Music in the Films "The Essay

It is interesting to note that the soundtrack for "The Preacher's Wife" is one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time, and it is what the film is most remembered for, rather than the story or the acting.

Of course, the sound quality is drastically different between the two films. The early version is presented in monaural sound, as sound is not the most important aspect of the film. Because of this, the music is a bit tinny and one-dimensional, not nearly as pleasing to listen to as in "The Preacher's Wife." All of the songs in "The Preacher's Wife" are extremely easy to listen to, and they are mixed well. Of course, they are also quite spiritual, and the musical quality is so much better than the original film, due to digital recording and many other technologies, that it is difficult to even compare the two in terms of aural quality. Houston's singing is superb, and the gospel choir backgrounds add an energy and joy to the film that is difficult to match.The music in the two different films is difficult to compare, because it serves different purposes, but the music in "The Preacher's Wife" is far more enjoyable, listenable, and geared to play again and again, because of its harmonies, lyrics, and rich gospel traditions.

In conclusion, these two films help illustrate how the use of music in filmmaking has evolved over the years. In earlier films, the only films that were consistently concerned with their music were the big Hollywood musicals, and many other films suffered from a real lack of musical development. It was something in the background, and certainly necessary for the film, but the quality and sheer popularity of the music was not the most important aspect of a film. Today, music plays an incredibly important role in films, and soundtracks can go on to be even more successful than the films themselves. These two films illustrate that difference in production very nicely, and indicate that music can be another….....