Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
puppies. omg no way
Monday, December 7, 2009
Atonement- Final Scene
In writing my (long prolonged) blog, I contemplated what was important to me in a piece of media and how sound created an affect.
CONFESSION: I am a soundtrack junkie. I download *cough purchase on iTunes* the soundtrack to a movie after I watch it. One of my favourite novels, Atonement, was turned into a film a couple years back.
I’d like to discuss the last two-three minutes of the film. (go to 3 minutes, 20 seconds...or watch the whole clip if you want a bit of background behind the segment I discuss)
The sound designer/director did a FANTASTIC job for this part of the film. Briony’s chilling voice and the use of her memory/shots did it for me. The music is beautiful-the background/ambient noises are jarring. I love it. Every part about this scene represents why I love the entire story/book/movie.
The acousmatic sounds throughout the entire segment are beautifully constructed. There are scenes in the barracks in which a civilian is playing the harmonica. As Briony continues to talk about her sister Celia, the harmonica continues to drain on. It’s beautiful and creates an affect on the audience (or perhaps just moi!). There are gun shots, voices, sounds of rushing water in the barracks as well. Of course, we never see any guns, but we know that from the sounds of the gun, there is a war above the ground.
When Briony is in the washroom and Robbie walks by, we hear noises from a news station. The viewer is never shown a radio, but we are aware that it exists and is most likely coming from a radio.
In the barracks, as the soldier bares “Cheerio” to a dead Robbie, we hear the marching of soldiers above. It’s important because you realise that while it’s upsetting that Robbie passed away, the war had to carry on, and the soldiers dealt with death in a passive way. The sound of the soldiers are louder than the noises inside of the barracks moving around. You hear the noises outside more than the actual sounds that should match the visuals (i.e. rustling, speech, etc).
It’s interesting to evaluate the sound design behind a segment, in that I recognize acousmatic sounds moreso than before. I never realised how often we make associations with noises and objects without actually visually seeing them.
The diegetic and non-diegetic sounds are also important in the final scene of Atonement.
When Briony begins to explain the truth behind the entire story, we hear sounds of a typewriter. This is an important diegetic sound of the past, (also acousmatic before we get the visuals!). The reoccurence of the typewriter sounds throughout the entire movie are jarring. However, in this part of the film [segment], the typewriter leads us into the story. It would be non-diegetic to Briony current-day, and diegetic in the memory.
Briony’s [non-diegetic] voice continues throughout the entire final scene. We are shown the truth through visuals, but never get to actually hear what Robbie or Celia say in their final moments of life as they knew it. Hearing Briony’s story while *imagining* what Celia or Robbie would be hearing is chilling. Also, it is also chilling to hear the diegetic sounds in the beginning of the scene as Briony’s non-diegetic voice is layered on top.
The most important non-diegetic element of the entire final scene, in my opinion- would be the music. The song (Dunkirk) creates a solemn atmosphere and affect in relation to the voice and visuals. If the scene were to be played without the soundtrack, it would completely change the entire scene.
The final minute of the segment is of Robbie and Celia running along the beach. The music continues to play, and then you hear sounds of seagulls, water, and laughing. They are acousmatic as well as present in that we hear the noises and associate them with the characters even though we don’t actually see the mouths of them to know they are actually laughing.
The visuals and sound go together well completely! After taking Intro to Sound Production, I have realised how important sound is in any production; especially film. I’d love to work with films such as Atonement that explore using soundtrack and speech at the same time. Michel Chion had it right when he said “If the sound cinema often has complex and fleeting movements issuing from the heart of a frame teeming with characters and other visual details, this is because the sound superimposed onto the image is capable of directing our attention to a particular visual trajectory”. This film makes me think and it only does so because of the sound attached to it. It moves me in so many ways.
If you want a copy of the film or soundtrack let me know! I love to share :D!
-Phil!
"So, my sister and Robbie were never able to have the time together they both so longed for... and deserved. Which ever since I've... ever since I've always felt I prevented. But what sense of hope or satisfaction could a reader derive from an ending like that? So in the book, I wanted to give Robbie and Cecilia what they lost out on in life. I'd like to think this isn't weakness or... evasion... but a final act of kindness. I gave them their happiness."
Also, here are some links to my favourite compositions on the soundtrack for Atonement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjNpZ_v9DBE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXoFtTZTJAw
