{"id":46978,"date":"2021-04-22T21:32:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T02:32:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/?p=46978"},"modified":"2021-04-22T21:42:30","modified_gmt":"2021-04-23T02:42:30","slug":"oscars-siren-song-a-slight-return-best-original-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/2021\/04\/22\/oscars-siren-song-a-slight-return-best-original-song\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscar’s Siren Song (A Slight Return): Best Original Song"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One Night in Miami<\/em> (2020).<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeff Smith here:<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Monday, I offered an overview of the five nominees for Best Original Score as well as a prediction regarding the winner. Today, I do the same for the Best Original Song nominees.<\/p>\n

The usual caveats apply for those readers interested in the online betting markets. My picks are for \u201centertainment purposes only.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we\u2019ll see, the race in the Best Original Song category is extremely competitive. Indeed, I almost flipped a coin to make my final decision. I didn\u2019t. But the very fact that I thought about it indicates the low level of certainty I have about my prediction.<\/p>\n

I should add that there are a few SPOILERS AHEAD.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t want to know some of the key plot twists in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga<\/em> or a small but important plot point of The Life Ahead<\/em>, you can skip to the last section.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Original Song: The Underdog<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One striking detail about this year\u2019s nominees is the fact that four of the five function as \u201cneedle drops\u201d introduced as the film\u2019s closing credits start to roll. Perhaps a steady diet of television episodes streamed during the pandemic has accustomed viewers to expect that this is the way songs now function in movies. Several shows, both old and new, have used these needle drops quite creatively. (I\u2019m thinking here of Mad Men, The Marvelous Mrs. Maysles, <\/em>and WandaVision<\/em>. I\u2019m sure you all have your own favorites.)<\/p>\n

Set off from the narrative flow of the episode, music supervisors found they could use a song as a curtain closer to highlight elements of theme, tone, or mood without worrying about things like time period or the musical tastes of the show\u2019s characters. Such transmedial influences eventually might establish this as the primary function of popular songs in films. If this year\u2019s nominees are any indication, the trend is already well on its way.<\/p>\n

The one exception is \u201cHusavik (My Hometown)\u201d from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga<\/em>. The film, of course, is a vehicle for star Will Ferrell. He plays an Icelandic version of his usual man-child persona. It adds, though, a musical competition element borrowed from other comedies, like Pitch Perfect<\/em>, and from popular music shows, like American Idol<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Ferrell plays Lars Ericksong, a humble \u201cmeter maid\u201d whose lifelong dream is to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest. Eurovision, of course, is an annual event in real-life. It remains the longest running internationally televised music competition. The contest played an instrumental role in launching the careers of artists like ABBA, C\u00e9line Dion, and Julio Iglesias.<\/p>\n

Lars hopes to follow in their footsteps, but his ambitions are mocked by the other residents in his small town.<\/p>\n

Lars\u2019 only defender is Sigrit, his childhood friend and his partner in the musical duo Fire Saga.\u00a0 Fire Saga plays a vital role in the town\u2019s musical culture, performing regularly at a local bar. Yet their audience mostly rejects their musical offerings. Instead, they prefer \u201cJa Ja Ding Dong,\u201d a sexually suggestive nonsense song that is the antithesis of past Eurovision winners.<\/p>\n

Sigrit, played winningly by Rachel McAdams, is steeped in Icelandic folklore. She makes offerings to a small den of elves that she hopes will prompt Lars to return her considerable affections for him. She also believes in the \u201cspeorg<\/em> note,\u201d a mystic tone that Sigrit\u2019s mother tells her represents the truest expression of the self.<\/p>\n

Fire Saga enters the national competition hoping to earn the honor of representing Iceland. During an Icelandic Public Television meeting, their song is picked at random simply to meet Eurovision\u2019s requirements for a country\u2019s eligibility. At Reykjavik, Lars and Sigrit nervously wait backstage for their performance. Sigrit wishes that she could sing in their native language since it would calm her down. Lars, though, warns against it noting that a song in Icelandic would never win Eurovision.<\/p>\n

