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  • Essay / A Comparative Analysis of the Use of Music in King Kong, To Kill a Mockingbird and Cinema Paradiso

    To begin, I would like to discuss the music in King Kong. The music for this film was composed by the legendary Max Steiner. I chose to talk about this film because, as you mentioned previously, it was the film's music that defined all other music from that point on. Before the release of King Kong in 1933, film scores were very reserved because the directors did not want the music to distract viewers from the film. Steiner's score, however, was bold and made a huge statement. In dramatic moments, the score intensifies. When the characters moved, the music followed the actors' actions; it's what's known in the industry as "Mickey Mouse-ing." Thanks to this score, a new era for composers and scores was ushered in, and films now almost always have distinct scores that heighten emotion and stand out. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The next film I would like to focus on is To Kill a Mockingbird. The music for this film was composed by Elmer Bernstein. The music in this film is very unique and speaks volumes about the film. This score takes on a very childish and playful sound, instead of seeming serious all the time. This is largely due to the fact that the story is told from the perspective of a child rather than an adult. It highlights the innocence and short-sightedness that a child possesses during his youth. That's not to say that the score doesn't get dramatic at times (it certainly does when necessary), but it remains a very diverse score. One of the most notable scenes, however, is in the courthouse where there is no music. In my opinion, this absence of music helps to increase the suspense, because it is completely different from what we are used to hearing, namely music. The third film I'm going to talk about is Fahrenheit 451. The music for this film was composed by Bernard Herrmann. The music in this film, to me, was very "busy", if that makes sense. There was always something happening, and the theme of the fire truck leaving the station following a call still sticks with me to this day. This score does a great job of blending the main character's love for this new woman he meets, his internal conflicts, his secrets, and the suspense of every moment, all into a well-written whole. I feel like they tried to make this music different from other film scores because of the premise of the film; a different world in which something so fundamental is illegal. This is a very unique score, as it stands out from many other film scores we have watched throughout the semester. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert authors. Get a custom score essayFinally, I would like to take a look at the music from Cinema Paradiso. This music for this film was composed by Ennio Morricone. I chose this movie simply because it had extremely catchy music. Throughout the film, many of the same themes and melodies are thrown at us, and there's something about the simplicity of the score that keeps me listening to it on repeat for hours. This film contains a lot of sad moments, from the moment Alfredo goes blind, to watching Salvatore and the rest of the town witness the destruction of the theater that had such a great emotional and cultural impact on their town for so long...