Narrative Analysis of Film Music: Rota's Score to Under Ten Flags
Date
2019
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Abstract
This dissertation describes the current state of analysis of film music with the intent of finding connections between ideas on narrative analysis and film music. I posit an approach from Almén that overlays Micznik’s semiotic and discursive categories onto Liska’s three analytical levels and applies the analysis to cues of Nino Rota’s score for Under Ten Flags. The result is an analysis of a film score that considers the intrinsic degree of narrativity apart from a vococentric film perspective. Through this analysis I intend to demonstrate the narrative potential of a film score realized through a taking stock of its structural and semantic elements. The technique I am proposing could be used in other film projects to synthesize filmic diegesis with a score’s narrative trajectory. Understanding a film score’s intrinsic meaning can also be useful in developing an approach to film music appreciation that has not been addressed yet in publication.