Imagine living in a world devoid of music. Of course we could survive without it, but everyday life would feel incredibly dull in comparison. While reading Richard Wright’s short story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man” you can already feel the varying emotions the author is portraying through his frustrated young protagonist Dave Sanders. This coming of age story set in the rural south was later turned into a 1961 TV movie starring LeVar Burton. In Almos’ a Man, a film version of the short story “The Man Who Was Almost a Man”, the composer Taj Mahal makes use of background music in order to convey specific emotions as well as atmosphere. Music has been an integral part of film making for a very long time. In the earliest years, motion pictures
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After two adults come over to Dave and tell him to do his job right he pulls his hat off in frustration and sharper music starts to play to further indicate how the character is feeling (4:33-5:10). Towards the middle of the film, after Dave convinces his mother to let him purchase the gun he wants, we hear upbeat music playing as he joyously runs through a field with his new prized possession (17:42-18:44). The music picks up again at 19:54 but this time it’s slower and gloomier as Dave realizes he is afraid of actually using the gun he just bought. In the next scene Dave finally shoots his gun which causes his boss’ mule Jenny to run off. As he is chasing Jenny and trying to calm her we hear faster music playing in the background heightening the frantic feeling the main character is giving off (23:05). Once Dave catches the mule he sees the bullet wound above her leg which he accidentally inflicted on her. The background music slows down significantly as he desperately tries to stop the bleeding and then it gets louder as Jenny collapses (23:56-24:45). A distraught Dave then cries out and begins running away with his gun. As he is burying the gun in the dirt the music in the background sounds harsher which helps the audience feel Dave’s panic (25:37-26:00). At the end of the …show more content…
Pay close attention to the music in the next film you watch and see how much it truly impacts how you feel towards it. A movie without music is like a bird without wings,
After two adults come over to Dave and tell him to do his job right he pulls his hat off in frustration and sharper music starts to play to further indicate how the character is feeling (4:33-5:10). Towards the middle of the film, after Dave convinces his mother to let him purchase the gun he wants, we hear upbeat music playing as he joyously runs through a field with his new prized possession (17:42-18:44). The music picks up again at 19:54 but this time it’s slower and gloomier as Dave realizes he is afraid of actually using the gun he just bought. In the next scene Dave finally shoots his gun which causes his boss’ mule Jenny to run off. As he is chasing Jenny and trying to calm her we hear faster music playing in the background heightening the frantic feeling the main character is giving off (23:05). Once Dave catches the mule he sees the bullet wound above her leg which he accidentally inflicted on her. The background music slows down significantly as he desperately tries to stop the bleeding and then it gets louder as Jenny collapses (23:56-24:45). A distraught Dave then cries out and begins running away with his gun. As he is burying the gun in the dirt the music in the background sounds harsher which helps the audience feel Dave’s panic (25:37-26:00). At the end of the …show more content…
Pay close attention to the music in the next film you watch and see how much it truly impacts how you feel towards it. A movie without music is like a bird without wings,