What makes a great film u might ask. Majority of the human species will say two things. Firstly, the plot. Secondly, the actors. And they are all correct. For those two factors add up to what you might call a great movie! But if you ask them to digress further, i am afraid we will only get so far as " the director must be good lor. Special effects was superb!".
Every factor makes or breaks a movie. Factors being, Script, Cinematography, Direction, Acting, Editing, Special Graphics, Sound and Music and last but not least, advertising. Ok. Sounds heavy on the factors. I wont go through all, lest my boss comes back from malay class and catches me slacking. And yes i do have a ton of work to finish by friday! >.<
I will touch on Sound and Music for today. Sound and Music(S&M) plays an instrumental part in the experience. It can lighten the atmospheric mood or dampen it to a depressing picture. S&M (Ok sounds wrong.) works hand in hand with visuals that is showing on the 16:9 humogeous cinematic screen. Why? Some people will ask. After all if the plot is so engaging and the actors/actresses are all so good looking, who bothers abt the music?
That is precisely my point. Most people take S&M for granted. If there is picture, there is sure to be sound! But they forget that S&M creates for them the emotions that they feel during a movie.
Lets take a few examples: Recent ad for a radio station: Woman swimming in the morning in the sea. *Dark omninous Jaws like music plays*. And just when she emerges from the water, *light bossanova music plays*. The entire mood has been change and a different message shown. Very clever ad really. Makes u notice it as it wasnt the cliche ad u were expected.
Many other great moments on film that requires emotional engaging music to work. Wld you imagine the Rohirrim with their ten thousand strong horsemen charging down the flank of the orc host without their signature violin melody? Imagine Forrest Gump running without his trademark music? Or when Bruce Willis stays behind to blow up that damn asteroid with the dreamy choir with the solo guitar plucking up the melody (i am listening to it now lol.)?
They just wont work without them. Alright, think of your most impressionable moment on film. Now try and imagine it without music. Doesnt seem as memorable as when u pop in the DVD and watch it again right? I bet if you just heard the signature melody/track/score/tune of any well-known films, many will remember a favourite scene that is etch in their minds forever. Like say, the little mermaid tune where you will think of her combing her hair with a fork and the crab sebestian or the star wars intro music. What projects in our minds are green/red.blue lightsabers, The skywalker family, furry chewbacca and the ever present small green Master Yoda.
Many indie films play on that. Usually showing moving visuals but with monotonous or very natural sounds. We subconciously start to pay more attention to the visuals as there is no other medium to occupy our other senses. Namely our ears.
I needed to get this off my chest for a long time. For after all, I am a Official Soundtrack listener.
