This course will consist of a survey of the history of music in film from its beginnings in the silent era to modern times. The class will look at a diverse handful of films. This narrower focus will allow a deeper exploration of the techniques of soundtrack, and their evolution throughout the different eras and regions of film production. The course will explore the role of music in storytelling, including its precedents in opera, and ballet. Musical semiotics will be discussed in an effort to understand how meaning is derived in a film through the aid of music. We will also explore the evolution of recording and filming technology for film, and how these changes made an impact on soundtracks. Some of the films studied will be Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo and Psycho (score composed by Bernard Hermann), Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (score by Toru Takemitsu), Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite (score by: Jung Jae II), Jordan Peele’s Get Out!, Us, and Nope (all scored by Michael Abels), Rosen Martin and John Hubley. Watership Down (score by: Angela Morley), Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood (score by Jonny Greenwood), and Amores perros (scored by Gustavo Santoalalla).

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: None. MUS 100 preferred.

Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video

Typical Periods Offered: Spring

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Not Offered; Spring