1990s

Section 2: Realism

Realism

• Due to cable, audiences needed films with more realism, violence & a stronger emotional impact

• Popular music used because it gave a sense of “daily life”

Realism: Forrest Gump

• Popular music helps date the flashbacks• Themes heard throughout:– Feather: Forrest’s innocence– Jenny Theme– Running Theme

• Themes used against popular music show how Forrest’s view of the world is consistent, while the world is always changing

Crime Films

• Popular Music paired with violence to show how casually people treated violence– GoodFellas: adapted score using

popular music about the mob– Pulp Fiction: all popular music used as

source music

Crime Films

• Silence of the Lambs– Source music used to show character• Bach used to show how calculating & smart Hannibal is

The Shawshank Redemption

• Score by Thomas Newman(A man wrongfully accused of a crime is imprisoned and eventually escapes)• 90’s characteristics: dark tones, realism• Detached, cold, distant music: pedal with

motives on top creates continuity• Significant use of opera source music

Blair Witch Project

• 3 Film students disappear in the Maryland woods while shooting a documentary on a homicidal witch.

• Super-Realism NO music• Beginning-Interviews• Scared in the Woods• Heather’s Apology• Ending

Titanic- Highest box office success in US and Internationally

- Won 11 Oscars (including best score & best song)

- Score by James Horner (Glory, Braveheart, Troy, Avatar)

- Hugely lavish and extravagant, sparked a reaction towards simplicity

Titanic: Main Score Characteristics

• Frequent use of synthesizer• Themes are left intact and loosely applied

Titanic: Themes

• Rose & Love “My Heart Will Go On”– Rose: has an Irish folk quality– Love: Jack & Rose together• The melody for “My Heart Will Go On”

I’m Flying (Parody)• Rose jumps back on the boat– Love Theme & Rose Theme

Fresh & Simple Sounds• Film makers reacted to Titanic with simple and

new sounds• Renaissance Instruments– Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth

• Adapted scores– O Brother Where Art Thou?

• Minimalism/ Simplicity– American Beauty, Chocolat, The Hours

• Techno: gives energy– The Matrix (techno & metal), Run Lola Run

Symphonic Scores Post-Titanic

• Only a few films had traditional symphonic scores in the years immediately following the Titanic

• Big Composers: John Williams & Hans Zimmer

• Gladiator (2000): historical epic with a hero who dies at the end

• Star Wars Prequels: uses themes from the originals, plus new themes and voices

Concert Composers writing Film Scores

• In the late 1990s, it more concert composers wrote music for movies

• The Red Violin: Score by John Corigliano– Much of the music was written prior to filming

super unified score– Episodic plot that switches between the creation

of the violin, it’s history, and present day– Theme: Anna Bussotti/Red Violin

The Red Violin• Nicolo Bussotti makes his masterpiece violin• The violin is given to an orphan, Kaspar Weiss• Kaspar improves his playing• Kaspar auditions• Gypsies steal the violin from Kaspar’s grave• Violin is played by virtuoso Frederick Pope• Pope and his girlfriend are separated• The violin is in China during the Cultural Rev.• Morritz examines the violins• Russelsky plays the violin• Morritz studies the violin• Morritz discovers what gives the violin it’s red color• Morritz steals the violin• Ending