Introduction

Plot and Characters

Role of Herrmann

Cold War

Isolation: Annie Hayworth

Debussy: The Kitchen Scene

The Final Assault on Melanie

Conclusion

Commutation Excercises & Extra

References

Contact Me

Lydia discovers the body of Dan Fawcett

• Scene as shown in The Birds
• Commutated with Thomas Newman's "And That Right Soon," from The Shawshank Redemption
• Commutated with Howard Shore's "Lecter Escapes," from The Silence of the Lambs
• Commutated with John Williams's "Dry Your Tears, Afrika," from Amistad

The Newman and Shore tracks work in the sense of generating shock upon the discovery. The Williams track works to convey anguish. One can interpret the shock aspect of Lydia's discovery of her Oedipal relationship with Mitch, or the Williams score as her sadness of the loss of a neighbor. Neither, however, convey isolation, which is why a symphonic score is not appropriate. Silence is best sound to show the film's isolation theme in this scene.

The Final Bird Attack on Melanie

• Scene as shown in The Birds
• Commutated with Ennio Morricone's "The Trio," from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
• Commutated with Propellerheads's "Spybreak," from The Matrix

Both tracks can be interpreted as the ultimate battle between Melanie and Lydia. The tracks seem to convey the sense that Melanie will not quit without a fight.

And just for fun...

• Melanie riding to Bodega Bay, commutated with Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City," from Sin City
• Melanie riding to Bodega Bay, commutated with Lovin Spoonful's "Summer in the City."

Link to The Birds on IMDb

Link to class presentation PowerPoint (notable changes, concepts, ideas from the material in PowerPoint have occurred since presentation)