Watching a film like "Star Wars" or "West Side Story" the music can seem to fade into the background. We are transfixed with the visual and don't always appreciate the magic that's seeping into our ears as we gawk. It's almost a subliminal element of the medium most of the time. But music makes the movie! What if you remove it or alter it?
I remember conjuring images in my head to the music from my soundtrack records as a kid. Even back then there were movies I wanted to make, stories I wanted to tell. I used to imagine scenes to music either from other soundtracks or original material. Then during my career in sound I watched other directors do the same. Quentin Tarantino had me play music back for him on the set of "Jackie Brown" just so he could direct the scene the way and with the music he imagined.
Imagine If the helicopter attack scene in "Apocalypse Now" had been set to "Blue Danube" by "Strauss" instead of "Ride of the Valkyries" by Wagner. Here's an example. Think of the opening credits of "Top Gun"...
Obviously a pretty rocking movie on the way huh? But just suppose you wanted the movie to have a slightly different vibe...
With a cut from the "Waterworld" soundtrack.Put your favorite scene from your favorite movie on and listen to it. Just listen. Not the special effects or the dialogue, the music. Close your eyes and absorb what the composer put together for that scene. Try to imagine the scene without it. Look up the soundtrack and listen to it. Try to pick out what scene the track you're listening to is from as it plays.
It makes the movie!
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