Music---The soul and essence of film
SongSu Gao---CHI321-001
As we all know, the film and television as
a combination of visual art, the "voice" of creation has been paid
more and more attention of artists. The “voice” becomes equally important part
and more prominent main elements with picture in the movie. In my opinion, the
music plays a decisive role in the film, the film can not be without music for
right now. Once music leaving film, the film’s quality will be get greatly
affected. Therefore, music is important art of the other elements can not be
replaced in the film. For all I know the film and television have many of forms
and methods to expression theme. The music as an important element of expression
in the film art, it plays an irreplaceable role in the movie, so a good movie
must have the music of win support among the people. I think for evaluation of
a movie is good or bad, the music is very important part in the movie. The film
music is divided into several parts respectively are: theme music, background
music and episode different music have different role in the film. The “theme
music” is core music in the movie, it closely around the theme of the film, and
also including the main content and character, thus formed a certain image of
the music. On the other hand the “theme music” was always appeared in the main
paragraph, the main characters and embody theme of the film. The “theme music” not
only usually appeared in the form of music, but also it appeared with vocal
music. Music may appear with the theme music forms in the film of other time
and play a supporting role. Specifically, the “theme music” most can reflect
the theme of film and deepen the theme of story and characters. Meanwhile it
also can play the role of rendering the atmosphere, beyond that we can say that
it is the soul and essence of the film.
In my opinion the movie name of “In the
mood for love” is a good example for demonstrate the above remarks. The film of
"In the mood for love", its music not only makes the film with a
thick nostalgic atmosphere, but also make the whole film is romantic and
ambiguous mood. It also reveal Wong KarWai’s movie unique aesthetic atmosphere.
This film’s theme music is “Yumeji's”, that is a Cello Concerto its style is
strong and jumping, rendering the elegant melody of the film emphasizes. The main
melody of the music is gorgeous and complex, as if the hero and heroine have a moving
dialogue under the dim light in the ancient street. The theme muisc was appeared
repeatedly in the film, I suppose it’s the tie of emotional exchanges between
Zhou Muyun and Su Lizhen, it promote the development of the film. Such as the
Su LiZhen drink water and watch the Mrs Shun playing mahjong simultaneously, and
then looked away out of the window. The coincidence is Zhou Muyun was staring out
the window in the newspaper office at the same time [In the film of “In the
mood for love”1:03:45-1:05:24] which is the essence of this is two people silently
looking each other in their heart! The theme music “Yumeji’s” appears
repeatedly symbolizes the temptations and figure between Su Lizhen and Zhou
Muyun---their love is no result. The Zhou Muyun and Su Lizhen have settled life
style in every day, all of these show the daily routine, therefore the theme
music will be combined with the picture appears repeatedly. Another impressive
music is America lyrical jazz singer Nat King Cole’s "quizas, quizas,
quizas” this is a Spanish song and the mean of “quizas” is “perhaps” in
Spanish, This song is performance of the love of men and women, because they
could not choose for their love, and fell into an invisible fetters. The Zhou
Muyun and Su Lizhen also like this; they always own an answer to each other
regarding their love. The music “quiza, quizas,quizas” it hint the love between
two people exists uncertain factors. This song appeared in several place of
climax of the film. Such as Zhou Muyun left the room 2046, Su Lizhen gives Zhou
Muyun a ring[In the film of “In the mood for love” 1:24:04-1:24:47] and
Su Lizhen go back the old home recall the emotion of previous[In the film of “In
the mood for love” 1:27:25-1:27:38]. All of these are prefect performance the
sentimental of everything have changed and vicissitudes. In short, the “In the
mood for love” is a masterpiece for director Wong KarWai. The music expressions
make me admirably. Although most music videos are not particular production for
the film itself, but put it in the movie is very suitable for the emotional
appeal of this movie, it like almost imperceptible.
