The Kiterunner

I enjoyed Kiterunner. I had heard of the book before but I did not know there was a movie. The movie is filled with Middle Eastern theme music to match the cultural ties, time and place. The music contains authentic Middle Eastern instruments and vocals. I enjoyed these original sounding instruments and vocals and I wondered what instruments were used. The music connects to the setting of markets, the dress and scenery in the film. This music somewhat reminds me of Slumdog Millionaire, with the authentic music matching the time and place. The music is primarily underscore with some diagetic in a movie they watch. The music somewhat moves with the kites and an energetic, moving sound. The music also climbs with the excitement of the boys and the crowds and the mystery of who will win the kite race.
There is a fairly good amount of music as transitions, in exciting and emotional times, when there is no speaking and when the people are moving.

Big Fish

I enjoyed the imagination and adventure of Big Fish very much. Big Fish starts with an orchestral underscore. It builds some the gives a more tense and inclined mood. When he narrates, an underscore plays. When the scene is about the tension between him and his father the music has a tense feel. As he tells the fictional story of his birth, made by his father, the music is goofy with acapella vocals. Underscore music plays through the flashbacks of stories told by his father. The music helps to narrate of the storyline and give excitement, adventure and intensity to the stories. Some of the music within the adventure stories reminded me of Harry Potter and also To Kill a Mockingbird, when Jem and Scout sneak over to Boo Radley’s house. The music during the present time with his dad is mainly string underscore that is more sympathetic and clam. There is a large amount of music, primarily underscore besides the vocal church music and festival country music, throughout the film, giving it a classic Hollywood characteristic.

Dances with Wolves

Dances with Wolves music was written by John Barry and completed in 1990. Dances with Wolves is well-acclaimed for the music score with winning seven Academy Awards including Best Picture Oscar and Best Music Oscar. The film is set during the civil war time in the west. The music portrays traditional western roles. It also helps to portray the Indian, savage image with ritual, tribal music. Costner, the director, researched traditional Native American music in order to accurately represent the Indians. The music does a good job of setting the feel of the Civil War times and conflict between the whites and the Native Americans.

The Color Purple

I enjoyed the movie. It is filled with emotion and drama, filled with African American historical oppression during slavery days. The film started off with a string underscore with a pleasant country theme as the two girls were running and playing through the fields, with their playful giggling. This beginning reminded me of the similar beginning to To Kill a Mockingbird with playful music and giggling. When the scene went into the birth and their father took away the baby the music became dark and sober. This darker music is heard with their master. There was diegetic hymn spiritual music played during the wedding. During scenes with the children when they are learning to read and playing together, the pleasant country music comes back, creating a light, playful, friendly sound. The film consists of a large amount of string underscore. I believe the music creates a county, simplistic theme. The sadder parts of the film have a more dramatic string underscore.

E.T.

I had seen E.T. before, many years ago when I was a kid. It scared me a lot then and it still kind of gave me the frights this time. The movie opens with mysterious, creepy music where you first see E.T. I could imagine that watching this movie for the first time 1982 would be somewhat firghtening and would keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering what this story will be about. The music at the beginning keeps the audience curious and interested in creature. I beleive the music fits a beyond-this-world, alien theme.
The music in the film is somewhat childlike, created by orchestral music. Woodwinds are most common throughout the movie. When the movie becomes more exhilarating and axciting, the full orchestra comes in. The music throughout the movie is relatively light and smooth. At the end of the film, an underscore lasts for a long period of time with a wide variety of feelings represented: happiness, sadness, awe and adventure.

The Sting

I immediately recognized a famous Scott Joplin piece during the credits and then throughout the film and ending with the conclusion credits. It faded as the introduction scene began. The ragtime Scott Joplin piano seems to match with the 1930s urban style, sounding upbeat and social and portraying movement, and action. The Scoot Joplin music is stuck in during transitions, making the film more playful and fun. I believe it gives the film as less serious portrayal then it was meant to have. It seems to be too playful for the urban tough-guy trying to make it and gambling storyline. The transitions are then cut off when the next scene begins, rather than fading off. Between many scenes there is no transition music at all. There is racy diagetic music played during the hooker dancing scenes. There is also very quiet, soft diagetic music played while the men play poker which seems to not fit in well. It is too soft and gentle to go with the tough men gambling. The pre-existing music seems to work as a filler to silence in the film and to lighten up the mood of the film.
Scott Joplin’s 1890s ragtime was meant to have energetic rhythms. The spirit and energy in the ragtime is supposed to fit well with the spirit and energy in the film although the 1930s storyline does not match the 1890 ragtime style.

The movie begins with a nice piano medley while a child hums and giggles. This music starts the movie off portraying a childish, calm, family story but with a hint of conflict or drama. The music also sounds like a country or small town sound. A woodwind and piano plays when the children look over at Boo Radley. When they look over at his house an erry repetitive woodwind and piano medley plays. This medley is played during the film to associate with Boo. The music to transition scenes is an upbeat woodwind country tune. While the children challenge each other to go over to Boo’s house an upbeat diagetic, triumphant horn music plays. Once Scout rolls into Boo’s lawn, the music turns darker into the music associated with Boo. This music is heard again at night when the kids are creeping over to his yard. When his house is shown, the repetitive woodwind erry tune is played. This music makes the scene mysterious and frightening. The music moves with the movements of Jem as he creeps up the porch and as the shadow of Boo reaches toward Jem. The music becomes quicker when the kids start to run.
A dark woodwind and high pitch horn music is played when Atticus is visiting the black man’s family and a man comes up to the car where Jem and Scout are waiting. The music reminded me of Psycho during the murder scene with the high pitched strings. As Jem sits on the porch, scared, a dark fast woodwind sound is played making it frightening. There are creeping noises of a crow and a bench creaking. The frightening music is stopped by the innocence tune and Scout’s voice.
The film is filled with music throughout. It is used for transition, and as theme music to Boo and the children. I would describe this music as Bernstein’s.