Alexandre Desplat: 'I think great scores have to be noticed, but they're wrong when you hear the music come in.'

I think great scores have to be noticed, but they're wrong when you hear the music come in.

In his insightful statement, Alexandre Desplat highlights the paradoxical nature of great film scores. He suggests that while they should be noticed and appreciated, their true power lies in the seamless integration with the visual storytelling. This quote emphasizes the subtle artistry of a film composer, whose work should enhance and complement the on-screen narrative, rather than overpower or distract from it. Desplat's perspective challenges us to explore the nuanced relationship between music and film and raises intriguing philosophical questions about the nature of artistic collaboration.On the surface, Desplat's remark seems straightforward enough. It reminds us that film scores are not meant to be stand-alone pieces of music but rather serve a specific purpose within the broader context of the film. Their primary function is to enhance the emotions, underscore the drama, and immerse viewers in the cinematic experience. A great score should seamlessly blend with the story unfolding on-screen, becoming an integral part of the overall audio-visual tapestry.However, upon deeper reflection, Desplat's statement unravels a new layer of thought. It prompts us to consider the significance of imperceptibility in the arts, particularly in the case of film scores. Could it be that the most effective scores are those that elude our conscious detection, yet intrinsically affect our emotional response? This notion aligns with the philosophy of the sublime, an aesthetic concept that celebrates the presence of potent beauty that lies just beyond our grasp.The role of such invisible beauty in film can be equated to the "off-screen space" that remains unseen but influences the narrative nonetheless. Like the off-screen space, a great film score can heighten the tension, evoke emotions, or even foreshadow events, without overtly drawing attention to itself. It can thus be argued that the true mastery of a film composer lies in their ability to create a score that immerses us deeply in the story, making us forget the presence of any external musical elements.In this sense, Desplat's quote can be seen as an invitation to contemplate the power of subtlety and the fine balance required for artistic collaboration. It underscores the importance of restraint and the necessity for a symbiotic relationship between sound and vision in film. It also raises questions about the discernment of audiences and the appreciation of subtler artistic nuances often overshadowed by more overt, attention-seeking elements.Just as a skilled magician directs focus away from the hidden mechanisms, a masterful film composer guides the audience's attention away from the music itself to create a holistic experience. By doing so, the film score becomes an invisible conductor, guiding the emotions of the viewers in sync with the cinematic storytelling.In conclusion, Alexandre Desplat's quote sheds light on the intricate world of film scoring and the delicate balance required in creating truly great scores. It calls attention to the paradoxical nature of these scores, which, though they should be noticed in their impact, must remain subtle enough to integrate effortlessly into the filmic narrative. This quote opens up a thought-provoking dialogue about the role of imperceptibility in the arts and invites us to explore the limits of our perception and the hidden forces that shape our cinematic experiences. Ultimately, it encourages us to appreciate the masterful artistry of film composers and the transformative power of their invisible creations.