Yes, yes I know. You’ve read, heard about, and/or seen The Great Gatsby, but even in just plainly reading the book or passively watching the movie, you probably missed the large points of the story. For the book, an English teacher can help force one to see and notice the focus upon the complete self-absorption, the need for stability and wealth rather than pursuit of one’s true desires, but the film needs about a thousand extra shoves at the audience. Instead, Baz Luhrmann, the genius behind Moulin Rouge and that crazy version of Romeo+Juliet (also a Leo film) made the executive decision to encapsulate the film with contemporary music of rap/R&B, pop and alternative mixed amongst their orchestrated versions and old classics like Rhapsody in Blue. Many of the songs on the soundtrack were done specifically for the movie itself as to help fit the lyrical music into the plot of the film, such as the Jack White cover of U2’s “Love is Blindess”, ironically played when the character Myrtle gets hit by a car.

This mixture of contemporary with jazzy classics was genius for a film focusing on an unrequited love story set in the prohibition-era parties of the 1920s with the lifestyles revolving around power and money. The soundtrack was created and tailored to fit the film’s plot of conflicting love and desire for wealth. One of the first songs used to present to the audience the  of 1920s New York City is No Church in The Wild (performed by Jay-Z and Kanye West ft. Frank Ocean and The-Dream) and throughout the film Jay-Z’s music is featured prominently for the party scenes and segments focusing on the extravagance of the rich during the 20s. Other songs featured in the film by Jay-Z include “100$ Bill”, “IZZO (H.O.V.A.),” and “Who Gon Stop Me” by Kanye West and Jay-Z.

A song that was featured in a wide amount of soft melodic variations and orchestrations during scenes focused on Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship is Young And Beautiful by Lana Del Ray, a single made specifically for the film. The song featuring lyrics describing intense devotion (applying mainly to Gatsby) and questioning of lasting love greatly accompanies the scenes between the pair with its deep and dramatic tones expressing sorrowful desire.

While the film is scattered about in terms of music genre and a large number of the songs are about partying and opulence, the songs featured in the film offer a brilliant architecture of sound for the drama of the unrequited love story. “Together” by the XX  “Over the Love” by Florence + The Machine brilliantly portray the broken heartedness and undying longing Gatsby has for his timeless love Daisy. This film version lacks its true meaning and larger explanation with only the dialogue and visual imagery, but the music plays a prominent role in telling of the story, filling in the gap.

Here’s Gatsby signing off for me.

Normally when viewing films about historical figures, you are antagonized by the thought of morose, monotone narrators and fuzzy background music that’s either a bad recording of an orchestra or what seems to be someone drunkenly playing the harpsichord. Thankfully, Sophia Coppola directed, wrote, and produced the 2006 film Marie Antoinette, bringing a fresh portrayal to the executed Queen of France by using New Wave and Punk genre songs mixed in among the expected orchestral variations. Somehow, mixing in some 70s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s angst and rebellion fit perfectly with the telling of Antoinette’s life at the palace of Versailles. Coppola is able to almost entirely throw away the use of classical music for the film, using pieces such as “Concerto in G” by Vivaldi and an Opus or two composed by pianist Dustin O’Halloran (yet again, contemporary) only at times when the formal nature and enforced adulthood of Antoinette’s life needs to be especially ingrained into the audience. Even then she finds ways around it, using calmer songs by Aphex Twin [“Jynweythek Ylow” and “Avril 14th” (2001)].

There is a greater ingenious in Coppola’s decision though, as her idea of utilizing these lyrical and jumpy, high energy songs helps to convey to the audience, even if subconsciously, that the Queen was incredibly young. The genres would fit the music taste of a teenager, or someone in their 20s. The music helps us, as an audience, remember that this woman was young, stuck in a place of power and opulence as an adolescent.

Throughout the movie, the music not only brings about the air of teenage wit and feelings of freeness, but also shows how elements of life in the 1700s can be understood in modern day. A specific example is when Antoinette sneaks out of the palace with her fellow royals and high-society friends to go to a masquerade party of drinking and court dances. Instead of having some random French-composed orchestration, its “Hong Kong Garden” by Siouxsie and The Banshees (1978).

As you’re watching the film though, you don’t truly realize that this music, in a sense, is wrong or off.

When having one of her many moments of oblivious splendor in buying shoes and eating pastries all day (you know, the typical life of a 18th century queen who doesn’t know her people are starving), the montage of her and her friends being absorbed in luxury is shown with a remix of  “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow (1982 playing over the whole thing.

It’s strong beats, electric guitar, and provocative lyrics, but it works so well with the depiction of high-society life in a historic palace where the only thing truly played was opera and orchestras.

This prominent use of New Wave and Punk genre music mixed among some electronic compositions and even a few orchestrations makes the film tell a whole new story and helps create the portrayal of Antoinette’s life as a teenager, living in a palace, pushed into complete maturity at age 14 yet still engaging in debauchery.

Short intro: Like last semester I will be focusing on the wonderful combination of music and movies while discussing how they fit together. There is a change-up though! Rather than looking at the composers of movie scores, I will be discussing the use of music in cinema in general. Instead of classical orchestrations, it will be an examination of music in general being featured in films to help enhance overall messages. For example, Sophia Coppola’s use of indie rock features in a Marie Antoinette bio-pic that somehow completely matches up with the story of the French queen’s life.

