e109. Scores & Soundtracks

What makes a good soundtrack to a movie? What makes a good score? And actually, what is the difference between a score and a soundtrack anyway? The answer to that question may not be as clear as you think. Sometimes a great soundtrack is one that you find yourself singing for weeks after you see a film, bringing you back to every moment of the movie. Other times, the best soundtracks may be those that seamlessly fold into the film and you don’t notice them at all. On this week’s episode, Wayne, Mav and Hannah welcome returning guests Marcel Walker, Stephanie Siler and Maximilian to talk about how music works in movies and TV shows. How is it chosen? How does it set mood and tone? What makes it work and not work? What happens when the soundtrack is not right for the film? Join us as we break down the differences between diegetic and non-diegetic music and explain how films utilize them both to enhance the storytelling. Join us and let us know what you think. Citations and Links: * This episode’s Call for Comments* Karen Messina profile at Duke* “Hildur Gudnadottir is the first woman to win Oscar for best original score” by Sarah Whitten* “Top 10 Film Scores of All Time” by CineFix* “Top 10 Soundtracks of All Time” by CineFix* Movies Minus Music by Auralnauts* The Walk of Life Project* “9 Movie Clips Enhanced By ‘Yakety Sax’” by Adam D’Arpino * Thank you to Maximilian’s thoughtForm Music for our theme* Follow Max on Twitter: @thoughtForm3* Check Out Stephanie’s Educational Resource Project at: http://isptutor.org* Visit

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Vox Populorum is a blog and podcast devoted to pop culture criticism. We believe that the best way to understand culture is to discuss it. But we also believe that it's a lot more fun to have these conversations throwing back a couple beers at the bar rather than in a classroom. Please join our weekly round table of media critics, academics, creators, artists, professors, students and fans for an engaging discussion about movies, novels, comic books, television, video games, music or whatever else we happen to think of! Nec audiendi qui solent dicere, Vox populi, vox Dei, quum tumultuositas vulgi semper insaniae proxima sit.