Film in 2014: Best Musical Scores Include "Under the Skin" & "Theory of Everything"
Since the beginning of cinema, music has played a crucial role in the viewing experience.
During the silent era, live musicians would be called upon to perform alongside the screens to enhance the viewing experience and support the drama. Over the years, music has evolved in a number of manners to comment, support or even subvert dramatic storytelling.
While music has the advantage of being just as enjoyable and fascinating out of the cinematic context (would you really enjoy a still image without the full duration of a shot?), there is no doubt that the riches scores play crucial roles when they are juxtaposed with the images on screen and the tempo of the editing. Music, when brilliantly composed and immersed in the context, has the power to raise cinema to even greater heights as the ultimate Gesamtkunstwerk.
As part of Latin Post's "Best of 2014: Film Edition" we will now celebrate two of the most notable film scores of the year:
Music as Character in "Under the Skin"
By David Salazar
Music exists in a rather nebulous place in modern cinema.
Many filmmakers have omitted non-diegetic music to enhance the gritty realism of some films, while other filmmakers, mainly those of major productions, have opted for more conventional scores that accentuate certain emotional beats. This approach heightens the emotion, but often music is simply background noise to the action. It is subservient to what is onscreen rather than also being a major part of it.
And then there are filmmakers who ponder the diverse elements of the universe of a film and how they all contribute equally to the overall effect. And this is when the greatest creativity emerges.
Exhibit A is Mica Levi's score for Jonathan Glazer's exquisite "Under the Skin." This film relies heavily on Scarlett Johansson's mysterious performance as an alien, but in many ways, Levi's score forms a duet between the two that develops throughout the movie.
The music is filled with grating sounds (and a wide range of acoustic and electronic sounds) that manage to alienate the viewer and throw them off kilter. It actually provides a fun counterpoint to the human characters in the story who are completely oblivious to what is going to happen to them. Through the music, we feel the mutilation they are about to unknowingly undergo.
It plays almost like an interior monologue for the alien and it reoccurs at climactic moments where the viewer feels the tension racked up by the intense dissonance. In my review of the film, I wrote the following about one particular moment: "During one scene, the alien seems ready to engage in sexual behavior with another human. The music in this scene [known as "Love"] begins with a hymn-like melody that has none of the customary dissonance that dominates the rest of the film. However, after the first few bars, Levi introduces a disturbing dissonance that grinds against the nirvana-like theme."
The music of "Under the Skin" is unforgettable, not only because it is unlike anything you have ever heard before, but because it manages to slowly carve out its own identity as a separate character in the drama of the film.
Icelandic Composer Emerges and Explores for "The Theory of Everything"
By Francisco Salazar
The film score is one of the most important elements to a film as it is supposed to enhance the viewing process and bring something new to the film.
This year represented one of the most interesting years with a number of great film scores. Antonio Sanchez created one of the most inventive jazz scores in years for "Birdman" while Mica Levi created eerie music for the experimental and underappreciated film "Under the Skin." Alexandre Desplat brought his ingenuity to "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "The Imitation Game." Hans Zimmer showed once again why he is one of the best in the business with his incredibly inventive music for "Interstellar." Alberto Iglesias, interestingly enough, did not make the Oscar eligibility list for his immaculate score (which evokes Hitchcock) for "The Two Faces of January." These composers all created brilliant work that is definitely memorable for a year with so many great films.
However, the musical score that stands out as the best is Johann Johannsson's brilliant work in "The Theory of Everything."
The Icelandic composer came to prominence last year when he scored "Prisoners." While the score was subtle and perfect for the movie, Johannsson really proved himself in James Marsh's latest film.
Johannsson doesn't reinvent the wheel with his work for "The Theory of Everything," nor does he shy away from the melodic or classical. The score is perfectly traditional with lush cues that are memorable.
The beginning of the score is filled with exploratory colors emphasizing Stephen Hawking's own nature. Johannsson uses the waltz figure combined with ostinato rhythms with the string instruments and uses the piano and harp to create an otherworldly tone. Like the mood of the first part of the film, it is light and moves each scene forward.
The second part of the score is a bit more introspective. When the character in the film is diagnosed with ALS, Johannsson smartly gives the score a darker tone. If at times it feels a bit dramatic, Johannsson expertly tries to maintain the positive tone which the film ultimately portrays.
One of the best parts of the score is Johannsson's final cue, which provides the nostalgia, the playfulness and the otherworldly qualities that Stephen Hawking's represents.
Johannson's score is definitely the most memorable and masterful cue that definitely showcases the talent of an emerging composer and elevates "The Theory of Everything" in all ways.
Want to check out other installments in this series?
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!
