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Date: Fri, Oct 1, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Subject: Re: Scheduled film for home viewing
To: rdca25@gmail.com
Violet, Vivian Yang, Minnie, Candy Jiang, David, Vicky Lin, Cherry, Joseph, Max, Karen, Tiffany, Christine, Abby, Jeanette, Juliet, Mamie, April, Alice Wang, Tina, Hansel, Holly, Chin, Charlene, Katherine, Ivana, Alice Huang, Christopher, Vivian Lin,
VioletThe music of this film was very suitable for creating adventurous atmosphere. Its music sometimes expresses the excitement of journey and sometimes reveals majestic human secret also make me tense too.
The light was interesting too. Most of the scene was in the cave but film not so dark. Because of this movie was so cheerful and humorous, the scene can't be dark.
When Professor Oliver and his student Alec were imprisoned in the storage, they try to talk with duck. We can see in these scenes how this film's character is; it's so funny and interesting.
Even though the special effects were not so good, but it was kind of evolutionary in that age. Also when Mr. Paisley and her company were attacked from monsters, I was so far as to watch in breathless suspense. And in these scenes DP use short take make me trilling. Even though the special effects were unpleasant to my eye but I think the acting was quit excellent. Maybe they hard to act like that, because it' hard pretending to see monsters and auroras.
Moreover, carelessly pulling out the stone became pouring over water all over the cave and there are some splendid jewel or dreamlike scenery scenes here and there throughout that movie. This development is second to none in the adventure film.
Vivian YangJourney to the center of the earth, filmed in 1959, arouse my memory of National Treasure starred Nicolas Cage in 2004. Although the technology of movie industry had rapidly progressed, there are still some similarity between the two cinema. First, the star image used in creating a heroic images of the big cast. The protagonists, professor Oliver as well as Nicolas Cage, appear to be upright and courageous, which win the heart of female characters in both films.
Secondly, the underscore applied in both movies are recognizable, i.e., the audience can easily be concious of what the director tries to emphasize by hearing. Thus in both movies, stingers, which often occurs to frighten the audiences, becomes a distinguishing feature.
In a sense, I love Journey to the center of the earth more because it somehow shows the originality of an adventurous movie wherea National Treasure conveys nothing but great special effect and Hollywood filming style.
MinnieComedy and Romance was properly combined in this movie, I think. At first I thought it's a kind of just advantage movies. From when the woman slide down at the ladder, I sensed what's going on. And I think mushrooms and caves in the movie were inspired to the other recent-released movies. It was familiar scenes to me. SF effects were little unreality but when the woman screamed after she saw red colored monster, I also surprised.
Music was great. Especially, Broone's voice was sounded like a voice actor's who just pop out from the radio.
Candy JiangIn "Journey to the Center of the Earth," music cues are very important—the cue for expedition and the cue for love.
After Alec gives the volcanic rock to the Lindenbrook, Alec leaves the room and Lindenbrook turns to check the stone. At this moment, the expedition cue is first heard. This cue makes a feeling that this mystery stone is definitely not just a stone but something extraordinary. Moreover, the same cue can be heard after the explosion in the laboratory. It is easy to understand the occurrence of the cue because it is this explosion that opens the door to the long journey to the center of the earth.
As for the love cue, it represents the love between Alec and Jenny. It is heard for the first time in the dinner sequence, when Jenny and the other woman are preparing for the dinner. During the preparation, the love cue lingers. That's why when the doorbell rings and Jenny finds out that it is Alec instead of Lindenbrook, it is not surprising at all because the melody implies the love bound between the two. Additionally, in the piano room when the couple is discovered by the other two guests, the cue breaks our anticipation. Mostly, an interruption to a love couple is accompanied by a sudden silence. However, in this sequence, the love cue continues and slowly fades out.
DavidWithout professor's reminding, I will never pay attention to the music in films, not to mention the significance of underscore. Journey to the Center of the Earth is a film without much music, but once I hear the music, it had some meaning. In the scene which Count Saknussem first appears, the underscore points out that he is not a good man, although his facial performance is evil enough that everyone understand the fact. Since underscore is used to indicate what is happening at that moment, it changes very soon. In the scene that they find the entrance, the score indicates their happiness. But right before that, at the very beginning of this sequence, with an extreme long shot, the score sounds like that it is showing their ambition and that it is the symbol of this adventurous journey.
