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The Routledge Companion to Screen Music and Sound

Miguel Mera, Ronald Sadoff, Ben Winters

Screen Music and the Question of Originality

Publication details https://www.routledgehandbooks.com/doi/10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 Miguel Mera Published online on: 01 Jun 2017

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Macfarlane polesare whatRobert ‘something fromnothing’ thantherearrangement asinherently more valuable andoriginal nality, thischapteraimstochallengeperceptual frameworks thecreation of thatcharacterize contexts withinmusic praxis.Byfocusing onseveral contestedsitesofscreen music’s- origi canbetracedback to concerns ‘Romantic’ idealsof thesolemusical genius, aswell aswider screen music,within contemporary revealing specificrecurrent anxieties.Therootsofthese impossible,which isalmostcertainly but aimsinsteadtofocusonperceptions oforiginality nal withindifferent contexts.Thischapterdoesnotattempttodefineinherentoriginality, it isalsomarked by specificculturaldisputesover- whatisthoughttobemusically origi ishighlysubjective, canbefound.Itgoeswithoutsaying thatoriginality its originality but we have ofscreen notengagedwiththeontology music untilwe where fullyunderstand a stickwithwhichscreen-music have practitioners repeatedly beatthemselves. that I argue itself. material within musical originality notion of intrinsic with sound and visuals at the expense of a false a re-evaluation, I suggest, there isdangerindevaluing screen music’s symbioticrelationship perceptions aboutoriginality,tain historical have dogged screen particularly music. Without Equally though, asI hope tomake clearinwhatfollows, the weight ofhistory, orrathercer- impression of novelty oritsclosecousins, incoherence andweirdness” (63).True enough. “false judgment (2013: cancreate a 61).Gracyckexplainedthatignoranceabouthistory other music, of and thedegree ‘originality’ isasmuch amatterofaestheticashistorical According to thephilosopherTheodore Gracyck, allmusic is, insomeway, derivative of In thesectionsthatfollow (Shame, Blame, andAcclaim), several exampleswillillustratethe This ideahasbeenusedrepeatedly asastickwithwhichtobeatscreen music and, indeed, Vertigo (dir. Alfred Hitchcock,Novak that she wrote 1958)soincensedtheactress Kim QUESTION OFORIGINALITY SCREEN MUSIC AND THE Miguel Mera 3 38 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 cultural production. within screen music, andto reflect ontheimplicationsofthisproblematizationforwider isperceivedchapter aimstoconsidertheways conceptoforiginality inwhichthethorny which musical ideaswere appliedinthecontextofthesefilmicnarratives. Ultimately, this tions oforiginality, especiallyintheBirdman example, toappreciate thefreshness failed with featured a substantial amount of preexisting classical music.- Legalistically tightinterpreta (dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2014) was because the soundtrack disqualified from the Oscars the composer’s own Additionally, preexisting material. AntonioSánchez’s score forBirdman Academy Awards becausetoomuch Score ofthemusic category was taken Original from it does begin to get at the problem of the judgment of originality withindifferent contexts. togetattheproblemofjudgmentoriginality it doesbegin own implieddeconstruction” (2011: 70).I am notentirely convinced by thisargument, but linked“hardly simultaneously manageafeatof self-indulgentperformance with its could music together seem almost intentupon their own critique,” autonomous music but truly B.“itself doingwhatitdoesthatfilmand Ernest Schoedsack, 1933)issosubtle atobserving Cooper/ awareC. ofitsown discursive A film construction. suchasKingKong(dir. Merian provocatively arguesthatfilmmusic achieved somethingunique precisely because itwas it isderived. music Heexaminesfilmmusic and nexttoearlytwentieth-century modernist has oftenbeenperceived oflate-Romanticmusic fromwhich tolackthequalityandrigor ofthe1930sand1940s) Franklin hasarguedthatclassicHollywood filmmusic (primarily more subtleperspectives thatare usefulforthisstudy(see, forexample, Platte2014).Peter ofan turn’the beginnings inscreen-music‘originality studies, whichopensupnew and forms. theirculturalstatusinrelation tootherart the needtoaggrandize models,consciously lookingbacktoEuropeanhighart orHollywood felt filmcomposers fromthevery outsetofthesoundfilm,been enshrined were perhapsbecauseémigrés self- and derivative work (Rosar2003; Wierzbicki 2009: 1–4).Anxietiesappeartohave already music,concert ofcommercial compared towhichfilmmusicform was seenasaninferior dated as ‘real’ composers, nothacks.Theprejudice in was driven by notionsoforiginality perceived between (creatio), craft(inventio) andart andfeltthedesperateneedtobevali - early Hollywood, forexample, appeared