A new four-part series in which film enthusiast Brian Sibley and guests explore the evolution of music in film, from live piano accompaniments during the silent era to soundtracks that are woven into the fabric of the image.

A look at the ways in which film music heightens the cinematic experience and how certain sounds now act as specific cultural signifiers. Also, to what extent do directors and composers collaborate on a score?

The Sound of Movies 8.30pm R2
Get the family together tonight and, as well as picking up masses of trivia from behind the scenes of some of the greatest movies ever made, you'll be able to show off your knowledge of theme tunes in a medley of classic soundtracks from 007 to Dr Zhivago and from Jaws to Star Wars. Linking the musical excerpts together, while tracing the story of film scores over the past 75 years, is movie expert Brian Sibley. He illustrates how composers create music that can prompt us to laughter, move us to tears or jump us towards a scream (think Laurel and Hardy, Love Story and Psycho). Sibley also reveals how film scores can transport us to physical places, like mysterious mountain kingdoms or blistering deserts (cue Lord of the Rings and Lawrence of Arabia). If the rest of this series matches the delights of this opening episode, we're in for a real treat.