Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a 2014 American black comedy-drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film’s soundtrack was composed by Antonio Sánchez and mainly features drums. There is a specific reason for the extensive usage of drums in the Birdman soundtrack, which is explained below.
The extensive usage of drums in the Birdman soundtrack is due to the fact that the director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, wanted to create a sense of tension and urgency that matched the film’s frenzied and surreal tone. The film takes place almost entirely in a theater, and the drumming creates a sense of drama and excitement that mirrors the theatrical setting. The drumming also serves to emphasize the film’s themes of ego, ambition, and the struggle to be seen and heard in a crowded world.
The use of drums in the Birdman soundtrack is not without precedent. In fact, there is a long history of drumming in film music, dating back to the silent era. In the early days of cinema, drumming was often used to create a sense of suspense or to accompany action sequences. Over time, drumming became more sophisticated and was used to create a wide range of moods and emotions.
The use of drums in film music has been studied extensively by musicologists and film scholars. One scholar, James Wierzbicki, has written about the role of drums in film music and argues that they are often used to create a sense of primal energy or to evoke the rhythms of the human body. Other scholars have pointed out that drumming can be used to create a sense of tension or urgency, as well as to evoke a sense of cultural identity.
In the case of the Birdman soundtrack, the use of drums serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it creates a sense of tension and urgency that matches the film’s frenzied and surreal tone. Secondly, it emphasizes the film’s themes of ego, ambition, and the struggle to be seen and heard in a crowded world. Finally, it contributes to the overall theatricality of the film, creating a sense of drama and excitement that mirrors the setting in which the film takes place.
In conclusion, the extensive usage of drums in the Birdman soundtrack is due to the director’s desire to create a sense of tension and urgency that matches the film’s frenzied and surreal tone. The use of drums in film music has a long history and has been studied extensively by musicologists and film scholars. In the case of Birdman, the use of drums serves multiple purposes and contributes to the overall theatricality of the film.
