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The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)


Home > Film: The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse > Theme: Underscoring (Tense) > Instance: 1:00:10




Instance
Theme name: Underscoring (Tense)
Start time: 1:00:10
End time: 1:00:43
Total duration: 0:00:33
Page #: 56
Measure #: 11
Scene: Reel 6 Part 3
Key: unstable
Meter: 12/8
Tempo (bpm): 100
Marking: Mysterioso
Instrumentation: orchestra
Description
On-screen: Jo and Rocks quarrel
Description: Tense underscoring as Rocks pushes Jo and calls "Dr. Who's residence"
Music annotations: [m. 11] a tempo / sf-p; [m. 12] pp; [m. 14] sf / simile; [m. 16] sf / very strong; [m 17] gliss / ritenuto; [m. 18] lunga / tutti / sfff-pp (subito); [m. 19] pp / adagio / mysterioso; [m. 21] ppp
Film annotations: [m. 11] Don't start nothing you can't finish; [m. 13] Starts dialing; [m. 14] No you can't do it / Stop it, Rocks!; [m. 15] Stop it!; [m. 16] He pushes her away; [m. 17] Dials again; [m. 18] Hello? etc.; [m. 19] Dr. Who's Residence; [m. 21] Now its my turn Professor! / End of Reel
Orchestration annotations: [m. 11] vibra etc / harp; [m. 12] bassoon sustained / celli pizz / piano (pedal down); [m. 13] harp / str; [m. 15] brass muted / 2 harps + piano; [m. 16] basses, celli, bassoon, piano, b cl; [m. 18] timp roll; [m. 19] vibraph, strings, W.W.
Analysis: The first three measures (unfolding a b half-diminished chord) is transposed and repeated (c half-diminished), followed by a similar d# half-diminished sonority over a G# pedal; this becomes an Ab pedal tone suggesting a dominant in db minor that never materializes
Tags

advance plot | antagonist | arguing | dissonant bass | gangster | half-diminished 7th chord | leading lady | quarreling | room | tense

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