Of all the pieces that must interlock just so for a film to have even a hope of working, the element that’s closest to pure magic isn’t the visual effects. Nor is it the cinematography or the editing. Hell, it’s not even the acting. Counterintuitive as it may seem, when you think of the most emotionally resonant moments in this visual medium, more often than not you’re not seeing a scene, you’re hearing it. The score isn’t just the final piece of the puzzle—it’s often the most crucial.
Superman. Rocky. James Bond. These names all summon potent iconography, but they also call up the indelible earworms that are their themes.
Matt Schrader’s Score: A Film Music Documentary seeks to shine a light on how this magic is conjured—from the history of the form to the inspirations that fueled changes as the industry’s tastes shifted and grew.
