In our first look at the musical world of Harry Potter, we discuss the creative inspiration behind "Hedwig's Theme," "Harry's Wondrous World" and more. We then ask the question: is there a theme for Harry Potter himself? 

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In this episode, we'll discuss the creation and usage of some of Ghostbusters' pop songs, including Ray Parker Jr's smash number one single, and how they are an effective songscore when combined with Bernstein's orchestral magic.

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In our first look at Ghostbusters, we call up an in-depth look at the musical contribution from legendary film composer Elmer Bernstein, who gives the movie a light-hearted, comedic touch ... while treating the threat of malevolent spirits very seriously. The main theme is discussed, as is Dana's theme, and so much more.

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In just three days, director and film composer John Carpenter wrote a classic horror film score. Go behind the scenes and hear the story of how it all came together. We'll also analyze the music, and talk about why it still scares us decades later.

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In part 2 of our look at Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, we discuss how composer Bernard Herrmann skillfully builds tension with his use of repetition early on in the score. In the second half of the film, as a new, 3-note motive emerges, we break down its musical characteristics, and discuss how its used to warn us as the movie shifts from being a psychological thriller, to a classic whodunit.

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In part 1 of our look at Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, we discuss the history of both Hitchcock and film composer Bernard Herrmann, and explore the strength of their collaborations. We give detailed history on the production of Psycho and its film score, and provide a breakdown of several pieces of music... including the most famous horror scene of all time.

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Universal created a rich cast of fascinating monsters ... and evolved their film scoring techniques through the process.Through the creation of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man, the Mummy, and more, we hear the evolution of film scoring progress through each movie, culminating in some of the most important and innovative scores of the early 20th Century.

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We take a detailed look at the film score for Tron, examining multiple cues and breaking down their melodic and rhythmic qualities. The history of the film score's creation is also discussed, as are the songs written for the movie, We even listen to music that was omitted from the final film, and compare it with a famous sequence that was released without music.

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Tron's film score is as innovative and groundbreaking as the movie itself: part synth score, part orchestral score, it carefully balances tech-savvy storytelling with the triumph of the human (and program) spirit. We discuss the plot to Tron, how it was received by critics and audiences in 1982, and how the movie, and music has aged in the years since. 

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In our final look at Back to the Future, we discuss how themes are used, and how often. Secondary themes are examined, taking a close listen to how they're all related. We discuss the relationships between characters, and how music functions as a storytelling device. We even talk about the blues, and how Marty McFly was able to jam out with very little instruction given to his bandmates.

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