So Nando v Movies has started another film playlist about music this time dubbed the one musical scene and me being the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Three different themes came to mind, three different characters: The Winter Soldier, Moon Knight, and Electro. Say what you want about these respective projects but these might be the three best themes in all of comic book history but today we are only going to be talking about one of these characters—James “Bucky” Barnes.
And the film in question is Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This isn’t your average Marvel movie. This is a Marvel movie with a spy action edge to it, and if you know me then you would know i have a soft spot for spy movies.
I chose this scene for a multitude of reasons not only does it perfectly describe The Winter Soldier musically but it tells a story. There is a deeper meaning with this there are a lot of things that make me appreciate this theme so much more.
Bucky Barnes has always piqued my interest. He is a character shrouded in mystery we don’t know all that much about him. He is an enigma. He gets half a movie and then half a show but his past is all a blur and the theme portrays that so let’s get into it.
The scene in question is the infamous bridge scene it opens with Bucky blowing up a car and walking into shot the drums beating in the background then silence the music cuts. It’s a common element to build suspense and kaboom the drums come back and then the eerie opening of the theme returns and then out of the corner of the shot, Bucky appears as this blaring scream returns this is where the scene really ramps up Steve’s and Bucky’s themes mix here as they duke it out. These two themes are battling to be heard and then when bucky gets the shield his theme shines through for a second and then the horns return, these grand horns of battle, they add to Bucky’s ominous nature and then they cut out and then the theme starts building again. It builds and builds and climaxes with Bucky’s reveal and then it cuts again
[Music] and this is where the subtle detail kicks in the eerie chirps the clicks representing Bucky’s mental state as he begins to remember. The track opens with this growling base growing building this tension and then this yell overtakes the base. This yelling wasn’t a random choice, this is actually Bucky’s yelling from the first movie where he was still Bucky. Whenever he’s on screen this chilling almost grimy theme is playing and it juxtaposes the pretty heroic grand theme of the rest of the film, but on this track it was modified this yell was changed the electronic screech is unsettling this relates perfectly to Bucky. His voice, his body has been changed. His screams, his pain have been reconstructed by Hydra. It was very chilling how this element was used. There are theories out there that the screams are actually Tony Stark’s mom when Bucky killed them, but I find the screams being Bucky’s way more terrifying.
In the midst of it all we get this little few second snippet of what seems like a cold wind blowing in. This adds to the cold sense to Bucky’s past, the cold Siberian story where he was held and experimented on. We then get our first taste of the scrambled electronic noise, but there’s a pattern to it. It’s rhythmic we get more of these cryptic electronic chunks and then the unsettling reconstructed yells creep back onto the track. Then this buzzing starts ramping up very synonymous with the brainwashing machine starting up the screams start playing faster and faster. And then the rumble of the machine cuts all of the electronic screams blend into one recurring noise this sharp sound blaring into your ears and then it climaxes, it peaks and then this loud bashing sound comes right over it— this being Hydra trying to break into Bucky. They are bashing into his screams. It is all building to something. That’s when it all changes. The screaming cuts, the track hits the reset button. This new layout feels way more controlled chaotic but controlled.
[Music] Bucky has been reborn as The Winter Soldier. We have these hard-hitting pieces all stacking up on top and every now and again we hear the same electronic scream. It bleeds through all this mental reconstruction. This theme makes the spy action adventure more believable. It’s way more chilling when you realize the mysterious nature of the villain is tied to the origin of the protagonist.
The track then starts ramping up again stacking all of these different musical elements, throwing in some screams, these quick footed little riffs, and this time it climaxes with this horn reminiscent of a battle horn signifying this weaponized energy. He is the weapon, Hydra is controlling him. He doesn’t have a saying what he’s doing. Then an electric guitar enters the mix screeching this sharp eerie noise. The music ramps up, cuts, and then restarts. It’s very spy film-esque with this dirty action.
We ramp up again to the tune of a different battle horn, a sharper sound more up front in your face versus one hiding in the background. The track is flying by, it speeds up all these different elements are able to co-exist in this chaos. As it’s all coming to an end it’s climbing higher and higher and then all the lower electronic bass lines cut out replaced by charging engine. And then everything cuts except the extreme sped up scream.
This track is more than simple villain music because Bucky isn’t a villain— he’s a pawn, he isn’t in control, he’s being used. And the electronic nature of the track is able to portray that really well. This links to his past. Think back to the brainwashing scene—this cold room this gray machine stripping him of who he is. Nothing on this track is on accident all that has some meaning the elements used here are the best we’ve seen in years. It invokes emotions most other themes can’t. This is not some anthem, this is a cold retrospective on The Winter Soldier. It’s unnerving and makes you feel uneasy and that’s why this is one musical scene, actually no don’t like that lets change it, and this is why this is one musical marvel.