MUS 172 MUSIC AT THE MOVIES

This cross-disciplinary course explores the development of Hollywood film music from the silent era to the present. Film sound plays a critical role in shaping viewer perceptions, and this course combines methodologies from film musicology and film studies to analyze and interpret these contributions. The course investigates how evolving sound technologies and editing techniques created new opportunities for composers and sound designers alike. Case studies include The Jazz Singer (1927), King Kong (1933), Laura (1944), High Noon (1952), The Graduate (1967), Star Wars (1977), Batman Returns (1992), and Gravity (2013). The ability to read music is optional. Required screening sessions.