![]() ![]() …and when Jonathan Kent (Superman’s foster father on Earth) shows Clark (Kal-El) the escape pod in which he arrived on Earth (from 1:49): The theme also appears in some scenes where Jor-El’s focus is on Kal-El, as when the baby Kal-El is raised into the escape pod near the film’s start (from 1:42): Near the start of the film, for example, as Jor-El heroically escapes on a dragon-like creature with the “codex” (an object that contains the genetic code of the entire population of Krypton), we hear this theme stated boldly in the brass (from 1:18): The theme reflects a duality in meaning since, with practically every instance of the theme, we see either Jor-El (Superman’s biological father from Krypton) or Kal-El (Superman, as he is called on Krypton), even though the theme is not associated with any particular type of action they take. This ostinato is the first theme we hear in the film as it sounds over the production credits, before the film proper is underway. ![]() Below is a film music analysis that examines these aspects of several themes in the film. ![]() Another feature of this particular score is the way in which many of its themes are given dual meanings that are either opposites or complements of one another. For this reason, it can be difficult to put a label on Zimmer’s themes and they must often be given a more descriptive title than simply the name of a character or place in the film. ![]() This different kind of Superman film calls for a different kind of Superman score, and that is exactly what Hans Zimmer provides.Īlthough Zimmer’s score does not make use of strict leitmotifs, which correlate a short snippet of melody with a certain character, place, object, and the like, it does exhibit a loose coordination between certain themes and situations involving certain characters. But if he is to retain his “fit” with society, then he can no longer rescue anyone with the help of his powers. Desperately wanting to fit in with the rest of society, Superman is continually faced with a dilemma: if he reveals his powers to the people of the world, then he’ll no longer be considered one of them. Man of Steel, on the other hand, deals more with the philosophical questions of being an outsider. Indeed, when John Williams scored the film, he remarked that one of the things he liked about it was that “it was fun and didn’t take itself too seriously.” Williams’ vibrant score certainly reflects this element of fun while also capturing the film’s optimism in grand heroic fashion. The latter film is largely optimistic in tone, lighthearted, and includes touches of humor. 2013’s Man of Steel takes quite a different approach to the Superman story than 1978’s well known Superman: The Movie. ![]()
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