Soundtracks

Films are nothing without their soundtracks. The music of the piece, while not always consciously noticed, can raise and lower the mood of the viewer to fit with the scene. It can excite them in scenes of joy and bring them to tears in moments of sadness. Often films, unlike TV shows, use music composed specifically for that film, rather than using songs from different bands that the viewer may already have heard.

Generally the soundtracks composed for films are classical however this is not always the case, for instance the music to Disney's Tron Legacy was written by Daft Punk and featured an electronic soundtrack to fit the film. In this post I'll discuss the official soundtracks to a few different films.

The Lord of the Rings- composed by Howard Shore.

Howard Shore was given the task of writing the music to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy of adaptations of Tolkien's original fantasy novel. For a saga of such grand proportions the soundtrack was going to have to match the story in terms of its grandeur and power. Composed for an orchestra the music has a classical feel to it, but fits very well with the films. For instance one quality of a soundtrack such as this one is its ability to tell the story without the film itself as a visual aid. An example of where this is present in Shore's work is during the song Uglúk's Warriors which is played during the part of the film where the Uruk Hai are seen at the beginning of the film The Two Towers. The sharp brass notes played during parts of this song are iconic to say the least and immediately conjure up the image of the powerful, bestial Uruks. Another point in the Lord of the Rings Soundtrack that makes the listener recall a specific part of the film is For Frodo on the soundtrack for the third and final film in the trilogy: The Return of the King. The song starts slowly, and begins to add more and more parts to build up an air of heroics to match those of the free people of Middle Earth at the end of the film. The song then brings the emotions of the listener to the fore as a feeling of worry is injected into the song. The choral elements in this song are utterly supreme in the way they can just direct emotion where they will. The score to the Lord of the Rings trilogy also evokes images of all the beautiful locations where the films were shot around New Zealand.

By Rob Chandler (Rob & Jules) (Flickr) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96147639@N00/319248528/



Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno)- composed by Javier Navarrete

Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, set just after the end of the Spanish Civil War, centres around the story of Ofelia, a girl who believes in fairy tales. To reflect this the soundtrack incorporates various elements including darker aspects as well as parts that take the form of lullabies. My personal favourite song of the soundtrack from what I've heard is A Tale which demonstrates one of the main themes of the film. Beginning with a tentatively played piano it then adds strings. This lullaby brings to mind the beautiful photography of the film and has a talent for evoking both sadness and joy simultaneously. A truly masterful soundtrack.

Gladiator- composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard

2000's historical epic Gladiator had a soundtrack to match. While not wildly historically accurate it was very entertaining and the music is superb. Hans Zimmer is famous for composing the scores to countless films including: Christopher Nolan's productions of Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight in collaboration with James Newton Howard, as well as Black Hawk Down, and The Last Samurai. The Gladiator score's finest moment, in my opinion, is during the track The Battle, the piece played during the first battle scene where the Roman Army goes into battle against the forces of Germania. The changes in dynamics send the listener on a roller coaster until the triumphant heights about 5 minutes in when one of the main themes arises, consisting of a strong brass section that sends thrills through anyone watching the film. That part of the song is an embodiment of heroism and bravery and this has a profound effect on the listener.

That's all for now. There are so many other brilliant soundtracks out there, it would be impossible to fit even a fraction of them in one post. Others include the scores to: Schindler's List, Star Wars, James Bond, Pirates of the Caribbean, and so many more. Thanks for reading,

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