A Leitmotif is a specific theme that stands out in a film and eventually becomes highly recognizable. Leitmotifs are most commonly iconic sounds and “theme-songs” that are known for only being in that movie or series of movies. Leitmotifs are typically found in famous movies and have a huge impact on the audience. Basically, if a certain tune plays and many people know what movie its from, it a Leitmotif.

My source is a video example of some famous Leitmotifs. These examples come from iconic movies that almost everyone is heard of. Examples in the video include: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jaws. The Leitmotifs give the movies an original and unique feel so the audience can immediately relate the sound to the movie.

In my opinion, the quality of Leitmotifs don’t go hand in hand with the quality of the movie. Yes, the sounds are good and do a great job of setting the tone, but in the end what makes them so easily recognizable is how famous the film becomes. A Leitmotif is just one of many other factors that makes a movie great.