Film Vocabulary: Leitmotif

A leitmotif (also spelled leitmotiv) [lit. leading motif] is a recurring musical theme, associated within a particular piece of music with a particular person, place or idea. The word has also been used—by extension—to mean any sort of recurring theme, whether in music, literature, or the life of a fictional character or a real person.

Leitmotifs are very common in movie scores; a well known example is the Star Wars Imperial March associated with Darth Vader and his previous self, Anakin Skywalker, in the Star Wars series of films composed by John Williams. Themes for the characters Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Emperor Palpatine, and Yoda also recur throughout the movies. John Williams also composed music for the Indiana Jones films that uses a very memorable Leitmotif.