Could you help me with this?

[Kevin 22]

Could you suggest a scene from a movie that doesn't have music in it, but might work with music? I know there's The Birds, but I don't think music would work for that particular scene at all because of what Hitchcock's vision was.

Some ideas that I`ve gotten so far:

-Boxing Scenes from Bull Durham

-No Country for Old Men (too recent for YouTube)

-Das Boot

-Jury room scenes from 12 Angry Men

-Speedbike chase from Return of the Jedi

-Laputa

[Datameister 2,044]

The T-rex attack in Jurassic Park. I think the scene plays brilliantly without any scoring, but if you want to write some action music, that's a nice, long scene with great pacing and a variety of emotions to convey.

[Faleel 5,359]

That would probably have a score similar to the kitchen scene

[Datameister 2,044]

On a very superficial level, maybe, but I would think the tone would be rather different. You're dealing with a single large animal, rather than two smaller ones...it's in the dark, rainy outdoors rather than the well-lit, dry indoors...it's early in the movie rather than late in the movie...the pacing and type of action is different...

I mean, obviously, it's going to be an action cue that sounds kinda scary and probably features the carnivores' motif at least a few times, but I think that'd probably be the extent of the similarity.

[Faleel 5,359]

well its not a very fast paced scene, its not a chase, so it would not be in the style of "T-Rex rescue"

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The thing is, films largely absent of music are that way for good reason. I don't want to imagine No Country For Old Men with a score, it's too perfect without one.

[Datameister 2,044]

Nope, it'd need to be rather different from a lot of the action music in this film, Faleel.

[Ollie 1,059]

The thing is, films largely absent of music are that way for good reason. I don't want to imagine No Country For Old Men with a score, it's too perfect without one.

True, but there are some films, that have scores, that might benefit from a better one. Or scenes that were un-scored that that might work better with music.

[Kevin 22]

The thing is, films largely absent of music are that way for good reason. I don't want to imagine No Country For Old Men with a score, it's too perfect without one.

True, but there are some films, that have scores, that might benefit from a better one. Or scenes that were un-scored that that might work better with music.

Do tell then!

[Bellosh 3,419]

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend music for the scene, the bar room shootout in Raiders, is I believe the only un-scored action scene in the Indiana Jones series.

[Kevin 22]

Maybe the Speedbike chase on the Ewok planet?

[Jay 37,372]

[nerd] Um, it's not a planet, its a moon! Gosh, get it right! [/nerd]

[Ollie 1,059]

The thing is, films largely absent of music are that way for good reason. I don't want to imagine No Country For Old Men with a score, it's too perfect without one.

True, but there are some films, that have scores, that might benefit from a better one. Or scenes that were un-scored that that might work better with music.

Do tell then!

One scene that popped into my mind was the farmhouse murder scene in Torn Curtain. Dry and dull without music, but add Herrmann's rejected score for that scene and it elevates it immediately.

Of course you could just toss Addison's score for the entire film and put in Herrmann's and it would immediately improve the film.

[filmmusic 1,838]

I strongly felt that the car chase scene towards the end in "What's Up doc?" would benefit much by the use of some music. It had nothing at all!!

i would put something like the 4th movement of Prokofiev's Symphony 5 or similar pieces by williams...

[Delorean90 42]

Actually, I think the scene from The Birds with Mitch and Melanie's conversation during the party and the subsequent bird attack could work well as an isolated scoring exercise. I do agree that the film works fantastically without the music, and Hitch was right on the money. However, for these purposes, it could be effective.

May I also suggest the chase sequence in the middle of The Dark Knight? You could do the whole thing, or you could do (a) chunk(s) of it.

[Datameister 2,044]

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend music for the scene, the bar room shootout in Raiders, is I believe the only un-scored action scene in the Indiana Jones series.

It'd even be a good chance to write music so that the previous cue can segue into it - "The Medallion" ends with a crescendo that could easily segue into an action cue. This is another scene that I think works brilliantly without any music, but like the T-rex attack in JP, it would still be a great exercise in action scoring.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I think the Birds would have been much better with music than without. I've never thought it was particulary scary or suspenseful. I think Hitchcocks instints failed him on that picture. It would have been a glorious opportunity for Herrmann to score.

