The Role of Music in Enhancing Emotional Impact and Storytelling in Films: A Case Study of Coco and Jaws

Abstract

This study examines the significant contributions of background music to the cinematic experience by using a case study and lenses the analysis on two films with different genres of film music, melodrama, and thriller music, using the instance of Coco and Jaws. It highlights how music enhances emotional engagement, storytelling techniques, and iconic songs lead to the commercial success of a film. The analysis of Coco’s song “Remember Me”, which serves as the emotional core of the whole film, connects themes of the closure of family and heartwarming memories. While Jaws used its unique theme to create intense tension and fear in its audiences. Both films present the credential of music to a movie, evidenced by aspects of enhancing audiences’ experiences and influencing the box office, which both contribute significantly to a movie’s success. In addition, the paper also identifies gaps that need to be filled, such as the emotional effect on different individuals and the long-term effect on them; improvements and research on the effect of music need to be made.