Melodrama...Swordfish

Melodramatic…drama with music. This seems to be the basis for the majority of media we are subjected to these days. Movies, TV shows, video games, all seem, at some point, to intensify a mood using music. Melodrama is, nowadays, an essential piece of production, especially movie production. One example of a melodramatic scene from a movie is from the film Swordfish. The scene I am referring to involves John Travolta and Hugh Jackman sitting in a coffee shop discussing the plans that Travolta has for him. Travolta is trying to hack into a government database and plant a worm, that Jackman has created, in order to steal 9.5 billion dollars from a terminated government operation entitled Swordfish. It seems like a realistic discussion at first (as realistic as two criminals talking over coffee can appear) until the point where Jackman thinks he finds a flaw in the plan. “…before you can access a secure cluster you need a bank on the backbone of the network,” says Jackman (and the music begins, at this point very subtle). Travolta responds (maintaining his cool, laid back attitude) “Not a problem, look behind you…”. The music has heightened now as a low angle shot dollys toward the bank. The closer the shot gets the louder the music, it builds, it builds, it builds. The camera flashes back to a close up of Jackman and at that very second, the music stops. The next shot is a close up of a smirk on Travolta’s face and he replies “Cheers,” as he tips his glass (comic relief, more often than not a sign of comic relief).

Jon Weems