The first movie up for discussion is Across the Universe, a musical and film cross-breed that came out in 2007 and prominently featured hits from the Beatles. Actually, prominently is kind of lacking, considering that the whole storyline is essentially created through the songs’ intermingling into almost every scene.  The movie would be bare bones and a bunch of intercut scenes that make no sense. The songs are a plethora of picks from the full range of Beatles albums, acting as the binding to the relationships in the movie. They work in place of dialogue throughout the film, telling of story of how the wide range of characters form together and live through the turbulent years of the late sixties.

The film centers on the character of Jude (of course, later in the film, they do sing Hey Jude) deciding to leave Liverpool for America, searching for his father with only a name and address written on a piece of paper. After meeting his father, the story makes a complete turn and the whole intro the movie is long forgotten. It becomes more of a centering upon Jude living freely in the melting pot of New York with his new friend Max while falling in love with Max’s sister Lucy. While the movie falters with a plot that requires a bit more further explanation and a few trials of rewatching, it makes up for it with a wonderful repertoire of Beatles hits and an emotional journey of the youth generation living life in NYC during the Vietnam War.

“I’ve Just Seen A Face” is a cue to love at first sight between Jude and Lucy; “Because” is sung as a fragile group harmony, representing the calm before the storm as Max is shipped off to war; and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” portrays the somberness and broken happiness to the audience that the high of life has truly turned into shattered hopes and heartbreak.

Watch it for the under-the-radar actors to get a small escape from the force fed films of mainstream Hollywood. Stay and then promptly rewatch it for the spectacular renditions of the Beatles hits.

P.S. This is the shortest song featured, but it’s definitely the most harmoniously beautiful.

Well, after this amazing and eye-opening semester, I must bring this beautifully melodic blog to a close. We’ve seen whimsicality with Tim Burton, techno with Trent Reznor, absolute legend with John Williams, and pure epicness with Han Zimmer. Yes,…yes…i too am crying. But for a different reason than you! I’m listening to a song from the sob-worthy movie Never Let Me Go with film score orchestrated by Rachel Portman. It is definitely a unique film, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants to see a tragic love-story mixed with a realistic, fantasy world. So basically….anyone who likes a thought-provoking ‘chick-flick’. It pains me to type those words addressing a movie with such a meaningful plot, but sadly, it does fit.

To match with the sorrowful emotions of the characters longing and fighting for love, the music score has whimsical and saddening melodies. If you listen to just the music, for example me currently listening to “We All Complete” (which is highly ironic and super depressing if you’ve seen the movie. If not WATCH THIS MOVIE!) and thinking about all the mistakes i’ve made in the past year. Portman’s trick to reeling in all your emotions, causing them to attack you with feelings all at once, is her gorgeous use of vibrato. Even in ending the song itself, the strings are left to vibrate until all sound has been left from the instrument (another connection to the plot!). Her barebones use of only string instruments and a few piano keys creates a feeling of beautiful lack that can only be made through music. It leaves you wanting to hear more. More orchestra, more sound, something to keep the soul from feeling abandoned through silence. At times it becomes solely the playing of only one string instrument ( I believe a violin but I do not want to offend anyone who is in orchestra).

WOOPS! Sorry for that deep poeticness. Obviously this music brings out my emotions, as it so wonderfully portrays the internal conflict of the two main characters fighting for love in a world where they must depart from one another forever. Ah, drama. Portman truly reflects the intense wretchedness of unrequited love that has been longed for over the course of a lifetime, yet will never truly be found. Her music creates something to be happy about in such a sad film. The knowledge that through notes, tone, sound, instruments, music, a wordless narrative can capture human emotion with such weightless fulfillment.

Thomas Newman. There’s a solid 70% chance you haven’t heard this name, but you have most definitely heard his work considering the wide range of films he has scored. I have a good array of his work on my study playlist, such as the title themes for The Green Mile and Meet Joe Black, but those few songs do not come close to showing his expanse of film scores. I hadn’t even realized they were his work until recently, yet I’ve been listening to these songs for a couple of years now. Sincerest apologies to Thomas Newman, your work is quite brilliant.

When first looking into his stuff for this blog post, I was looking to focus on his Revolutionary Road and American Beauty film scores that prominently feature soft, melodic orchestral features, but that would probably be insulting since he’s also composed the music for Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Spectre, The Help, and that weird movie version of Lemony Snicket’s: A Series of Unfortunate Events.

JUST KIDDING still going to focus on Revolutionary Road and American Beauty, both being poignant dramas that have intricate storylines that I love. The films show elements of real human nature and impulse, while beautifully narrated by wordless compositions of sound. The music is able to move and sway with the changing dynamics of the characters, showing Newman’s true mastering of emotion and ability to portray so much through these combinations of woodwinds and strings. The title song for American Beauty is able to build from its initial low flute tones to gorgeous moments of string portions that layer upon the continuous and sorrowful piano melody. If looking for something to help accompany a nice internal reflection, this song, as well as the Plastic Bag theme from American Beauty is sure to invoke some deep thought.

American Beauty has some brilliantly contrasting musical sequences to go along with the odd transitioning moods conveyed through the showing of the hidden elements in suburbia involving serious drama and absolute cookiness. Quite interestingly, both of these films focus upon what one tries to hide in these housing developments where normality is projected image that hides the turmoils of family. If listening to both musical scores side by side, it is relatively easy to detect great similarity in the compositions.

Thomas Newman has worked on a variety of music scores, but his calming and string instrument heavy sequences are beautifully articulated when looking for a though-provoking music scape.