Fire Saga loses to a talented competitor named Katiana, played by Demi Lovato in a nice cameo. Embittered, Lars refuses to attend a party celebrating the winner and Sigrit joins him in solidarity.\u00a0 When the boat hosting the party explodes, killing everyone aboard, Fire Saga becomes the Icelandic entry as the only surviving runner-up.<\/p>\n

Once in Edinburgh, the site of the 2020 competition, Lars and Sigrit clash regarding the best way to present their music. (In reality, the 2020 Eurovision contest was to be held in Rotterdam but was cancelled due to the pandemic.)\u00a0 Lars wants to wow the audience with elaborate costumes and stagecraft. He also hires a K-Pop producer to remix their recording, giving it a hip new arrangement. Sigrit would rather just let the music speak for itself.<\/p>\n

During the semi-finals, Fire Saga\u2019s performance of \u201cDouble Trouble\u201d seems to be going well. But Lars\u2019 desire for showmanship backfires when the absurdly long scarf he has given Sigrit gets caught in the gears of his giant hamster wheel.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sigrit is able to free herself before she suffers the fate of Isadora Duncan. But the hamster wheel breaks free and crashes into the audience. Although Lars and Sigrit recover just in time to finish the song, they are initially met with stunned silence. This is followed by some snickers scattered amongst the crowd. Lars and Sigrit leave the stage dejected, smarting from their humiliation.<\/p>\n

Crestfallen, Lars returns to H\u00fasavik, reconciled to life as a fisherman rather than a musician. Sigrit stays behind to continue her dalliance with Alexander Lemtov, a rival contestant from Russia. Sigrit is gobsmacked when she learns that Fire Saga has been voted through to the finals, a plot twist perhaps inspired by the real-life hate-watching that produced surprisingly long runs by American Idol<\/em> contestants like Sanjaya Malakar.<\/p>\n

Lars makes a mad dash back to Edinburgh, both to participate in the finals and to declare his love for Sigrit. Looking like the Gorton Fish guy, Lars sneaks onstage just as Sigrit has begun \u201cDouble Trouble.\u201d He stops her mid-phrase and persuades her to sing a new song<\/a> even though he knows the change will result in Fire Saga\u2019s disqualification. Sigrit begins tentatively but soon grows in confidence as she reaches the chorus, sung in Icelandic much to the delight of those watching in H\u00fasavik. The song builds to its climactic final note, a high C# that is held for several seconds, leaving both the audience and Lars rapt in awe. This time Fire Saga\u2019s performance is met with thunderous applause. In an aside just for the viewer, Lars exclaims, \u201cThe speorg <\/em>note!\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot wrong with Eurovision<\/em>. Some of the film\u2019s gags misfire badly. The race to get Lars from the airport to the auditorium features the kind of crazy stunt work that\u2019s grown stale from overuse. (Think spinning car and reaction shots of screaming passengers!) And at 126 minutes, Eurovision<\/em> has two or even three subplots too many.<\/p>\n

Yet the filmmakers definitely stick the landing with Fire Saga\u2019s triumphant performance of \u201cHusavik (My Hometown).\u201d Seeing Lars cede the spotlight to Sigrit and her rise to the moment brings a lump to the throat, just as it does in other show-biz success stories like 42nd<\/sup> Street <\/em>(1932) and A Star is Born<\/em> (2017). (It\u2019s an old formula but a potent one.)<\/p>\n

Moreover, the sequence pays off several dangling causes (the reference to Icelandic lyrics in the scene backstage, the rekindled romance of Lars\u2019 father and Sigrit\u2019s mother, the speorg <\/em>note). Even Fire Saga\u2019s disqualification strikes the right tone by making the duo the musical equivalent of Rocky<\/em>. They win by losing, content in the knowledge they were worthy contenders and in the realization of what they truly value. Watching the folks back in H\u00fasavik swell with community and nationalist pride is just the cherry on top of a very satisfying sundae.<\/p>\n

