Score: A Film Music Documentary is not the kind of documentary that blows your mind because you were introduced to an unknown world and learned so much. It is part history lesson and part fangirling about a handful of famous composers. When I was younger, I regularly bought movie soundtracks so I would like to think that I’m more familiar with this world than most people. While I was excited to recognize a handful of the composers interviewed, a majority of the film’s talking heads are not as renown.
Score: A Film Music Documentary may have made more of an impression if most of the people discussing the importance of music in movies objectively made music that was important in movies. I know that everyone interviewed is more talented and knows more than me about film scores, but when you realize which movies they worked on, you may not know the movies, or you may be quite familiar with the movies, but thought the music was forgettable. Maybe in twenty years, viewers will have more hindsight perspective, discover that the documentary was actually prophetic and marvel that the documentary was able to corral so much talent, but it is unlikely. I understand that you can do amazing work, but unfortunately your work is featured in a crap movie so you will never get credit. I write movie reviews that no one reads or will remember tomorrow if they do. Should I be interviewed for a documentary discussing the importance of film critics? Sure, because I need the publicity, and I have a lot to say, but will it help your movie? Your viewers are going to think, “Who the hell is that?” unless the filmmaker is so well known that the film is enough of a draw itself.
Score: A Film Music Documentary is definitely educational as it delineates the changing role of the soundtrack to the movie, how the artists began to fashion scores that reflected the musical sensibilities of the time, and the logistics behind the process. If you want to hear people gushing about John Williams, Danny Elfman, Thomas Newman or James Horner, then you should definitely see this documentary. The most famous composers featured in this film are Hans Zimmer and Bear McCreary, whom I love and needed more screen time.
If I had any takeaways from Score: A Film Music Documentary, it is the following. During a movie, your eye generally chooses a spot and does not move, but the music can make you move it. As a film composer is working on the film, the movie posters start popping up around your neighborhood, and it causes quite a bit of anxiety. Composers are not thrilled when their music is treated like a temp score and used in a different context than the one that he or she originally intended.
I watched Score: A Film Music Documentary with my mom who has zero knowledge or interest in the subject matter, but decided to give it a whirl because it sounded vaguely interesting. It made zero impression on her so if you think that you would like to learn more, but are going in without expectations, you are probably wasting your time. To enjoy this documentary, I think that you need to be into film scores and even then, I only enjoyed sections and weeks later, the experience has mostly evaporated.
Side note: if you cue the soundtrack to Unbreakable in a different, unexpected context, I will lose my mind & start shouting with joy so Score: A Film Music Documentary had the potential to leave me similarly hyped, and it did not.