# Matrix Soundtrack - a work of modern art?



## Igneous01

despite what opinions you may have about film music, and this movie in general, what do you think of the matrix soundtrack and score? I think Don Davis did an incredible job with the score, its so unique and different from any other movie.

I also like the fact that the polytonal motif (pulsating c-minor to c-major chord) is repeated and built upon and varied, much like how most symphonies are built off of some primary motifs. The structure feels very classical. It seems like its very Stravinsky/Lutoslawski inspired, with shifts from pure avant garde, to pure tonality.

I like these particular portions of it:














 - this one has some variations






I think this last one does it for me, that move into (i think d major) is just too intense to handle.

Normally I wouldn't champion film music, but Don Davis really did out do himself for this movie.

What do you think? Does it qualify for you as being artistic in its own merit?


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## regressivetransphobe

Non-music-related reply: if it wasn't associated with The Matrix, more people would be likely to say yes.


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## Cnote11

I never saw The Matrix


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## bigshot

If you saw Blade Runner and Men in Black, you've seen The Matrix. It's a mediocre movie.


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## humanbean

Yes, the score was very good. I especially liked the music in the scene in Reloaded when they are about to break into the power station, and it shows the glass on the skyscraper breaking/blowing up. I'm not sure if that's on the official soundtrack. I also like the orchestral-techno fusion of the freeway chase scene in the same movie.

If you like this style, you should listen to the composer John Adams, who Don Davis was quite obviously influenced by. You'll find that the following piece has very similar brass sections, especially near the end:


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## Crudblud

Yes, Davis did pretty well as far as Hollywood soundtracks go, but it doesn't take much to be better than garbage.


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## bobyokidoki

The soundtrack is awesome  It captures every aspect of the film


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## PetrB

The very fact you list several composers as 'inspired by' sources is the very characteristic which most often has me only able to clinically admire 'the craft' of such work rather than the 'piece' itself. If you are familiar with a great deal of modern and contemporary classical, such scores, though 'original' music, sound like a sampler of styles derivative of other composers whose voices and points of view were both more consistent and much 'stronger.'

Very slick, polished, well executed, commercial, and a string of brief segments (not the composer's fault, that is a requirement of film) which are a an oleo sampler of many other composer's truly original works.

It breaks no new ground, is - again, the nature of the job and the business, - a chain of effects, little substance to any of it.

'Art,' I think not. 'Artful' as in well-exercised craft wholly befitting the function of accompanying a film, but not a self-standing piece of music.

It is commercially, i.e. 'pop-commercial' driven, and not 'art music.'
Sorry, but you asked....


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## Ethereality

PetrB said:


> It breaks no new ground, is - again, the nature of the job and the business, - a chain of effects, little substance to any of it.


"I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it."


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## DeepR

The soundtracks to Matrix part 2 and 3 feature some tracks by Don Davis in collaboration with goa trance act Juno Reactor. I've always liked some of Juno Reactor's music.

I think the result is very trashy but at the same time very enjoyable and exciting. 

Particularly "Mona Lisa Overdrive", which combines electronic/trance music and orchestral film music in a way that I had not heard before. I believe this was really quite unprecedented at the time.


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## Subutai

bigshot said:


> If you saw Blade Runner and Men in Black, you've seen The Matrix. It's a mediocre movie.


The Matrix. Mediocre? The sequels, agreed. But the original is one of the finest Sci-fi films ever to come out of any country. To make matters worse, you rate it above Men in Black! Now that was mediocre!


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