Any one of Eurovision<\/em>\u2019s Europop pastiches would have been worthy of nomination. For example, the faintly ridiculous quality of Lemtov\u2019s \u201cLion of Love\u201d makes it a perfect surrogate for the character\u2019s ostentation and vanity.\u00a0 But only \u201cHusavik (My Hometown)\u201d both tickles the fancy and tugs the heartstrings.<\/p>\n

Still, despite its appositeness for Eurovision<\/em>\u2019s story, I think it is a long shot when it comes to claiming the trophy. You have to go back to The Muppets <\/em>in 2011 to find an Oscar-winning song in a live action comedy. And that was a strange year in which there were only two nominees. Before that, you have to reach all the way back to 1984\u2019s The Woman in Red<\/em>. That year, the winner was \u201cI Just Called to Say I Love You,\u201d written and performed by the great Stevie Wonder. Despite its considerable craft, \u201cHusavik (My Hometown)\u201d seems unlikely to alter a trend that rewards songs in dramas rather than comedies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Bridesmaid (as in \u201cAlways the\u2026\u201d)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This past February, Diane Warren received her twelfth Academy Award nomination for \u201cIo S\u00ec (Seen),\u201d featured in the Italian film, La Vita davanti a s\u00e9<\/em>. Warren has won an Emmy, a Grammy, and two Golden Globe awards, but has yet to claim an Oscar. This puts Warren in some pretty good company. Her colleague, composer Thomas Newman, has been nominated fifteen times without winning. Composer Victor Young received 21 nominations before finally breaking through with Around the World in 80 Days<\/em> (1956). Sadly, Victor Young didn\u2019t live long enough to actually receive the award. He died at age 57 just months before the ceremony.<\/p>\n

Warren\u2019s latest effort, \u201cIo S\u00ec (Seen),\u201d<\/a> is the type of soaring power ballad she has spent much of her professional life perfecting. The song starts with a modest piano figure that accompanies Laura Pausini\u2019s indomitable voice at a moderate tempo. The lyrics offer a simple but powerful declaration of emotional support regarding the need to be \u201cseen.\u201d Pausini\u2019s voice rises in the chorus as she vows in Italian, \u201cBut if you want, if you want me, I\u2019m here.\u201d The addition of a string orchestra and tasteful percussion accents provides additional emotional heft.<\/p>\n

The modest arrangement allows the song\u2019s simple beauty to shine through. Its mood and Pausini\u2019s vocal delivery seem miles away from the bombast that made Aerosmith\u2019s \u201cI Don\u2019t Want to Miss a Thing,\u201d one of Warren\u2019s earlier nominees, a chart-topping single.<\/p>\n

For me, though, that is all to the good. La Vita davanti a s\u00e9 <\/em>is itself an unassuming coming-of-age tale that depicts the unlikely friendship that develops between Madam Rosa, an elderly Holocaust survivor, and Momo, a 12-year-old orphan from Senegal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Buoyed by Sophia Loren\u2019s valedictory performance, the song reflects the strong filial bonds that form when Momo becomes Rosa\u2019s ward. The lyrics\u2019 reassurance that \u201cI\u2019m here\u201d capture the ways in which Momo and Rosa have learned to care for one another. Placed just after the funeral ceremony that closes the film, \u201cIo S\u00ec (Seen)\u201d sustains the scene\u2019s bittersweet, melancholy tone and carries it into the credits. The song also reiterates the story\u2019s central themes regarding the need for unconditional acceptance and love\u2019s ability to overcome differences in gender, race, and age.<\/p>\n

La Vita davanti a s\u00e9<\/em> has become an unlikely hit for Netflix. At the peak of its popularity, it reached the streaming service giant\u2019s top ten in 37 different countries. Perhaps that sleeper success will bolster Warren\u2019s chances among Academy voters. She is eminently deserving of the award as a sort of career honor.<\/p>\n

