. I think it is one of the best soundtracks ever to be made.
Second Part to the Methods
Method 3, in a way, is the most interesting because I doubt it's very common. This is the method where a theme is shown throughout the movie, but it's played completely at the end, when the character or people or whatever has earned the theme. That implies to me that in order to use this method there has to be some degree of 'earning', either of something physical, mental, visual or even just imagined. I don't think it would be strictly necessary to have this storyline, but it does put a limit on this method.
In the same interview with Steve Jablonsky, where I became aware of this process of shaping the theme, in the same example, Michael Giacchino's Star Trek (2009) was mentioned, as being a soundtrack where the characters have to earn the theme. This is true to that soundtrack, where the original star trek music is only played at the end (I'm not even sure if it's hinted at throughout, sense I've only listened to that music once or twice). This brings up the question for me, is it possible that Method 3 was used in Star Wars, sense several of the characters in both trilogies were setting out to earn something. Normally I'd be tempted to say that John Williams used Method 1 for Stars Wars- that's what it seems on the surface, but there might be a hint of the characters winning their goals, as with Method 3.
This method can be similar to Method 2. It's as flexible, it can be used in the same way and in the same movies- assuming I'm right, especially when there is some storyline of earning something involved. The two methods are so similar I'd be tempted to say they were the same, but there are distinct differences. Method 2 is a little more established.
Using Captain America: Winter Soldier again as an example for Method 2, the soundtrack belongs to a movie that's basically telling a story involving characters that have been together and worked together for a while, they're roles, what they do, has been established. They've already earned their theme. On the other hand, in Star Trek, they have only just started their adventures, they need to figure out where they stand, what they're doing and where they're going- sometimes literally. They're young and they haven't earned their theme- they don't even know what key to play it in!
I don't really have anything to say against this method, except perhaps that it seems limited, but I don't like to say anything too definite like that when I'm still learning. And there's nothing wrong with limited- it makes finding the soundtracks that use Method 3 all the more interesting.
And that's all of the methods, that I know of so far. Of course if there are official methods, besides Method 3, that have already been established, I'd love to know about it. But I think I can get by with these for now.
And now, hopefully, on to reviewing soundtracks. Unless of course I feel like bringing up the subject of different types of composers..... but I think that can wait
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