Well, I finally saw Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock. I had heard mixed reviews about the film in the past, although all of the people I know who have seen it rave about the sound (or lack thereof) in space. I was not surprised then, when I learned we would be watching this film in a class focusing on film sound. I also was not surprised when the film blew me away about 20 minutes ago, although this has not lessened the impression the film had on me.
The sound mix for Gravity is innovative beyond just the realistically silent space scenes. The soundtrack for the film is in 7.1 surround sound, featuring a greater number of channels for sound. This can be considered an advancement on the standard 5.1 set up utilized by most major motion pictures. These additional channels are intended to create a "sphere" of sound around the viewer to better encapsulate them into the film.
This system is very effective in Gravity, although I personally did not feel enclosed in a "sphere." I did, however, notice an increased perspective on sound direction and location that did extend nearly 360 degrees around me. In scenes like the initial impact of the debris cloud the swinging of instruments was intensified by my understanding of their constant motion around Bullock's Dr. Stone. Shortly after, when we are given an extreme close up of Bullock while she spins, the sound perspective gives us an even clearer understanding of her constant spin, and thus her plight.
Sound perspective is not the only device that gives the viewer a heightened sense of a situation. Throughout the film silence is often broken by alarms that warn us of impending disaster. These signals often continue to go off throughout the ensuing action as a way to further extend the tension in an otherwise silent scene.
The juxtaposition of silence and sound is truly a multi-use tool in Gravity. During one scene which I found particularly striking, Dr. Stone is attempting to undock the Soyuz II spacecraft from the International Space Station while the station is burning up. Inside the Soyuz the viewer (or rather listener) hears a cacophony of sounds, including Dr. Stone's heavy, frantic breathing. The tight framing and distressing soundtrack give the viewer an impression of the peril she is in, and we become more and more emotionally involved. As the countdown expires we are suddenly transported outside of the escape pod. We watch in complete silence as the spacecraft is released from the space station and our heroine is assumed to be free. The absence of sounds of fear or celebration, or even of mechanical separation, communicate volumes on the indifference of space to our condition. This cut from sound to silence, repeated throughout the film, is continuously shocking and telling of more than dialogue ever could.
It is again repeated at the very end of the film, and serves as a reminder not only of the space that Dr. Stone has just escaped, but also of the spectacle of the sound design itself. As the protagonist is shot from a low angle, we see the sky and hear an angelic chorus rise as she looks up. As cliched as this may be, it is suddenly cut as the credits role, leaving the audience with silence again. This sound is soon punctuated by radio signals in the same fashion as the beginning of the film. In a way, this final shift of sound made sure that I would remember that aspect of the film more than any other. Gravity is a thrilling film both to see and to hear.
"As cliched as this may be, it is suddenly cut as the credits role, leaving the audience with silence again. This sound is soon punctuated by radio signals in the same fashion as the beginning of the film. In a way, this final shift of sound made sure that I would remember that aspect of the film more than any other. Gravity is a thrilling film both to see and to hear."
ReplyDeleteGood observation, and overall entry.