Could this be Warren\u2019s year?\u00a0 Perhaps. Still, the fact that more famous songs by Warren, like \u201cBecause You Loved Me\u201d and \u201cHow Do I Live,\u201d also suffered defeat raises some doubts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Panthers and Boxers and Yippies (Oh My!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The three remaining nominees are all songs featured in films that look back at the legacy of sixties political activism. Unlike Eurovision Song Contest <\/em>and La Vita davanti a s\u00e9,<\/em> Judas and the Black Messiah<\/em>, One Night in Miami<\/em>, and The Trial of the Chicago 7<\/em> all received multiple nominations. Often the halo effect created by that reflected glow can make a difference in very competitive races. Moreover, the two titles receiving Best Picture nominations \u2013 Judas <\/em>and Chicago<\/em> \u2013 also benefit from the massive \u201cFor Your Consideration\u201d ad campaigns that appear in trade publications like Variety<\/em>.\u00a0 All of this suggests that, if you are looking for this year\u2019s winner, you might look here.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with \u201cFight for You,\u201d<\/a> the groovin\u2019 track by H.E.R. that closes Shaka King\u2019s Judas and the Black Messiah<\/em>. The song self-consciously evokes music from the period depicted in the film. As H.E.R. told Variety<\/em>, she wanted the music to have a hopeful vibe, but lyrics that connected to the Black Panthers\u2019 historic fight against injustice. She drew upon the classic soul music of Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, and Sly and the Family Stone, artists who made records that were both popular and politically astute.<\/p>\n

The final product is a remarkable synthesis of these different elements. The syncopated brass and organ chords recall vintage Sly and the Family Stone tunes like \u201cStand.\u201d The spare but funky bass line and the supple guitar melody wouldn\u2019t be out of place on Gaye\u2019s classic, \u201cLet\u2019s Get it On\u201d while the doubling of H.E.R.\u2019s voice, sometimes in octaves and sometimes in thirds, conjures up his masterful What\u2019s Going On<\/em> album. The string arrangements and choral melody also bring to mind Curtis Mayfield\u2019s classic score for Superfly<\/em> (1972) for good measure. Only one of the five nominees will make you want to get up dance, and this is it. With its Funk Brothers arrangement and uplifting social message, \u201cFight for You\u201d educes a bit of folk wisdom from P-Funk guru George Clinton: \u201cfree your mind\u2026 and your ass will follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Celeste and Daniel Pemberton\u2019s \u201cHear My Voice\u201d from The Trial of the Chicago 7<\/em> also evokes sixties soul, albeit with more of pop flavor and even a dash of Northern soul. Celeste grew up around Brighton on England\u2019s southern coast. Her interest in music was nurtured by her early exposure to American jazz vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Those influences can be heard in Celeste\u2019s elegant phrasing on \u201cHear My Voice.\u201d<\/a> (Beware ads.) But her vocal style has also drawn comparisons to more contemporary British soul singers like Amy Winehouse and Adele.<\/p>\n

The end result doesn\u2019t slavishly duplicate any of those other singers, emerging as something else entirely. In fact, although Celeste\u2019s voice has a timbre all her own, to my ears, the slightly retro vibe of \u201cHear My Voice\u201d evokes sixties pop and blue-eyed soul artists like Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield. The song itself is a mid-tempo ballad with a loping, syncopated beat and an arching upward melody furnishing the tune\u2019s main hook. Pemberton\u2019s arrangement heightens the pop elements in the recording by emphasizing the piano and strings climbing steadily upward.<\/p>\n

