Use of sound in thriller/horror films
- In this clip, we hear lots of diegetic and pleonastic sounds used. For example, at the beginning we hear lots of distant background noises such as spooked horses and distant screaming, along with the natural sounds we’d typically hear such as heavy rain and footsteps.
- These natural sounds add realism to the scene and therefore immerse us into the story more; whilst the distant screams heard in the background are a typical convention of a horror, so the audience feel on edge about these sounds. Furthermore, the protagonists heavy breathing is a pleonastic sound that has a massive impact on the audience: as we see his fear for what will happen next, we connect with that character and therefore feel the same way as him. In simple terms, his heavy breathing makes the audience breath heavily and feels the same fear as him.
- I noticed that there is very little non-diegetic sound used. The majority of the clip is diegetic that adds familiarity and realism, which is what spooks the audience – as we realise that we hear these sounds all the time and therefore this could happen to anyone. However the non-diegetic sound such is also very effective. Non-diegetic sound used in this clip is the quiet instrumental string music. This is mainly one long note, which creates tension - as it makes the audience feel uncomfortable.
- In addition to this, I noticed another clip used a lack of sound, which is also extremely effective in horrors/thriller films. In this clip, there is very quiet non-diegetic sound, which fades into complete silence. This makes the audience feel very uncomfortable and on edge as it’s unnatural to have complete silence in the world. (In a way, the audience actually find the tense instrumental music comforting compared to complete silence – as complete silence is used before a major jump-scare)
- The lack of sound also creates an anti-climax: as the audience have been expecting a scary climax through the tense soundtrack, the silence allows them to relax a bit, right before the sudden non-diegetic boom which is the predominate jump-scare. However this technique has been used so often in thrillers/horrors that it has become a genre convention. This means the audience know that there will be a jump-scare coming and so will react to it less effectively.
- In contrast to the woman in black, this Ghost clip shows the same theme of the supernatural in a different way. The non-diegetic soundtrack consists of drumming beats to make the scene fast pace. This creates a more anxious tension for the audience, rather than a fearful tension - We are worried for the protagonist as he fights off the mugger.
- The director may have chosen to use a drumming beat for the fast pace scene, to affect the audience’s heart rate. As this drumming beats are fast and common to match the pace and tension of the scene; it makes the audience feel on edge and exhilarated as their heart rates are fast.
- Moreover, there are also lots of pleonastic sounds used such as the slamming against the garage door and grunting while fighting. These have been emphasised to make the scene realistic so the audience can really hear the struggle of the fight. In particular, pleonastic sounds such as the clocking of the gun, the slap and the gunshot are dramatically emphasised, as they are key moments in the scene. They almost act as a jump-scare as the audience are frightened and shocked at these sounds.
- There are also distant background pleonastic sounds such as dogs barking and water dripping into sewers. This is effective as it creates a more realistic setting and establishes the scene, through this realism the audience will be immersed in the story more.
- Zucker also uses lack of sound as a device in this scene. This is used immediately after the gunshot; the only sounds we can hear are running footsteps. As the audience clearly sees that Sam is running and the tense non-diegetic music has suddenly stopped, we believe that the gunshot is nothing and so we relax slightly.
- This is used before the real climax: in which we find out that Sam’s body is actually covered in his blood in Molly’s arms. Zucker intended this silence to be an anti-climax; similar to Watkin’s use of the device – to shock the audience even further as they just became more vulnerable by relaxing from the tense moment.
To conclude – despite both films are categorised under the
same sub-genre (Paranormal thriller), they portray their story’s and elements
in different ways using different conventions of sound. Both films use
pleonastic background sounds such as dog’s barking and horses neighing to set
the scene and add realism, which both spook the audience as we realise these
scenarios could happen anywhere. Both films also use lack of sound as an
anti-climax so the audience don’t prepare for the predominate climax. However
in the Woman in Black we feel scared towards the ghost through the slow/tense
music, and the diegetic sounds such as the creepy footsteps, which make the
audience uncomfortable. However in Ghost we feel scared for the ghost (to come). Through the fast paced soundtrack and
pleonastic sounds such as the gunshot and the slap excites and shocks the
audience more than makes them uncomfortable.
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