For
another, say to the background music, I think the background music is the music
of accompany or interspersed in the film. It general is instrument, also known
as the soundtrack. The background music can be especially composed for film;
they can be used of extensive or scattered, appear one or more times in the
film, its role is to render the atmosphere and enhance the expressive force of
story or scene in the movie, resonate with audience’s heart. Here is an example
from the movie of “Beijing Bicycle”. In the front part of the movie always accompanied
with pleasant music to set off the Gui ride bicycle shuttle his way through the
busy streets and the scene of send express, so we can see this is the
performance of the Gui is full of youthful vigor, he has full of hope to the
future life, on the other hand the Gui was search the bicycle when he lost it,
the director accompanied with a heavy Sax music to highlight the protagonist’s
painful mood of lost his beloved bicycle. The director use the music reflects
of creatively the bicycle is all property to Gui, he lost the bicycle is equal
to lost jobs, and also lost the hope of life. In this moment have a strong
contrast between the pleasant music (Gui ride bicycle send express) and heavy
music (Gui lost his bicycle) and this is also make the very good upholstery for
to further the plot of the story and in the
end of the movie when the Gui carrying his broken bike walk in the downtown
streets, the film with piping of sorrowful and bleak. At this time, the film
conveys is not only the Gui facing to his life helpless and sadness, but also
shows the “social inequality”. The picture combined with the music, make the
film obtained the sublimation in the end of the movie. Beyond that, most worthy
of mention is the director Wang XiaoShuai use variety of music to show each
part of the story and the mood of characters in the movie. For instance the
natural sound and human voices, the movie basically use the sound of original
in the around for background music, I can hear the many of voiced, such as the
sound of crowd, the sound of dove chirping. Especially the noisy background
voice filled with the whole film. After all, we do not live in a silent world;
it makes me feel more real, like be personally on the scene and the make me
more realize the bitterness and heavy. In the second place, the human voices is
play a role of portray the emotion of characters, such as the Jian find Gui with
his friends, everybody snatching Gui’s bicycle together, Gui took his bicycle
with desperate cry. The cry was grieved and makes everyone surprised, this
scene and the human voice is used to portray the characters emotion, the Gui
treat his bicycle as his first love, the bicycle is his hope of life. Therefore
the music with little sorrow make the audience arouse the feelings and evocative.
Undoubtedly, the appropriate music has received good results of all in the conveying
information, describing characters, development event or story, and performance
atmosphere.
In fact, plays the
role in the film is to deepen the theme, deepening the emotional, deepen the
content, rendering the background atmosphere, to express the inner feelings of
the characters. When we talk about the scene, event, contrast between the
different lens. We can found the music was plays a significant role to promote
the development of film, in
the film and television works the music and movie screen will be combined into a
unique relationship of sound and picture, so as to produce the unique aesthetic
effect of movie. For all I know the film music have the function of express
feelings, involved in the narrative, show the environment and create rhythm, but
all of these are must combined with other elements of the film . Visual and
auditory does not belong to the same category, but as a film which is comprehensive
art music, it must be dissolved in the overall, which is completely consistent
of visual and auditory image. So the film music must obey the film’s overall
structure, rhythm, such as the necessity, length, etc...
On the other hand, there is a harmony between
the film and music, a good film and television work always cannot without good
music. But the music always can bring a surprise feeling to us, the film and
television music always add color for film and television works and not
superfluous, this effect is from the perfect combination with music and film,
embodies the harmony between the music and film. The music conception must be
based on the overall concept of film and television art theme, style, character
and the director, in order to make the integration of image of sound and image
of visual. Such as the movie of “Comrades, Almost a Love Story” uses the Teresa
Teng’s song for name and the director uses this song for music cues through the
whole movie. The music becomes main line rendering the atmosphere of the whole movie.
It is a complex and subtle metaphor, so I think this film’s theme song have
perfect coordination with the film’s sound and picture. Thus it can be seen,
once the film and television music out of this coordination, it is unable to realize
the function of film and television art performance, and also lost the meaning
of existence. So that is the reason for why so many successful films are has
perfect coordination between the film’s sound and picture? Because of it can
increase the charm of the films.
Finally from the perspective of the film, the "music"
– this abstract words perhaps have a relatively attachment means. “Music” becomes
a theme of the film an object representation. At the same time, the music
itself is independent just like the movies, music is revealing the world exist
mode and state of existence, the truthfulness is the community of two arts
(music and film). Therefore the film and television music is a very important
part of art performance and visual scene, it participate in and promote the
expression of narrative and emotion, the meanwhile complete the shaping of art
image. As far as I’m concerned film music plays a decisive role in the movie,
for right now can be said the film can not without the music. Some movies left
music will be very hard to understand and know about what really happen in the
film. On the contrary, as long as there have music, even if the people don't
understand the movie, he/she can also get something to read from the music.
Therefore when we see a movie we should also learn to appreciate the movie music,
because there have many places are worthy of consideration.