[tharpdevenport 4]

"Signs"

When Graham is going up the stairs from the basement to check out situation. About two or more minutes until the climax of the film.

"Jaws"

Quint versus the shark.

The following films have no original score, and while songs and/or source music might be tracked in, there could be scenes without scoring:

"The Panic In Needle Park"

"Gomorra" (2008)

"Casino" (1995)

There were also a couple known films -- I can't recall their names, that have little to no scoring.

[Kevin 22]

Thank you everyone for all your help!

You are the most helpful group of people yet.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

A classic example is the fight in the freezing chamber from Empire. We have the discarded music to compare.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

There are a few World War I aerial dogfights in Darling Lili that feature no music.

[Faleel 5,359]

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend music for the scene, the bar room shootout in Raiders, is I believe the only un-scored action scene in the Indiana Jones series.

It'd even be a good chance to write music so that the previous cue can segue into it - "The Medallion" ends with a crescendo that could easily segue into an action cue. This is another scene that I think works brilliantly without any music, but like the T-rex attack in JP, it would still be a great exercise in action scoring.

Desert Chase was used for that scene in the trailer, so arrangement using portions of DC it could work for that scene

[Datameister 2,044]

But again, you're approaching it by asking which other cues would fit well in that scene. Certainly, there's merit to trying to write in a style that's consistent with the rest of the score, and even coming up with new statements of existing themes, but just rearranging bits of previously written material isn't the same as writing a whole new cue. I'm certain that if Williams had scored that scene, it would not have sounded like any of the three "Desert Chase" cues. One of Williams' great strengths, especially in these older scores, is his ability to tailor the music perfectly to the scene...not just in terms of timing, but in terms of emotional content. Despite all that they share, the different action cues in Raiders are not interchangeable.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I think I would've approached it as a 'missing link' between the Messiaen-like primitivism of the opening action cues, and the Prokofiev-inspired burlesque of the basket chase. Yet with my own voice as a composer. Working within the context of the score as a whole, yet not sounding like it a stupid John Williams pastiche.

Tough but not impossible.

[Datameister 2,044]

I think that "primitivism" is strongly rooted in the setting and tone of the opening sequence, and while that music is absolutely delightful - some of my favorite from the whole franchise, actually - I don't think there's any need for that sort of thing in this scene. I've got to disagree with the "Basket Chase" comparison, too. This scene always struck me as considerably less comical in tone, though I can't deny that the music in the other scene is probably influencing my opinion to some degree.

If Williams had scored that scene, I imagine the resulting cue would be closer to the more serious Nazi action music heard in later scenes. Tough, militant, and brass-heavy, with just a touch of quirkiness. Maybe some of that slightly non-Western flavor that Williams used in "To Tibet", with the parallel fourths and whatnot, but maybe not. It also would have been cool to hear him further develop the short-lived mini-theme for the Nazis that he introduced in "The Medallion", but who knows whether he actually would have done that.

[Faleel 5,359]

But again, you're approaching it by asking which other cues would fit well in that scene. Certainly, there's merit to trying to write in a style that's consistent with the rest of the score, and even coming up with new statements of existing themes, but just rearranging bits of previously written material isn't the same as writing a whole new cue. I'm certain that if Williams had scored that scene, it would not have sounded like any of the three "Desert Chase" cues. One of Williams' great strengths, especially in these older scores, is his ability to tailor the music perfectly to the scene...not just in terms of timing, but in terms of emotional content. Despite all that they share, the different action cues in Raiders are not interchangeable.

but Kevin never specified if he wanted to write music or add existing music in to those scenes so there I am not doing anything wrong suggesting those cues

[Bellosh 3,419]

There are a few World War I aerial dogfights in Darling Lili that feature no music.

Oh wow, this reminds me! There is another un-scored action sequence in the Indy films. The biplane scene from Last Crusade! Although, wasn't 'Keeping Up With the Joneses' supposed to be used during that sequence? It's definitely better without music, love the sound effects.

[tharpdevenport 4]

I just read an interview with Mark Snow the other day, from over a decade ago (linked in one of the FSM threads to another site with more interviews); he named an episode of "The X-Files" as having little to no scoring.

Considering the freshly released X-box, maybe something from that would be appropriate.