tobeconstantlytroubledby thedistinctionthey in ofimitation.Filmcomposers ofsomeforms typesofcreativityof certain andderision sitional genius, compositionalpractice, andaestheticjudgment, resulting inthecelebration unfolding, itisclearthatthemyth ofthe ‘Romantic’ shapedconceptionsofcompo- artist paradox”“originality (1974:McFarland calledthe 447–476). tradition fromwhichthey emergeandagainstwhichthey are differentiated iswhatThomas 2007). Indeed, (Macfarlane humanistic purpose thedependenceofindividual onthe of individuality for broader while the simultaneouslyassertion longing requiring tity crisis were increasingly centralized, There was arts. acleariden- withintheliterary particularly that Kant’s where notionsofgenius discussionemergedinthe1790satapointhistory (1974: 150), itsproducts must beexemplary modelsthatare notimitative. Itisunsurprising given,” nonsense” ofgenius,“since there property may alsobeoriginal istheprimary but ing point.For Kant, originality, canbe “a talentforproducingthatwhichnorule or Immanuel (1974: Kant’s ofexemplary originality 150–151)provides doctrine - ausefulstart Recent scholarship primarily focusing on Hollywood’s primarily Recent scholarship Golden Age, however, suggests Regardless of themany andits subsequent subtlecomplexitieswithinthisinterplay Screen MusicScreen andOriginality Shame 39 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 blissfully unaware of the similarity between Herrmann’s “Scene d’Amour”blissfully unaware between Herrmann’sof the similarity and its model, thatshewasthe potentiallyparasiticalnature ofusing preexisting music infilm.I imagine block capitalswere offensive andmisjudged,Novak questions about didraisechallenging rape—whichshould surely only everthe term beusedinaliteralcontext—and theshouty FAMOUS PIECESOFWORK TO GAINATTENTION” (Novak 2012).Whiletheuseof ALLY WRONG FOR THE ARTISTRY OFOURINDUSTRY TO USEANDABUSE in motionpicture history” asifthey wereNovak argueditwas: itsown. further “MOR- love“most important scenes ofcheatingthatusedtheemotionsfromone a form how Herrmann’s the Loveuse of Bernard Theme from Vertigo at the end of BEEN VIOLATEDOF WORK—HAS BY THEMOVIE, THEARTIST.” She outlined “I WANT TO REPORT A RAPE. I FEEL ASIFMYBODY—OR, AT LEASTMYBODY In anopenletterpublishedinVariety, thestarofVertigo ,Novak, Kim provocatively wrote: contradiction andis. their lackof ‘originality’ but are clearexamplesofexemplary originality. Thissoundslike a examineworks of thatwere onthegrounds Then I will fortheOscars deemed ineligible won an Academy Award Score. Thissounds like for Best Original a contradiction but is not. within thecollaborative I explore anexampleofpastichethat contextsoffilmmaking. First 2012;(Burnard Sawyer 2007).Inthenextsections, theseideaswillbeexaminedmore fully knowledgetion orlightning-boltinsightandcontradictscurrent aboutcreativity inpractice of themythic view ofcreatio, whichemphasizesakindofindividual transcendentalinspira- Nonetheless,Dyer,paradox. afterFranklinand I want tochallengesomeaspects particularly fluctuationbetween afundamentaloriginality creatioandinventioing historical thatconfirms This is, inessence, that was laidagainstfilmmusic thesamecriticism in1930s. tral music” (2012:“aping somebodyelse’s 128), as practice” whichheunderstands (129). entirely pastiche, generallyoflatenineteenth-andearlytwentieth-century classicalorches- “almost as Hollywood composers tion ofcontemporary filmmusic inaguideforaspiring byword Take, forplagiarism. forexample, Andrew Hugill’s- recent yet descrip old-fashioned discourse,been considered inthecritical atleastwithinmusic where itistypicallyusedasa make self-awareness acentralfeature oftheirconcerns. self-aware, but mostsimplygetonwiththejobofbeingfilms(2007: 118).Some, however, expression of them. ToDyer, paraphrase allfilmsknow they are films, andare consequently codes and conventions,of historical but this does not always mean a conscious externalized music intendstoannounceitsself-awareness. Screencannothelpbut beaware composers but it is a difference as well of degree as kind that distinguishes the extentto which screen aqualityofself-reflexivity,Dyer talkingaboutthesamething?Bothclearlydescribe and priateness, anachronism, self-reference, andstylisticinconsistency(2007: 137).Are Franklin exaggerating, orconcentratingstylistictraits, anditgeneratesdiscrepancy throughinappro- Dyer, For emotionaltruth. sacrificing itsreferent by pastichedeforms selecting, accentuating, cally distant, aswell oftheirown asacknowledging thehistory emotionaldevices without an imitation” (2007: 1).Itdemonstrateshow withoutbeingparodi- works canbecritical ‘pastiche.’“a kind of imitation that you areDyer meant to know suggests that pastiche is is The various positions outlined hereThe various are not easily resolved, as they represent a longstand- Dyer provides a broader, of pastiche than has generally understanding more celebratory Franklin’sDyer’s discussionseemsremarkably closetoRichard explorationoftheterm Miguel Mera Blame 40 wasThe Artist

