Comparing The Shawshank Redemption, Finding Nemo, Cinderella Man

You may not have heard of Thomas Newman, or know what he does, or who he is, but it is probable that you have heard of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘American Beauty’, ‘The Green Mile’, ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘The Help’, ‘Cinderella Man’, ‘Revolutionary Road’, ‘Road to Perdition’, ‘Wall-E’ or the most recent Bond film ‘Skyfall’. Thomas Newman has composed music for each of these films. There are many narrative aspects of a films structure which need to be taken into consideration when assessing how important a film score is. This includes, characterisation, symbollism, themes, setting and point of view. So, ‘To what extent do Thomas Newman’s film scores affect the telling of narrative and enhance the viewing experience?’ “Even if
you don’t particularly like the music, you can understand its effectiveness in the movie” (Thomas Newman in Fred Karlin, 1994 “Listening to Movies: The film lovers guide to film music” p.86) Thomas Newman is a modern day Film score composer and is best known for his unique scores and extensive portfolio. He hails from Los Angeles and is the son of film composer, Alfred Newman. He is also the cousin of singer/songwriter Randy Newman and the younger brother of fellow composer David Newman. As the quotation suggests, Newman views music as an outlet used for developing narrative and evoking emotions whilst not overpowering the films plot. “Music is secondary. It’s there to help, It’s not there to be listened to.” (Thomas Newman in Mervyn Cooke, 2010 “The Hollywood Film Music Reader” p.246) Although Thomas Newman is considered to be one of the most prominent composers of all time, some argue that there are other narrative elements which need to be considered when evalutating the telling of narrative within a film.
Thomas Newman’s score for Sam Mendes’ 1999 film ‘American Beauty’ contrasts with his earlier work in ‘The Shawshank Redemption’.
This can be viewed as an unusual aspect within his composing career as both films share the dramatic genre, yet the music is distinctly different. It has been suggested, that the frequent use of vibraphones and guitars creates an uneasy and bizarre atmosphere, which is in result is relevant to the unique narrative behind the film and the issues confronted. The first track ‘Dead Already’ has a driving minimalist percussion, which is appropriate in terms of translating the narrative. The repetitive beat is representative of the main character, Lester Burnham’s monotonous life. However, the uniqueness of the beat combined with the guitar, foreshadows the series of unusual events, which follow, and as Lester Burnham says at the beginning of the film he is in fact ‘Dead Already’ and is looking in retrospective. The track is repeated in differing rhythmic phrases throughout the film. The title track ‘American Beauty’ is used when a character records a plastic bag that is caught in a whirlwind. The soft piano and strings, which is paired with narration, creates a moving scene and vastly enhances the viewing experience as it initiates the films major theme of real beauty. Whilst the track in itself is not powerful, some view it as “one of the most moving pieces of music I've ever heard, when accompanied with the images and narration” (Review by Dan
Goldwasser, 1999 www.soundtrack.net)

One of the most prominent tracks within the soundtrack is ‘Dead Already’ it is the opening track, which is accompanied by Lester’s Burnham’s narration. The music begins with a simple percussion piece; however it later begins to speed up, with more layers being added. The music’s simple start becomes increasingly more complex as it progresses, which may foreshadow the monotony of Lester’s life and represent how one action can spiral out of control. The peculiarity of the music also contrasts with Lester’s boring life and correlates with the humorous dialogue “Look at me, jerking off in the shower. This will be the highlight of my day.”
It enhances the viewing experience as the opening sequence and narration, in reality, is just Lester describing his day and how depressing it is. With the addition of Newman’s ‘Dead Already’ track, the audience can feel somewhat sympathetic to his character; yet notice the humorous aspects within the dialogue. The music slows and one of Newman’s signatures is prevalent. A slow, soft and simple piano melody is heard. The percussion recedes back to its simplicity when Lester talks about his daughter Jane. (Is this representative of their effortless relationship? Perhaps it is symbolic of the coldness, which lies between them? Or the lack of excitement and love?) The track ends on Lester’s last opening line “I have lost something. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but I know I didn’t always feel this – sedated. But you know what? It’s never too late to get it back” This then shows the audience the true intention of Newman’s music. The first tracks purpose it to hint that Lester has grown tired of his tedious life and is about to change it. In addition, this proves that music is an important factor in developing narrative and creating a variety of emotions.
Thomas Newman’s track ‘Mental Boy’ is the second track to play within the film.
The track plays after the audience sees a young boy stood outside of Lester’s house recording a family argument which has moved into the kitchen, whilst, his camera follows Lester’s daughter, Janie. The track begins slowly with a simple piano melody, which is accompanied by holding the strings (Newman’s signature sound) the track has an emotional and sombre sound. This particular track is one of the main themes within the film and displays a drastic difference from the upbeat ‘Dead Already’ track. The track ‘Mental Boy’ which the audience originally associated with Ricky’s character is now used for a long sequence/montage, which looks at each character and their actions. This melody is also heard when Lester begins to undress Angela whilst she lies in his bed. The sombre piano melody foreshadows a sad end and the realisation of real beauty, which Lester soon
discovers.
Angela asks Lester how he is after he asks her about his daughter, to which he replies, “I’m great.” The track then stops. The sombre track stops along with Lester’s newfound happiness and his realisation that beauty is not only exterior. The music is an important aspect within narrative as it helps to develop and accompany each character through their journey in the film. “For Lester’s fantasies regarding Angela, the music takes on a unique sound” (Laurence E. Macdonald, 2013, “The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History” p.376) For Jane and Ricky, Newman uses flowing melancholy melodies utilising the piano and strings. Alternating the music is an important yet subtle aspect in developing the narrative as it displays each characters nature and thought process through the use of music.
Nonetheless, some may view the films regular use of symbolism as a more important feature in developing narrative. The colour red is frequently seen throughout the film and is first seen when Lester's wife is cutting bright red roses. Carolyn cutting the roses is symbolic of her character trying to 'defy the suppressiveness of suburban life' (David Freeman, 2012 www.writersstore.com) It is also used for Lester, as whenever he sexually fantasises about Angela, roses appear. Roses connote lust and sex. A feature that Lester lacks in his boring suburban life. The colour of red is stunningly striking at the end of the film, when Ricky’s father murders Lester. The red is symbolic of sex, the assertion of one's individuality and the soul, for some characters these life forces lead them to freedom, for others, not. Roses are the most iconic symbol of the film and can be analysed further when looking into symbolism within ‘American Beauty’. "The rose is the perfect symbol of this movie" (Victor Bloom, 2014 www.victorbloom.com) Victor Bloom went on to say "The rose is beautiful, a pleasure to look at and symbolises passion, but there are hidden thorns which can cause pain and bleeding". This applies to both Angela and Carolyn. Carolyn maintains a flawless exterior and has obtained what is perceived as ‘the perfect life’, extending from the white picket fence to her matching garden set. However, she is depressed and yearns for