Mood Music

I don't think we all realize how much our lives are permeated by music. It not only comes from our CD players or headphones, but it is played in stores and restaurants, on the phone when you are put on hold, in elevators, coming from other people's dorm rooms... It is also in movies.
Music in film is largely used to affect our moods, tell us what is coming or to juxtapose (love that word) situation and mood.

One movie I watched recently was Mr and Mrs Smith. Though not the most well done movie in the world, the way it uses music is ingenious. The music totally dictates the feelings of the viewers and lets them know what they should feel about the scene and about the characters. The main song that plays throughout the movie is a slow latino piece "Mondo Bongo"...a beautiful song, and when played during action sequences it provides an interesting perspective.

Usually in a fast paced action sequence the music in the background follows suit; it is fast paced and hard core, giving the viewer an edge-of-your-seat feeling. But this music slows the mood down and allows the viewer to catch the intricate choreography that goes into the scene....a brialliant move by the director I think.

The other point in this movie where I noticed the music is the scene where Brad and Angelina are fighting in their home. She jumps across the kitchen at him, smashing glass as Charles Wright's "Express Yourself" plays loudly over top of the action. The song contrasted against the fighting couple brings a comical appearance to the scene. The viewer becomes unconcerned with the welfare of the two characters, somehow knowing because of the music that they will be ok. The light hearted tune allows the viewer, again, to pay attention to the little details of the scene and find it funny rather than shocking....as a fist fight between a husband and wife could otherwise be.

Though none of us are going to be largely affected by the soundtrack from "Mr and Mrs Smith" I found it so interesting to pay close attention to the music that was playing in the background of a movie that could have otherwise seemed pretty violent. Makes me wonder how much music really affects our moods...