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 1920s cinema. honest recreation oftheexpressionist visual appearance, rhythm, andtechnicalfeatures of balance between thetraditionsofpastandrequirements ofthepresent. Itmakes an conventions andupdatesorcommentsonthem.Inthissense, ameaningful strikes TheArtist a different perspective thatemphasizedhomage: films (2006, 2009),James spyBond.ButHazanavicius moviesinevitably had thatparodied could beseentohave inthisregard asthey someform are known inFrancefortheOSS117 of theft.Thedirector ofthefilm, MichelHazanavicius, andcomposerLudovic Bource, ofHerrmann’s music ispresented. Thisappropriation asamorallydubiousform The Artist six-and-a-half-minute cueisusedunashamedlyatthedramaticresolution of uninterrupted Novak’s thatthe stemsfromthefact concern that countless others, primary soI suspect included, forexample, between direct himandBeethoven comparisons (Rosar2003). and Herrmann myth thatlongsurrounded asanupsurgefromtheoriginality understood Novak’sof self-borrowinginHerrmann’s work (Wrobel 2003). commentscouldeven be “Liebestod”the fromWagner’s Tristan undIsolde(1859).Orindeedofthecountlessexamples hybrid. the judicious use of sound design and dialogueit foregrounds as a kind of transition-era tural framework ofanur-genre. Itisasilent film, but itisalsonotasilentfilm.Indeed, akindofretrospectivethis ideaby onto the ges- performing ofcinematichistory grafting extends andameliorated.TheArtist hasbeenintegrated how successfullytheappropriation bywould of the recurrence or duplication of filmic material typically judge the legitimacy somewhat. Thefilmprovides auniqueframework tojustifyitsactsofimitation.Audiences by default, It is the nature of the pastiching that I suggest challenges this idea be unoriginal? discrepancy thatdefinespastiche. We tothisideamomentarily. willreturn that allows onetoseemore clearlytherest ofthepresentational style. Inotherwords, itis something thathighlightsaninconsistencyinaspect ofthemodefilmicpresentation “discrepancy”Dyering ofwork as would withinanotheriswhat (2007: describe 58–59), who were ofdeliberatefram- asignificantinfluencein1920sHollywood. Theseforms directed by OttoWagman, ajokedirectors suchasF. attheexpenseofémigré W. Murnau, more, thefictionalmovie Affair where thetwomeetiscalledAGerman first maincharacters - Douglas Fairbanksintheparodicfilm-within-a-filmsections.Further 1920) anditsstar an imitation” (2007: 2). ThereNiblo, are alsoclearreferences (dir. to theMark of Zorro Fred tradition, soI amDyer’s reminded here“pastiche isalways of animitationof commentthat Thesefilmswereothers. already engaged inareflective relationship withanearliercinematic Sunset Boulevard (dir. BillyWilder, 1950); and Citizen Kane(dir. Welles, Orson 1941), among liam Wellman,Cukor, 1937; George 1954), Singin’ intheRain(dir.Donen, Stanley 1952); Homage is, ofcourse, intimatelytiedtopastiche. consciouslytakes A pastiche codesand Herrmann’s music has been quoted inmany films, and used asthe model for scores in There is no denying, then, employs that The Artist Does this mean that it must, pastiche. to have itinmine. and his music has been used inmany different filmsandI’mvery pleased Herrmann the work of Hitchcock, Lang, Ford, Lubitsch, and Wilder. Murnau I love Bernard and crew’s) admirationandrespect formovies throughouthistory. Itwas inspired by wasThe Artist madeasalove lettertocinema, andgrew outofmy (andallofmy cast 1 Itmakes (dir. specificplotconnectionstofilmssuchasAStarIsBorn Wil- Screen MusicScreen andOriginality 41 (Haznavicius 2012) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 music and themodeofitspresentation. find eachother.characters Thisdramatic effect isoneofcontemplationthatframesthefilm’s out,faded one-and-a-halfminutes we ofgenuine, experience absolute silenceasthecentral that hasfloatedthroughthe movie. Astonishingly, atthe endofthesceneafterthismusic has as mute iscontrastedwithHerrmann’s musical acousmêtre, theunseen ‘voice’ offilmmusic relation betweenmetrical thebodilessvoice and thevoiceless body (1999: 97–100), George looming overChion’s thecentralcharacter. Inwhatseemslike aclearplaying sym- outof an extreme close-upofacop’s mouthfollowed inmontageby several close-upsofmouths It is significant that Herrmann’s luscious musictalgia. is heard in a sequence where we see and,Bernstein Bource’s indeed, Herrmann. Bernard nos- score isfilmmusic thatperforms film, Korngold, for example Erich Franz Waxman, Max Steiner,Newman, Alfred Elmer settingofthe laterthan the historical writing identified the stylisticinfluenceofcomposers thathasbeentakingplacethroughoutthemovie.tory Ininterviews, Bource consistently