The Lives of Others was similar to other films we’ve viewed in class. There is a big theme of listening and recording. The story of listening is unique in this film. It ends up being quite political. Like many sound people, they specialize in bugging and recording secretly. The nice thing about this film was that there was no complexity. It was a simple story with a twist that ended up being very reflexive. The whole story revolved around the concept of sound and listening. Weisler is listening to (writer) as he plans to release his play. Even though Dreyman takes precaution about the possibility of being bugged he cannot get past these professionals. Luckily Weisler was on his side. There is a doubt that something so invasive could be so easy. Just twenty minutes it took for Weisler to bug Dreyman’s apartment. It is the best form of evidence but it is also easy to change. Simple effects and alterations can happen to the tape and corrupt it. There is a very nice ending to the film. One that makes you realize that nothing goes unnoticed and sometimes there is always someone looking out for you.
Walter Murch: The Conversation and Apocalypse Now
The Conversation and Apocalypse Now are two very different films, at least in sound design. Walter Murch, sound designer on both films, created two different worlds for the two films and they both work in different ways.
In the interview with Murch it was interesting to hear that not many people were interested in sound when he was in school. I can’t imagine what kind of film Apocalypse Now would be if it were just thrown together. There are so many films where the sound is the most important.
For The Conversation the electronic sounds of the recording were a crucial part of the film. Murch described the process of making a bad sound to spark people’s interest. That is a very interesting part of the film because the first time you watch it you are unaware of what is going on. I think that seeing the film today is different than seeing it in 1973. Today, we are used to distorted noises and hearing strange sounds. The entire movie revolves around the recording so Murch had to make it an interesting sound. It is the way he got the sounds that is unusual. The part that goes over “He’d kill us if he got the chance” is bongo drums, nothing but natural sounds. Even some of the noises in the recording of the couple were ones that happened while they were filming.
In Apocalypse Now there are more exotic noises. The interesting thing is that they aren’t always noticed because they fit so well in the film. They are the noises you would expect to hear in the middle of the jungle or a battle on the beach. The interesting aspect is mainly the surround sound. It brings the audience even further into the film by being consumed by sound, hearing the action as it could be heard in real life. The beginning of the film sets up the quality of sound that the rest of the film has. All of the sounds that (main character) hears are altered to show how he interprets them, like the sound of the war, the helicopters, the people outside and even his own voice.
The process of sound design that Murch created has developed with technology. The effect his sound mixing effected other films is obvious and incredible. Sound is an important part of the movie experience and can’t be done poorly.
Leviathan
Leviathan is a very unique documentary film. A perfect film for the study of the effect of sound in film. Like many other documentaries it uses a fly on the wall technique to show the everyday work of a commercial fishing boat. The unique aspect is that there is no dialogue, no introduction to what is going on or any storyline. The only sounds are the sounds of the fishing boat and the workers going about their work. It really is like you are there on the boat, observing everything that is going on. Without getting in the way and completely safe.
That is one of the important factors that was not shown as much. With the shows like “Biggest Catch” on television we are all aware of the dangers of the trade. This film shows the fishermen with long takes. Long takes of catching the fish, gutting the fish, passing the fish and finally just sitting around watching some TV. The takes are just long enough for the audience to get bored and as soon as they reach that point, the camera changes. The novelty of the absence of narration and dialogue quickly goes away as there is sometimes not much to even look at onscreen. But the sound of the waves and all the detailed sounds of the fish were very prominent and interesting.
The Leviathan is aptly named, mentioned in the Old Testament as a mythical sea creature. An obvious name for a boat and a way to address the depth behind the job as the title of the film. In the documentary we don’t see everything that goes on. The danger is missing. But the constant sounds keep the excitement.
Source Music in Goodfellas
Just like in Magnolia, the use of popular music adds so much more than just a soundtrack to a film. Goodfellas was a particularly well executed example of this. As evident from the musical cues, there was a specific vision for how everything would be tied together. There are so many different songs that were to be put in the film and they all had a specific purpose. The most interesting thing about the music in Goodfellas is that the narrative continued over about twenty years so the music followed the time period. Songs typically ended up being diegetic at some point. The song will be heard on the radio or in a club and as the scene progresses it becomes non-diegetic and turns onto background sound. Or it will start non-diegetically and end up being heard in a club or on the radio.
Sound mixer for Goodfellas, Tom Feischman, discussed in an interview about the importance of mixing the dialogue, sound effects and music. He talked about the difficulty of piecing together all of the sound elements. He had to make everything understandable to the audience and everything had to be heard. It is so interesting to me the way they set everything up. The dialogue had to be done first because it is the most important, especially all the voice overs with dialogue in between words and the music behind all of that. They must have worked hard to make it come out like it did. Everything was very precise and in it’s place, words and music matched up with the visuals and the narrative got along just fine.
