In The Bedroom: Discuss The Interplay Between The Opening Scene

IN THE BEDROOM (Todd Field; 2001)



5 questions / total 1,250 words



Film Response due by Tuesday, February 5th at 7pm via email



Commentary



Thomas Newman has made a career of composing scores for both film and television that



always stand out for their uniqueness, almost quirky but mournful use of non-traditional sounds



and instruments. Previous notable film scores include AMERICAN BEAUTY and THE



SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, to say nothing of his iconic main theme for the television series



SIX FEET UNDER.



For Todd Field's feature film debut about ordinary people in an ordinary town whose lives



intersect with immediate danger, Newman has composed music that is often slow and



lackadaisical like many of the scenes and images it scores, but eventually turns sad and



haunting, almost aggressive.



Newman has employed choral music (which was called for both in the short story on which the



film is based by Andre Dubus III, as well as in Todd Field and Rod Festinger's screenplay



adaptation) to powerful, diagetic use to say nothing of the memorable usage of piano, strings,



bells and chimes throughout.



Place also plays a key role as the story unfolds in a small coastal American town. Class is



another theme explored in the film as it subtly contents with the the upper-middle class lives of



the Fowler family, compared to the working-class lives of Natalie and her ex-husband. Even



though everyone lives in a small, casual American town, there is a tension between the classes



that is illustrated quietly between the characters and also with the music.



Ultimately, IN THE BEDROOM's musical energy - building, worrisome, mournful and sometimes



almost metalic in quality - contribute an invaluable dimension to individual scenes as well as the



totality of the film.



Questions for IN THE BEDROOM



1-Discuss the interplay between the opening scene of the film and the segway into the opening



credits. Why are these scenes built this way? What does the music contribute here? How do the



tracks "Houses" and "The Cannery" connect with each other?



2-Ruth Fowler is, notably, a choral director. Discuss the use of choral music in the film and how



it advances the story and gives us insights into the character of Ruth.



3-Newman's track "Baseball" is used frequently in many other feature films and documentaries.



Discuss the use of the track here in the film. What does this scene (and its music) contribute to



the overall tone of the film? 4-Newman adapts his track "The Cannery" and turns it into "In the Bedroom" as the film closes.



How has Newman changed the original track? Why has he done this? What do these changes



contribute to the films final scenes?



5-For a film with so many interesting musical sounds, IN THE BEDROOM is distinguished for its



long silences and overall quietness. How does Todd Field achieve to make the film notably



silent and then notably unsilent?



1-When preparing any of your written assignments:



a) Please use the third person, as opposed to the first person. This will reinforce your efforts to



offer more nuanced discussion and support the arguments that you are bringing forward.



b) When referring to titles, please use CAPS for the title of the film, and italics for any names of



songs or bands.



c) All papers are expected to use a proper bibliography. While there is no minimum of sources



to be used on any written assignment, when there are sources they must properly be credited.