Of all things, I'm watching The Giant Behemoth, a horror flick I'd seen on TV countless times as a youngster, and the memory of being entranced by a simple cue back then...well, it did it to me again. The frenzy within the evacuation of London gave way to deserted streets, and for the latter Edwin Astley composed a simple ostinato (I think) accompanied by an ascending solo clarinet (I know). This is stillness captured musically. Such a contrast to the scenes of death and destruction.
Ernest Gold did something similar in On The Beach. I'm thinking of deserted San Francisco and San Diego and the cues “The Desolate City” and “The Mysterious Signal.”
Then again there's John Williams and the table and ceremonial saké and the great calm-down after the frenetic glory of the “Cadillac of the Skies” doing its thing.
YES, when Superman cradles Lois after the San Andreas had gone ballistic. And before he goes ballistic and spins Planet Houston on its axis. From disaster to standstill to fury. Another JW gem...
Hmmmm. I'm not quite sure I understand the topic. I guess it could be interpreted in different ways. But I'm thinking of the last scene of INCEPTION -- Zimmer's soft piano chords over the spinning spinner. That's a moment of standstill, but also of uncertainty.
Similarly, I'm thinking of the opening of ALIEN. Yes, it's more 'the solitude of space' than standstill, but I define it as a 'deceptive standstill', as the corridors are actually teeming with life, or at least suggestive of it. Goldsmith's echoey two-note motif for flutes disappearing into the distance, and merging with the ship's engine, connotes standstill, or at least anticipation for life to BREAK the standstill.
The Battle of the Mutara Nebula from Star Trek II TWOK. The scene where Enterprise and Reliant lose visual contact with one another and drift towards a head on collision.
Hmmmm. I'm not quite sure I understand the topic. I guess it could be interpreted in different ways. But I'm thinking of the last scene of INCEPTION -- Zimmer's soft piano chords over the spinning spinner. That's a moment of standstill, but also of uncertainty.
Similarly, I'm thinking of the opening of ALIEN. Yes, it's more 'the solitude of space' than standstill, but I define it as a 'deceptive standstill', as the corridors are actually teeming with life, or at least suggestive of it. Goldsmith's echoey two-note motif for flutes disappearing into the distance, and merging with the ship's engine, connotes standstill, or at least anticipation for life to BREAK the standstill.
"Different ways." Yes. Started off with a pair of examples of deserted cities with buildings intact and all signs of habitation yet not an inhabitant in sight. And indeed, the music trails off often in standstill moments. You have broadened the scope nicely.
Perhaps a dynamic example is Grofé's "Sunset" from Grand Canyon Suite. That is a piece that never ceases to sooth. And it became "film music" in the short Disney production where the picture, in effect, underscored the music. I came to the movement later in life via an LP but recall seeing that little picture as a youngster in school. May have influenced a burgeoning interest in film music!
PS oh my...yeah you can see the film but it's hard to top L. Bernstein--
Then again there's John Williams and the table and ceremonial saké and the great calm-down after the frenetic glory of the “Cadillac of the Skies” doing its thing.
YES, when Superman cradles Lois after the San Andreas had gone ballistic. And before he goes ballistic and spins Planet Houston on its axis. From disaster to standstill to fury. Another JW gem...
Oh man, the same eerie disaster-to-standstill effect, this time after the Pequod and crew go down in Moby Dick. Watched the whole thing again on TCM a couple hours ago.
"Aftermath" from INDEPENDENCE DAY--the viewer has just seen the wholesale destruction of entire cities and biblical level death and destruction. This scene marks the turning point in the film and in the score and there is a shift in tone at about the half way point of the cue that probably falls about half way through the film too to remind the viewers that humanity is not done for just yet.
"Aftermath" from INDEPENDENCE DAY--the viewer has just seen the wholesale destruction of entire cities and biblical level death and destruction. This scene marks the turning point in the film and in the score and there is a shift in tone at about the half way point of the cue that probably falls about half way through the film too to remind the viewers that humanity is not done for just yet.
That's a good suggestion. The music for that is great and if I remember it all starts with a very haunting silence after the "JULY 3" intertitle, fading up from black, to a quiet sunrise over NYC with the alien ship slowly drifting overhead.
I'm thinking of simple transitions in Spielberg films that Williams was excellent at and which I never see in films anymore.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, as the scientist finishes translating and backs up in silent contemplation as the dust storm envelops him (start at 5:58):
Can't find a clip but from E.T. as well, similar technique of sustained strings as Elliot stares off in wonder before transitioning to him hopping on a bike the next morning to track down E.T. (beginning of this cue):
And on a darker note, probably the most terrifying war music or war scene is the gas attack scene from YOUNG INDIANA JONES TRENCHES OF HELL. Specific to this thread is the quiet that spreads over the battlefield as the gas clouds obscure the ground and the flamethrowers slowly creeping their way closer...
(Start at 2:04, though the first 6 seconds are also pretty creepy)
The finale of DUEL, after the truck falls from the cliff and Denis Weaver just sits there until the sunset. Perfect way to end that movie with Billy Goldberg’s “End Titles” and then total silence.
