Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window: Sound Essay

Sound is something quite special, impactful, and adds layers of elements and complexity to a film. As with the progression of the movie making medium, sound has grown and changed drastically over the decades. However, sound cues in the form of effects, dialogue, and everything in between, shapes our perceptions of a scene and movie.

In the short story “Harrison Bergeron”, Kurt Vonnegut uses sound to foreshadow later events in the story. George, the dad of Harrison, has a mental handicap that prevents him from thinking about things too long. To prevent him from thinking, a loud and sharp noise goes off. One example of a noise foreshadowing later events is when George was thinking about the handicaps of the ballerinas that are dancing on tv. George says it “Sounded like somebody hitting a milk bottle with a ball peen hammer”(2). When the handicap went off it made him forget what he was thinking about and sounded like something being destroyed. This is foreshadowing when Harrison breaks into the dance studio after he escapes out of prison. He tears the door off its hinges

Throughout the scene, the use of non-diegetic sound is used to make the audience feel worried and scared as to where Jasper is taking Charlie and what is going to happen. The deep, dusky scary music played in the background has an effect on the audience, creating a dramatic feel as Charlie did not know what was ahead for him in the shadowy, dark forest, fearing for his life as Jasper Jones is portrayed as a bad person in society because of his skin colour. Furthermore, throughout the scene, non-diegetic sound is used as an additional background sound, intensifying when Jasper and Charlie come near Laura Wishart’s hanging, dead body. As Jasper and Charlie closely creep up to Jaspers property, the music suddenly intensifies, creating a mysterious approach about what is going to happen next.

     The sound effects in the film also give clues as to what kind of person Napoleon really is. One supporting example is when he is eating “tots” in the middle of class. The unnecessarily loud crunching noise portrays his manifest lack of craftiness and style. There was one audio technique, however, that was extremely puzzling. In every scene inside a house, there is a very subtle background of birds chirping. This emphasizes the fact that Napoleon lives a rural community, rather than a busy suburb or city setting. This sound is extremely understated, however, and is obviously intended to be a subconscious feature to the viewer.

These screams have an interesting connection to the rhythm of the film; each scream happens at a different point in time. In the first scenario, it happens in the beginning, then in the middle during the second scenario, and at the end in the final scenario.

Small elements of cinematography such as camera angles, shot durations, and camera focuses all help piece together the notion of seclusion in this film. Mise en scene plays a vast role in Rear Window, from editing to lighting, the mise en scene helps conclude the solitude Jeff feels in his apartment. Sound is another element in mise en scene, but plays a major role in Rear Window. Hitchcock uses mostly diegetic sounds in order to create a better version of reality for the audience, and help us feel the isolation that Jeff feels in this time of his life where he cannot leave his space. Overall, the cinematic language that is present in this film helps the audience understand the underlying themes that are present within the

Another example of sound is Hitchcock's use of voice over. For instance, as Marion drives away with the money she ha stolen, she imagines conversations between the people she has left behind and their reactions to her faults. Hitchcock also uses sound, which doesn’t complement the image that we see. Whilst the on screen

only what he wants us to see, and shows us the scenarios from the eyes

Along with background music, sound effects play more of a role on the way we feel than many moviegoers think, and "although the function of sound effects is primarily atmospheric, they can also be precise sources of meaning in film" (Giannetti, 225). When the

“The most exciting moment is the moment when I add the sound… At this moment, I tremble.” (Akira Kurosawa) Sound is arguably the most important concept in cinema studies, being there ever since the beginnings. It can radically change the way a motion picture is looked at and it can render what the director may sometimes find hard to depict using only his camera. Looking upon silent cinema one discovers an era which wasn’t at all silent, but rich in sound of different forms, from the simple narration of the images shown on screen, accompanied by a piano, to the complex score later composed specifically for that film. An example of that complex score is shown in Sunrise, a film by F.W. Murnau, which lies at the border between silent cinema and sound cinema. Considered to be one of the first films with an actual score, Sunrise is a great example of the multitude of dimensions and effects sound can have.

In 1928 ground-breaking technology made it possible for movies to have sound. This revolutionized horror films because sound gave an extra dimension to terror. Noise built suspense and signaled the presence of a threat. (Wilson) Instead of a monster suddenly making an appearance without warning, music would signal that they were near. Growls, Snarls, footsteps, and screams allowed the audience members to feel like the victims of the movie.

Another aspect of sound in this film was how it affected the story. By using sound dramatically in certain parts and not using it at all in other parts, sound gave this story an entity of its own. For example, during long stretches of film with mostly dialogue, there was no music played in the background, only a phone ringing in the distance, or the men's voices during their deliberation. These long silences also took place during editing shots of the town and images that surrounded this German city. This dramatic difference in sound was a revelation of how mood can be made by images and sound put together to make an incredible component.

Alfred Hitchcock’s attention to detail in his films is one of the many things that makes him one of the most recognized film auteurs of all time. He was very particular what about he wanted seen on screen and how he wanted to get those shots. From camera movements to the things found in the mise-en-scène, Hitchcock was very precise about every little thing that is seen in his on screen worlds. He would strategically place objects throughout the mise-en-scène and have characters wear certain clothing. By doing this, Hitchcock is able to let the audience know things about the characters and the plot without it having to be said on camera. Hitchcock once said that “If it's a good movie, the sound could go off and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on” (Tiffin). That’s why there’s no surprise that when Hitchcock finally made his first color film, he began to use color as another way of communicating with his audience.

These screams have an interesting connection to the rhythm of the film; each scream happens at a different point in time. In the first scenario, it happens in the beginning, then in the middle during the second scenario, and at the end in the final scenario.

In the movies, there are a number of factors that will impact the quality of the film and the story. This is because producers and directors are using different techniques that will enhance their ability to entertain. The Sound of Music is taking numerous ideas and is integrating them together. To fully understand what is happening, there will be an examination of the film and various concepts. This will be accomplished by focusing on: the storytelling, acting, cinematography, editing, sound, style / directing, impact of the film on society / vice versa, genre, application of at least one approach and overall textual themes. Together, these elements will highlight the effects of the film and how it has influenced others inside the industry.