Comparison Essay.
Write a five-page essay comparing and contrasting the scores of two different films by two different composers from two different eras. The focus of the essay is to examine how one composer is influenced by another, using the two scores as evidence. You must meet the following criteria:
- The films must both either be of a similar genre (e.g., two westerns, two horror films, etc.) or two versions of the same story (e.g., the Frankenstein story, a Three Musketeers story), or one can be a remake of the other (e.g., Planet of the Apes). Whichever films you choose must have release dates at least 20 years apart. They do not necessarily need to be films we have studied up to this point. Your choices must be approved by the instructor, which is this week’s assignment.
- Show some common threads between the styles and scoring approaches of the two composers. These may include orchestration, physical vs. psychological approach, ways similar problems are solved, etc. Examine the similarities and differences between the two composers, and speculate as to why this is the case. For example, did one composer study with the other? Perhaps different economic situations (e.g., 1930s Depression-era vs. 1990s boom) or different production environments (e.g., studio system vs. independent production) may have influenced their approaches or choices for the particular films you are examining
Include the following information:
- a short biographical sketch of each composer, listing their other notable scores
- a brief synopsis of the plot of each film, noting any parallels between them
- detailed analyses of both scores, outlining any notable similarities or differences, including:
- descriptions of the relationships between the music and drama
- thematic relationships and development used by the composers
You may include short 1-2 line excerpts (motifs, phrases, etc.) within the body of the text to illustrate your examples. - use of orchestration (ethnic or exotic instruments, large vs. small ensembles, nontraditional use of conventional orchestra, electronic instruments, etc.)
The bulk of the essay should be made up of your analysis of the two composers’ approach to each movie.
Your paper must be uploaded through the Turnitin filter on the final assignment page in order to check your work. You must cite all references (bibliography, footnotes, etc.), including any URLs. The following criteria will be used in grading this assignment:
- strong opening statement (outlining the purpose of the project) 5%
- composer biographies (should be concise) 10%
- composer filmography (include names and dates of at least 3 other significant scores) 10%
- structure / body of paper, including:
- balance between analysis of the two scores 20%
- support of points using musical examples 25%
- discussion of orchestration 10%
- quality of your writing, grammar and spelling 10%
- effective summary statement 5%
- bibliography (citing all sources) 5%
