Music in Film: Soundtracks and Synergy

Providing an introduction to an area of increasing undergraduate study, "Music in Film" gives a critical overview of contemporary music whilst placing it within a historical and cultural context. A broad range of films are discussed from Hollywood through to Amerian independents and European art films - including "Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, " the work of David Lynch and Pedro Almodovar. A brief history of the development of music in film from the days of the silent era to the present day, the book explores how music operates as a narrative device, and also emotionally and culturally. There is an extended case study of "Magnolia" as a film script which developed from a pop song. Emphasis is also placed on the divide between the 'high culture' of the orchestral score and the 'low culture' of the pop song.