Music in Film/Television: Integral Role of Music in La La Land

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Integral Role of Music in La La Land
Damien Chazelle's romantic musical movie La La Land was released in 2016. The narrative of Mia, a would-be actress, and Sebastian, a jazz pianist, who fall in love as they pursue their goals in Hollywood, is told in the film. This paper will analyze the use of music in three scenes from La La Land, discussing how the music adds meaning, significance, or expression to those scenes and the film. La La Land is a gorgeous movie that captures the enchantment of classic Hollywood musicals and gives them a contemporary twist. Music advances the storyline, develops characters, and creates an optimistic mood that attracts viewers into the drama.
The film’s opening piece, “Another Day of Sun,” occurs amid a Los Angeles traffic jam. The song’s bright, hopeful tune matches the movie’s mood and characters’ aspirations. Justin Hurwitz wrote the music, while Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the lyrics (Gabbard 93). The song opens with a catchy piano theme and is soon joined by a chorus. Still, I took the necessary action. The song’s lyrics are moving and are the foundation for the film’s romantic drama.
Because it establishes the mood for the entire movie, the music at this moment is essential. The joyful, vigorous pace and contagious melody infuse the rest of the film with enthusiasm and optimism. The choreography of the sequence, which features several dancers doing complex dance steps while perched on automobiles in the middle of traffic gridlock, is highly noteworthy (Gabbard 97). The dance and music provide a lively ambiance that draws the audience into the movie's universe.
The film La La Land deliberately creates tension between its utopian spirit and the postmodern sense of the ordinary world. The transitions between the musical numbers and the general narrative highlight this tension. The film is an "integrated musical," meaning the musical numbers and plot have a direct and reciprocal relationship. The lyrics of the musical numbers often contain explicit references to the plot, which helps to give expression and substance to the characters' dreams. For example, Sebastian's performance of "City of Stars" after sharing his aspirations with Mia is a pivotal moment in the film(Gabbard 94). The romantic settings and lyrics of the song temporarily transport him to a dream state, but he remains uncertain about the possibility of realizing his dreams. Overall, the film explores the idea of utopianism through its use of musical numbers and the characters' aspirations and struggles.
Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling, sings “City of Stars” in another La La Land sequence with catchy music. The slow, sorrowful ballad expresses the protagonists’ yearning for prosperity and love (Gabbard 94). Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the lyrics, while Justin Hurwitz created the music. Gosling’s passionate voice soon joins the song’s basic piano tune; because it conveys the characters’ feelings in a manner that words alone cannot, the music in this scenario is essential. The slow, melancholy melody’s desire and regret wonderfully capture the characters’ difficulties and...