ofdiscrepancy.a form Itisboldlyanachronisticandreinforces theplay onfilm-music his- processes thatemphasizepastiche, alsodemonstratetheuniquenessofapproachinthisfilm. not in place. These moments of discrepancy,Dyer’s to revisit terminology, which are the very that no film of the silent era could, of sound film were constructs because the grammatical world.inadequate inachanging Thefilmplays withthefluidbordersofdiegesisinways entrance ofsoundtauntshim, showing how heisunabletoexpress himselfandisincreasingly yet despitehisbestefforts, discovers thatheismuteThe (both literallyandmetaphorically). to the central character results sequence where in a surreal George can hear sound,modernity double-bluffthroughtheuseofsounddesign. Thethreat of engagesinfurther The Artist plays withtheperceived offilmmusic inboththesilent eraandthepresent strictures day. do hearsomething, atthereaction. becausethey Thesequenceconsciously are visiblythrilled intoapplause.do notheartheaudienceburst whoare Theleadcharacters backstage, however, avail itselfofthebroadestsonicpossibilities? However, whenARussianAffair ends, we seebut isornot.Surelyclear whetherTheArtist amovie willsoon madeinthetwenty-first century providing ‘live’ accompaniment.Thefilmwithintheiscertainly ‘silent,’ but itisnotyet Indeed, talk, noneofthecharacters andthemusic isshown toemanatefromapitorchestra to address the audience, and a sign that ironically reads,“Please be silent behind thescreen.” onthecinemascreen. Behindthis,intertitles we seethecentralcharacter, George, waiting “I won’tand we hearmelodramaticmeta-filmmusic. talk, I won’t say aword!” exclaimthe the diegesis, silence, andlisteningposition. retrospective rejuvenation isthroughtheuseofsoundandmusic, playing inparticular with Oneoftheclearestdeploys characteristic. ways pasticheasitscentraldriving itachieves this fresh thatchallengesexistingandoldconventions. Itis, indeed, intheway thatit original an exampleofKantianexemplary originality. Yet, and doesdosomethingstriking TheArtist practiceleaves sealed.Itcannot,separation fromcontemporary ithermetically therefore, be nal nonsense, notawork but itiscertainly thatcanitselfbeimitated, becauseitsdeliberate fidelity ofDr. Plonk(dir. RolfdeHeer, 2007).Perhaps- intoKant’s itfalls oforigi category Brooks, 1976), ortheabsurdist narrative ofTuvalu (dir. Veoit Helmer, 1999), ortheslavish and novelty. fromSilentMovie(dir. Itisclearlydifferent Mel andpurpose incomedicregister We return, then, totheuseofmusic fromVertigo thatthisalsofunctionsas . I suggest Just astheaudiencehasbecomeaccustomedtoexclusivity ofmusic onthesoundtrack, In theopeningscene, we seeanaudiencewatching asilentfilmentitledARussianAffair It may bethecase, ofcourse, adistinctionbetween articulates originality thatTheArtist Miguel Mera 42

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 studio headsnominatedup until 1938were notalsoreconsidered. base.oscars.org). I wonder, following therationale forthisreparation, why allthewinning orchestra conductor”“proper” Adler(http://awardsdata ratherthanthecomposer Larry “political climate ofthetimes”the undulyrecognized Mathieson’sand “arranger work as nelius, 1953), but this decision was revised by theAcademy in 1986 because it was felt that Cor- Muir Mathiesonwas credited and nominatedforthecomedyGenevieve (dir. Henry ference between musicals and dramatic (eventually including comedy) pictures. In 1954, score forTheYoung (dir. in Heart Richard Wallace, 1938)was nominatedinbothcategories. Curiously, direction orthecreationarrangement/music ofnew material. FranzWaxman’s are comedies,category musicals, orreviews, suggestingadistinctionbetween processesof 1938: Many Score)of the nominees in 1938’s and Music (Scoring). Music (Original Scoring composers, whoreceived theaward. Thismay have in influenced asplitintotwo categories was theheadof music department, ratherthanthespecificcomposeror(more usually) ofanxietiesaboutoriginality.compositional practicesaswell asaseries From1934–1937, it unchanged untilthepresent day. awardthe dateoffirst in1934until 1999, hasremained afterwhichthecategorization and ‘overscoring’ process. musicals,roleswithinthescoring certain andtoprioritize creation and adaptation, tohighlighthierarchical movies differences between underscoring reasons There forthis, are historical egories? todistinguishprocessesof whichreflect efforts call itBestFilmMusic, then, given that ‘best’ isusedforalmostalltheotherAwards cat- innovative, or of providing new ways of interacting with moving images. Why not simply (and itdoestypicallymeananindividual), inthesenseofbeing notthatmusic isoriginal ity.’ Original, inthiscontext, seemstorefer to somethingcreatedby personally anindividual picture by thesubmittingcomposer” (Academy Awards 2014: ofMerit 20). specificallyforthemotion andiswritten dramaticunderscoring music thatserves asoriginal Awards.