Anyone else tired of wall-to-wall music in movies? (1 Viewer)

[MichaelBA]

I love when the absence of music is used in modern films. I love the quiet that helps the viewer focus on word and image, where necessary.

THE GODFATHER, so noted for its great music, actually employs the absence of music often to underscore other things. Love it.

Watching older movies, I often appreciate the lack of a soundtrack, e.g., some old screwballs like BRINGING UP BABY.

In other instances, however, some good music might have helped older films a bit.

Too hard to generalize, maybe. It's like Francois posted:

 

[nickGreenwood]

John Williams stuff can be a bit big for a lack of a better word, but the one that comes to mind that lets him off the hook would be "Schindlers List" the soundtrack is fairly mood setting in that movie and when standing alone is quite haunting.

As for movies getting an overload of music. Yeah I've noticed that. If it's not a symphony playing in the background its some pop song.
I like the way it's done on Lost, while that's a tv show, Giacchino's score is done well, it swells when it needs to and sits quietly when the scene calls for it.

 

[Mary M S]

Wall to wall, Yes I’ve noticed a few films becoming a distracting irritation but generally for me the scoring can add to an extent which can cause a memorable film to rise into classic status.

Bernard Herrmann for example, adds music which is well- linked (although strongly) to impact. (the violin in the shower scene of “Psycho)” His composing actually adds facets to a character’s personality that are not spoken in dialogue. The romance in his scores stick with me. Without fail; when the first cold snaps come in while driving home with fall leaves dancing dervish in the streets on a dark night; I always hear “The Sea” in my head, from his “The Ghost & Mrs Muir”

“Donnie Darko” was a heavy handed use of music/previously published tracks....worked very well with that film.

After reading this thread about 2 days back...When I watched “Intacto” last night, (Spanish) I paid attention to its bare salting of music, mainly used to transition a scene. Practically none in this Foreign F. The pivotal monologue by Max von Sydow is all dialogue and more effective for it. And it IS a refreshing break, then again in Foreign F, there are the likes of Ennio Morricone (Once Upon a Time in the West.)

Music is art: when done well to either large or small degree; for me, it makes a movie twice as effective.
I guess as regards music in films, the good ones stick with me much more than the bad ones.

Edit: Complete agreement about LOST. Excellent example of quality editing to music increasing the over-all product immensely.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

I believe the only music they have in The Sopranos is music that characters are actually listening to in the story, and then the song that plays over the end credits. So there's one example.

 

[rich_d]

Don't buy the premise. There are two senses involved in film, sight and sound with each contributing equally to the film experience.

If the music doesn't work for you or is blatantly manipulative I understand. But that to me is analogous to some directors using way too many 2 second cuts in their film editing. It's the approach that is the issue, nothing more.

 

[Dick]

"Don't buy the premise. There are two senses involved in film, sight with each contributing equally to the film experience. If the music doesn't work for you or is blatantly manipulative I understand. But that to me is analogous to some directors using way too many 2 second cuts in their film editing. It's the approach that is the issue, nothing more."


Well, I agree, but the reason I started this thread was because it has become much more frequent that music is being overused in movies.

 

[Nathan V]

Dick, what kinds of movies do you watch? What did you see last year? I'm just curious. While the wall-to-wall problem is definitely a problem in some films, it certainly isn't in others.

In other cases, if the director is talented and skilled enough (Martin Scorsese), wall-to-wall use of music, particularly found music, works brilliantly. Scorsese's 'Casino' takes this, and just about all other aspects of the craft, to a WHOLE 'nother level. Recall the juxtaposition of Bach's St. Matthew's Passion with a Rolling Stone's drum solo, while the camera flies across the Nevada desert. Brilliant. For some other great examples of music use, I would suggest Wong-Kar Wai, David Lynch, and Kubrick.

I do think there a few too many less skilled directors who try to employ found music in the way Scorsese or even Tarantino does, and fail miserably- all the Tarantino ripoff films are excellent examples of this.

With regard to the New World score, I'm very glad Malick chose to go with the (positively haunting) Mozart and Wagner pieces, two composers I find more accomplished than Horner, although I must say Horner did write one hell of a Braveheart score, as well as some great stuff for Ron Howard.

Regards,
Nathan

 

[TommyT]

Best example of a movie without any soundtrack has to be The China Syndrome. Only music is during the opening credits but the tension of the story requires nothing! Makes me wonder if they planned it that way or saw the rushes & said "Hey, we won't need a soundtrack!"

 

[JediFonger]

music has played an important part of film ever since the dawn of films themselves. yes, even silent films strived to have live orchtestral playback some sort of "wall to wall" mickeymousing sountrack to the silent films.

the problem isn't wall to wall, the problem is should it be used and is it good. star wars had wall to wall, but i can't imagine star wars being starwars WITHOUT it. imagine the scrolling title without any music. that'd be insane =).

 

[MichaelBA]

I watched AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD today, and that reminded me that this film is an absolutely perfect example of great music used with restraint so that the absence of music in key moments provides equally great contrasting highlights.