Exploring the Film Soundtrack (MUSL 264)
Whether viewed as art, entertainment, or something to do on a first date, film is perhaps our most widely compelling form of cultural and social expression. What makes it so engaging? Although we may think of it as something to watch, our movie-going experience is likely to be shaped just as much by what we hear. This course is designed to help us understand how we perceive the film as a whole, with particular attention to how we react to the soundtrack. And since our attention is only rarely focused directly on the music itself, film requires a different type of listening. We will roam the entire mixture of music, sound effects, and dialogue. Consequently, the course is intended for anyone with a serious interest in film, regardless of their musical background. Our goal will be to develop some perspectives from which to understand the relationships between music, sound, dialogue, image, and narrative in movies. Class topics will include some general problems and theories of film soundtracks, the construction of psychological characterizations, animation soundtracks, musical borrowing, the roles of popular music, and the significance of particular musical styles to film expression. Illustrations will cover an emphatically broad range of films and directors--from Alfred Hitchcock to Robert Zemeckis. Each class will involve viewing and discussing relevant film excerpts along with related listening and texts. Come--listen to what we see, and watch what we hear!
Credit?
Arts and Science--elective
Engineering--humanities
Peabody--humanities
Return to Music to Go or go to Historical
Performance Practices.