Soundtracks are an imperative part to story telling in films. Like light, shadow, color, and any other visual aspect of film, film music fills the same role of mood prescribing. This can be attributed to the five senses and the fact that film only has access to two of them. Thus it is a necessity that the director utilize every tool at his command.

Take, for example, in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011, American re-make) directed by David Fincher and compare it to the original from Denmark (2009)’s final climax scenes inside the murders torture chamber. The music chosen in David Fincher’s being Enya’s ‘Orinoco Flow’ is a stark contrast to the tension created by the visuals. This song is in movie (in movie meaning the characters can hear the song, unlike a background songs [any song in the film Gladiator]). This song was purposely chosen by the killer to exacerbate his image as a psychopath, in that he finds a kind of mellowing by torture.

Film music isn’t just a great mix tape (although Quentin Tarantino might disagree with that statement). But it is also a tool to engage the viewer in an experience, evoke emotion, and transition through time periods.

Taking a glance at the Unites States and it’s music culture it would seem that the popularity of classical music hasn’t just been on decline, but it never really had a pulse. Unlike in many European countries where an evening spent at the philharmonic is still appreciated, classical music in America on the surface appears to be a long lost unappreciated style of music.

But a closer look finds some amazing classical pieces being written and performed in the States but they are disguised and packaged up neatly as film scores and movie soundtracks. Film music has been the leading advancement of classical music in America since the creation of cinema. While mainstream sounds may be included in a few movies and scenes, mainly in teen films, blockbuster award winning films are filled with dynamic classical scores.

Film music becomes iconic and is remembered from generation to generation. The most famous movies are backed by an equally famous soundtrack. While many people may not know the composer or instrumentalist, many box office winners can be named just by humming the theme. Some great examples of the transcending power of classical film music are:

John Williams: A great American composer who has written and conducted the recognizable film scores from Star Wars, Superman, Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones.

Hans Zimmer: A German born composer who has won several Golden Globe awards for his artistry in Gladiator, Inception, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight movies.

James Horner: Another American composer who composed the now iconic theme song in Titanic, as well as composed and conducted the soundtrack of Braveheart.

The power of classical music is alive and well in the States, not just backing some of the greatest films of all time, but rather making them the greatest films of all time.