Vicky LinIn this movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth, I am so impressive one part of it. When professor Oliver tries to find the murder who killed professor Göteborg, his student, Alec asks him "who"? Then, the scene becomes dark and the music score becomes suspenseful. I think through this music score, the audiences and infer that the guy shows up in the dark scene must be the killer—Count Saknussem, namely the protagonist in this movie. When the main characters find a cave filled with mushrooms, the music score is so joyful. But the joyful music gradually fades out and another suspenseful music score appears to emphasize the potential dangerous, the hiding monster. I think this kind of changing of the style of music score also happen in the later parts of the film, particularly when they encounter the different kinds of monsters.
CherryThe color "red" strings all the film from the very beginning (the title). Besides, the following danger the expedition they make (Professor Oliver Lindenbrook, Carla Goteborg Aleck and Hans) are also colored red. Like the red reptile (which pretends to be rock) they eventually meet within a forsaken place and the outburst of the volcano.
The music plays an important role in this film as we can hear from the start (which gives us a scaring feeling). Especially, when the scene first changes to Oliver and Alec's destination, the music is in a really high and unpleasant pitch. It is the same as Oliver sees the mountain, which seems to be what he is finding. And we can hear the joyful (from the group of Oliver) and gloomy (two people, including the villain, count Sakussem) melodies merge into one when they are walking in the cave.
I found there is a quick change between every two scenes, what I mean is that there are no useless shots. One followed by the next right to the point. The director also show us first if there exists danger. For instance, he shots from high angle and shows us a big rock that may fall down at any time before linking the alert eye line of Carla with the falling rock. Next, when Aleck finds the mushrooms, as the camera moves to the high mushroom we find the first still reptile high up there and the scene merges with the fire people make, which I think indicates the danger of the reptile.
The director uses the long shot to indicate their (those who participate in the expedition) small, compared to the nature. We can see the deep slope which the director shots when they get there and are climbing. Besides, when Aleck is lost in the cave, we also see the long shot, which shows his tiny and helplessness. When it comes to almost end, we also see the peaceful ocean scene changes to Jenny at home and later backs to the storm in the ocean with Jenny woke up as if it is her nightmare. Finally, I cannot tell why but when Oliver and Aleck are at the top mountain (when they first come); I feel the mountain in the back look unreal.
JosephThis is truly a good film for me to realize the importance of the score in a film. In the past, I did not give myself enough chance to analyze the function of scores and I used to regard scores as just background music, which may call my attention to some dramatic or romantic points. Thus, I was accustomed to the usual or general timing of the appearance of music. For example, the scene that the character discovers something horrible will accompany a dramatic score in order to raise the effect. However, the usage of score in this film is different from what I had experienced. First of all, there are some scenes which I was expecting to hear music, but Bernard Herrmann chooses to leave them silent, that is unscored. I feel this is quite interesting because there is not a fixed rule of when should the music start and also stop. It depends on editors' decision and feeling. How to choose and arrange them then becomes an art. In addition, another interesting usage of scores is that Bernard Herrmann usually comments the scenes by music which occurs before actions. Just like what I have mentioned, the scene and the music will be shown simultaneously in most movies. But Herrmann prefer presenting music before or after the actions. For instance, before another person falls into the canyon again, the score, which has been used before while other people descended, appeared in advance, indirectly linking the sound and the plot. In this way, scoring is not only function as background music, but as the bridge between scenes. Of course there are still many dimensions of using music underscores in this film, which are worthy for people to think about. By this film, I understand that the skillful arrangement of music underscores can add flavor to a film. Also, it should be considered as powerful as what shooting or editing can reach.
MaxBecause of the limitation of the technology at that time, the props and scenes in this film does not seem to be real at all. The magma, for instance, is just like red glue, and the monsters do not look dangerous at all. What's more, the plots are not logical. It is impossible for human being to stand the heat when they are near magma. However, the director is indeed imaginative to arrange the scenes under the earth in that way. Finally, the duck is a great "character" (or prob) in this film, for it has different important functions—saving the two man and finding a new road.