The Trial of the Chicago <\/em>7\u2019s title is fairly self-explanatory, dramatizing the prosecution of activists from the Black Panthers, the Yippies, and Students for a Democratic Society after protesters violently clashed with police at the 1968 Democratic Convention. David\u2019s blog on Aaron Sorkin<\/a> shows, among other things, how the screenwriter\/director drew upon the \u201cdrama of ideas,\u201d a tradition associated with \u201cturn of the century\u201d playwrights like Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw. In a slight break from that tradition, though, Sorkin sought to end the film on a note of optimism and hope that would yield a sense of empowerment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

According to Pemberton, the director\u2019s first choice for an end-title song to reflect that tone was the Beatles\u2019 classic from Abbey Road<\/em>, \u201cHere Comes the Sun.\u201d The composer, though, gently persuaded Sorkin to try something fresh, a new song unburdened by the enormity of the Beatles\u2019 legacy. He also reminded Sorkin of the huge licensing fees that any Beatles song would inevitably command. Pemberton and Celeste\u2019s much-deserved Oscar nomination vindicates the composer\u2019s instincts. Had Sorkin used \u201cHere Comes the Sun,\u201d viewers would have soaked in its upbeat vibe.\u00a0 But The Trial of the Chicago 7<\/em> would have gotten only five nominations rather than the six it ultimately received.<\/p>\n

Last, but certainly not least, we have Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth\u2019s \u201cSpeak Now,\u201d featured in Regina King\u2019s directorial debut, One Night in Miami<\/em>. The film offers a fictionalized account of a fabled meeting of four icons of the 1960s: Malcolm X, Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali, and Sam Cooke.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The group assembles in a room at the Hampton Hotel to celebrate Ali\u2019s victory over then heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Yet, with only some vanilla ice cream and a flask of booze as party favors, the good-natured banter soon devolves into a debate about the best ways to achieve social change on the path toward racial equality.<\/p>\n

Both musically and lyrically, \u201cSpeak Now\u201d seems keyed to an important scene in the film where Malcolm chides Cooke for recording trifling love songs rather than music that speaks to the ongoing struggle for civil rights. He pulls out a copy of The Freewheelin\u2019 Bob Dylan <\/em>and plays \u201cBlowin\u2019 in the Wind.\u201d Malcolm then asks Sam why it is that a white boy from Minnesota makes music that seems so perfectly attuned to the historical moment. Isn\u2019t \u201cBlowin\u2019 in the Wind\u201d the type of song Cooke should write? Malcolm\u2019s criticism becomes a dangling cause that is picked up in the film\u2019s epilogue. As a guest on The Tonight Show<\/em>, Sam performs \u201cA Change is Gonna Come\u201d for the first time, showing how he embraced Malcolm\u2019s challenge to him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Beginning with a syncopated acoustic guitar riff, \u201cSpeak Now\u201d<\/a> not only recalls several moments of the film where Cooke pulls out his own guitar, but also evokes the type of folk music that was Dylan\u2019s stock in trade during the early sixties. The guitar is soon joined by a swirling Hammond B-3 organ. The instrument\u2019s timbre evokes both the gospel music that inspired Cooke throughout his career and Al Kooper\u2019s distinctive organ stylings on two Dylan masterpieces recorded after he went electric: Highway 61 Revisited<\/em> and Blonde on Blonde<\/em>. Floating above both is Odom\u2019s plaintive voice, urging the film\u2019s viewer to \u201cListen, listen, listen.\u201d Providing the link between past and present, the lyrics entreat the audience hear to the \u201cechoes of martyrs\u201d and the \u201cwhispers of ghosts.\u201d Odom\u2019s soaring falsetto suggests both vulnerability and hope. The song gradually builds, adding strings and percussion, until it reaches a rousing climax.<\/p>\n

With its simple arrangement and its mixture of styles, \u201cSpeak Now\u201d sounds like the musical child that Bob Dylan and Sam Cooke never had the opportunity to conceive. It provides a fitting end to One Night in Miami<\/em> by reminding us that the struggle for civil rights continues, especially at a historic juncture where America is challenged to confront the structural and institutional foundations of white privilege and white supremacy.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Prediction<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Oscar night, I will be watching with bated breath to see if\u2026..<\/p>\n

