Sound technique · used in 4 films
Scoring the film with uneasy jazz, often improvised or driven by drums. Its late-night city feel and unstable harmonies rub against the images and track a mind coming apart.
Examples
Louis Malle · 1958
Miles Davis improvised the score in one session in Paris with musicians who had not seen the film. His lonely trumpet follows Florence and Julien through the night.
Where to see it: Florence's search: A muted trumpet plays as she wanders the city looking for Julien.
Roman Polanski · 1965
Chico Hamilton's jazz score gives the film an uneasy, late-night feel. One of its tracks is called Carol's Walk. The music follows her mood more than the plot.
Where to see it: The pavement crack: Carol walks home from work and is bothered by a crack in the pavement. She then struggles to speak with Colin.
Martin Scorsese · 1976
Bernard Herrmann's final score mixes saxophone solos with clashing orchestral sounds. It scores Travis's inner world like a jazz musician playing in an empty room. The music never resolves. It circles and repeats like Travis's thoughts. Herrmann died the night he finished it.
Where to see it: The night-driving sequences. The saxophone follows Travis's cab through the city, and it sounds like both a seduction and a warning.
Alejandro González Iñárritu · 2014
Antonio Sanchez's drum score runs through much of the film, as if a live drummer were playing just off screen. Its rhythm reflects Riggan's anxiety and the restless energy of the theater.
Where to see it: The backstage corridors. The camera tracks Riggan through them while Sanchez's drums keep pace with his nervous energy.
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