KarenIn Journey to the Center of the Earth, the music scores is mostly used at the key points and mainly for the motifs, so every score has its importance and gives commentary on scenes, actions, or characters. For example, the song "The Faithful Heart" can serve as a sound bridge and also establishes the love scene of Jenny and Alac, the low brass suggests that Count Saknussem is the villain, and sound of The Serpent identifies the image of the prehistoric beasts. Strangely, the use of The Serpent is one of my favorite scores in this movie, probably because of its strange groaning sound really sounds like the monsters and fits in with the creatures' image. Furthermore, the harp glissando is always used whenever the expeditionists discover something marvelous and magical, and thus the score suggests miraculous motif. However, in some scenes, such as the moment when Goteborg's dead body is found or the falling rock sequence, we expect to hear an underscore, but there are no music cues for the scenes. To me, the underscores in this film is not as impressive as the scores in Psycho, though the music arrangement has its style in this movie.
TiffanyAfter the explosion in lab, the two-note motif, the sound same as when Lindenbrook getting the rock first time, appears when professor gets the little bottle and pitch of score varies which increases the depth and mystery of the rock (little bottle). And in study room, Alec talks to Jenny with underscore "The Faithful Heart" which becomes louder when they are kissing. Furthermore, when the villain first shows, I turned off the sound and was confused by the villain coming but when I turned on the sound I soon understood the guy is villain with the low brass. In addition, in the journey to the earth center, villain lets the team go wrong way which causes Alec almost falls into another cave. The scene's underscore is nervous and fast with the low brass sound I think implies they get trouble into the villain's cunning. Moreover, I also note that glissando uses both at the descend of team in beginning journey and Alec's missing.
ChristineAt the beginning of the credit, music sostenuto with suspense and the visual of earth implied that the "journey to the center of the earth" is dangerous. Other things that has to do with the valcano pieces or later down to the center or when secrets were unveiled, the music cue sequence implied the danger in the strange place.
The joyful music played by the honor guard persist as the underscore when the shot was cutaway to where the professor standing at a paperstand showed the jolly emotion of the professor and then back to the shot of the honor guard.The film features some music song or played by the role in the shots was interesting that the music is not only a undersore but a piece of narrative in the story espesially the scene where the professor walked into the classroomand a group of students sang for him and Alec sang his love song with playing piano.
AbbyAt the beginning of "Journey to the Center of the Earth", the music sounds mysterious and horror, with the scene of the magma and the volcanoes, it creates a more terrifying feeling. The Scottish traditional music plays an important role at the first scene. It even has the interaction with Professor Lindenbrook. When the scenes change to the love scenes, the music would change into the orchestration. And on hearing that Pat Bonne is going to the journey with her uncle, the girl cries and falls from the stair, at the same time, the music accompanies her actions. When Alec sees the deep and adventurous terrain, he almost falls and the shot takes to the terrain with the "unlucky" music. The mysterious music goes on when the professor and Alec try to look around the terrain. And when the driver of the carriage whips on the horse while the professor is sleeping, it follows by the drum sounds and the more nervous music.
JeanetteSince Journey to the Center of the Earth can be considered as an adventure movie, I think it is reasonable to use some underscore representing suspense. However, the suspense atmosphere is repeated too much. For example, when seeing a dinosaur, shouldn't the music add some elements like tension, fear, excitement…etc.? Or when the characters are about to escape from the center of the Earth but a big red lizard (or dinosaur) appear suddenly, the underscore should show some surprise instead of simply woman's screaming. Moreover, the lava is too fake (like smashed tomatoes)!
JulietFirst, I enjoy the romance scene which Alec McEwen (Pat Boone) plays the piano and sings Jenny (Diane Baker) a love song—"My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose". Particularly, sounds in this scene—combined of piano and Boone's singing—is diegetic and onscreen. In my opinion, through Bonne's singing and piano playing, this lovely song indeed enhances the romantic atmosphere and successfully attracts audiences' attention. In addition, I like the interesting editing in the scene which Alec tells Sir Oliver Lindenbrook (James Mason) that he decides to join his journey to the center of the earth. In that scene, after noticing Alec's decision, Jenny falls from the ladder. Simultaneously, a comical nondigetic music accompanies Jenny's comical falling. For me, the editing and the use of music in this scene help a lot in building the comical atmosphere. Moreover, the editor cuts it into the shot of the high mountain in Iceland with an acute sound. In my opinion, this sound represents a change which unveils the beginning of their unknown adventure. Finally, I praise the use of special effects in this film. Undoubtedly, the center of the earth is an unknown space for people. It is hard to present the whole view of this fantastic place. Nevertheless, in this film, the special effects help a lot in creating the landscape and unknown creatures in the center of the earth. What's more, it successfully convinces audiences of this imaginary place.
