Music in Films - why

[steve1992]

Why do films have a music soundtrack?

While wathcing the Changeling, George C.Scott. The film was
made more scary because of the creepy soundtrack. Without
it, the film may just seem very silly.
Dito the Omen.

I guess music in films, goes back to the silent film era, when
music was played live in the theatre.

[Harry May]

Watch the scene in Psycho were Janet Leigh is driving away from her old life with the money.
Turn the sound off and it's just a woman driving.
The music gives the scene tension without being intrusive.

Some films suit music, some don't. It's all down to the director, cinematographer and composer whether it works or not.

[Richie]

Music in film is all about underscoring emotion to heighten a scene in some way. Or at least that's what the best scores do. One of the greatest examples is "Jaws", where the score takes on the role of the Shark for much of the film.

The cynic in me believes that many modern 'moovees' use the overstuffed soundtrack as a subliminal marketing tool for the huge conglomerates that control the studios.