Research on Music

As a research project, I decided to analyze the opening sequence of Cape Fear in order to see how music is used alongside visuals.

The film is introduced with sharp orchestral music, and a close-up of a moving river, which immediately captures the audience’s attention, making them acknowledge that the river holds a huge importance in the film. The pace of the music lowers, creating a more sinister atmosphere, which matches the ripples of the river. As the eagle’s reflection is shown in the river, the tempo increases, which builds up tension. As eagles are predators, they can be associated as signifying upcoming danger, which may have been used here to foreshadow the danger prevalent in the film. The music is matched perfectly with the visuals at this point, as it is the type of music played when a predator is hunting on its prey, which shows growing danger. The music becomes louder, and the tempo increases when the title appears on screen. This makes the audience feel fear that something is about to pop out at them, again capturing their attention. An eye is then shown, wide open. As the music becomes quieter, and steadier, this is followed by an open mouth, emphasizing fear. A face is then faintly shown, followed by ripples with the colour red added to the mice-en-scene to perhaps symbolize blood. The intense, consistent music is then disturbed by sharp, sinister music, slowly revealing a body, zooming in. the music becomes sharper as a drop is shown, turning the water red; possibly showing a drop of blood, or maybe a tear of pain. This creates an association with the river and murder, showing there is something dodgy about the river as all this is shown within the river.

A pair of eyes is shown as a close-up. The music fades out as the camera zooms out to reveal the character. She is shown talking to camera about the river as if she’s talking directly to the audience. As she says her final sentence: “real life would come crashing in”, pictures are shown on a prison wall, with the sharp, tense music beginning again. A man is shown working out in the prison cell from behind at first. The camera pans around the cell, and follows the man out of the cell, down the stairs, and to the gates, where it cuts to another gate opening. The prisoner is shown being released, with the music being sharper as he leaves his cell, then becoming softer as he makes his journey to the gate, which raises questions for audience as they are made to wonder why he was arrested. The man walks into the camera, making it seem as though he is approaching us, making it seem as though he is coming, especially as the music becoming sharper creates more suspense. Also, as he is shown as a prisoner, it is already assumed that he’s the villain in the film. His release creates a sinister atmosphere, as the tense music indicates to the audience that this was a bad idea.