BFI | Sight & Sound | The Best Music in Film

The Best Music in Film

(Songs from the Second Floor)

S&S: What is your favourite film soundtrack music and why do you like it so much?: "My favourite film soundtrack is 'The Harry Lime Theme' in the movie The Third Man (1949) with Orson Welles. It is unique music and absolutely not predictable. It is of its own as the movie is. And that meeting, the movie and the music, creates a very special atmosphere: nice, beautiful but at the same time a little frightening and a little sad. This music was not planned, it was found. It existed already and maybe that is the reason behind its quality."
S&S: In what ways does music best enhance a film?: "From a general point of view film music should be contrapuntal. That´s how I see it. The music should not play with it should play against in order to get dialectics, which enhances the energy and tension in the movie. As always there are exceptions to the rule. A fantastic film soundtrack is that of Kubrick´s Barry Lyndon (1975). It is actually a very conventional application of film music, almost playing with instead of against, but it is made with such good taste!"
S&S: What is the most effective sequence of music in your own films?: "I am very happy with the end music in my last feature Songs From the Second Floor (2000). It is created by the former ABBA member Benny Andersson. I never get tired of it and that is a good sign of good film music."