18 Questions
Who composed the song 'White Christmas' featured in the film 'Holiday Inn'?
Irving Berlin
What technological advancement allowed Bing Crosby to 'croon' in the film?
Electrical recording
When was the single 'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby released?
1942
What is one way music was used in early silent films?
Live musicians like pianists and organists
How has the song 'White Christmas' performed in terms of sales?
Sold 50 million copies
Which film industry aspect is exemplified by the success of 'White Christmas'?
Music's role in movie marketing
In the film 'Casablanca' (1942), Max Steiner transformed which popular song to provide narrative comment in the background score?
'As Time Goes By'
Which film features music by Jerome Kern & Dorothy Fields and stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers?
Swing Time (1936)
Which musical film from the 1930s featured songs by Harry Warren & Al Dubin?
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
Which composer provided the score for 'Wizard of Oz (1939)'?
Herbert Stothart
What characteristic did Max Steiner preserve in his later music for romantic melodramas, according to Mervyn Cooke in Grove Music Online?
Incorporating allusions to easily recognizable melodies
'Showboat' (1936 version) was originally a musical by which composers?
Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II
What is the difference between diegetic and extra-diegetic music in films?
Diegetic music comes from the visible scene, while extra-diegetic music is added as background music.
Who was a highly influential soundtrack composer for talkies from 1929 to 1965?
Max Steiner
What kind of music did King Kong (1933) feature in its score?
Extra-diegetic score with leitmotivic structure
Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a stylistic influence on early film soundtracks?
Electronic music
What did Doron K. Antrim write about in Feb 1926 according to the text?
'Possibilities of Movie Music— Present and Future'
What was the concern of Joseph N. Weber about music in talkies?
'Will MachineMade Music Displace Real Music in Our Theaters?'
Study Notes
Characteristics of Mainstream Film Music
- Central characteristics of mainstream film music have remained consistent
- Incorporating allusions to recognizable melodies, such as Civil War songs and national anthems, when dramatically justified
Max Steiner's Contributions
- Preserved a link with silent-cinema traditions in his later music for romantic melodramas
- Incorporated allusions to easily recognizable melodies in his scores
- Transformed the diegetic popular song 'As Time Goes By' to provide narrative comment in the background score of Casablanca (1942)
Film Music Internationally
- James Newton Howard composed the score for the 2005 remake of King Kong
- Film music has been an integral part of international student presentations
Music Helped Sell Films
- Musical films were popular hits during the Depression era
- Examples include Ginger Rogers, Busby Berkeley, and Gold Diggers of 1933
- Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields contributed to the success of Swing Time (1936)
- Showboat (1936) was a notable musical with music by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II
Sound in Motion Pictures
- Three eras of sound in motion pictures: silent films (1890s-1929), early talkies, and modern sound
- Live music was used in silent films, with pianists, organists, and pit orchestras providing high-quality sound
- Original music was gradually composed for silent films, starting with excerpts from classical music
Early Film Music and Soundtracks
- Music critics and musicians had mixed opinions about music accompaniment to films and the transition from silent films to talkies
- Diegetic music is within the action, coming from a visible source, while extra-diegetic music is background music added to the scene
- Early film music reused famous classical compositions and slowly emerging original film scores
- Stylistic influences on soundtracks include European romantic-style orchestral music, French impressionism, cabaret, vaudeville, popular music, and jazz
- Max Steiner was a highly influential soundtrack composer from 1929 to 1965, known for King Kong (1933)
Explore the analysis of film music in 'Casablanca' (1942) based on Mervyn Cooke's insights. Discuss how Max Steiner incorporated recognizable melodies to enhance romantic melodramas like 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Casablanca'.
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