Some of the general characteristics of the “classic” film score are using music extensively and full range of orchestral colors, borrowing of familiar melodies, supporting mood and action, and melody-dominated post romantic style.
“Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935), was the first film that was shot on location instead of in a studio water tank. The movie is made up of three different locations, and each of plot features distinct film scores. For example, solo violin was used to depict sternness and dutifulness of Bligh’s ship. On the other hand, drumming, dancing, and singing were used to depict love and warmth in Tahiti. Importantly, the movie established a standard feature of exotic adventure stories by combining musical scores and natural scenery. Another famous film in 1935 is “The Informer.” In this movie, distinctive theme was used for each character so that a blind person could recognize which character was on the scene. Max Steiner, the composer of this film, used music to depict action, and linked the sound and mood. One of the most interesting films to me in 1935 is “The Bride of Frankenstein.” It is a horror movie, but Franz Waxman, the composer of the film, composed not only a great score that matched with the hyperbole of the film, but also the music accommodates a great sense of parody.
The film score used in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) is absolutely delightful. The music was played in the movie continuously, and a lot of beautiful songs were also included. The scores were clearly distinct between human and the dwarfs. Simple tunes were used for the song for dwarfs such as “Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go.”
The film score also expresses character moods and emotion. By combining a scene and music, the movie expresses mood effectively. For example, when Snow White sings “I’m Widhing,” and looks down the wall, the