Overtones and Undertones: Reading Film Music

by Royal S. Brown

Book Overview

Since the days of silent films, music has been integral to the cinematic experience, serving, variously, to allay audiences' fears of the dark and to heighten a film's emotional impact. Yet viewers are often unaware of its presence. In this bold, insightful book, film and music scholar and critic Royal S. Brown invites readers not only to "hear" the film score, but to understand it in relation to what they "see."

Unlike earlier books, which...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520085442
• ISBN13: 9780520085442
• Release Date: October 1994
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.2" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book on film music

I'm just getting started learning about film music with Royal and I've got to say that it has been very productive. I've learned a lot more in a few weeks than I expected I would. A must read for anyone who wants to start talking about film music like they know something.

Fantastic

This book is one of the most intellectual and in-depth books on specific films I've read. It's focus is mostly on older movies (The Sea Hawk, Double Indemnity), but also extensively explores French film, particularly, Jean-Luc Godard. The Interviews at the back of the book are with some of the greatest film composers, alive and dead, including: Miklos Rozsa, David Raksin, Bernard Herrmann, Mancini, John Barry and Howard Shore. A must for any film music fan or composer!