Many of the songs have an important relevance to the plot. In the Case Study reading, the author drew direct connections between the meaning of the lyrics and what was going on in the scene. Particularly between Henry and Karen as their relationship progresses. Not only do the lyrics carry meaning but the background behind the song and the bands have relevance. Scorsese said that he wanted to “take advantage of the emotional impact of the music”. From Al Jolson to Tony Bennett to the Rolling Stones all of the tracks have historical relevance as well as the emotional meaning. Just like a score would be written to follow the characters emotions through the scene and display the feeling to the audience, these source songs were picked to do exactly that. They even have more meaning and are easier to relate to because the audience has already heard many of the songs before. They’ve even subconsciously decided on their own emotional reactions.
Use of Sound Effects in Once Upon a Time in the West and Ennio Morricone
The first two scenes of Once Upon a Time in the West set up the whole film as a sound effect masterpiece. Along with Ennio Morricone’s delightful score; awkward electronics and all. The film is made up of leitmotifs and synced sound that define the spaghetti western genre.
The opening scene has some of the best laid sounds. Every sound we post-dubbed which brings them to importance. The sound has much more importance and tells the story within themselves. In the first scene, when the fly is buzzing around, the sound of the fly isn’t the only one you hear. The other sounds seem to fade away with that annoying fly buzzing. It captures our attention. That focus is present through the whole film.
The leitmotifs were like another character they were so prevalent. The interesting part of these leitmotifs is the style they are done in. Harmonica’s leitmotif, is him playing the harmonica, but it is obviously not a harmonica playing. It is close enough to be understood that it is a harmonica but still erie and distant. It is diegetic and non-diegetic at the same time. Jill’s music goes more in depth with her character. Where we know that Harmonica has something going on behind his name and his harmonica playing; Jill’s entrance tells us to connect her character to themes in the film. She is instantly directed towards civilization and new beginnings. When her theme plays it is usually during an important point of the narrative. Along with the others, Cheyenne and Franks’s themes play tho their characters. Cheyenne’s is a little playful and foolish. Even if he is a criminal, he still has a endearing spirit. Frank’s is a little sad, as a menacing character there is an unexpected air about him where you are not quite sure about his past.
Ennio Morricone’s score fits very nicely with the film. It s a framework for the narrative and allows there to be a less direct plot. The score gives a very old west feel while still using new techniques. The repeated themes have become very well known. The unique composing matches very well with Leone’s direction.
Magnolia and Aimee Mann
Magnolia is so cool. Why aren’t all movies like this? They can’t be but it’s still pretty great. It is just the way art tells a story. Many pop songs are stories within themselves so they naturally fit with many story lines in films. There are universal themes in pop music and many films, so if they work together with the right tone there is an added effect. Music is very important to many people so it seems natural that popular music would influence film. It was interesting to know that Paul Thomas Anderson had written some of the script around Aimee Mann’s music. Music is always an added effect to visuals and dialogue but the lyrics of a song can add as an outside source of dialogue, one that is secondary to the characters and could, in a way, act like a narration. In the past, other directors have incorporated popular music/musicians into their films. The reading focused on The Graduate and McCabe and Mrs. Miller as examples where the film integrated the songs into the script. A different example would be Scorsese films, where the songs are mainly diegetic but still meaningful to the scene.
There was a meaningful difference between diegetic and non-diegetic. Most of the time the music (whether Mann’s or the orchestral score) was non-diegetic. They just added to the emotional moments or emphasized a feeling. During the final scene in Claudia’s bedroom, the dialogue between her and Jim can barely be heard. But the lyrics are explaining what is going on and giving an end for all of the characters. As the reading, “Music in Film”, described “the lyrics of the song speak not only for Claudia but also for many of the other characters who all wan to be saved in some way.” (p.66)
The diegetic music also plays a part in character emotions, particularly when the character doesn’t have anything to say or anyone to say it to. Many times we see Jim talking to himself (or God) alone in his car but when Donnie is in his car we hear “Dreams” by Gabrielle playing, which becomes a sort of mantra for him. “You know you’ve gotta have hope/You know you’ve got to be strong.” When Claudia is blasting music in her apartment the lyrics give meaning to her emotions as well.
The most interesting use of music is when all the characters join in to sing Mann’s “Momentum”. It isn’t clear if all the characters can hear the music, like they all happen to turn on the radio to the same station and decide to sing along. But the song lyrics describe their emotions at a time when they are all alone in the film. The shots of all the characters during a lyric that is defining them in that moment brings them all together to remind us that they are all living with problems and their stories all have the same theme.
It is very interesting to see songs integrated so frequently into a film and with so much intent. It gives Magnolia greater depth and adds another effect, another element to the depth of the film.
Sound in Science Fiction
The sound in science fiction films really drives the genre. There cannot be an epic space scene without the use of some great music, or an intense fight without appropriate sound effects. Blade Runner is unique in many ways but the sound effects make the film. Between the original and the Director’s Cut there were many changes specifically with sound.
