Movies and music. They go together like chocolate and strawberries. The way a director uses music in his movies can tell the audience not just a lot about the director as a person, but also a lot about the movie. For example, a James Gunn film might feature plenty of music from his own playlist. Gunn uses real music that plenty of us have heard before. A director like Wes Anderson, however, uses a composer to make music specifically for his film. The goal is to make a score that sticks with the audience, and every time they hear the music, it incites a feeling in them that connects them further with the film they are watching. The anxiety-inducing tune to the chase scene in the latter half of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, the crawling beats of ‘The Phoenecian Scheme’ demonstrate to the audience the idea of a slow-burning adventure. Music is just one of many ways a director can connect with their audience, and Wes Anderson has become a master at using his scores to bring the audience closer to his movies.
Vincent Sordini, a former Pennridge student, says he believes music in a film can influence an audience “depending on the mood…adds context to scenes, whether through emotion or time period…” Wes Anderson knows how to bring context to his scenes through music. The light-hearted beats in ‘Isle of Dogs’ describe to the audience the nature of the dogs’ adventure. It’s a slow burn, like walking through thick mud. On a deeper level, Sordini describes his own experience being influenced by music in a film. “It makes me inspired or makes me question what I know or what I feel. On a scale that is larger than the movie, and more so related to one’s own life or experiences.” We can only imagine that this is the goal of any director/composer duo, striving for the audience to really feel something when the needle drops on a new score for a new moment.
Jared Pleibel, an avid movie watcher who watches everything from silent films to new Marvel releases, is aware that music makes the film what it is. “The music and what happens on the screen coincide with one another, and music is a really effective way to get me in the zone for specific moments in a film,” says Pleibel. The filmmaker needs to make what is happening on screen more profound and help viewers be able to feel the emotions that the characters are feeling. Jared feels music and movies on an emotional level, so being able to watch a good movie with a good soundtrack is a feeling that can’t be described. It’s almost like you are the character going through what they are, and that is the magic that movies bring. “Without music, there wouldn’t be movies,” Jared says. You can’t have a movie without any music; it’s like having no color on a drawing. Color makes drawings pop, and music does the same for movies. Music in movies provides a euphoric feeling that makes the film unforgettable.
In the end, the music of Wes Anderson relies more on inciting emotion in its audience than adding to a story. It adds depth, feeling, and context to any given scene. The fact that Anderson uses a composed score rather than ‘needle drop’ music adds just another layer of hard work and detail to his projects. Music is a powerful medium, whether part of a television series, movie, album, or animation; if done right, it can be a life-changing moment that is completely unforgettable. Some moments outshine the entire rest of a director’s movie. Sometimes, as viewers, the music takes a back seat as we choose to focus on the story and the acting, and in Wes Anderson’s case, the style, but next time you watch a movie, take note of how the music is affecting your mood, maybe even changing the tone of the movie itself. Music is a strong storytelling device, and, when well done, it deserves the same praise as any great script.
