The Dies Irae, or Day of Wrath is one of the most perfect bits of music when it comes to horror movies since it’s undeniable creepy and unbeknownst to a lot of us, it’s EVERYWHERE. This piece of music is planted in a lot of movies, some that aren’t even horror movies, and it’s because it has such a profound effect on us as human beings that it’s become something of a common occurrence in many projects that feature at least one or two very dark and very dangerous, possibly depressing moments in which a bit of music is needed that will convey the overall feeling of dread. It’s amazing isn’t it, the effect a simple sound can have on us when we hear it? Some might want to deny it, but certain types of music can actually affect our mood in a big way and other types will have a profound effect on our psychological well-being.
Think about it this way, when you’re in a theater and you watch a movie like Endgame what happens when you hear that triumphant, powerful music that signifies that the good guys are finally catching a break, that they’re coming together to form an even greater team than they had before? The moment when Captain America sees T’Challa and his people walk through the gateway, and then sees Sam flying by, the music continues to ramp up and up and up until you feel your chest swelling and your excitement building as you realize the good guys are finally coming together and are good and ready to kick some serious ass. That’s how music can affect us, it bolsters us, it hardens our nerve and it gives us that oomph that we need at times to feel confident, strong, and secure in the knowledge that things are going to be alright. But it can have the opposite effect as well since it can prey upon our weaknesses, our insecurities, and every fear we’ve ever known, and even those we had no knowledge of.
This is why terror-driven movies such as The Shining were so absolutely horrifying, well at least in part, because the music that was selected was meant to skate along our nerves like razor blades, opening us up wide so that the terror could see just where to settle in and take hold. Movies that have learned how to take advantage of this haven’t always been the best since it does take more than the Dies Irae to really scare the living daylights out of anyone, but that chilling music is still enough to get the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping as you try to tell yourself that it’s just a movie, it’s not real, it’s only fiction. And then the person next to you accidentally bumps your seat or inadvertently touches your elbow and you about lose your mind. Okay, so that’s a little dramatic, but it’s also quite possible.
Music has a way of touching people in very profound ways since our ears are trained to pick up variations in the music that sound right or sound off somehow, even if the tune seems to be in perfect balance. Some notes just don’t translate well to the human ear, especially when they’re paired with other notes that are still workable but somehow produce an emotional response that our minds simply can’t or don’t want to process like usual. It’s funny, but the type of music we listen to is such a conditional thing that some people will respond to various types of music in a positive way while others will find it abhorrent not just because they don’t like the sound, but because it strikes a very wrong chord in their mind that they can’t fully explain but know they don’t agree with or particularly like. It sounds a bit silly to say this at times, but music is a very conditional thing with many people and if a note strikes wrong to one person it might sound perfectly alright to the next. The Dies Irae is a sound that was at one time used for funerals, which gives it a rather odd sound to the human ear but one that is not inherently wrong. It’s simply a sound that some would say is not something we’re accustomed to and aren’t fully accepting of for one reason or another.
How we perceive music in movies and how it makes us feel goes a long way towards our attitude towards the movie and towards the sound whenever we hear it. Positive notes and bits of music tend to make us feel hopeful, joyous, even ebullient when it comes to what we’re watching, while music such as the Dies Irae and other sounds like it bring about a hint of dread that brings a chill to the spine.
Follow Us