The “Blade Runners” reading described the voice-over as being the difference between a sci-fi film or a film noir. It also said that the Director’s Cut version did much better than the original in theaters. The Director’s Cut left the viewers to be more imaginative and focus on the meaning of the film. We discussed in class whether Deckard was a replicant or a human from watching the Director’s Cut, where one could argue sides for either. There isn’t much to go off of in the original version because the voice-over alludes more toward him being human. Also, with the voice-over Deckard is clearly the main character, because of his narration but without it Batty could be argued to be the focus of the film, as we also discussed in class. I thought it was interesting how “Blade Runners” pinpointed the voice-over as a film noir aspect, where the main character tells the story through self reflection and somehow talks themselves through the understanding of the film. In this case, something seemingly simple as a voice-over can change the entire focus and meaning of a film. The story is told from many characters viewpoints and leaves room for thought.
Another big part of the film was the score. I did think it was a bit “80’s” with the synthesizer and felt that was the only part that dated the film. The music was very ambient and it fit the visuals and dialogue very well. From the “Ambient Soundscapes in Blade Runner” reading, Hannan and Carey say the sound reinforces the narrative and the images, like they are all one. I found they all fit very well together and none were too heavy. Aside form the score, the diegetic sounds were creative as well. The 2019 streets were full of exotic sounds that all seemed to have a place in future L.A. Many of the sound effects were abstract as well. They didn’t necessarily have a futuristic feel but they were not common sound effects that we would expect from todays technology and machines. Everything fit the sci-fi expectation, it was very alien but just knowing it took place in Los Angeles made it somehow relatable.
Documentary Sound
A first thought about certain documentary films would be that there is not much sound design or mixing involved. That was my original impression as well. The integration of ambient sound and what is recorded at the moment is how filmmakers get the documentary to portray realism. Even the use of music can be helpful to create a mood or bring awareness to an event whether it is diegetic or not, although it usually is. It could be coming from the radio, a band or some kind of music being played in the background.
How they edited in the elephant sounds in the wildlife documentaries over the tourist noises was interesting but I still wonder why not just film when the tourists aren’t there. I am sure there is a better sound when a sound specialist gets it with more time but having those things in the moment seems to be a part of the experience.
As the reading (Conventions of Sound in Documentary, written by Jeffrey K. Ruoff) discussed, there is a difference between Hollywood’s multi-track production and documentaries location-recorded sound. Hollywood films use sound to propel the narrative whereas documentary film depicts the real world. The sound in many documentaries require more focus from the listener. There are multiple sounds going on at once; the ambient room sounds, the characters, the dialogue and music are all together on the same track so they are more difficult to follow. That is why many times voice over is used to clarify what is going on. In the “home video” personal films that how the sound was used. They typically use the voice over to go over the on screen sounds. As discussed in class, the effect of the multiple Ross’ was that were present throughout the film. It gave narrative as well as a timeline.
off screen sound
The use of off screen dialogue was unique in the films we watched. Particularly, the way that the story was being told through the off screen narration.
In Andy Warhol’s ’13 Most Beautiful’ the sound made a big difference in the way that the people onscreen were seen. If the scene was silent then there would be too much to look at and I would get overwhelmed. All the shadows and slight movements would all seem more important and meaningful without the music. When the music played, there was less to focus on. I could take in the whole thing without feeling like there was something I needed to see, it wasn’t so intense. I find it interesting to compare the silent cuts and the music that has been placed over the films recently because some of them were conveniently on cue.
That was similar in ‘Perfect Film’. The clip of Malcolm X came conveniently after a woman, I believe, mentioned his death. These sound and picture effects sometimes match up coincidentally and that is what can make them more meaningful. If you hadn’t known that the film hadn’t been edited then you might think that it was intentional. That wouldn’t necessarily be a wrong assumption as it would probably bring about a similar meaning. The fact that it was not edited gives it more of a spooky coincidental feel that brings a surreal meaning.
Sound and A Man Escaped
In “A Man Escaped” the significant sound used is the voiceover. As the article states, the narration is important for the film for a number of different reasons. One of the most important is the knowledge of time passing. The narration tells us “one month” has gone by or that Fontaine is getting close to being prepared for the escape. It also helps us understand what he was thinking throughout the film. During the escape, he mentions that he has hesitations, waiting for hours even, before continuing on. The narration also tells us that this all happened in the past. Bresson breaks the rules of sound, as Fontaine names things we see them appear in the frame.
There were also effects made with sound that I did not notice in the film that the article explained. The timbre of the voices and the outside noises combined with silence. Also Mozart’s mass is played throughout the development of his escape. I don’t always notice subtle sound effects but thinking back to the film I understand how they would be affective but I had not noticed them on first screening.
I only wish that I knew enough French to watch this film without subtitles. I would guess that not having to read the dialogue would add to the effect. One would be able to listen more closely to the sound effects and simply watch without having to read.
Motion Pictures 