There is nothing more powerful and emotionally stirring than the marriage of picture with the right musical accompaniment. The depth of this notion is borne out in everyones memories to be sure. Think of any of the great movies that last in your recollection, like Star Wars, The Godfather, The Matrix, or intense pensive mood the score creates in American Beauty. You remember the message and emotion of the film intertwined and enhanced with the music. So much so that when the music is heard alone it can readily conjure up all those feelings you felt when you experienced the film in the first place. In emphasizing his ranking of film scoring’s importance, Alfred Hitchcock had said, “I leave the third act to the composer”.
There is something of a trend in recent years of film makers leaning towards textural scores. These can create an environment but rarely work in the way that thematic scores do. Artful use of thematic scoring really can bypass the conscious brain and act directly on the heart of the viewer. While, I recognize the importance of textural backgrounds (I do use this too) I favor weaving thematic material into the fabric for a greater emotional experience.