Best uses of contrapuntal music in film? - Social Sound Design

Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-24T19:17:36Z

First off, if you don't know what contrapuntal music in film is (correct me if I'm not explaining correctly): Music opposite to the emotion expected from the narrative. So for example, to put it plainly, fun music over a sad scene.

I just watched "9" and I loved the sound. Specifically, I loved one scene where they used contrapuntal music. The song was (somewhere) Over The Rainbow, which was [stop reading here if you haven't watched it] used diagetically when they where celebrating their victory and everything is hunky-dory but then they get attacked again but the beautiful music keeps playing over part of the attack. I thought it was a very well crafted scene.

Over The Rainbow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-um0pHTAg

[youtube]F0-um0pHTAg[/youtube]

Trailer for "9": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnoJecu9e7c

[youtube]OnoJecu9e7c[/youtube]

At film school, I went through a contrapuntal phase, but I haven't had the opportunity to use it since. So my question is:

Have you used this technique for your films (any thoughts on it)? And what are your favorite films that use it?

Answer by Haydn Payne for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-24T19:49:37Z

Great topic :)

My favourite film music is from Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds', when the school children are singing and you see crows slowly gathering on a climbng frame in the background.

The images you see make you feel pretty tense but the music is completely childlike & carefree. The childrens voices are source music (i.e. within the diegesis) which I think increases the tension because they are unaware of the danger.

Its a childrens roundelay song, and every time they reach the end of a verse and start the next one it sends shivers down my spine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVDT4bWPypk

[youtube]FVDT4bWPypk[/youtube]

Answer by Josh for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-24T20:21:11Z

Can't say I've ever used contrapuntal music myself, but I think the Ear scene from Reservoir Dogs is my all time favorite instance:

It just makes this scene so much more brutal.

[youtube]LLTqecGbdCc[/youtube]

Answer by ragamesound for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-24T21:41:18Z

My favorite use of contrapuntal music ever isn't in film, but in a fairly recent game, Fallout 3. If you've played the game, you know what I mean ;-) Here's the opening cinematic:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3166237/fallout_3_opening_cinematic/

That generation of optimistic, romantic music is a constant backdrop on the default radio station through the game. Very. Very. Eerie.

Answer by NoiseJockey for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-25T03:12:10Z

Half of the scenes in Terry Gilliam's Brazil.

Answer by Matthew Freed Audio for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-25T06:32:16Z

I used a version of "What a Wonderful World" sung by Sarah Brightman for a WWII movie trailer. The scenes were mostly gun shots, explosions, and general mayhem. So, the song was in stark contrast to the visuals.

I also just watched "9" and was very impressed with the sound design!

Answer by David for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-05-28T04:03:15Z

When I first saw the question I thought you meant "music that follows the rules of counterpoint" since that's what contrapuntal means in music theory. But to answer the question, the first time I noticed this effect was at the end of Dr. Strangelove. As nuclear bombs destroy the world, the sappy sentimental song "We'll Meet Again" plays in the background. It's quite ironic and effective. It's used similarly in the video game Fallout 3 (as mentioned already), where the radio plays cheery oldies that lie in stark contrast to the nuclear wasteland before the player.

I've also seen some mediocre films where it happened unintentionally, to comical effect.

Answer by Justin Huss for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2010-07-15T12:08:00Z

I can't say it's my best loved examples but at least the ones that come to mind.

The first one is the opening fight scene in Watchmen with Bob Dylan's song playing. Great scene I find :)

The second one may be slightly less impressive, probably because the video is made with a video game engine. I am thinking about the Gears of War trailer, made by Digital Domain, using the song Mad World.

[youtube]ccWrbGEFgI8[/youtube]

Answer by Mike for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2011-11-29T01:31:52Z

I love this scene. Oh and I agree, great topic… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzN3qO-qc8U

Answer by Rob D for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2011-11-29T04:48:38Z

First example to come to mind is the "Danny Boy" scene from Millers Crossing ... terribly effective, IMO...

Answer by nomadlife for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2011-11-29T08:00:49Z

The ear-scene in Reservoir Dogs was the first thing that came to my mind too.

The second ting that came to my mind was a movie (and a book) that's full of music that (kind of) juxtaposes the scene (at least if we're not to look at the scene from Alex' psychopathic view)...

...A Clockwork Orange, a movie full of contrapuntal/anempathic/juxtapositional/contrasting/what-ever-you-want-to-call-it music -- and here's just one selected scene:

[youtube]2kFBRX9kRIk#t=0m17s[/youtube]

Answer by sree for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2012-06-10T21:10:05Z

The example that comes to my mind is the scene from the bollywood movie Mera Naam Joker {my name is joker} where the prtagonist receives the news of his mother's death while the audience claps and cheers in the background.:)

Answer by Jake for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2012-06-13T07:37:01Z

In Full Metal Jacket .. the Surfin' Bird Song .. link text

Answer by Stephen Saldanha for Best uses of contrapuntal music in film?

2012-06-13T22:58:49Z

I really like this bit in Road To Perdition, the music is contrapuntal I guess but builds tension and at the end of shootout makes it kind of comical.

[youtube]nPWRoCkmaQU[/youtube]