Keeping track of music in the movies

Keeping track of music in the movies

By Brillianto K. Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): "Music is the most important aspect in stirring
the emotion of viewers. It is often the case that a viewer can
understand the language of music better than the language of
picture," said Joel Schumacher, the director of Batman & Robin.

Schumacher's statement makes a lot of sense. Without music,
films would be dull and lifeless. A viewer watching an emotional
scene will be moved to tears because the music illustrates the
action aptly. In the same way, without music, action films would
not keep an audience in electrified suspense.

In the 1980s, with mass commercialization of music, songs were
inserted in films and became closely aligned with the movie.
Special film albums were released and sold like hotcakes. The
albums provided additional profit to the film distribution
itself, but more importantly they boosted film's marketability.

The impulse for film soundtracks came from the music
accompaniment of a 1926 silent film titled Don Juan.

In the 1930s, music -- both instrumental and vocal -- became
increasingly intrinsic to films, even though the commercial
soundtrack album phenomena was a long way off. Prizes were
awarded for film music. In 1939, The Wizard of Oz won an Academy
Award in the best song category with Over the Rainbow by Harold
Arlen and E.Y. Harbur.

A number of films have enjoyed outstanding success thanks to
their soundtracks, for example Endless Love. The Lionel Ritchie
and Diana Ross duet hovered at number one all over the world and
attracted thousands to the movie. Phill Collins' Take a Look at
Me Now propelled the 1984 film Against All Odds to major success.

In the 1990s, film soundtracks have become an independent
commodity generating millions of dollars. The soundtrack of
Pretty Woman (1990), included Swedish group Roxette's song It
Must Have Been Love. The single sold almost 5 million units,
while the film itself was a box office smash.

In 1991, the soundtrack for Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves
featured Bryan Adams' Everything I Do I Do It for You. There was
unprecedented market demand for the Adams song. The Lion King
also contained an immensely popular soundtrack; it featured
famous singers such as Elton John with Can You Feel the Love
Tonight, All-4-One with their I Swear and Lisa Loeb & Nine
Stories with their Stay (I Missed You).

The Batman Forever (1995) soundtrack was distinguished by two
singles: U2's Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me and Kiss from
a Rose by Seal. To date, the soundtrack has sold 2 million units.

Television series soundtracks also have proved profitable. The
soundtrack for U.S. sit-com. Friends sells well. The song I'll be
There for You by The Rembrandts has increased the profile of the
popular sit-com.

Before the Friends soundtrack, a niche market for such music
was growing. Musical arrangers for well known TV shows included
Billy Joe McCay (BJ and the Bear), Steve Austen (The Six Million
Dollar Man) and Dave Starsky and Ken Hutchingson (Starsky and
Hutch). At this stage, they were only music arrangers and had not
been given the lofty title of soundtrack composers.

How are soundtracks faring in Indonesia? It goes without
saying that the development of film soundtrack is not as advanced
as in Hollywood.

The majority of Indonesia soundtrack producers have not felt
the need to release musical packages for their cinema and TV
productions. When such music has been released, it has not been
marketed seriously. A preference in the business is to pay music
arrangers to compose theme songs. Purwacaraka, Harry Sabar, Dwiki
Dharmawan and Didi AGP are prominent musicians involved in TV
musical productions.

However, it would be wrong to discount the existence of a
soundtrack business here. The market has been developing since
the 1970s, when a number of film soundtrack albums were launched
such as Sakura Dalam Pelukan (Sakura in an Embrace), Gita Cinta
dari SMA (Love Song from Senior High School) and Badai Pasti
Berlalu (The Storm must be Over). The latter apparently still
sells to an appreciative public.

Rhoma Irama, the leader of Soneta Group specializes in dangdut
(popular music with a strong beat reminiscent of Hindu and Arabic
music). He has the record for singing on the most soundtrack
productions. In every film in which he stars, Rhoma will perform
a number of songs and these will be recorded as a soundtrack
album. Satria Bergitar (Hero with a Guitar) is just one of these
popular soundtracks.

A children's film Catatan si Boy (Boy's Notes), is a box
office smash and the soundtrack album has posted record sales
figures.

When TV films entered the boom period of the 1990s, a number
of soundtracks made their way onto the market. These included:
Janjiku (My Pledge), sung by Paramitha Rusady, Maafkan Daku Bila
Mencintaimu (Forgive Me for Falling in Love with You), written by
Chossy Pratama and sung by Dewi Yull, Harkat Wanita (Woman's
Dignity), composed by Dwiki Dharmawan and sung by Ita Purnamasari
and Deru Debu (Thundering Dust) by Dwiki Dharmawan.

Even film star Tio Pakusadewo and the Slang musical group have
joined the soundtrack album war with their Anak Menteng (The
Menteng Gang).

Soundtracks for Asmara (Love), a film featuring Tamara
Blezinsky and Dicky Wahyudi and Romi and Yuli, starring Anjasmara
and Dian Nitami, were also launched recently. Sales results have
not been disappointing.

Special mention should be made of the latest soundtrack for
the film Kuldesak (Cul-de-sac).

Suwardi Widjaya, the marketing manager of PT Aquarius
Musikindo, told the Bintang tabloid the soundtrack was launched
last month because of the few domestic soundtracks in
circulation.

"We don't nurture much hope that the Kuldesak album will be a
hit," he said.

The distributor's lack of confidence for the soundtrack
selling potential, will unquestionably affect the production's
marketing.

Even discounting Aquarius' gloomy prediction, the soundtrack's
release date did not augur well. A good soundtrack must be
released in conjunction with the film it is drawn from. The
symbiotic relationship between the movies and music in Hollywood
can teach the local market how to boost profits for all artists.