Up, Married Life, and Music

When I was first thinking about what to do for the video project, one story that kept coming to mind was a montage clip from Pixar's 2009 film, "Up."  The montage, at the beginning of the film, tells the story of a couple's married life, from wedding to widowhood.  The piece has no dialogue, only a score appropriately titled, "Married Life."  Here is a link to the montage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G371JiLJ7A

The score itself won an Academy Award, as did the movie for Best Animated Film (it is also one of only three animated movies to be nominated for Best Picture).  When watching the montage, it is easy to see why it was so highly praised.  The clip tells a story using only music - using the same melody, even, playing it over again in different tempos and moods to match the story - and the visual aspect is also successful in telling the 4:20 story in an efficient yet heart-touching way.

Carl and Ellie, from "Married Life"

So much is told in this short clip, accented only by music.  Yet it lays a solid foundation for all that takes place in the rest of the movie.  "Married Life" is a wonderful example of a short narrative film - a simple, ordinary, powerful story.