What do films like Jiro Dreams of Sushi, The Truman Show, The Thin Blue Line, and The Hours all have in common? Their soundtracks all share the sounds of Philip Glass. One of the great contemporary American composers, Glass tends to lean away from the “minimalist” camp, with a more multifaceted approach involving controlled repetition. To some degree, this is what all music is, but there’s something inherently unique and timeless apparent in Glass’ work.
Glass and other impressive guests are set to perform from September 9-11 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, an occasion that got us rounding up some of our favorite Glass compositions for film. At the end, you’ll have a chance to let us know if we missed anything; and if you’re feeling inspired and want to discover similar sounds for your video projects, be sure to browse through Shutterstock’s own music collection.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpTaACZxoc4
The Hours
When this film was initially brought to life, director Stephen Daldry only wanted to use Glass’ music as a placeholder for a composition that would better fit the mold. With no luck, he wound up actually hiring Glass to complete the composition. The first track in the score, “The Poet Acts,” carefully sets a delicate yet anxious tone for what’s to come with ascending arpeggios and carefully placed crescendos.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
This song was originally found on the above mentioned soundtrack for The Hours, but Jiro director David Gelb, a fan of Glass, thought that some of the commissioned works would also function well within the context of his documentary on the famous Japanese sushi chef. The repetition of Jiro’s own work — the “practice makes perfect” model — meshes beautifully with the slow-building cyclical nature of Glass’ compositions.
The Truman Show
While Glass didn’t compose all of this score, he was responsible for portions of it. The collaborative efforts of Glass and Burkhard Dallwitz helped bring this melancholic cinematic adventure to life with dramatic piano sequences, alternating between pleasant and manic. While the two musicians have distinctly different styles (despite instrumental similarities), Glass’ combination of original and recycled works featured here came to represent the realistic side of the film — aka, the big picture.
The Thin Blue Line
What makes this soundtrack unique is that it isn’t so much the music that makes the film, but the voices that carry this story along. The soundtrack exists as the background for the storytelling to come forward and shine. But if we considered this chilling documentary without any musical movement at all, the effect of the piece would be dramatically different — like watching a police show or breaking news about a serial killer on cable TV.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNi20KKB2FE
The Illusionist
Arguably one of Glass’ best-suited cinematic collaborations, both the score and film somehow blend into one in The Illusionist, so much so that it seems like the music is telling the same story being told onscreen. That may seem like a fairly obvious maneuver (shouldn’t movie scores always function in that manner?), but watching the film reveals that it’s easier said than done. Much like The Hours, with it’s complex characters and plot, The Illusionist summons a musical setting that is equally complex.
What are some of your favorite Philip Glass cinematic moments? Let us know in the comments!
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