“substantial body of According to the regulations, score is defined as a an original but intheinterest ofspace, I have chosentofocusonthebestknown ofthese, theAcademy many awards between themwould thatcouldbestudied—andcomparison befascinating— andtheslidingscalesofinventio andcreatio.There are originality challenges forunderstanding awardthe following offilmmusic informal focusonthejudging ceremonies creates further If make an original musical contribution. make anoriginal withincarefully organized architecture existingparts of the various that allows to TheArtist narrative relationships between music, sound, andimage. Itisprecisely inthere-arrangement its use in a complex and layered pastiche framework opens new ways of thinking about the belong insilentfilm.Themusical material, thoughcharming, isnotofitselforiginal, but music, oreven transition-erafilmmusic, but itfeelslike music thatcouldretrospectively cal history, includingHerrmann’s music. Itis, consequently, notthesameas1920ssilentfilm gest, would Thescore self-consciouslyreferstoand synthesizescinematicmusi befruitless. - tellsus something about the natureThe Artist of film’s with its own fascination discourse, In the1940sand1950s, we thatreflect seetwo theperceived parallelcategories dif- Table 3.1 titlesofAcademy outlinesthechanging Awards from categories music scoring It isimmediatelyapparent that mean thesameas ‘original’ doesnotnecessarily ‘original- To ofthefilm’s focuspurely onthecharacteristics musical styleratherthanitsuse, I sug- Screen MusicScreen andOriginality 2 Thetablereveals of theaccommodationofavariety Acclaim 43 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 was notoffered X axis = Years,Category. Shadingreflects years where theaward (Scoring) Y axis = Music category Table 3.1 Kirk Wise, 1991);Clements/John Musker, andAladdin (dir. Ron 1992).Perhaps outof Clements/John Musker, (dir.Mermaid Ron 1989) BeautyandtheBeast(dir. Trousdale/ Gary Score category, whichwas promptlywon byDisney AlanMenkenmusicals TheLittle forthe ineligible. won theOscar, even thoughitfeatured thesameLove Themethathadmadethe1972score nation. Astonishingly, two yearsCoppola, laterTheGodfather Part II(dir. FrancisFord 1974) 1958). TheMusicBranchwas re-balloted andTheGodfather was replaced by anothernomi- had previously beencomposed by (dir. RotaforthefilmFortunella Eduardo deFilippo, Score nominees.Itwas subsequentlyrevealedOriginal thatthemelodyofLove Theme scoreCoppola) was forTheGodfather (dir.announcedasoneofthefive FrancisFord official Chaplin,Johnny Green, Saul visors SidRamin, andIrwinKostal. In1972,NinoRota’s however, whowon thecomposerLeonard Bernstein theaward, but ratherthemusic super- Wise) ofaMusicalPicture wonRobbins/Robert Oscarin1961.Itwas theScoring not, Thismay havetially unoriginal. thatWest beenareaction tothefact Jerome (dir. SideStory “adaptation ortreatment,” whichwould presumably have includedwork thatwas substan- The Original Song Score category was SongScore category abandonedin1985,The Original leaving onlyasingleOriginal “substantially original” wasIn 1962, addedandwas contrastedwith category thebizarre

Etymolog y of Academy Awards (1934–1999). categorization ‘original’ music scoring Miguel Mera 44 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 posers shouldalso haveposers foundthemselves introublethepast. that extendexistingpractice. Ifself-borrowing is problematic, thenseveral otherfilmcom- madeclear attempts to developand composers detailed and deep collaborative relationships tion, andifopiniondidnotseemtoimpact negatively onnumerous caseswhere directors would beareasonable defenseifthere appeared tobeany ofconsistencyinapplica- degree music withinafilm, This regulations but andensure rathertoapplytheeligibility fairness. would, nodoubt, arguethatitisnottheirjobtomake value judgmentsonthequalityof guy inarockbandwithmoppy hairbeingthatgood” 2014).TheMusicBranch (Kermode that itreflected thethreat ofan ‘outsider’ totradition:“They justcouldn’t standtheideaofa of exemplary originality. of the score,attest to the importance which they have recent example considered a primary breathtakingly fresh andfilmmakers with numerous andprototypical.Interviews composers that themusic isnot ‘original,’ but theway itisadapted, updated, andusedwithinthe filmis in apowerful Inalegalisticallynarrowdefinition, embodiedexperience. itcannot be denied tion between landscapeandcharacter, anddrives theaudience’s engagementwiththefilm elsewhere (Mera2016)aboutthehapticityofthismusic, whichgeneratesauniqueconnec- Bodysong [dir. SimonPummell, 2003])but features extensive argued I have new material. “Convergence”scenes isbaseduponanexistingGreenwood track (composedforthefilm ing initsaudiovisual visceralquality. Furthermore, themusic foroneofthemostpowerful fromGreenwood’s material