ABSTRACT
When it comes to the use of music, outliers are those moments that defy categorization. Rather than fitting into a box, be it diegetic music or non-diegetic music, score, or song, these movie music moments are different, and stand out. Hollywood filmmakers have always pushed the boundaries of the canon, breaking the rules, contravening convention, and exploring new expressive possibilities at the service of engaging storytelling. Innovative, refreshing, and bold uses of music are just one of many ways films can still surprise contemporary audiences. Blurring the lines between diegetic and non-diegetic music is one example of pushing boundaries, though this has become so commonplace it no longer qualifies as an outlier. Outliers by definition are not common. They are exceptions, not the norm, and they are in fact exceedingly rare. For unconventional music uses to be effective in the mainstream realm, filmmakers rely on audience literacy, that is, familiarity with conventions and common modes of expression that are subverted when things are done a little differently. One can identify and list outliers in terms of how they deviate from the norm. Explaining outliers’ effect, however, is a little like having to explain a joke—their impact is best appreciated in the context of the respective film. Spoof comedies are Hollywood’s way of making fun of itself, and ridiculous uses of music that pull the curtain back on Hollywood’s proverbial toolbox can be hilarious: Revealing the diegetic source of what might otherwise have appeared to be non-diegetic underscore can be quite intriguing and need not have a comedic effect. Sometimes characters’ interaction with music twisting filmic logic in compelling ways: Characters may surprisingly start singing along to what would otherwise appear to be a non-diegetic song. The outliers presented in this section are just a few examples of novel and unusual uses of music that offer added levels of engagement.
