josekroppmusic From opening on an altered piano used to score The Hurt Locker to hearing the live acoustics of Abbey Road Studios, Score: A Film Music Documentary takes us on an intriguing journey through the history, process, and personalities of film music. This vast ground is covered without feeling like a chaptered class lecture, and the composers, along with their scores, are presented with full freedom to shine on their own. Given that documentaries have recently seen a rise in popularity, it is always exciting to find those that break from the crowd; especially those which focus on a particular niche of an industry. It is easy for a niche documentary to become inaccessible to many audiences because of its disparity in common knowledge. Score, however, removes itself from this danger in two ways: first, by attaching composers' interviews to clips from numerous films that are very much in the public eye. For example, nearly everyone can relate to the "less is more" principle that is touched upon when put into the example of Jaws and it's unmistakable theme. Secondly, Score allows us to connect with the personable, quirky side of these composers rather than harping on their craft and process alone. Every composer becomes relatable. The authenticity of these composers grants us raw insight into their personal methods along with their insecurities. We see Hans Zimmer, the master of the modern film score (Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight), confess that he does not know where the inspiration for music comes from and that there is "always the fear that someone is going to switch off the tap" in his creative process. Meanwhile, on the lighter side, it is charming to follow Brian Tyler into the theater as he gets a kick out of observing audience members' reactions to his music. We get to be a fly on the wall to witness the genius of Steven Spielberg and John Williams as they create E.T.'s legendary score. We are ultimately given a wider, renewed appreciation for the musical aspects of the films we know and love.What the film boils down to, however, is what gave me the greatest spark of inspiration as a student composer: the recognition of film scoring as its own art form that requires its own special set of instincts for emotional translation through music. This notion was best revealed to me when Score examined President Barack Obama's victory speech in 2008 and the decision to play music from Remember the Titans in the background. The emotional impact of the score in its original film was so strong and memorable that it was deemed the best fit for a real-world event as significant as this presidential victory speech. Score convinces its audience that while we are not always aware of it, film music plays an essential role in the films we love and the feelings we walk away with afterwards.As a film score enthusiast and budding composer, Score was a complete thrill that seemed almost tailor-made to my dreams. It encompassed nearly every question I had wondered and supported my seemingly lonely doubts with a resounding "Me too!" from the world's greatest film composers. I have no doubt that this documentary will inform and inspire the industry's next generation. Prepare for the itch afterwards to rewatch your favorite films with a renewed ear for the score!

jfrfilm If you love movies and love the music of the movies, then this film is for you! First of all, a lot of great music here and there as examples, and the interviews with top composers are very informative. There is a little bit of film history woven in, and of course film music history, too. This film really hits all the bases. I'm an indie filmmaker/composer in development myself, and already knew many of these things in the film, but the film was still very informative and inspiring to me! If you have any interest in movies and music, this film may just "suck you in" and keep you watching!It covers also about the psychology of music in film, why and how the music does what it does - to create or enhance a mood and help guide the audience towards the intended purpose of the filmmakers. And then there is also a lot of info about specific films and how they decided what kind of style and sound they wanted. And some info about the technical processes also, how they work in the recording sessions, and during editing of the movies.

tdcpresents I had the opportunity to see this in theaters, and loved every second of it. As a fan of film music, I went into the documentary expecting a kind of "fly on the wall" approach as the viewer learned about the writing processes of the featured composers. While we did get a bit of that, there was also a nice focus on the past -- a retrospective look at the history of film music throughout the first half.The interviews are split in such a way where there's a little something for everyone. Film critics, historians, and film composers all have interesting tidbits to share. When we're not seeing an interview, we're watching the creative and recording process of various film scores. I'd recommend this documentary to anyone interested in music, film, and any combination thereof. If you don't know anything about film music other than "Hey, John Williams is pretty good!" this is a great way to learn about the incredible amount of work that goes into crafting a good film score.

jjlaca Interesting look at how music has been created for film and how it has changed over time. The film features interviews with many of the great composers and an insight into the music making process to create film scores.Enjoy this look into arguably the biggest contributor to the mood of many of the films we have enjoyed over the years!