Rodgers, StephenEschenfelder, Melinda2019-09-182019-09-182019-09-18https://hdl.handle.net/1794/24878Musical themes in film are often transformed in ways that reflect major plot developments. Film music scholars typically explore such transformations across an entire film. However, this broad analytical brush misses the intricate ways themes can reflect narrative development in a single scene. In this thesis, I provide two musical techniques that demonstrate this intricacy. I first examine how themes are used in superhero battle sequences to outline the battle’s internal development and its function in the film’s overall plot. Case studies include Captain America (2011) and Wonder Woman (2017). Second, I explore how preexisting themes are combined into a new theme using musical techniques that reflect the relationship between the themes’ subjects, looking closely at “Anakin’s Theme” from the Star Wars saga and “The Edge of Night” from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. These two techniques reveal the complexity with which themes and narrative development can be intertwined.en-USAll Rights Reserved.Film MusicFilm Music ThemesFilm StudiesLord of the RingsStar WarsSuperhero FilmsElectronic Thesis or Dissertation