Score: A Film Music Documentary

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Aileen D I thought Score gave a good broad introduction to the craft. Could there be a followup, as a Part II, that could go into more depth with a specific composer or two or three? A composer, like John Williams, for example, has such a varied background with different kinds of music that he could compose music for Jaws, I believe, and Lincoln. Also, how about a lesser, but up and coming composer? What inspired certain themes? How does one control a work load if one is working on more than one project at once? Is it done? This documentary just whetted my appetite for more. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/26/25 Full Review Kyle M When thinking back in replaying your favorite scene of a movie and/or just awestruck over how it came together, what livens that moment is indicated through replaying the music that played throughout, a part of the continuous motif that definitively imprinted the picture in memory. Renowned score composer Randy Newman talked how musical scores express the occurring scene, a newfound belief providing meaning behind the synergistically scenic chemistry. This very subject and impacted relationship have been briefly expressed and glanced across different forms such as between provided (noteworthy) featurettes and interviews, until the idea itself gets compiled into an already fascinating documentary that dives deep into those connections. With filmmaking being a complicated process consisting of positional stories that insightfully builds the acclaimed pictures, sometimes unexpectedly more than the others primarily ranked, any sort of documentary becoming a storytelling platform across differential roles amongst the production crew can be expectedly fascinating. "Score: A Film Music Documentary" is indifferent to that lineup, providing a look at the cinematic art of the subject of focus and the artists who create them. While it really reaffirms the given belief, it splendidly expands from realizing the connectively traditional historical roots to the creative process, basically feeling the scene and understanding what the filmmaker is communicating. (Sometimes it's the other way around). Upon their final products, they reflect over lingering, impactful resonances as the influential amplification to their musical creation, occasionally under meaningful applications. Thoroughly structured with the basic points checked off as it discusses through revolutionary degrees that furthered the form, especially differentiating the crafts realistically without the musical effects in contrast to more effective push (though providing few more examples over famous scenes would strengthen it). Although there's a bit of criticism going on omitting certain significant figures only because they have their own expressive, contributive branches aside from the basis history. Particularly Max Steiner, an acclaimed pioneer who discovered such form just as the talkies sensationalized cinema, afterwards deservingly received his own documentary "Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music" with eye-opening influences that were briefly covered in Matt Schrader's documentary here. This indicates that the acclaimed, and memorably cherished, contributions to the form are their own worthy subjects that shouldn't be rushed within the historical progression. "Score: A Film Music Documentary", released in 2016, is ideally fascinating in effective appreciation for the scoring artists in enriching the narrative storytelling projected onto screens. Only a bit flawed by reasonability, but perfectly engrossed with many unstated insights being best left for own discovery in either direction. It currently ranks as average next to similar documentaries each covering cinematic aspects positioned to enhance our interactions with the movies even if you're not much of a cinephile but still enjoy the form. (A) Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/24 Full Review David H The film was interesting and, thankfully, it was not too long (about 90 minutes). But I wish they would have focused more on the music of quirky composers like Danny Elfman. There was a section where a Brazilian composer showed how he created a score out of banging miscellaneous items with his hands while humming a melody. That was inspiring. The section on Hans Zimmer was less so. His music was described as relentless. I guess one man's "relentless" is another man's "monotonous". One speaker suggested that he invented the tactic of using a string section rhythmically. I can only assume that person is not very familiar with Western string-quartet literature, which has been utilizing strings in any number of fashions and formats for hundreds of years. A film on film scores is a great idea, and I particularly enjoyed the score for the film itself. But I found I really only connected with about 50% of the music. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/16/23 Full Review Audience Member If you like film music, then give it a watch. It covers scores from many time periods, includes composers we know and love, and gives an insightful view into the profession itself. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member If you love movies, you probably have a few favorite scores. Maybe even a few favorite composers and artists that make these soundtracks. This film is going in depth on why the music is so important in film and also how it's done. It's fairly interesting but never really inspiring and it's not a film that will blow your mind. It's safe. We meet a bunch of famous composers - the names and numbers are impresive. They tell the stories, style and inspiration. Some of them tell us a lot of how they work too. From the Lumière brothers and the fact that silent films never was silent, to the freshest action films - we get the entire story. The most imporatant films are named, the most famous and impressive score work are analyzed. I liked it, and I dig many soundtracks and listen to some once in a while. The importantness of music in movies are unquestionable and this film is all about this serious business. 7 out of 10 toilet stall listeners. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Fascinating look at the unsung geniuses behind the silver screen. Music drives the emotion of so many films. The composers and musicians finally get their moment to shine in the spotlight. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Score: A Film Music Documentary

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