The main title is the music, often later recorded on
soundtrack albums, that is heard in a film while the
opening credits are rolling. It does not refer to music playing from on-screen sources such as radios, as in the original opening credits sequence in ''
Touch of Evil''.
A main title can consist of a tune sung by the leading character over the credits, such as ''
Moon River
"Moon River" is a song composed by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song also won th ...
'', sung by
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen ...
in ''
Breakfast at Tiffany's'', or the main orchestral theme as written by the composer, such as the famous ''
The Pink Panther Theme''. It can also be a medley of themes from the film, as in the 1959 ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:
Fiction
*'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace
** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899
** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
''. In the film ''
A Hard Day's Night'', the title tune was heard over the opening credits showing
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...
running from their fans. An
overture
Overture (from French ''ouverture'', "opening") in music was originally the instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century. During the early Romantic era, composers such as Beethoven and Mendelssohn composed over ...
may serve as a main title, as in ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...
''. However, there is a very strong difference in a
roadshow theatrical release between an overture and a main title. The overture in such films is heard on pre-recorded tape or film, ''before'' the film even begins, while the house lights are still up and there is yet no picture on the screen. The main title begins when the film actually starts. In the case of ''The Sound of Music'' though (and also ''
Fiddler on the Roof
''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 190 ...
)'', no overture was heard before the lights in the theatre went down; therefore, in these cases, the main title did serve as an overture. Both films had pre-credits opening sequences; during these, the first song from the film was sung, and immediately afterwards, the main title music followed.
In movie musicals, the main title nearly always consists of one or more of the songs from the film, played by the orchestra.
Film and television opening sequences
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