Something about the soothing but powerful tones of Beethoven seem to go along well with many different films that have something to do with madness, imbalance, and desire to create or discover serenity in a very roundabout and even destructive manner. It is in essence a retelling of the human experience in all its glorious and sordid detail from start to finish. Beethoven is thought to be a master of his craft by many, and those many are not wrong. Whether it was by accident or intention he found a means by which to display what it is to be human and all that goes with it in his music.
One movement after another, the mystery of humanity is revealed only to be hidden away once again.
5. A Cure For Wellness – Symphony No. 6
This movie is flat out nuts in many ways, but it is also a cerebral piece that is quite brilliant if you really look at it. The ultimate reveal of the main antagonist could have been much better, and the delivery of the film could have used some work, but the music within actually creates a fairly nice counterpoint to the experience. It seems that artists such as Beethoven are quite popular when being selected for films such as this in which the actors find their characters in an altered state of consciousness.
4. A Clockwork Orange – Symphony No. 9
And thus we come into the stage of madness that Beethoven seems to so eloquently fit with his more whimsical notes. The film speaks of madness and anarchy, and the works of Beethoven seem to heighten the experience in such a way that one cannot help but feel the sanity slipping inevitably towards the tipping point where it becomes impossible to distinguish between what is real and what is not.
3. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation – Symphony No. 3
Used more for transitional periods in which the main characters are at rest or otherwise engaged in something that captures their fancy or their attention, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 is the type of music that you find buried within such a film. You might not even know it’s there if you don’t listen. Such films tend to go after such things as the classic music to the famed TV show and more current, hard-hitting music that conveys the desired emotion of the movie.
2. Bad Words – Symphony No. 1
This is to denote betrayal more than anything in this film as Beethoven is used to highlight the very real sense of hurt and anger that is felt between Bateman and his younger competitor. The real twist of this story is that Bateman is willing to tear himself and everyone else around him apart to obtain his goal, which is not to win, but to make certain that the man responsible for the contest loses.
1. Elysium – Piano Concerto No. 8
&t=24s
The only enriching use of Beethoven’s music in this film has to do with the idea that Elysium is perfect, it is the place for those that can afford the life and are considered to be above the petty concerns of the earthbound citizens. The film is also a stark portrayal of how many already feel in this society when thinking of their supposed place in civilization.
Beethoven lends a great deal of feeling to movies, but his music has also been used to deep the human experience to such an extent that it becomes a thrill ride from one extreme to the next.
Follow Us
