Big Fish

Nothing makes the story book, fairy tale quality of Big Fish come alive like the music. Although there is a relatively large amount of music used throughout the film, most of the music is used during the story telling scenes, denoting the magical feeling that the stories convey. The music always starts at the present scenes and then continues as the story begins. The music usually lasts throughout most of the story too, with few exceptions.

Most of the music is not triumphant of full orchestral, but mostly just soft and slow piano along with a few string instruments. Percussion and brass are also employed, but only for certain scenes that require these sounds. Many of the same melodies are played, keeping the underscoring simple and repetitive, but effective.

The interesting thing about the music in the film is the underscoring that comes in the form of popular music. This music helps the audience be aware of time and place. At the beginning when the Father is being born, music of the age, probably the 30s or 40s plays as underscoring, not diegetic as many may expect. Then when he goes off to war, Elvis plays in the army place, letting the audience know that this is the Korean war of the 50s. Similarly, after he returns and is looking for a job popular music of the 70s play. This underscoring of popular music allows the audience to go through the periods of his life with him.

A last notable component of the music in this film is its uplifting quality. Only during certain dramatic scenes does the music turn dark and low. For the most part, it has a hopeful, cheery quality to it. This music seems to be playing off of the plot: although the film is about a man dying, the music reminds that it is in fact a happy story and that through his stories, the father will live forever.

Titanic

Like most box office hits, Titanic relies heavily on the use of music to create a powerful cinematic experience, one that will attract audiences and awards alike. More than anything else, Horner relies on themes and leitmotifs in his composer of the score. Of course the Titanic ship itself has a very dramatic leitmotif, as this is the object that the whole film is centered around. The theme is triumphant with a full orchestral sound. Ironically, this theme is not heard again after the ship hits the iceberg, a comment on its loss of magnificence.

There is also a leitmotif for the love that Rose shares with Jack. This theme is loving, soft, yet full of emotion and volume. The motif reaches its height when Jack and Rose stand together at the bow of the ship and kiss for the first time. Everyone can remember the whistling sound that ends this leitmotif and the realities of the plot encompass the lovers secret world.

Diagetic music is used, mostly notably when Jack and Rose dance together in the bottom of the ship with the poor and common people. The music playing is that of an Irish jig and everyone is dancing and having a good time. The music serves as a contrast between the fun and joy that poor people have without the frivolities of life while the aristocrats upstairs live stiffly and unhappily, though they are quite wealthy.

Titanic, like more recent films, employs a theme song, sung by Celine Dion: My heart will go on. This theme song adds the timeless and memorable quality to the film, draws in viewers and keeps them coming back. The song fits the plot perfectly, probably why it became so popular. The music in Titanic is what makes a real life story a cinematic fairytale.

The Color Purple

The music used in the film The Color Purple changes and grows just as the plot and characters do. It is also used a tool to mirror or highlight the action in the movie. At the beginning there is a lot of music, although it is not wall to wall. Ironically, however, the music stays along the course of string and orchestral sound that is upbeat, lively, and surprisingly hopeful considering the harsh and violent scenes that accompany them. Even when the sister is being torn from the home, the music is only somber for a little but and ends on a high, uplifting note. The music stays calm and low, not becoming too dramatic or intense.

There was also so playful uses of the instruments in the film. Some illustrating was used throughout, perhaps to show that Celie wasn't always down-trodden despite her situation. When Sophie and Celie are gardening, the music mirrors their actions. Likewise, when Shug is arriving again Celie rushing upstairs around the room and the music emulates her actions.
Leitmotifs are somewhat used, at least in the case of Shug. Whenever she is in a scene, brass instruments and jazz like sounds follow. When she is singing at the club she sings jazz as well, mirroring her loose and wild lifestyle.

The music ranges to not only string, orchestral underscoring but also covers other areas as well. Diagetic music is used during all the church scenes and when Shug is taking a bath and singing. the composer makes an interesting move by having diagetic Christmas music play at the store when Sophie is there with her boss. This music continues as underscoring as they get in the car. Only because of this music does the audience question the time of year or realize why she would be so happy to go home and see her kids. Similarly, African music and tribal music is played when Celie is reading the letters from her sister. This realm of the plot is tied together with Celie's point of view most notably when she is about to shave her husband's face and the sound of the razor on the belt mirrors the sound of the African instruments.

Overall, the music in this movie was very diverse and eclectic but served its role very well. it aided in the many dimensions of the movie and helped with the progression of the plot as well as the personal progression of the characters.

E.T.

Although the music in E.T. relies heavily on strings instruments and an orchestral sound, it is not like the classic Hollywood music because it is not a full orchestra nor is it wall to wall music. The film score is more like that compositions of Hermann. Hermann also extensively used strings but in a minimalistic way, just as in E.T. Hermann used strings in a new and innovative way for his time. In the same way, the music in E.T. treats the strings in such a way that eerie and frightening sounds are produced, not like the usual sound that is expected from string instruments.

The score in the film is manipulated in such a way that it mirrors the feelings of the characters and the action going on. For example, at the beginning of the film when Eliot first discovers E.T. the music is foreboding and intense, just like the way that the character must be feeling at finding an alien near his home. By the end of the film, Eliot manages to capture E.T. back and bring him to his spaceship. He is hopeful and glad and the music that accompanies this scene exerts the same feeling. It treats the strings in the traditional way and conveys an upbeat, triumphant sound.

The music in E.T. is not ground breaking or from a new era, yet it fits the film and gives it the feeling and emotion it needs. And the music in turn gives the audience this feeling.