Sunday, March 24, 2013

Anime Juke Box - Ghost City - Ghost in the Shell

When it comes to Ghost in the Shell, the score by Kenji Kawai is mostly atmospheric, atonal material. It does a great job creating mood in the film, but isn't something you sit back and enjoy at home. 

However, the vocal piece used three times in the film is one of the most memorable tracks of anime music of the 1990s. This song comes in three different lengths, with slight variations of tempo, and vocal accompaniment. Each time it is used, we are allowed to focus on images and the music without dialogue: opening credits, mid-movie montage and end credits. It is performed in an archaic Japanese style that contrasts vividly with high tech images on screen - and yet it reaches to the core of the ancient question. Who am I?

Here is the version used during the mid-film montage, called "Ghost City".


No comments:

Post a Comment