The 1960s and the Evolution of Film Music

The 1960s were a decade of upheaval in politics and society. The movies of the era reflect those changes. Big screen epics, like Cleopatra (1963) and El Cid (1961) proved to be expensive box-office flops, although foreign-made spectacles such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962) showed that the epic film wasn’t completely dead.

With the viewing audience increasingly sitting on their couches watching TV, movies increasingly emphasized what you weren’t allowed to see on television - depictions of sex, violence, or “anti-social behavior. “ Movies like The Apartment (1960), The Graduate (1967), and Bonnie and Clyde (1967) all found a niche.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) bucked the 1960s trend of smaller movies dealing with hot-button social issues.

With the change in movies came a change in film music. This weeks Silver Screen Soundtrack Hour examines a selection of Oscar-nominated scores from the 1960s. You’ll hear works that reflect the sound of Golden-era Hollywood, as well as scores that reflect a new direction in movie music.

Produced and hosted by Ken Nail, The Silver Screen Soundtrack Hour airs on Charlottesvilleclassical.org every Thursday at 9 AM and 6 PM, plus Saturdays at Noon. Visit our Facebook page, or contact Ken on Twitter at @ken_classical.