Though there's so much to discuss and dissect in this industry, for now I'd just like to talk about one of my favorite soundtracks. It's an album I consider a truly great film score; it's one of the scores that opened my eyes to the emotion behind film music and inspired me to experiment with my own composition.
The album I'm talking about is Thomas Newman's original 1994 soundtrack for The Shawshank Redemption.
I was a junior in high school when I first watched Shawshank, and its compelling story of the human spirit - victory over oppression - really spoke to me. The movie seemed to exude a sense of triumph, but only after bringing the viewer on an honest journey of highs and lows. I realized that a large part of the film's emotion, while powerful on its own, was owed to its music.
I bought a copy of the soundtrack and listened to it many times. Something about it was so mesmerizing; maybe it was the way the strings determinedly yet solemnly introduced the opening notes (aptly titled Stoic Theme). Maybe it was the melodic glimmers of hope contrasted with an otherwise bleak motif. Maybe it was the way the music seemed to tell the movie's story all by itself.
Whatever it was, just by listening to Newman's score I could grasp the same sense of triumph that the film portrayed. And that's why I consider it a truly great score - it has an evocative power all of its own.
I don't come across soundtracks very often that do this as well as Shawshank, but exciting things are still happening in the world of film composition. So next time you watch a movie, pay attention to the score - there's a lot to discover.
No comments:
Post a Comment