the reappropriated pieces, earlierconcert whichisastonish- straightforward. However, thisignores impactofthemusic, theextraordinary including there was more preexisting thannewly composedscore, whichmadethedecisionrelatively Will BeBlood, withoutmakingavaluepreexisiting judgment?InthecaseofThere material II-E) states: Smear (2004).Therelevant sectionfromtheAcademy Awards regulations (Rule15, Section wood’s own preexisting pieces, music fromhisconcert SuperhetReceiver (2005)and Popcorn Johannes Brahms,included selectionsfromworksJonny by and Arvo Green Pärt aswell- as rationale,posedly impartial unacknowledged value judgmentslurkfurtively intheshadows. rather thanqualityisusedtojustifyjudgmentsabouteligibility; andyet, behindthesup- range ofworks andapproaches. Recentlycontestedexamples, however, show how legality attempted todealwiththeevolution andapproachestomusic infilms. ofmaterials perceptions, socio-historical changing hasflowed throughnamingconventions, andhas won theseawards, but rathertoshow hasreflected how theconflictedideaoforiginality My pointhere isnottomake value judgmentsaboutmusic thathasbeennominatedforor Comedy ScoreGoldberg, forPocahontas(dir. Mike Gabriel/Eric 1995). Musicalor Original Musical, was thecategory bifurcated againin1995whenMenken won thenewly formed atMenken’sfrustration atthehandsof dominanceortheobliterationofunderscoring Reflecting onthescore’s disqualification, thedirector Paul suggested Thomas Anderson How whenascore would hasbeendilutedordiminishedinimpactby onedetermine There Will Be Blood,There for example, was because the score disqualified from the Oscars Score), Music(Original The category settleduponfrom1999onwards, includesabroad than onecomposershallnotbeeligible. in impactby thepredominant useofsongs, orassembledfromthemusic ofmore Scores diluted by theuseoftracked themesorotherpreexisting music, diminished Screen MusicScreen andOriginality 45 3 (2014: 20) Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 mer issometimesseenplaying inthenarrative world ofthefilm, soitisnoteasytotellfrom vintage kitsandrecordings madeonthestreets aswell asinstudios.Furthermore,- adrum a ‘cool’New York requested amessier, vibe. Iñárritu quality, dirtier resulting intheuseof improvised ofbird score wings, issometimesreminiscent ofthefluttering but alsogenerates kit.Thepartially subtle rangeofsoundsthat exploitthefulltimbralrangeofdrum Antonio Sánchez, whoplays in Pat thedrums Metheny’s band, employs anextraordinarily that hasbeenmadetolookasifitshotinonecontinuous, fluidtake. Thecomposer Be Blood: relation toany oftheotherdefiningregulations, aswas thecase, forexample, withThereWill tious recent decisions, becausethere wasofthescore in noambiguityabout theeligibility to justifythedisqualificationofscore forBirdman. Thisseemsoneofthemore conten- approach here. Carpenter’s movie horror TheThingin1982.WeJohn canfindnoconsistentorcoherent Eight (dir. QuentinTarantino) thatlargechunkswere, despitethefact infact, composedfor 1999). In2016, won theaward score forTheHateful EnnioMorricone forbestoriginal as well asGustavo Santaolalla’s own preexisting tracksfromTheInsider(dir. MichaelMann, Iñárritu, 2006) won the Oscar despiteits use of preexisting cues fromRyuichi Sakamoto sive from Vivaldi useofmaterial and Handel, andthescore forBabel(dir. Alejandro Fenton was nominatedforDangerousLiaisons(dir. StephenFrears, 1988)despitetheexten- of these same songs were nominated in the Original Songcategory.of thesesamesongswere nominatedin theOriginal Disneywhich isironicgivenmusicals, thatthefilmparodies andthatnolessthanthree (dir.Enchanted Kevin Lima, 2007)was excludedbecauseofitspredominant useofsongs, disqualified becausebothscores were deemedtoodependentonpreexisting material. Coen, 2010),Coen/Ethan hymnodyJoel which uses nineteenth-century as its basis, were fromTchaikovsky’slates material Burwell’s SwanCarter Lake, and score for True (dir. Grit Aronofsky,score SwanDarren (dir. forBlack 2010), whichskillfullyandcreatively assimi - Poppins (dir. Stevenson, Robert 1964), were also considered eligible. Yet,Clint Mansell’s which featured extensive Sherman’s fromRichard andRobert material songsfromMary which draws heavily onBeethoven, andSavingMr.John LeeHancock, Banks(dir. 2013), music inthefilm.TheKing’seighty minutes oforiginal (dir. Speech Tom Hooper, 2010), debated, anditwas decidedthatBource’s score wasbecauseelsewhere eligible there were was considered less ‘diluted.’“Scene d’Amour” in2011was TheuseofinArtist also Will BeBlood yet ilar balancebetween preexisting andespeciallycomposedmusic asThere of Greenwood’s score for The Master (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012), which had a sim- • Birdman score features thatgenerates paceandrhythmic asolodrum punctuationinafilm • • The notionofascore beingdiminishedinimpactbywas preexisting alsoused material Ironically, justafew years thenomination latertheAcademy MusicBranchpermitted

