The Kite Runner

I had been wanting to watch The Kite Runner since it came out in theaters and I'm glad this class gave me the opportunity to do so! The music in The Kite Runner functioned to establish the setting of the movie as it was distinctly Middle-Eastern sounding. It did not have wall-to-wall underscoring and the music featured sounded exactly like one would expect it to sound (ie. reflected the mood).
During scenes of Amar and Hazan's early life in Afghanistan, a lively mix of traditional sounding Middle Eastern music is played. During the kite flying competition the music gets quicker and intensifies reflecting the growing anticipation and nerves of the characters as the competition narrows down to the final two kites. During the scenes in America, the music loses a little bit of its middle-eastern sound as violins take the place of more traditional instruments. The music takes on a sad note during scenes where Amar's father is ailing and in reflecting the desolation and ruin of the Afghanistan that Amar returns to. No longer are there children flying kites or people in the market place, but reminders of the Russian invasion and the rule of the Taliban. At one point when they are first entering Afghanistan, an electric guitar takes over, and while it didn't not fit in with mood, I though it was a little weird to include it.

Big Fish

Danny Elfman's score for Big Fish is unique in the variety of musical genres it contains that complement its main classic Hollywood fantasy movie theme.
The movie contains complete underscoring only during the fantasy scenes or when someone in "real life" starts to tell a story. The music enhances the imaginary world created by the stories and adds a feeling of whimsy to the scenes. The absence of music in the scenes of real life distinguishes the two realms and emphasizes the reality of the main character's current situation.
In addition to the main fantasy theme, the movie also contains a sampling of music from other genres. The typical circus and banjo themes make an appearance as well as some rock n roll during his parachute jump. These minor song insertions help to characterize the places that he describes in his tales.