I'm
the type of person who can listen to any type of music and find
enjoyment – I can listen to any type of rap, some rock, some R&B,
and so on. Lately, however, I've found myself listening to
soundtracks from some of my favorite films – I listen to the
soundtrack to Memories of Murder and Oldboy at least
once a week. It's not just film, though, I occasionally dabble in
some video game music, like the soundtrack to Silent Hill 2.
Most of the time, this is music without lyrics. One can argue this is
the purest form of music, and I'd think I'd be the one to do so.
I
recently purchased the album Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films.
This album celebrates the constant collaborations between iconic
musician Joe Hisaishi and legendary filmmaker Takeshi Kitano by
compiling select tracks from said collaborations. This is an
important album. Not only does it show the significance of music in
film and further bond each medium, it shows the power of the music
itself. This shows that “movie music” can stand on its own, as
well as work as a complimentary piece for the actual film. Even if
you haven't seen every film, you can enjoy a soundtrack like this. In
fact, you can enjoy any film soundtrack on its own, if it's
well made and attractive to your mood or personality. Go listen to
Joe Hisaishi's Summer and tell me you don't feel anything – I feel
at peace, and it's a feeling only a film soundtrack has been able to
evoke – now that's power.
Like
I said before, Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films
isn't the only film soundtrack I enjoy. Another soundtrack that
caught my ear was Hans Zimmer's Black
Rain score. What really
attracted me to the soundtrack, as it did the film, was the culture
clash it represented. The film and soundtrack blend different
cultures and styles to create one. I think it's more evident in the
soundtrack, though. Listen to the soundtrack and it screams Hans
Zimmer and his signature style, but with a noticeable pinch of Japan.
Cultures blending and interacting like this has always fascinated me,
and I feel the soundtrack really signifies this movement. It makes me
wish more music would do the same, and it makes me wish more
filmmakers would see blend cultures like Zimmer and Scott did with
Black Rain.
I
know music doesn't make a film, though. There are some great films
out there with little to no music. In fact, I think it's an
accomplishment to create a certain feeling without music; when a
filmmaker can create suspense or evoke emotion without music, I think
it's impressive. But, I think a fantastic soundtrack can help sweep
you away much more effectively. I think music can also help create
more feelings, I think it can amplify the emotion. I think music is a
strong part of film-making and can even work as a redeeming element
for some films; look at Argento's Dracula 3D (Review), it's flawed in
almost every way, but the music kept me interested and even immersed.
One more point: a soundtrack can also be detrimental to a film. I
recently watched Special ID (Review), which featured an ill-fitted
score – it really clashed with the tones of the film, creating an
inconsistent film overall.
What
is the point I am trying to make? I look back at this post and see
myself rambling on and on, but, why? Maybe, I'm trying to promote Joe
Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films? I suppose I might actually be trying
to show the significance of film in music, and the significance of
the music itself – I suppose I'm trying to create discussion and I
might be trying to provoke thought. Regardless, I had to write this
post, I just really felt inspired by the music to express myself in
some way.
Anyway,
have you heard Joe Hisaishi Meets Kitano Films?
Do you feel the same about music? What are your favorite film
soundtracks? Leave a comment below and please share this post. Thanks
for reading.