including public performance orexploitationthroughany mediawhatsoever.including publicperformance The work m The work m picture. The work m the motionpicture. whohavethe composer(s)and/orsongwriter(s) beenengagedtowork directly on ust betheresult ofacreative interactionbetween thefilmmaker(s) and ust berecorded toany otherusage, foruseinthemotionpicture prior ust be created specifically for the eligible feature-lengthust becreated motion specificallyfortheeligible Miguel Mera 46 (Academy Awards 2014: ofMerit 20) 4 However, George

Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 who hangsaroundwithmusicians? . . . adrummer. reminded of an old butunfortunately somehow joke: pertinent What do you callsomeone overinsiders outsiders, andcomposers’ intentionalityover auteurdirectors’ influence. I am more collaborative ofnarrative interaction, forms scaleandsizeover content andconcept, composition over more performative approaches, conventional over non-diegeticscoring oftraditional value regulation. judgmentimpersonating Theretobetacitprivileging appears the musical dichotomy. not to see the exclusion of the It is challenging time itismergedwithandeventually overtaken by Sánchez’s score, apotentresolution to his imageasawashed-up Hollywood movie star, we heartheRachmaninov again, but this that represent past.Inthefinalmomentsoffilm, anostalgic asRigganfinallycastsaside score freedom thatrepresents ofthedrum satory Riggan’s future andthepreexisting scores instanceofexemplary originality,fantastic inthecontrastbetween particularly theimprovi- musical identityofthefilm” (Feinberg 2014). tiveness score andthetracked ofthefilmandthatbothdrum score together create the “tracked classical music was also used as scoring,the to the effec- and equally contributes that they were thathadbeenfollowed applyingarule many timesbefore, andbelieved that more or less the same” (Feinberg 2014). The Music Branch upheld their decision, stating estly, eachofthosepiecescouldhave beenany otherpieceandthefilmwould have worked “clearly music in[Riggan’s]nov are I love head[. . .] thoseclassicalmusic piecesbut, hon- coming from thecontext of the film.” He also explained that pieces such as the Rachmani- are thescoreand stated:“Thedrums andany othermusic throughoutthewholefilmis outlinedhisdetailedcollaborative process withthecomposer sider theirdecision.Iñárritu Music, protestedatwhatthey perceived tobeaninjusticeandasked thecommitteetorecon - seventeen minutes ofpreexisting music. by relative amounts of music, because Sanchez’s minutes score compared lasts thirty drum to numerous pivotal moments inthefilm” (Feinberg 2014).Theargumenthere isnotdriven (mostly classical)music cuesthatare featured very prominentlyin “non-original of the 2014explaining thatthescore hadbeendisqualifiedbecause December Sánchez on11 himselfasBirdmanRiggan reimagines andfliesabove thecity. scene,one striking aloopedextractfromRachmaninov’s SecondSymphony is heard while score inorderand thedrum tohelpdefinethelayers inwhichthefilmrejoices. In offantasy hero. Indeed, theretobeadeliberate demarcation appears between thepreexisting music character, Riggan, whenheisconflictedabouthispastlifeasafictionalsuper- particularly within-the-film as ‘incidental’ music, but alsoseemtoissuefromthemindofcentral kovsky, Ravel, andRachmaninov. usedtoaccompany theplay- Thesecuesare primarily score. where thescore emanates.The vibrancyofthecreative processjumpsoutfromthe sounding fair becausethere andvaluing isgeneralincoherencefair whenitcomestojudging originality. screen music, aselaboratedintheAcademy particularly Awards, thisfocusisnotentirely within of ideas aboutmusicalAlthough thischapterhas provided originality acritique The problemisthatitprecisely thiscombinedidentitythatmakes thisfilmsucha December 17,On Iñárritu, Sánchez,Diego,Danielle and executive of Fox vice principal The chairoftheAcademy’s MusicBranchexecutive committee,Charles Fox, wroteto But thesoundtrackalsofeatures preexisiting music, includingworks by Mahler, Tchai- Screen MusicScreen andOriginality Conclusions 47 Birdman score as Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 music isvalued asscreen music or whether there is a secret with pictures. desire forconcerts innovation,fully understand creativity and, yes, originality, we must questionwhetherscreen ofthefilm,within thespecificcontextandparameters ithidesitsstatusasmusic. Inorder to approach,sound design.Inmany ways andoriginal but by thisisadaring choosingtowork withinthecontextofableaknarrative andrelates themusicmaterial beautifullytothe simple isnotthesameassimplistic. Thecomposerperfectlyshapesthedelicate andsparse Coen, 2007)couldever winamusic award, given itssubliminalandminimalcontent. Yet, Burwell’sCoen/Ethan