[ymenard 54]

Could you suggest a scene from a movie that doesn't have music in it

-No Country for Old Men (too recent for YouTube)

I don't get why everybody says there's no music in that movie???? There's over 15 minutes of it

[tharpdevenport 4]

By the way, "recent" has nothing to do with it. Any film that a studio claims the rights to, is banned. Some, like FOX, have people actively hunting down violations, and reporting them, on YT.

In fact they've done that with film scores, too.

MySpace does it. I remember a session musician telling me he had trouble putting up a cue to show his playing (beautiful work, too), but it was rejected; MySpace partenered with Gracenote and they had some kind of program that was detecting the music. I tried inverting the channels, reducing the quality, and something else, but still identified. Just another reason, as if anymore were needed -- aside from the terrible new design, slowing loading, and horrible layout -- to avoid such a site.

[Jay 37,372]

People still use myspace in 2011?

I don't think I've even logged in since 2008

[tharpdevenport 4]

I only registered and use it because some composers, producers, directors, other industry people, use to and have no official website -- easy way to contact them. Otherwise I would have avoided CrapSpace like the plague, as I do Twitter and Facebook.

In fact, if all three disappeared tomorrow, it wouldn't mean diddle squat to me.

[Jay 37,372]

facebook is extremely useful

[tharpdevenport 4]

For me to poop on!

[Faleel 5,359]

I tried inverting the channels, reducing the quality, and something else, but still identified. Just another reason, as if anymore were needed -- aside from the terrible new design, slowing loading, and horrible layout -- to avoid such a site.

the only way to pass it is to either speed it up 2 percent in audacity, or to dispute the copyright claim

[tharpdevenport 4]

Ah, I think with my spare time one of these months, I'm just going ot offer him up a quick & simple personal website.

But back on topic: I think the episode of "Cagney & Lacey", "Heat" (S4), is unscored. Possibly "Mothers & Sons" (S5), as well -- there was no composer credited on that one, and I didn't watch it to check for scoring.

[Datameister 2,044]

facebook is extremely useful

There are plenty of people who use it in silly ways, but that's their call. The site can indeed be very useful.

[JoBo70 0]

Could you suggest a scene from a movie that doesn't have music in it, but might work with music? I know there's The Birds, but I don't think music would work for that particular scene at all because of what Hitchcock's vision was.

Some ideas that I`ve gotten so far:

-Boxing Scenes from Bull Durham

-No Country for Old Men (too recent for YouTube)

-Das Boot

-Jury room scenes from 12 Angry Men

-Speedbike chase from Return of the Jedi

-Laputa

HI!!

Try "The French Connection" very little music...

JB

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

I think that "primitivism" is strongly rooted in the setting and tone of the opening sequence, and while that music is absolutely delightful - some of my favorite from the whole franchise, actually - I don't think there's any need for that sort of thing in this scene.

I meant in this context - the comic-book brutality of the fight, mixed with the ethnic setting. I'd guess if Williams wrote it, in hindsight it could sound like a precursor to the Asian-influenced action cues at the beginning of TEMPLE OF DOOM. i.e. Open fourths, pentatonic scales (Knowing Willias, maybe pentatonic clusters?), Tibetan gongs, cymbalom etc... Plus the standard Nazi military parade-style brass. But with the ethnic-style never being too authentic. As in the Golden Age it should be pseudo-Oriental, except here with irony.

Does that make sense?

[Datameister 2,044]

Perfect sense, yep, and I agree.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Could you suggest a scene from a movie that doesn't have music in it

-No Country for Old Men (too recent for YouTube)

I don't get why everybody says there's no music in that movie???? There's over 15 minutes of it

Aside from a 60 second suspense cue somewhere towards the middle, and the end credits, there is no score.

[Kevin 22]

People still use myspace in 2011?

I don't think I've even logged in since 2008

It's the ghetto of social networking websites.

[Kevin 22]

I strongly felt that the car chase scene towards the end in "What's Up doc?" would benefit much by the use of some music. It had nothing at all!!

i would put something like the 4th movement of Prokofiev's Symphony 5 or similar pieces by williams...

Or something like John Addison's Oscar winning score for Tom Jones. I was temp-tracking some of the chase to this clip and I thought it was hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG66bNAYYE