MamieMusic plays an important role in Journey to the Center of the Earth .In the beginning of the film; the Scottish orchestra creates a cheerful and harmonious atmosphere. And then the scene goes to the college, accompanied by the students' song. Here I want to put emphasis on the romantic scene when Alec sings to Jenny. Although the whole film doesn't focus on romantic theme, it still impresses me a lot. Herrmann uses "The Faithful Heart "as a underscore linking to the love theme. The soft and elegant melody makes me immediately associate this scene with a romantic love affair. Later Alec (Pat Boone) plays the piano and sings songs to Jenny to show his affection toward her. The previous music continues when Alec and Jenny get close, which means their love for each other.
AprilThe music in the crediting sequence sets the mood of suspense and uncertainty; therefore, it provides the audience with the demanded emotion for the film. Afterwards, in the beginning of film, the marching band plays the delightful notes which are like celebrating the success of the professor, Oliver Lindenbrook. However, in the film, there isn't a clear cause for the appearance of the band; consequently, it can be seen as a subtext for the glorious moment for the successful professor. Later, when introducing the female character, the daughter of Oliver, the music scores turn into the one comprising mostly by string instruments. The soft and soothing melody is in line with the presence of a female character and also the evening time. In addition, the scene with the set table, the crackling fire in the fireplace and the company of the music, complete the atmosphere. Furthermore, when the imposing rocky volcano comes into sight, the background music will include the bright and harsh sound of the trumpet. With the aid from the music score, the man conquering the mountain gives out the paramount and unapproachable feeling. What's more, when the group of people looking down to the valley, the music score involves the accordion, which is flexible in changing the volume with every compressing and expanding. It offers the hue of repetition and uncertainty, making the audience curious of the following plots.
Alice WangThe underscore in the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth plays a rather important part in the film, and it even has far more essential effects to the movie than any other elements. The underscore was mostly composed and arranged by the famous composer Bernard Hermann. Though during the time, the phenomenon of having a theme song in the movies was beginning to become gradually popular, and it was rather normal that most films' success depend on the theme song. Most movie makers then are convinced that if a repeated piece of theme music in a movie is quite easy for the audience to relate to or can be easily memorized by them even after they walk out from the theater, it is more likely that the film would receive better box office and achieve success. Nevertheless, although most of the underscores Hermann made have nothing to do with repeated themes, but rather simply add to the effect of the scenes; to me, it seems that this kind of underscores are in fact much more effective and has much greater influences on the way a film is presented. Take the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth for example, it is hard for us to imagine what would the movie become without Hermann's well-arranged underscore, which adds much interests to the development of the plot. In my opinion, the movie may still be good without the arranged theme songs; however, it would be spiritless and monotonous without the underscore.
TinaIt is really a difficult task to comment on the music of a film. In order to do that, I pay all my attention on the music scores when watching the film that I do not have time to focus on other parts of the film, such as the acting, the plot, the editing, or the cinematography. The score of the opening sequence is simple but effective, with only a simple melody that repeats continuously. As the images of the sequence becomes more violent, from the earth to its lava filled center, the pitch of the repeating melody becomes lower and lower. Thus it gives out a suspense and dangerous feeling.
HanselI think the movie is very intriguing. The story is interesting and appeals to the audience from the beginning, making people eager to watch what would happen next. The music score makes the movie less dull in some parts. The love theme is especially clear, and it soothes the tension of the film. While the team are on their way to the next spot, the music adds some suspense and makes people nervous about what's waiting for them. When danger or monsters appear, the music also helps increase the audience's anxiety. The props and the décor of the film are good too; they look real enough to allow people enjoy participating in the adventure of the characters
HollyMusic plays an important role in the film. The love song, though simply written to have the famous singer sing, its tone is so tender and smooth, making the shot look quite comfortable and attractive. Also, the song compensates the young actors' immature acting and completes the sequence. Of course the silence sometimes will emphasize the essential shots. However, I wonder that lack of music sequence will make the scenes losing of emphasis and colors. It is not necessary to score every shot, but adding the music to the shot making images vivid and energetic. In my viewpoint, scoring is art. Correctly scoring one shots will benefit the image of the movie, and help to bring out the main idea of certain sequences or point out the key moment for the audience. Still, many scores impress me in the film. In the beginning, the open chord simply makes the shot full of vigor, bustling and excitement. The marching music is serious but point out the character's personality and add some active movements into the shot. The slow sequence of music scored in the shot when the group of people climbing the mountains presents the climbers' tired and weary circumstance. Music is not only the entertainment in the film. What's more, it's like a connection between the shot and the audience, not only giving us fantastic and wonderful feelings but also taking us to the whole new story presented in the film.
