How to Pay Closer Attention to Movie Scores

Film scores, though often overlooked, can be beautiful. Listening to and appreciating the music that accompanies a film will enhance your overall movie-watching experience.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• DVDs
• CD Players
• DVD Players
• VCRs
• Televisions
• Movie Music CDs
• Videos

1. Watch a movie all the way through as you normally would. Get a feel for the characters and the roles they play in the story.

2. Watch the movie a second time. This time pay close attention to the music that accompanies the action of the film.

3. Notice the themes that accompany certain characters and the variations they go through during the movie.

4. Listen for a love theme and have an opinion on whether or not it fits the passion of the scene.

5. Pick out the main title theme of the movie.

6. Decide whether this theme has a good, recognizable tune or not. Question whether it even needs one.

7. Buy the CD if you decide that you like the score.

8. Listen to the recording, analyzing each aspect of the score without the aid of the action on the screen.

Tips & Warnings

• Try these steps with films from all different genres.
• Don't get so involved with the score that you miss the point of the movie. Film music is written to aid and accompany a movie, not steal the show.

on 11/22/2005 Once you figure out the main musical theme of the score, listen for its variations and how it changes in the movie according to the mood of each scene. I recommend the score to "Jude." It illustrates what I'm talking about very well.