Film Music

by Peter Larsen, Peter Larsen

Just hearing a few notes from certain songs can bring a movie back to life—whether the Doors’ “The End” from Apocalypse Now , Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” in The Graduate , or John Williams’ scores to such blockbusters as Jaws , Star Wars , and Raiders of the Lost Ark . But what is the relationship between film and music—where does the film begin and the music end?


Taking off from a variation of that question—whether music accompanies a film or a film illustrates the music—Peter Larsen probes the complex relationship between the two. He charts the history of music in film, exploring along the way the role that music plays in the narrative and psychological functions of film. Examining such classics and blockbusters as The Big Sleep , American Graffiti , North by Northwest , and Blade Runner , Larsen uses these case studies to demonstrate how scores and soundtracks can expose unexpected new facets of a film.


A wholly accessible examination, Film Music will be an essential read for music scholars and film buffs alike.


 

Genres: Music, Film, Nonfiction

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction over the central problems and terms in film music theory and history. Built around analyzes of Metropolis, The Big Sleep, North By Northwest, The Graduate, American Graffiti, Star Wars and Avatar. It's a bit oddly written (at least in the Norwegian translation), but it sort of works anyway.