ChinWe have been taking this course for 2 semester, and I think the sound part of a film is the most difficult to study. Since we are neither familiar with the music or songs which played in the movie, nor the lyrics, it is hard for us to define songs' meaning within the movie. Singings were onscreen many times, for example, students were singing in the lab when the professor got in the lab, at the very beginning of the movie; a girl was singing in her house to a young man. Well, the conclusion is, I should work more harder to get the feeling and the meaning of songs of a movie.
CharleneThe adventure of journeying to the center of the earth is very intriguing. With such limited special effects in the 1950s, I think the director had a certain degree of ambition. And for me, I think this adaptation of Jules Verne's 1864 French novel is quite a success because it was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Effects, Special Effects and Best Sound.
I believe it is the sound that we want to put emphasis on. But at the same time, it is the most difficult part to analyze. The music in a film is not just music. Instead, it has the feature of composing, changing the pitch of an underscore or even changing the melody of an underscore can mean different between the context. I like the funny way presented by Bernard Herrmann in the scene that Lindenbrook and his follows are captured by the villains. The jumping tone of the underscore matches the story unbelievably, which makes me very impressive.
KatherineThis movie is in fact quite an old movie. From the music and the scene we can see that it is really different from the movies nowadays. I thinks the background music is quite strong and is has many low pitches. To enforce the audience's emotion, the music did do a good job. But to me, I'll think that in the movie, the music might be to creepy. I prefer the lates one whose main acter is Brendan Fraser. When former one played the music, we can know that something is going show up. And pepople's emotion did go with the music.
IvanaMusic cue serves an important role in the film, since the acting here is not so attractive to me. The source music in the beginning of the film is special, making the plain movement of the characters not so boring. At first, there are guards playing music. Then, a chorus sings. And next, a main character plays the piano and sings with a beautiful love songs, which can also be heard without lyrics later in the film. In the following scenes, music is also a key factor to create the climax of the movie. For instance, when the characters are in danger with the falling rock and the rising water average, the temple of the music becomes strong and fast. If music were not so powerful here, the film may fall into boredom.
Alice HuangJourney to the Center of the Earth is a science fiction movie in the earlier history of movies. Though some of the special effects are not elaborate enough, I still admire the hard work on those designs of the cave.
As for the sound track part, I myself will see the song sung by a group of people, which is used to praise professor Lindenbrook, as one of the "themes" of this movie. Besides, I think it can be viewed it in another way; that is, it can also serve as an echoic function. As for other sounds occurring in this movie, I think most of them fit with the scenes or plots well. However, it's really hard to distinguish whether there is a significant cue of those sound tracks. Personally, I find that there is always a cue before the appearance of those gigantic monsters, or just big lizards. It's a low and slow sound which provides the audience with the feelings of uncertainty and danger.
Other uses of sound track are appropriate in this film: the match of the Scotland music with people living in that area, the roaring of an even larger lizard, and the eruption of the volcano. Sound tracks used in this film is really arousing the audience's curiosity and a sense of nervousness when expecting what will happen next.
ChristopherI think the music scores in the movie The Journey to the Center of the Earth are not outstanding from those typical Hollywood adventure movies. In other words, they are doing well in expressing the theme, the emotion, and connecting different scenes, make the movie going smoother and completely. But sometimes we cannot make out the difference of same kind of music scores, for example, it is hard to distinguish the small different between two romance cue, one may express more desire than the other ones, while our more than half attention divided into watching and thinking.
But I like the music cue at the beginning part, they are so light and soft, remain a lot of space for our imagination, and also, I would never think that the higher frequency of music cue is a good thing, because it will turn to destruction to the audience.
Vivian LinJourney to the Center of the Earth is exciting. I consider the film's special effect as the fatastic element that attracts me. The film's story is changeable that strongs the excitement of the film. The score that composed by Bernard Herrmann also is the outstanding point in the film. The scene that all the lizards leave their nests for attacking the people is the most exciting scene and the score matchs the horrible situation. I think the film is better than the other adaption of 2008. In that age, Journey to the Center of the Earth applies the special effects and the impressie score tomake such a fantastic movie. I think it is not easy and worth watching the film.
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