Nineteen Minutes: A Soundtrack

Estampes, Pagodes

Flowing music supports Peter's final rest.

This piece is very dreamy, and Peter, in fact, dies in sleep.

"In his dream, Peter wasn't scared. He knew, somehow, that he was headed exactly where he'd wanted to go."

Silence

No background music

Flashback of Josie's memory on the day of shooting, without any background music.

"All Peter had done was what they all secretly dreamed of: be someone, even for just nineteen minutes, who nobody else was allowed to judge."

At this point, Josie and Peter both cannot be judged.

Having no music will allow the audiences to accept the fact without any emotional twist caused by music.

Clair de Lune

"Peter flinched. . . 'I was going to kill the person I hated the most. But then I didn't get to do it.'
'Those ten people--'
'Just got in the way,' Peter said.
'Then who were you trying to kill?'
On the opposite side of the room, the air conditioner suddenly choked to life. Peter turned away. 'Me,' he said." (page 194)

This is a very important scene because it is the only one that explains why Peter started shooting.

The romantic and somewhat sad music would suit his frustration.

La Plus Que Lente

This waltz starts rather lighthearted, representing Peter's anticipation about first day of kindergarten.

"On his first day of kindergarten, Peter Houghton woke up at 4:32 a.m."

The calm part at the end of the piece matches his disappointment after having his lunch box thrown out of the school bus.

The Snow Is Dancing

This dreamy piece has a fragile and dangerous atmosphere to match the shooting scene.

Peter Houghton's mind has been weakened after "seeing something he'd hoped never to see again."

Part of it sounds like a rifle shooting people.

All About Lily Chou Chou

All About Lily Chou Chou (2001)

This Japanese coming-of-age film has been soundtracked almost entirely by pieces of Claude Debussy, a nineteenth-century Impressionist composer.

The movie has received fairly positive critics (66% on Rotten Tomatoes).