Psycho (1960)
- Based on controversial film, which resulted in not enough support/money. Hitchcock pays for the film.
- Limited budget - shot in black and white.
- Herrmann uses only strings “black and white” score; featuers only string instruments which are flexible for different themes.
- Lower the cost.
- Pushes phrasing the drama, most cues tend to set a single mood and show little respons to what happens minute by minute.
- Cues use a single modd and do not change despite actions in the scene.
- The mood is bleak and has little emotional warmth.
Herrmann was very interested in Hitchcock’s intention on creating a black and white movie. He decides to create a black and white score. JUST STRINGS score. Monochromatic sound to it. Scene would change, but music will not. But your perception is that it also does. [Music plays what’s going on in her head.]
EX: Psycho 1: The Money
-
Short repetitive theme that fractures and cold long notes, used for psychological refinements.
-
Quiet but unsettling - represent Marion’s discomfort with the theft.
-
Grows slightly in intensity as she decides to take the money. EX: Psycho 2: Flight (Marion drives)
-
Music stays out of the way until she “escapes” the dealership.
-
Music enters as she makes her “escape”, drives away.
-
At first seems to play her fear at being caught.
-
But as she changes, music seems to play her fall to the “dark” side.
-
Music stays the same but holds different meaning as the scene progresses (paranoid dark). EX: Psycho 3 Norman
-
Norman’s theme uses two semitones; is not stable and cannot discern whether it is a major or minor.
- Instability to use semitones in a theme.
-
”Harmonics” are used without vibrato to enforce coldness and lack of emotions as Norman spies on Marion. (no emotion)
-
Creepy EX: Psycho 4 The Shower
-
No music until the attack: adds to anxiety, the absense of music.
-
No tonality - strings “shriek” - dissonant.
-
Whose theme as the murder flees the scenes?
- Norman’s theme plays as murderer leaves.
-
Part company during the filming of Torn Curtain (1964).
-
Bitter, he moves to Europe: Truffault: Fahrenheit 251 (1966).
-
Last movie is Taxi Driver (1975).
-
Hermann did not like popular music; parts ways with Hitchcock during the filming of Torn Curtain (1964)
-
Moves to Europe and writes for Fahrenheit 451 (1966).
-
Returns and works on his last film, Taxi Driver (1975).
Herrmann is a composer of the 20th century.
1960s: Turbulent period in America history: Civil rights, Vietnam War, Generational gap. Films in the 1960s:
- Early ’60s an extension of the 1950s.
- By mid ’60s the Production Code is abandoned.
- Cultural revolutoin of the late ’60s results in films with a strong sense of irony and cynicism, critiquing the ongoing war.
[Rise of the Independent production]
- End of the Studio System leads to freelancing/independent production.
- Cost escalates because of freelancers, resulting in scores for smaller ensembles or scores from pop music used.
- [Orchestral scores are less common!]
- While orchestral scores are still produced, cost factors lead to many smaller ensembles or popular music scores.
- Careers of European composers end, American composers rise along with second wave of European composers (non-emigre, were already film composers in Europe).
Changing of the guard - end of the careers of Steiner, Newman, Tiompkin. Rise of American composers such as Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Heny Mancini.
Second Wave of European Composers: French - Maurice Jarre, English - John Barry, Italian: Ennio Morricone established themselves in Europe.
**During the 1960s: continuing growth of pop music influence and use of dissocnance/atonality.
Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
- use of sound effects, voices, and electric guitars: [first time electric guitar is used in a film score.]
Next up, we have John Barry Lecture 9 - MUSIC246…