The Music in the Opening Sequence

For a movie with such a dramatic historical subject, "The Trial of the Chicago 7" sure opens in a massively entertaining way.

But then the writer is Aaron Sorkin(directing for the second time) and his TV roots are such that surface-slick entertainment is the name of the game.

We first get somber information -- a b/w clip of President Lyndon Johnson announcing an increase in the drafting of American boys for Vietnam; a color clip of that monthly lottery drawing of birthdates that meant doom to so many young men; a dramatized clip of a young black man reading his draft notice...

...but even then, in these "dark" first moments, we notice something odd: the music accompanying these scenes has a fast, uptempo rock beat...with HORNS pushing the action and a growing sense of excitement, because NOW...

....we are going to get to meet the "Chicago 7" -- actually 8 - with Sorkin using a hoary but effective device: as each "star" reaches the final word of his sentence, Sorkin cuts to the NEXT star (in some other location), saying something entirely opposite, thus:

Abbie Hoffman: "If they bring force upon us,(angrily) then we will meet THEM...with..."

CUT TO:

Dave Dellinger: "...total nonviolence and pacifism." Dave's talking to his young son about his lifelong commitment to non-violence and has the boy repeat the words back: "If in conflict under no circumstances fight back. Instead, calmly and peacefully...''

CUT TO:

Bobby Seale: "...beat their f'ing heads in."

And so forth and so on. From one character to the next, "handing off" the contradictory dialogue to the next man BUT...with a steadily rousing, rocking, horn pumping underbeat.

Its grandly fake and grandly involving, all at the same time.

Kind of like the movie itself.