Music

Music is a major element in the understanding of Mendes’ Films. A Trademark of Sam Mendes is the music he picks to put into his films. Mendes uses music scores from Thomas Newman in a lot of his films. Newman’s scores are used throughout American Beauty, Jarhead and Revolutionary Road. Newman is an American film score composer. He is one of the most respected and recognised composers for film and has scored over fifty feature films in a career. A lot of Newman’s scores are very orchestral, slow piano pieces. Mendes uses these scores to set the mood of scenes, weither they are sad, high paced, or thought provoking moments. This is generally shown in dramatic scenes in American Beauty and Revolutionary Road.

For example, in this end scene of Revolutionary Road, Frank finds out officially of April's death. There is no dialogue at all. Gentle piano and orchestral music with no lyrics is played throughout the scene to convey the emotions of sadness and loss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Za7ggqS0Y

As a viewer the music was very effective as it fit the scenes sad tone and gives us another insight into the pain Frank is feeling.

Mendes also uses pieces that are completely different to Newman’s music .e.g. in Jarhead he uses Bob Sinclair’s, ‘Everybody Dance Now’ which is very up tempo and is known as ‘dance music’. Mendes uses this music to help convey Swofford’s happy emotion during a high paced, action scene with his fellow troops.

In Revolutionary Road, American Beauty and Jarhead, Mendes has used music that creates the film's atmosphere. You hear the music and subconsciously it affects how you feel about the film’s situation. It is also critical in setting the mood for every scene of the film. Mendes uses music to make you feel more depth of emotion in the film than it would without music.