by Joseph Carlson
I was able to attend the closing night of the Tacoma Film Festival and saw a documentary called Score: A Film Music Documentary which was the second screening of the film ever. A film about music in movies and how it has been used. Directed by Matt Schrader and with interviews with Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Quincy Jones, and a many more. The film deeply examines how music started in film and where it is today.
The filmmaker takes big look under the hood showing the composition of movies and taking music out of them, like in Transformers: Age of Extinction and then putting it back in so we can see the process of mixing. The also show the beginning of a movie score, well at some of it. There is sessions in the beginning when the filmmaker and the composer of a particular piece sit down and hash out the themes of the movie and the general feel.
It is also shown through interviews how much composers love each others work. Many in the film talk about John Williams, who was not available for the movie, but archival interviews were shown and many other composers talked about the man with great reverence. This is the man who wrote the theme for Star Wars and Indiana Jones as well as Jaws. These are some of the most iconic scores of all time.
They also talked to new composers, like Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross who scored The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's interesting to see Trent Reznor, who is mostly known for his band Nine Inch Nails, brings a new electronic sensibility to his scores.
For a long time people have know what music can do in movies, but I think now that they two are really being examined on the big screen it's really powerful stuff. To see those scores of movies like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars along with the score for Minions and how it all comes together is amazing. I'll never look at music in movies the same way.
Score is playing in limited release at film festivals. Check their website for more details on upcoming screenings.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.