When I saw the movie 'Bourne Identity' I really didn't pay attention to the music. I was very into the movie and just followed the story. Then my stereo turned off. I couldn't here anything. After a few seconds I realised that there is something missing. It was the music and with that the tension. I don't want to say it but Bourne was getting boring. So i stoped the movie and watched 'A Quiet Place' to match the both movies. In 'A Quiet Place' the is almost no music to hear. Literally you can't hear anything.
My quetion is now... What is more important? To build tension with ore without music...
Have a nice day!
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I would have music to build up tense in the scene but that said silence can also be deafening too. I would use both and play with the audiences emotions. I'm working on a science fiction short at the moment and the score is been put together as we speak. I thought 'A Quiet Place' was a awesome movie and shows the perfect build of tension.
It is a masterpiece!
It's the perfect mix of sounds and silence
The soundtrack is great I’m having a similar score for my science fiction film ‘Abduction’
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I'm a composer so I obviously have an opinion on this question but it might not be what you think. Tension can be built in many different ways. Sometimes complete silence is the best way to build tension. Sometimes music can be a very effective way of building tension and then just at the critical moment, stopping the music. There are many different ways music can be used (or not used) to effectively build and maintain tension in a film. It really depends on the film itself. A good composer will work with the filmmaker/director and together they will work out what emotions they want the audience to feel from one scene to the next and how to best to use music to aid as a kind of additional character in creating that emotion along with the on-screen action. I just watched the latest Sicario movie and I found it very interesting how music was used in very tense moments. You're right about A Quiet Place, however, there is actually more music than you think. In that movie silence and music are used VERY effectively to create tension. So, I don't think this is a question with a right and wrong answer. It's a question to be explored on a film to film basis.
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I think Godard may have a different answer than most US based filmmakers.
The power of music in a film can't be understated.