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38

Are These Our Children? (1931)


Home > Film: Are These Our Children? > Theme: Underscoring (Dark) > Instance: 0:30:25




Instance
Theme name: Underscoring (Dark)
Start time: 0:30:25
End time: 0:30:43
Total duration: 0:00:18
Page #: 29
Measure #: 21
Scene: Transition #6
Key: unstable
Meter: 4/4
Tempo (bpm): 120
Instrumentation: orchestra
Description
On-screen: Eddie attacks boy
Description: Dark underscoring begins over a timpani roll as Eddie fights with someone; an oscillating two-note figure for lower-register instruments moves slowly into higher registers, where we later hear that is it is perfectly synchronized with the ticking of a clock on-screen; one stinger is perfectly timed with when Eddie hits the other man; parts of this cue were cut from the film due to the insertion of a quotation of "Moonbeams"
Music annotations: [m. 21] riten; [m. 24] ff / sfz; [m. 26] fffz; [m. 27] even tempo / p; [m. 32] clock tick; [m. 34] pppp
Analysis: Tense diminished seventh chords give way to an oscillating Db-C motif that suggests f minor
Tags

arguing | clock | dark | diminished 7th chord | double exposure | dream sequence | fighting | kissing | leading man | love interest | mickey-mousing | montage | ominous | pedal tone | stinger | ticking

Media