The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future
This essay investigates the aesthetic and political functions of the choice and placement of music in Back to the Future (1985; dir. Robert Zemeckis). After an overview of the movie’s cultural contexts, the focus shifts to the interplays between sound and cinematic mise-en-scène, with a particular e...
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| Language: | English |
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European Association for American Studies
2017-12-01
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| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12409 |
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| author | Marc Priewe |
| author_facet | Marc Priewe |
| author_sort | Marc Priewe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This essay investigates the aesthetic and political functions of the choice and placement of music in Back to the Future (1985; dir. Robert Zemeckis). After an overview of the movie’s cultural contexts, the focus shifts to the interplays between sound and cinematic mise-en-scène, with a particular emphasis on popular music. I argue that the film employs music strategically in order to convey a nostalgic view of American culture and society in the 1950s by including certain songs and excluding others, as well as by a score that is deeply rooted in the traditions of Hollywood film music. The intermedial use and remediation of music not only amplifies the movie’s quasi-philosophical treatment of time and history in intricate ways, it also resonates with the contemporary sense of American exceptionalism. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ec623ac41a5b45f4b3b1d4b47249cd9b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-ec623ac41a5b45f4b3b1d4b47249cd9b2025-01-06T09:09:21ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362017-12-0112410.4000/ejas.12409The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the FutureMarc PrieweThis essay investigates the aesthetic and political functions of the choice and placement of music in Back to the Future (1985; dir. Robert Zemeckis). After an overview of the movie’s cultural contexts, the focus shifts to the interplays between sound and cinematic mise-en-scène, with a particular emphasis on popular music. I argue that the film employs music strategically in order to convey a nostalgic view of American culture and society in the 1950s by including certain songs and excluding others, as well as by a score that is deeply rooted in the traditions of Hollywood film music. The intermedial use and remediation of music not only amplifies the movie’s quasi-philosophical treatment of time and history in intricate ways, it also resonates with the contemporary sense of American exceptionalism.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12409intermedialityBack to the Futurefilm music1950s nostalgiacultural conservatism |
| spellingShingle | Marc Priewe The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future European Journal of American Studies intermediality Back to the Future film music 1950s nostalgia cultural conservatism |
| title | The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future |
| title_full | The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future |
| title_fullStr | The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future |
| title_short | The Power of Conformity: Music, Sound, and Vision in Back to the Future |
| title_sort | power of conformity music sound and vision in back to the future |
| topic | intermediality Back to the Future film music 1950s nostalgia cultural conservatism |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/12409 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marcpriewe thepowerofconformitymusicsoundandvisioninbacktothefuture AT marcpriewe powerofconformitymusicsoundandvisioninbacktothefuture |