Carter Joel how to imagine score forOldMen(dir. forNoCountry ments abouttherole, value, location, anduseofmusic inscreen media.For example, itishard andintenselyproblematic. kindsofimitationisdeeplyingrained the disrespect forcertain copyingtributed shouldbeignored, typesofcreativity but thecelebrationofcertain and andunat- notarguingthatplundering is valued certainly place. sohighlyinthefirst I am Itisalso reasonable toquestionwhy itself. originality withinmusical material originality relationship with soundandvisuals, notionofintrinsic afalse inadmiring there isarisk ofscreen music’smental definingcharacteristic effectiveness, whichisitsspecificsymbiotic always what is unique and specific about gameplay. cherishing By undervaluing the funda- poor relations of film composers, and they to emulate increasingly film music try without feeling likeacross different screenfrequently the media. Video-gamecomposers describe is oftenatoddswiththecollaborative alsorun nature offilm.Anxietiesaboutoriginality that problematizeideasoforiginality, showing thatafocusoncompositionalprowess orstyle mark onscreenthroughouthistory. composers I have examinedsomespecificcasestudies which have shiftedbetween polesofcreatioandinventio andhave severe leftaparticularly rootsthatcanbetracedbacktoRomanticnotionsofindividuality,this ideahashistoric paradox between acknowledgment ofthepastanddifferentiation fromit.I have shown how isfrequently impossibletodefinebecauseofaninherent heraldedbut virtually Originality 4. 3. 2. 1. Dyer, New York: R.(2007) Pastiche,Routledge. Chion, M.(1999)The Voice inCinema,New York:Columbia University Press. Burnard, P. (2012)MusicalCreativitiesinPractice,New York: Oxford University Press. Academy Awards ofMerit: RulesandEligibility. (2014)http://www.oscars.org/oscars/rules-eligibil-

Perhaps aclearer awareness steptowards oftheseissuesisthefirst makingbetterjudg- ity. Accessed3May 2015. Song). Picture before reverting to Music (Song), and then from 1975 to the present, Music (Original forthe simply calledMusic(Song)until1968.From1968–1972it was calledSong—Original been included, was althoughthiswould Thecategory make interesting comparison. afurther one film may appear in the Best Original Songcategory.one filmmay appear intheBestOriginal Incidentally, symphonic overture SursumCorda. There are many otherexamples. Keighley,Curtiz/William 1938), yet thatscore reuses substantialsectionsofthecomposer’s earlier For example For thepur hand-crank For example, itusesa1:33:1 aspectratioandwas shotattwenty-two framespersecond, apingthe poses ofthisdiscussion, theMusic(Song)category, since1934, whichhas run hasnot ed camerastyleofearlycameras. this also breaks another Academy stating that nomore than two rule songs from any , won Korngold theAcademy Award forTheAdventures of(dir.Robin Hood Michael References Miguel Mera Notes 48 Downloaded By: 10.3.98.104 At: 08:34 29 Sep 2021; For: 9781315681047, chapter3, 10.4324/9781315681047.ch3 Wrobel, W. Herrmann,” “Self-Borrowing intheMusicofBernard ofFilmMusic1: (2003) Journal Wierzbicki,J. New (2009)FilmMusic: York: , A History Routledge. Sawyer, K.(2007)GroupGenius:The Creative PowerofCollaborationCambridge, , MA: BasicBooks. Rosar, W. ofFilmMusic Journal Herrmann: TheBeethoven“Bernard of FilmMusic?” H.(2003) The Platte, N. (2014) “Before Novak,”Novak,Desk ofKim “From the K.(2012) Variety ,January, Monday 9 p. 9. FilmMusic,”Mera,“Materialising M.(2016)Cooke andF. inM. Ford (eds.), Compan- TheCambridge McFarland, Paradox,” T.“The Originality (1974) 5: NewLiterary History 447–476. Macfarlane, Copy: R. (2007) Original Literature in Nineteenth-Century , and Originality Plagiarism New Kermode, M.(2014)http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/28/paul-thomas-anderson- , Judgement Collier MacmillanPublishers. London:Kant, of I.(1974)Critique New York:Hugill, A.(2012)TheDigitalMusician,Routledge. Novak Slam overDirector Respondsto Kim Haznavicius, Vertigo“The Artist Music.” M. (2012) Gracyck, T. (2013)OnMusic( Franklin, P. (2011) Seeing through Music: inClassicHollywood Gender and Modernism FilmScores, New Feinberg,“The InsideStory: S. Why (2014)Birdman’s Score Isn’tDrum foranOscarandWhy Eligible 249–271. 1: 121–150. Music8:of theSocietyforAmerican 311–337. University Press,Cambridge Cambridge:ion toFilmMusic, pp. 157–172. York: Oxford University Press. intereview-inherent-vice-mark-kermode. Accessed3May 2015. Accessed 3May 2015. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/artist-kim-novak-michel-hazanavicius-279757. York: Oxford University Press. Accessed3May 2015.drum-760140. an AppealWas Rejected.” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/inside-story-why-birdmans- Kong WasCompeting MethodsinHollywood King: Underscore,” Journal

Thinking inAction), Screen MusicScreen andOriginality New York:Routledge. 49