Frictional Games Forum (read-only) - About music in a media.

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In this thread I want to show how important the music is to create emotions in a media. Well, it's not only the quality of the composition itself, rather it is important how to implement it right to represent a specific situation. There are only very few talented people who understand the art of creating tension. In my opinion one of the best composers is Ennio Morricone who did a brillant job with his awesome work.

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN3-uOjK4TY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mMd6D1Gw1g

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0BrdMi-oyc

For A Few Dollars More (1965)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMqDF-v6Imw

The Big Gundown (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5fqAXntzQY

The Great Silence (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEZR9cMcPbg

I watched The Great Silence some days ago and I have to say it is also the most dramatic movie ever. The dramatic ending was a problem for some countries so that the movie got an alternate ending (a good one), but the regisseur Sergio Corbucci saw it as a parody of his original director's cut.

Most modern/other movies from the past 20 years don't have the ability to create such emotional feelings by their compositions. Some exceptions are:

Let The Right One In (2008)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUgUtbcbatw

King Of Devil's Island (2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7_yChWTiYU

Gladiator (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh90cN_sCJI

The Passion Of The Christ (2005)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNgAz6fCl8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-z9k_qUHOc

The Patriot (2000)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaoU269LFoU

BRUC (2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA225Zfb4qI

Jean Florette/Manon Of The Spring (1986)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJsanZWr9N0

The Lion King (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zLx_JtcQVI

The Fox And The Hound (1981)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=498c_K3_9yk

Land Before Time (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_kPU2LpE7M

How do you think about it?

Music makes up at-least 50% to 99% of any movie/game/etc... (It varies between each genre also). Music would have the biggest role of importance in Movies though.

If I was making a Movie or a Game, and if I didn't have the right music. I would never release it until I do. I don't care if it's 100% done, if the right music isn't in. Then it's a no go.

Are you totally disregarding story, pace, acting performances, narrative, art style? If the movie in it self sucks with awful an awful story and actors, but a great soundtrack the movie will still suck.

The music needs context if it is going to be great. One example is the movie Irreversible(2002) where the soundtrack is nothing I'd listen to freely but in the context of the scenes wherein it is used it is great.

Furthermore, the "modern movies in the last 20 years"-statement is so wrong. Have you not seen the movies by Aronofsky with Mansell's soundtrack? Or Gone Girl, Moon, Fight Club, American Beauty?

I think that music makes everything. Of course a good movie also needs a fantastic story and actors, but the music is one of the strongest things that touch my senses.

The soundtrack of Irreversibel would be a very brillant piece of a disturbing horror situation and reminds me of Silent Hill. I never watched one of the movies, but I really should give it a go.

(01-01-2015, 05:47 PM)Googolplex Wrote: [ -> ]The soundtrack of Irreversibel would be a very brillant piece of a disturbing horror situation and reminds me of Silent Hill. I never watched one of the movies, but I really should give it a go.

If you're talking about the Silent Hill movies I'd suggest you spend your time with the games instead. The movie is awful. I saw it yesterday and my eyes almost jumped out of my head due to too much rolling at alll things wrong with it e.g. Pyramid Head.

(01-01-2015, 06:14 PM)i3670 Wrote: [ -> ]If you're talking about the Silent Hill movies I'd suggest you spend your time with the games instead. The movie is awful. I saw it yesterday and my eyes almost jumped out of my head due to too much rolling at alll things wrong with it e.g. Pyramid Head.

Yes, the movies are bad. I'm talking about the first three games. Shy

I love how Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill) uses non traditional instruments and sound effects in his works. If anyone knows how to set up the mood, it's him!

I'm ofcourse talking about his more ambient oriented songs, like this one:

I used to think that soundtracks are absolutely essential to convey emotions in films, until I watched Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon). I highly recommend it.

The only music you hear in this film is when it's played/sung by the characters (for example, playing instruments, or the church choir). But despite the lack of a soundtrack, the film is quite effective in inducing strong emotions in the viewer. I was surprised with how distressing and tense it was. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it made me realise that sometimes soundtracks kind of "tell you" what you should feel instead of letting you feel it by yourself.

The sound of silence can be very powerful indeed.

(01-01-2015, 10:13 PM)Ashtoreth Wrote: [ -> ]I used to think that soundtracks are absolutely essential to convey emotions in films, until I watched Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon). I highly recommend it.

The only music you hear in this film is when it's played/sung by the characters (for example, playing instruments, or the church choir). But despite the lack of a soundtrack, the film is quite effective in inducing strong emotions in the viewer. I was surprised with how distressing and tense it was. I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it made me realise that sometimes soundtracks kind of "tell you" what you should feel instead of letting you feel it by yourself.

The sound of silence can be very powerful indeed.

Interesting! Will definitely check it out!

(01-01-2015, 11:16 PM)Gunslingerjh Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting! Will definitely check it out!

Just a heads-up: it's a very sombre and slow-paced film, so make sure you're in the right mood for it!

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