…singer Molly Sand\u00e9n hits the \u201cspeorg <\/em>note\u201d during the performance of \u201cHusavik.\u201d If she does, it will bring down the house (or at least break a few champagne glasses).<\/p>\n

But the winner? Your guess is as good as mine. This is among this year\u2019s most competitive races. In Variety<\/em>, Jon Burlingame notes that Diane Warren\u2019s past nominations made her the early favorite, but adds, \u201cYou can\u2019t count out anyone, however, in this year\u2019s level playing field.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the vote reflects the song that is most clearly integrated into the film\u2019s story, it\u2019s \u201cHusavik.\u201d It is also rumored to be making a late charge, aided by late campaigns by Netflix and the tiny town of the title.<\/p>\n

If, on the other hand, the vote reflects the song that I\u2019d want next in my iTunes queue, it\u2019s \u201cFight For You.\u201d It\u2019s got a funky groove that just keeps on keepin\u2019 on.<\/p>\n

That being said, I don’t think either of those two songs will carry the day. Ever since the nominations were announced, it\u2019s generally felt like a two-horse race: Diane Warren vs. Leslie Odom Jr. The voting could split between those who desire to finally recognize Warren after so many nominations and those who find Odom deserving of the award for Best Supporting Actor but who still voted for Daniel Kaluuya instead.<\/p>\n

The fact that Odom is a double nominee would seem to help his chances. But his song’s social significance also gives it a slight edge. In 2015, Common and John Legend took home the prize for \u201cGlory,\u201d their inspirational song from Selma<\/em>. Like \u201cSpeak Now,\u201d the lyrics of \u201cGlory\u201d captured the zeitgeist <\/em>surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement, particularly the protests in Ferguson, Missouri. The message of \u201cSpeak Now\u201d is just as relevant and just as timely. It is possible that voters will want to acknowledge it for that very reason.<\/p>\n

Still my gut tells me this is Diane Warren\u2019s year. Thirty-three years ago, Warren sat in the venerable Shrine Auditorium as a first-time nominee. She came in with a fighter\u2019s chance. Her song, Starship\u2019s \u201cNothing\u2019s Gonna Stop Us Now,\u201d had a fighter\u2019s chance having hit the top of the charts in five different countries, eventually earning gold or platinum record status in four of them. But it was aced out by an even more popular song, \u201c(I\u2019ve Had) The Time of My Life\u201d from Dirty Dancing<\/em>. It had gone to #1 in six countries and earned gold or platinum status in seven different markets.<\/p>\n

Warren\u2019s been waiting ever since for a chance to pop the cork in a champagne bottle at an Oscars afterparty. I think the bubbly finally flows for her this Sunday.<\/p>\n

\n

Once again, a shoutout to Jon Burlingame for his coverage in Variety<\/em> of the Academy Awards\u2019 music categories. His analysis of the Best Original Song nominees can be found here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To find short interviews with all of the songwriting teams, check out these items from The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>and Billboard<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

A podcast with H.E.R. discussing her collaboration with Tiara Thomas and D\u2019Mile on \u201cFight For You\u201d can be heard here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A very long interview with Daniel Pemberton describing his work on The Trial of the Chicago 7<\/em> can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Leslie Odom Jr. talks about writing \u201cSpeak Now\u201d here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally, Diane Warren performs a medley of all twelve of her Oscar-nominated songs here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga <\/em>(2020).<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One Night in Miami (2020). Jeff Smith here: On Monday, I offered an overview of the five nominees for Best Original Score as well as a prediction regarding the winner. Today, I do the same for the Best Original Song nominees. The usual caveats apply for those readers interested in the online betting markets. My […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,291,46,91,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-film-comments","category-film-music","category-film-technique-music","category-film-technique-sound","category-hollywood-aesthetic-traditions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46978"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46999,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46978\/revisions\/46999"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.davidbordwell.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}