Prometheus and Chopin
So yeah, this was pretty much Fassbender Weekend, because I watched A Dangerous Method on Friday and Prometheus on Sunday and planned on going home and watching X-Men: First Class for good measure, but I just couldn't, because there was something I couldn't stop thinking about!
Prelude, Opus 28, Number 15. Chopin's "Raindrop" Prelude. (Which is a really fun piece to play, by the way!)
The Prelude is featured towards the beginning of the movie and ties up the end credits, and I couldn't help but be amazed at its significance - it's such a perfect and fitting song for this alien/horror movie.
Say WHAT? Hold up, let me explain.
The Music:
Preludes usually serve as musical prefaces to other works, but this one can be interpreted as a standalone piece. The Prelude starts off with gentle pings of repeated A flats, which resemble raindrops. Though this part isn't included in the movie, about 1.5 minutes into the Prelude, the key shifts from D-flat to C-sharp minor (my favorite part), which sounds incredibly dark yet triumphant, before returning to back to the raindrops theme. Typical A-B-A format.
The Movie:
In the instance of a drought, with raindrops come nourishing water that quenches the parched land and bring forth the growth and revival of life. The Prelude first plays when David is preparing the ship for the beginning of its mission and is waking up the crew from a two year stasis. The Prelude signified "the beginning", while Raindrops signified "revival". Then you see the crew walk into the cavern and after walking past a bunch of rocks and dirt and stuff, you don't hear music or sound effects, except for drip, drip, as they spot life-sustaining water in the cave, foreshadowing the revelation of the existence of life. Again, raindrops = revival, but for the alien life form this time. This is the part where the Prelude would descend into the ominous C-sharp minor, but none of that is needed because you can see for yourself that it all rolls downhill from there. Spoilerish Stuff happens that I will not go into, but since you know that this is a precursor of sorts for the Alien movies, aliens prevail. Which is why the Raindrop Prelude is a perfect song for the movie, because it innocently and delicately chimes the beginning/revival of life (not necessarily human) at the end credits, corresponding to the musical prelude's A-B-A format. The purpose of the movie itself is like the existence of the Raindrop Prelude - it can either be seen as a prelude/prequel, or it can be a standalone work in itself.
My mind was blown when I heard the Prelude twice during the movie. Who knows, I could just be crazy and they probably thought it just sounded pretty. I'd rather have my theories so I can justify spending $10 on a sci-fi/horror movie.
Prelude, Opus 28, Number 15. Chopin's "Raindrop" Prelude. (Which is a really fun piece to play, by the way!)
The Prelude is featured towards the beginning of the movie and ties up the end credits, and I couldn't help but be amazed at its significance - it's such a perfect and fitting song for this alien/horror movie.
Say WHAT? Hold up, let me explain.
The Music:
Preludes usually serve as musical prefaces to other works, but this one can be interpreted as a standalone piece. The Prelude starts off with gentle pings of repeated A flats, which resemble raindrops. Though this part isn't included in the movie, about 1.5 minutes into the Prelude, the key shifts from D-flat to C-sharp minor (my favorite part), which sounds incredibly dark yet triumphant, before returning to back to the raindrops theme. Typical A-B-A format.
The Movie:
In the instance of a drought, with raindrops come nourishing water that quenches the parched land and bring forth the growth and revival of life. The Prelude first plays when David is preparing the ship for the beginning of its mission and is waking up the crew from a two year stasis. The Prelude signified "the beginning", while Raindrops signified "revival". Then you see the crew walk into the cavern and after walking past a bunch of rocks and dirt and stuff, you don't hear music or sound effects, except for drip, drip, as they spot life-sustaining water in the cave, foreshadowing the revelation of the existence of life. Again, raindrops = revival, but for the alien life form this time. This is the part where the Prelude would descend into the ominous C-sharp minor, but none of that is needed because you can see for yourself that it all rolls downhill from there. Spoilerish Stuff happens that I will not go into, but since you know that this is a precursor of sorts for the Alien movies, aliens prevail. Which is why the Raindrop Prelude is a perfect song for the movie, because it innocently and delicately chimes the beginning/revival of life (not necessarily human) at the end credits, corresponding to the musical prelude's A-B-A format. The purpose of the movie itself is like the existence of the Raindrop Prelude - it can either be seen as a prelude/prequel, or it can be a standalone work in itself.My mind was blown when I heard the Prelude twice during the movie. Who knows, I could just be crazy and they probably thought it just sounded pretty. I'd rather have my theories so I can justify spending $10 on a sci-fi/horror movie.
This is the only cool thing from this entire movie. Except like, the first 15 minutes in general. I really liked the beginning. Then they took their helmets off and it was all over.
ReplyDeleteYeeep, pretty much. I really loved the beginning - so wonderful! (I was referring to the landscape shots. Or David identifying with Lawrence of Arabia. Take your pick)
ReplyDeleteHuh! Too cool. You see/hear way more of a movie when you notice and interpret stuff like that. I had watched Alien and Aliens the two nights before I saw Prometheus, so maybe I was in some kind of alien stupor, but I kind of liked this movie!
ReplyDeleteI liked the movie too! (also because I was in an alien stupor) I drove myself nearly insane tripping over plot holes and David's motives, etc, but once you shut off that rational part of your mind, it wasn't too bad!
ReplyDelete