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Film and music: artistic symbiosis Film &TV Editor, Alice Purves, talks to Durham about their industry favourites
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ndigo’s Film & TV and Music sections undertook a questionnaire of Durham students to find out their all time favourite films, TV shows, music artists and movie soundtracks. We wanted to think about the interplay between students’ top tracks and viewing selections. We saw a wide diversity of choices but felt that a common feature in film choice was the strength of the soundtracks that underpinned them.
Durham students’ top films include both critically acclaimed cinematic masterpieces and family favourites From musicals to biopics, music videos to soundtracks, the reciprocal and influential relationship between film and music is one that heightens both genres as adaptable and entertaining art forms. Each distinct form expands franchises and defines the tone for which each can be appreciated. The intersection between music, film and television
Durham’s favourite films: 1. Whiplash 2. Parasite 3. Lord of the Rings 4. The Shawshank Redemption 5. The Imitation Game
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Thursday, 9 February 2023
is vital. Soundtracks, scores and intros can characterise the success of the cinematic art, in the same way that music videos can expertly express motivations behind songs. It’s certainly difficult to hear the song ‘I’ll Be There for You’ without thinking of Rachel and Ross and the
The popularity of music biopics seems to have prevailed Music videos simultaneously entertain audiences and expose bands and singers for what they truly are: artists. The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry
Durham’s favourite musicbased films: 1. Singin’ in the rain 2. Amy 3. Supersonic 4. Bohemian Rhapsody 5. La La Land iconic 90s New York of Friends. In this way, the responses of Durham students laid out in this article are somewhat unsurprising. With Whiplash coming out as a resounding favourite film, and the scores created by Hans Zimmer and John Williams receiving the appreciation they deserve, it’s clear that the relationship between music and film is one beloved by all. The popularity of music biopics seems to have prevailed. Combining well-known icons of the music industry with the creative visions of incredible directors, this genre has cemented its position within both blockbuster productions and smaller indie projects. In the last few years, we have seen the unparalleled success of Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis, and we can see this biopic love from our student response, celebrating 2016’s Oasis biopic Supersonic and Val Kilmer’s 1991 depiction of the singer and poet Jim Morrison in The Doors.
Fields Forever’ 1967 video heightens the vision of psychedelic funk that defined the mood of the counterculture music of this period. In more contemporary times, The 1975’s ‘Love It If We Made It’ hails a powerful construction of a shocking reel of
Image credit Anna Kuptsova