Review of Score: A Film Music Documentary (2017) by Jose K — 11 Nov 2017

From opening on an altered piano used to score The Hurt Locker to hearing the live acoustics of Abbey Road Studios, Score: A Film Music Documentary takes us on an intriguing journey through the history, process, and personalities of film music. This vast ground is covered without feeling like a chaptered class lecture, and the composers, along with their scores, are presented with full freedom to shine on their own.

Given that documentaries have recently seen a rise in popularity, it is always exciting to find those that break from the crowd; especially those which focus on a particular niche of an industry. It is easy for a niche documentary to become inaccessible to many audiences because of its disparity in common knowledge. Score, however, removes itself from this danger in two ways: first, by attaching composers' interviews to clips from numerous films that are very much in the public eye. For example, nearly everyone can relate to the "less is more" principle that is touched upon when put into the example of Jaws and it's unmistakable theme. Secondly, Score allows us to connect with the personable, quirky side of these composers rather than harping on their craft and process alone. Every composer becomes relatable.

The authenticity of these composers grants us raw insight into their personal methods along with their insecurities. We see Hans Zimmer, the master of the modern film score (Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight), confess that he does not know where the inspiration for music comes from and that there is "always the fear that someone is going to switch off the tap" in his creative process. Meanwhile, on the lighter side, it is charming to follow Brian Tyler into the theater as he gets a kick out of observing audience members' reactions to his music. We get to be a fly on the wall to witness the genius of Steven Spielberg and John Williams as they create E.T.'s legendary score. We are ultimately given a wider, renewed appreciation for the musical aspects of the films we know and love.

What the film boils down to, however, is what gave me the greatest spark of inspiration as a student composer: the recognition of film scoring as its own art form that requires its own special set of instincts for emotional translation through music. This notion was best revealed to me when Score examined President Barack Obama's victory speech in 2008 and the decision to play music from Remember the Titans in the background. The emotional impact of the score in its original film was so strong and memorable that it was deemed the best fit for a real-world event as significant as this presidential victory speech. Score convinces its audience that while we are not always aware of it, film music plays an essential role in the films we love and the feelings we walk away with afterwards.

As a film score enthusiast and budding composer, Score was a complete thrill that seemed almost tailor-made to my dreams. It encompassed nearly every question I had wondered and supported my seemingly lonely doubts with a resounding "Me too!" from the world's greatest film composers. I have no doubt that this documentary will inform and inspire the industry's next generation. Prepare for the itch afterwards to rewatch your favorite films with a renewed ear for the score!