Music for the Masses

Beginning last year I noticed that TV shows, TV movies, and theatrical releases all seemed to have the same problem: they didn't know when to shut up. By that I mean that so many TV shows and movies were filling every possible second with some sort of music or noise. It really came to the fore when my wife and I watched a few older films over the holidays.

It is my feeling that constant sound, especially a waxing and waning score, is a way for filmmakers to hide imperfections in their work. I seem to see this issue the most on long-running shows, shows with small budgets or unknown casts, and "B" movies. However, it is not just those that have the issue.

The reason for this post is that I watched the current Smallville episode last night via TiVo. I have enjoyed Smallville for most of its run, and this final season has, for the most part, been superb (for what it is, of course). However, every single episode this season, and in particular those directed by Tom Welling himself, have had a loud score rumbling over every single scene of every episode. This last episode, "Beacon," was especially bad for this: every scene with Alexander or Lionel had a heavy, driving, oppressive score overlaid. So loud on occasions that it actually drove out the background noise and impeded the main actors from being heard. Even the lighter moments at the end, as Clark takes another step toward putting on The Suit and taking his place at the head of the super-hero table had a lighter, but still overly loud, score on it.

It is to the point where I'm noticing it everywhere. Theatrical releases are not immune. We've seen a number of movies lately that seem to be driving the score home.Gone, it seems, are the days of a David Lean having the long shot of Omar Sharif riding toward Peter O'Toole on horseback with nothing but the sound of the wind in the background (an iconic scene that is often taught in film school) in Lawrence of Arabia.

I blame the current glut of super-hero and horror films on the market for this. Action movies in general and horror and super-hero movies in particular have a tendency to "fill the void" with music that is intending to elicit the reaction the filmmakers are trying to achieve. This is usually because they aren't good enough filmmakers to elicit that reaction using good technique (i.e., good acting, specific camera angles, well-written scripts, and real, actual sound effects, et al). Instead, we get jarring music meant to make us laugh, gasp, startle, or cry. It is rare these days for a movie to allow the audience to experience quiet, and hear nothing.

Matter of fact, with the exception of a film like, say, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, where the music is an integral part of the story and has "real world" sources throughout the movie (car stereo, live bands, jukebox, MP3 player, etc.), for the most part, a film has failed if you notice the score at all. If done right, the score should blend and heighten the impact of a scene without the audience being at all conscious of it.

Pay attention the to TV shows and movies you watch this week. See if you don't find at least a few that have an overwhelming score that simple will not the show/film breathe. I bet you find at least one.