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Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)


Home > Film: Arsenic and Old Lace > Theme: Jonathan > Instance: 0:23:14




Instance
Theme name: Jonathan
Start time: 0:23:14
End time: 0:23:45
Total duration: 0:00:31
Page #: 51
Measure #: 1
Scene: Reel 3 Part 1
Key: unstable
Meter: 4/4
Tempo (bpm): 76
Marking: Mysterioso
Instrumentation: woodwinds
Solo Instrument: contrabassoon
Description
On-screen: Mortimer reacts to the reveal
Description: After Mortimer discovers that his aunts have killed a man, we hear the sinister "Jonathan" theme again (with a two-note stinger followed by ominous contrabassoon)
Music annotations: [m. 1] Cue: X X X / mysterioso / mf; [m. 2] mf / pp; [m. 3] accell / stacc.; [m. 5] rall; [m. 6] pp / morendo
Film annotations: [m. 2] Turns head; [m. 3] He walks; [m. 6] Operator
Orchestration annotations: [m. 1] W.W. + piano soli; [m. 2] contra bassoon + piano (pedal) / b clar; [m. 5] violas + celli; [m. 6] str divisi + vibra (also celeste) / str and 2nd vibra / pp small gong
Analysis: After the contrabassoon theme, we hear high strings and celeste playing a shimmering sound (01469 stacked in fourths) that might represent the telephone line
Tags

calling | conversing | dialing | diminished 7th chord | groom | leading man | ominous | pc set | quartal chord | reveal | room | sinister | stinger | telephone effect | thinking | turning point

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