We’ve
all heard of “Movie Magic.” It’s the ability a certain scene or film has to significantly
resonate with each and every one of us. It’s when cinema impacts our lives in
such a way that it stimulates emotions we may not experience on a daily basis. But
what is it that specifically makes a moment so “magical?” What is it that
brings out our sense of adventure when we see Captain Jack Sparrow fighting
with Barbossa? What takes us into the world of Harry Potter before the characters
are even shown? What is it about Jaws that evokes our inner Olympian when we
want to get out of the water? The answer
to all of those is the one thing that accents cinema and brings it to life… music.
There are hundreds of soundtracks that include the typical popular
music, but then there’s classical cinematic music, orchestral music that’s composed
specifically for films. These cinematic compositions have defined an era,
making their way into mass culture, by embodying audiences into musical
practitioners through the spectacle that’s produced.
Everyone has different reactions to classical cinematic
music, some people will never be the same once they’ve experienced it, while
others appreciate the duality the music and film produce but don’t care
otherwise. My first encounter with this style happened when I was a little
girl, galavanting through Walt Disney World with my family. We stopped outside
the Star Wars simulation ride and that’s
when it hit me. John Williams’, “Main Theme Song from Star Wars” blasted from
hidden speakers, giving the vicinity a completely new atmosphere. The moment
the trumpets carried the signature melody, numerous people began faux fighting
with imaginary light sabers, running around, and embracing this music that had
transformed them from ordinary civilians into Master Jedi. At that point, I had
yet to see Star Wars, I hadn’t the
faintest clue about Jedi, but I was in awe of the affect the music had on the
people around me.
It’s the transformation people have when listening to the
music that places classical cinematic compositions on an invincible level. The
songs alone are inspiring, but it’s the initial introduction to the spectacle
when the song is united with the film that ensures the audience is taken to a
new world every time they hear the composed piece. There’s a trigger the music
sets off when watching a movie like Pirates
of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. The orchestra begins at once with
staccato notes, trademarking the “He’s a Pirate” melody as the theme for the
movies. Once that music is associated with the swash buckling ways of Jack
Sparrow a sense of adventure and mystery is embedded into our minds every time
we hear it. Wherever we are, we’re automatically teleported to a world where
there are no rules, a world where we can live our most outrageous dreams. We’re
able to become the fictional characters we’ve envied so much. For those few
minutes, the music embodies the audience, allowing us to live in an alternate
reality where anything is possible.
It’s due to cinema that composers such as John Williams
are able to reach a vast array of audiences and entrance them with their work.
Not everyone is a fan of classical music, but when classical becomes cinematic,
it reaches out to people who would have never listened to the compositions
otherwise. When Williams’ wrote the “Indiana Jones Theme Song” his work
presented itself to an entirely new audience. The movie was a box office hit
and shown in numerous countries. By writing for specific films, the music is
networked through countless types of media that help solidify it into cultural
history. The theme songs from Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the
Caribbean, and Lord of the Rings can be heard anywhere from the radio, to advertisements,
to movie collages, to rides. The music not only defines the era in which it
came but also continues to impact popular culture to this day. It’s timeless.
This classical style demonstrates
how music can truly touch people. It’s the reason I was eager to join concert
band in middle school, and the reason I play these famous compositions to this
day. The same sense of emotion and adventure are instilled whether you’re the
artist or the audience. The music itself reminds us of the importance of
classical cinematic productions. Every time someone hums the theme song from Jaws
while we’re in the water, or we use the “Imperial March” as our parents ring
tone, we iterate the impact these songs have fastened in our hearts and minds.
Without the great musical cinematic works of Klaus Badelt (Pirates of the Caribbean), and John Williams (E.T., Star Wars, Jaws, Harry Potter), our culture would lack the
epic-ness their compositions have contrived.