The Psychology of Film Music in the Filmography of Stanley Kubrick: Audio-Visual Analysis of The Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut

The thesis discusses the use, function, and psychology of film music on the example of three films by Stanley Kubrick: A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shining (1980), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). As one of the most innovative film directors since the beginning of cinematography, Kubrick has redefined the perception and the importance of a movie soundtrack by combining the pre-existent classical music, popular music, and electronically produced pieces. Although his oeuvre has been repeatedly analysed and unravelled on various audio-visual levels, the possibilities of different interpretations have not been exhausted. The soundtracks of the above-mentioned films have been scrutinized by several authors (such as McQuiston and Gengaro) who have been mentioned and reviewed in this text. The work brings additional light to the psychological and holistic perspective of the films throughout the interdisciplinary analysis of the selected narratives and music. The goal was to provide possible answers to the following questions: does music represent a contrast to the essential, objective meaning of the film or vice versa? In which way does the film music affect the audience? What are some of the cognitive processes employed in the audience’s mind in the process of understanding film music? How authentic and intentionally induced are the emotions experienced by the audience in relation to film music? Kubrick’s unique works present a fertile material for exploiting these issues, and his choice of music affirms the capacity of music to point out or emphasize psychological details present in the films better than the visual or verbal components. While the image and words represent the objective and specific meaning of the film narrative, music shapes the audience’s emotional reactions and judgement of subjective artistic values. Together they create a synaesthetic cinematic experience, and this thesis shows the ways in which a certain director’s style elevates the complexity of this experience and its psychological dynamism