Does the Soundtrack Matter in Film?

Those of us who watch movies know how important it is to have the right sound for the movie. You do know that the wrong scenes with the wrong soundtrack can send the wrong message. This is why movie soundtracks take just as much amount of care as the script of the movie itself.

I would learn later that the art of moviemaking doesn’t just stop at the camera’s or with the acting but adopts a holistic view towards pulling in the audience. Every twist and turn, every scene is a craft that if woven right will make just the right amount of impact. While I do not know much about movie making, I do know that sounds are important.

We have scenes where the need for caution arises. We watch the characters move with the drum, their expression conveys their thoughts, but the sound we hear in the background tells us there is trouble. We can even tell if something bad is about to happen just by listening for sounds and not just looking glued to our screens.

This is also noteworthy because playing the wrong sound at a time may send the wrong message. Just imagine that it is night time and in that scene, a man is trying to murder someone. Imagine that with a scene like that, a love song starts playing in the background. Honestly, it takes a lot of delicate planning and precision to be able to tell what soundtrack is best to use.

I am not a Nollywood fan but I have watched anime, movies and even read comics that gave the best soundtrack with their content. It was researched and tried. There is also one Nollywood movie that can’t leave my head just because of the sound track. I can’t remember much of it but the song…

Sweetie Sweetie oh.
I will die for you
Lovey Lovey oh
My heart always beats for you
Sweetie I love you eh eh
I love you,
Anything you want I will do for you

I also remember the very first Nollywood film I saw with a song I can't forget for the rest of my life,

Dinta eh, ewo
Ugomma eh, ewo

I’m sure you remember. It pops into my head every once in a while and I think, “that has to be the Caterina and Sabastian of Nollywood”. Funny thought but it is what I thought.

I also remember one where a man obsessed murdered the woman and her two children, because if he couldn’t have her, then no one could. The sound track while the woman begged brought tears to my eyes. It was in Igbo and went like…

Biko biko e gbuzi nam o
Eh chi di’ime
M’kporu nwa na zu o
Biko biko e gbuzi nam o

It meant that he should not kill her and remember that there is tomorrow. I think it was acted by that actress named Stella or something and her husband was the guy that played Dinta. The man who murdered her was played by a guy whose face I remember but name escapes memory. It was a tragic ending with just the right song.

I have seen movies do well because the sound tracks that were chosen did them justice. Some movies received double promotion because the sound tracks made it to places the movies couldn’t. For example, Tiktok! I come across a song and then find out it was an OST for a movie. This just intrigues me to watch the movie and I always concede.