Im instructed to evaluate a movie from a musical perspective.create a review of the movie describing how
music flows trhu out the movie.mention special themes,authors,any leitmotifs,or characteristics.
you can choose any movie that satisfies the year range instructed.
these are the instructions by my professor.
Project 1: Discuss the role of music in a single film created in 1970 or before
The role of music in Love Story (1970)
The movie features Oliver, who is from an affluent and recognized family of Harvard
University graduates. He meets Jennifer, and both are attracted to each other. Just like the name
of the movie, Love Story is a description of the love amid both characters from their meeting
point to the passing away of Jennifer. After the couple’s college graduation, they settle down
together regardless of Oliver’s father objection. Without any financial assistance, the couple
manages to pay Oliver’s fees at Harvard, as Jennifer works as a teacher. Following Oliver’s
graduation, he gets a good job and the couple consent to start a family. However, they are unable
to get a child, which compels them to visit the hospital where Jennifer is diagnosed of leukemia.
Eventually Jennifer passes away, ending the love story. Of specific importance all through the
film are the music selections. The director selects music, which resonates to the love subject.
This paper aims at demonstrating music as a source of emotion in Love Story.
Music acts as the most effective code of emotional expression in movies. The abundant,
inflexible passages that accompany a love scene do not just represent the emotions from the
diegetic characters, rather of the viewer’s personal reaction, which is prompted and represented
by music (Cohen 263). Music is incorporated in a film to control emotional reactions, thus, in the
similar manner of different real emotions, emotion arising from background music wields control
over individual’s watching the film. The impacts can arise merely from bottom-up evaluation of
the stimuli. In the film, we hear music from the background, in scenes where there is conflict
amid the main characters, during intense moments, and a bridge from one scene to another.
The major theme is founded on the piano, which is Jennifer’s major instrument in music
school, and is a representation of her heartbreaking end. The piano adds color and emotion to the
film. There are unforgettable scenes demonstrating the main theme in Love Story. At one point,
is the combination of the major theme, harpsichord, due to Jennifer’s adoration for Mozart, with
a rock rhythm, for her affection towards the Beatles. The combination plays as background
music in the scene where Oliver runs all over Cambridge, in search of Jennifer. This happens
after she storms from their apartment in the event of an argument. At this instance, the viewer’s
emotions become intense, all through the scene, enhanced by the music. It is impossible to tell
what will unfold as the couple argues to the moment Jennifer leaves the apartment. The viewer
connects to Oliver’s apprehension as he frantically looks for Jennifer.
A wordless female singing, as well as the rock beat accompanies a spontaneous frolic in
the snow, to enhance the affection between Oliver and Jennifer. The music aims at indirectly
convincing the audience to feel the great love between the main characters. The melody is later
employed during the scene where the couple is skating at Central Park Scene. This is Jennifer’s
last scene of pleasure prior to her demise. At this point, music is used to communicate meaning
by advancing the story, specifically during the uncertain situation. The couple seems happy, but
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it is impossible not to question what will happen to their love. Prior to the demise, there seem no
apparent problems in the relationship. The rock beat employed in the scene calms emotions,
demonstrating that everything is normal, just as is expected of a young couple in love.
The instrumental and vocal rendition of Where do I begin is apparent all through the
movie. The song plays many important emotional functions in Love Story. The instrumental
rendition is employed in numerous instances as the camera shifts amid the close-ups of the
couple looking at one another. When music is playing in the background, the viewer emotionally
connects with the couple. It becomes possible to feel the intense affection amid Oliver and
Jennifer. The director’s decision to use instrumental renditions of the song effectively ensures
that a connection is made between the song and the film. Both music and film are love themed,
as is the objective of Love Story. Without the music, the close up shots may seem awkward, but
the music enhances their relevance.
The song directs concentration to relevant features of the screen via associationist
congruence (Cohen 259). Music enhances the feeling or reality, or absorption in movie, possibly
through expanding arousal, and rising concentration to the whole film situation and
inattentiveness to everything else. This means that music glues the viewers to the screen, such
that they are only concentrating on watching the movie. Such an effect is achieved because the
film has captured the audiences’ emotions. Music playing in the background in scenes where the
characters do not communicate is an illustration of the role of music in intensifying arousal,
causing viewers to experience the same feelings as those of characters. For instance, this happens
in the hospital scene where Jennifer asks Oliver to hug her, prior to her passing away.
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Work Cited
Cohen, Annabel J. Music as a source of emotion in film. New York: Oxford University Press,
2001.
