Music usually makes people happy or moved. But some people’s lives are shaped or made by music. In other words, music decides their life. Is music that much worthful? Let’s think about it!
01. Chanson is my fate.
-LA VIE EN ROSE (2007)
Based on a true life story, La Vie En Rose begins with Edith Piaf’s unfortunate childhood. Edith Piaf’s mother left her and she lost her sight from the ages of three to seven. Raised in such unfortunate surroundings, she had a rare opportunity to become famous through her singing, but a man who helped her was murdered by mobsters with previous ties to her. That event led her to a miserable life again, but soon she became a big star through someone’s help, and she fell in love with the married boxer Marcel Cerdan. Although her fame continued to grow, her happiness did not because the only man whom she loved had died. After that happened she grew to depend on drugs and music.
- The True Story of Edith Piaf
This movie is based on Edith Piaf’s real life. Edith Piaf was the national chanson singer in France. Though she is famous all over the world, her life was not happy. This movie will show you the story of her life behind the stage.
- Another Edith Piaf, Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard, a rising French star, acted as Edith Piaf in this movie. Her acting was praised by many critics and she won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for this movie.
02. Music Falls into Films
-SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)
How much do you know about rock? Perhaps there are some Sookmyungians who doesn’t know about rock entirely or others who would go crazy for rock. This is a movie that introduces what rock is to newcomers and shows how valuable rock is to rock maniacs. Dewey had been kicked out of his band because he was fat. What is worse, he was in dept with his room rent, so he entered a prestigious elementary school with a false statement. Because his purpose was only to make money, he skipped his class doing nothing. But one day, he discovered his students’ talent form a music class, and he made a plan to enter them into a rock band competition
Dewey says that the spirit of rock is rage. When he teaches rock to his students, he lets them express their rage; for example, he lets the kids to be angry or lets them curse. In that case, you could ask if teaching rage rock is justified because you may think that rock is very corrupting music. However, the children in this movie are not totally tenderhearted kids like those in other movies. They also have discontents. They don’t want to do chores and they feel strong disgust when someone bullies them. Therefore, to the children, rock is not rage itself but a method of expressing their rage. Moreover, through expressing rock, students find out their worth. An overweight girl fascinates people with her superb voice and the outsider in the class becomes popular through his piano performance. From this view point, rock music as taught by Dewey is a way to help students find themselves.
- Focus On Children
The children in Dewey’s class each have their own position; there are not only performers but also costumers, lighting designers, brand name managers, a security guard, and even a manager. When the children work on their duties, we discover their professional passion.
- Rock Music Which Children Perform
Every member in this band performs their instrument live. In fact, these members are the winners of an audition for which record-breaking thousands entered. Besides, they trained in a rock ‘n roll camp for 10 weeks. Focusing on these talented children’s performances, they may move your heart.
03. Heavenly Voice of Castrato
-FARINELLI IL CASTRATO (1994)
‘In 18th century of Europe, a proficient castrato (castrated male soprano) named Farinelli sings his tragedy behind its soulful voice.’ When Farinelli was young, without a choice, he was secretly castrated by his older brother Ricardo, a composer who wanted to fill his own greed by sacrificing Farinelli. As Farinelli grew up, his blessed voice would reach higher than a trumpet sound. Every man and woman cheered for Farinelli, and most of them even fainted because they were so strongly impressed by his soulful voice. All the women loved Farinelli who was talented and handsome at the same time, but he would only suffer because of his castration, and could never fall in love with a woman. Farinelli’s life may have appeared gorgeous; however, he had to live a life as an artist while giving up to live as an ordinary person, as a man. Maybe Farinelli’s inevitable, tragic destiny was something that had to be paid for his talent. Farinelli’s heart-moving voice combined with such an artistic spirit--should it be considered as a blessing or a curse?
- Music
“Please let us cry” (Lascia ch'io pianga) - Contemporary technology made this song. Farinelli’s computerized voice was created by mixing soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska & countertenor Derek Lee Ragin’s voices to perfectly imitate the castrato’s voice, known to be much more valuable than a woman soprano’s voice. Farinelli, with his beautiful voice, looks as if he is an angel when he performs this song at the opera. It is considered as the best scene in the movie.
- Background
In the 18th century, women’s authority and position was completely ignored. At musical events, people began to find men who could act the role of a woman instead of finding a suitable woman, since women were considered worthless. Therefore, when watching this movie, it is essential to keep in mind that its country’s innate social features have created the “castrato.”
