Why is this spooky melody we hear in movies used?

Your music is very important to us deep There is a way of touching because our ears can hear the melodies even if they appear to be in perfect balance and harmony. a tone that doesn’t sound right If there is, he will notice it immediately.

Some melodies in the movies we watch in the cinema, which can never be imagined without music, make us feel joyful and happy, while others make us feel joyful and happy. eerie us with their tones horrified It is strong enough to drag. Today, the one that gives us goosebumps as soon as we hear it, from the 13th century We will examine a spooky melody that has survived to this day and is frequently used in movies.

The name of this spooky melody in question is “Dies Irae”, meaning “Day of Wrath”.

The Lord of the Rings You can hear Dies Irae, one of the most unforgettable melodies of the movie series, from the first minute of the video. Aragorn and the NazgulThis melody we heard during the match was the kind that gave us goosebumps.

The history of Dies Irae, examples of which we will give in the rest of our content in other films, dates back to the 13th century. Thomas Celano Dies Irae, which is thought to have been written by resurrectiondescribes the judgment of criminals and the salvation of believers. eschatological well A Latin hymn about the apocalypse.

How did the Gregorian chant Dies Irae become so widespread?

In the Christian world; Many Western composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Verdi, Hector Berlioz, Camille Saint-Saëns, Modest Musorgski, Igor Stravinsky used the lyrics and melodic theme of this hymn. use in his works This is actually one of the first reasons for this.

In particular, Mozart’s interpretation of this prayer in his Requiem (1791) led to Dies Irae being performed outside the church.

Verdi’s Messa da Requiem (1874) His interpretation of this prayer in his work also popularized Dies Irae. Of course, we should not forget this.

It is actually obvious how Dies Irae became such a spooky melody.

This hymn, which spread beyond the church after it became popular, was sung only after a certain ritual; room funerals. This hymn melody describes the day when Catholics believe that God will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell; As Catholicism permeated world culture, classical music was readopted.

It is not a coincidence that the melody used to convey that deadly and frightening tone later entered the cinema.

Because darkness, dangerous, depressing This melody, which was likely to be used in many scenes, was one of the only tones that could reflect that feeling of horror.

This spooky melody, which we encounter in silent films, was first heard in the movie Aelita: Queen of Mars (1924).

One of the elements that makes this film, which is about the daily lives of people living in the post-war Soviet Union, important is that it is far ahead of its time. science fiction There were elements.

Later, one of the building blocks of cinema Metropolis (1927) This melody was heard in the movie. Metropolis, a production that reflects a divided social structure, gloomy Frankly, no other melody could reflect its mood other than Dies Irae.

Dies Irae is not just a melody used in horror movies.

Although Dies Irae is a spooky melody, it is a misconception that it is only used in horror movies. The Exorcist (1973), Home Alone (1990), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Although it is used in the most memorable scenes of horror movies such as The Lion King (1994), Star Wars: IV – A New Hope (1977), It’s a Wonderful Life (1947), The Good Place (1992), Batman Returns (1992), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) It was also used in some scenes of many movies. Dies Irae is what is intended to be given in these scenes. voltage He lived it to the fullest.

However, it is necessary to open a separate parenthesis here for the movie Cinnet / The Shining (1980), which is the most iconic use of the Dies Irae melody.

Of course, just a melody does not carry a movie into the horror category, but Stanley Kubricksat in the director’s chair The Shining like horror The reason why focused movies are so tense is that the music chosen cuts our nerves like a razor.

Why is the Dies Irae melody that we hear in almost every movie so scary?

Actually, why is Dies Irae so scary? technical There is an explanation. This technical explanation Sound Specialist Alex Ludwig doing.

First of all, the melody you hear in Dies Irae, in minor mode. When minor music is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is sad And gloomy tones come. When looking at all the notes in Dies Irae, F and E appear to be in the semitone range when side by side.

At the same time, the notes drop as the sequence continues and deepens. Descending note strings sadness While the rising note strings give the feeling of happiness It gives the feeling. When these three combinations come together, we get: a chilling melody comes out.

Let’s leave the sections from the movie and TV series scenes where the popular Dies Irae melody is used as follows: