we have to choose one of the below
1. Choose to write your essay on either Vertigo OR Citzen Kane.
2. Answer all the prompts below for that movie.
3. Other essay requirements:
- IN YOUR OWN WORDS. I want and expect student writing. Sharing essays with others constitutes cheating and will result in a zero for both parties. I will FAIL cut and paste jobs.
- 1-2 pages in length
- 12-pt Times New Roman; double spaced
- Spelling, capitalization and word usage should be accurate to receive full credit.
- You MUST include a Works Cited page and cite ALL sources in MLA format. You must use in-text citations. Please ask the Tutoring Center (Links to an external site.) if you need help! Use in-line citations or footnotes or it will be assumed that you copy and pasted and you will receive a ZERO.
Go here (Links to an external site.) for instructions on how to do in-line citations.
4. Upload PDF, DOC, or DOCX file formats ONLY! (No Pages. You will receive a zero if I cannot read your essay.) Do not put your essay in the comments box.
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VERTIGO
1. Do the reading for this unit on the music of Herrmann in Vertigo. Click here to go to the reading.
ANSWER:
- Using your textbook, define “ostinato”.
- How does Herrmann use ostinato – what effect does this compositional technique create in the viewer? Cite your sources.
ANSWER:
- Who was the director of Citizen Kane? Provide a brief bio in your own words and cite your sources.
- Who was the music composer for Citizen Kane? Provide a brief bio in your own words and cite your sources.
2. Find the clip “Kim Novak in Vertigo (1958)”
- IMPORTANT! Watch this clip TWICE. First with NO SOUND, second time WITH SOUND.
- ANSWER: After watching the clip without – then WITH sound – what information does the music give you about the characters that you would not know otherwise (there is no dialogue in this scene).
3. Find the clip “Vertigo (10/11) Movie CLIP – Judy Becomes Madeleine (1958)” on the Viewing and Listening page in the Unit: Movie Music 1
- Watch the entire clip.
- ANSWER: How does Herrmann’s music work in this scene? At what point in the action does the music reach its high point? How is this reflected in the visual (the lighting effects in particular?) Cite your sources.
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Viewing & Listening: Movie Music 1 (Vertigo)
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Vertigo — OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE (Links to an external site.) Composer: Bernard Herrmann Film Director: Alfred Hitchcock Familiarize yourself with the music of Herrmann in Vertigo. How does Herrmann use ostinato – what effect does this compositional technique create in the viewer? |
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READ FIRST!!!!! You must do this in order to answer an essay question. Watch the following clip TWICE! Watch first with NO SOUND. Watch the second time WITH SOUND! What information does the music give you about the characters that you would not know otherwise (there is no dialogue in this scene). |
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Tristan und Isolde – Prelude (Links to an external site.) Composer: Richard Wagner Listen again to the Prelude to Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde before watching the “Judy become Madeline” scene from Vertigo. When you watch that scene – listen for the similarities in orchestration, style and harmonic language between Wagner’s and Herrmann’s music. |
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Vertigo (10/11) Movie CLIP – Judy Becomes Madeleine (1958) (Links to an external site.) Composer: Bernard Herrmann Film Director: Alfred Hitchcock How does Herrmann’s music work in this scene? At what point in the action does the music reach its climax? How is this reflected in the visual (the lighting effects in particular?) |
Reading: Movie Music 1 (Vertigo)
The Enjoyment of Music
Film Scores
Chapter 55
TO 5-8 (at the back of the book)
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Bernard Herrmann, Movie Music Composer (Links to an external site.)
Click on the link above to learn about Wagner’s influence on the great film composer Bernard Herrmann who wrote music for some of Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous films (Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, etc).
