The Functions of Sound

The Godfather (1972)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando

Music by Nino Rota

The three basic types of sound in a film are categorized as dialogue, music and sound effects. I have chosen to analyze a clip from The Godfather (1972) where Michael Corleone kills Sollozzo and McCluskey. Dialogue is basically the script or conversations that characters have or say. Music may be from the characters playing instruments within the film or simply music being played while a certain scene is being played. Sound effects may be found to match the actions of a character or simply added to the background for the audience to hear while the film goes on. The two elements of sound are described as diegetic or non-diegetic. Music heard by the audience but not by the characters within the film is an example of non-diegetic. Music that is played by a character within the movie is an example of diegetic.

We are going to focus on the sounds that were heard as the short clip was played. As the clip begins, we hear the dialogue of the conversation with a serious voice and the sound effects of Michael being patted down. The we are able to hear his footsteps as he is heading to the bathroom and the sound of a train passing by in the distinct background. The clip then plays sound effects of Michael grabbing the gun hidden in the bathroom stall and the silence outside in the restaurant as it goes back and forth from the characters. The clip is very quiet and the sound effects of his footsteps, the doors opening and his chair squeaking all add to the mood. The clip becomes more intense as Michael listens to Sollozzo speak about his father in Italian and the train is coming to stop in the background louder and louder. Then Michael rises and fires his gun at both Sollozzo and McCluskey. The table is tipped over as McCluskey falls over the side of it and the dishes all come crashing down.

I believe the sound of the gunshots would compliment to the genre of crime and the silence would also contribute to the genre of drama. The silence throughout the clip makes the scene become more dramatic as Michael begins to feel flustered before he kills two men. The mood here is set to be quite intense yet nervous for Michael and his emotions. I also believe the expected and realistic sounds of the gun shots from Michael really intensified to define his breakthrough moment to the life of crime. Michael would go through a complete different set of emotions if the scene was changed to a more loud and public location. He would not be as nervous as he was being alone and the clip would not be as intense with too much background noise.

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title.

Lighting in Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan

Released in 1998

Directed by Steven Spielberg

In this film, the cinematographer (Janusz Kaminski) used a low-key lighting in the scene in the clip above about the sniper they encounter while in search of Private Ryan. This lighting helped establish the theme as the rain was falling in what seemed to be a rain storm. This type of lighting had benefits towards the type of environment you encounter while in combat throughout a war. It also benefited showing the time of day as the scene took place outdoors in a town that was bombed and reduced to rubble. The use of this technique contributed to the scene in a positive matter since the low lighting complimented the weather. This technique made it possible to get a better feel for the hardships that the characters came across while traveling throughout the towns. I also believe it contributed to the scene as one of the characters was shot and was slowly dying since they could not reach him until the sniper was taken care of. The low-key lighting suited this genre of war since it allowed the film to seem more authentic and realistic while the battles were going on. This allowed it for the audience to view the motion picture as a more natural event as the light was not from an unnatural source. The scene would seem completely different if another choice of lighting would have been used. The use of the three-point lighting on the wounded character would have violated the integrity of a natural environment. This would also go the same with the use of the high-key lighting throughout the entire scene. Using strong lighting would take away from the scenery of the rain storm and the natural view of the daily struggles in war while in a ravaged town.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The Godfather

The Godfather

Released in 1972

Writer: Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola

Director: Francis Ford Coppola, Fred Gallo

Major Actors:

Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone
Al Pacino as Micheal Corleone
James Caan as Sonny Corleone
Richard Castellano as Clemenza
Robert Duval as Tom Hagen

http://www.thegodfather.com/index.html?view=video/undefinedStory:

The story of this film is focused mainly about the life of Michael Corleone and the crime ring that revolves around his italian family. It shows how Michael stays away from his family business but soon comes around to becoming the person his father wished he would never become. Michael is known to be a well educated veteran who will have a much more lavish lifestyle but it changes throughout the movie. He goes to become just like his father as “the godfather” for the Italian-American community and the head of a large New York crime family.

Plot:
The plot begins as the Corleone family is arranging for favors on a wedding day as the godfather is known to never turn down any request on the wedding day of his own daughter. The beginning of the plot is found as the Corleone family does not partake in the drug business, Johnny is denied a role, the horse head is found and Michael is away. The plot rises as Don Vito Corleone is assassinated in the streets while purchasing fruit and Michael returns upon hearing the news. This is the prime of the plot as Michael learns to kill his first two people in a business proposition after his father is hospitalized from the various gunshots. Michael and his success has his disappear for a year until his safety is no more after his own body guard fails to assassinate him by blowing up his car. Don Vito Corleone calls a meeting for a truce between all families as his son Sonny is assassinated and Michael quickly learns of his traitor after his father dies from a heart attack. Michael then has all his enemies assassinated as he is at the church baptizing his newborn son Michael.

My Personal View:
This film is chronologically directed as the story goes along in order from the beginning to the end. I believe this choice contributed to the audience as they had the opportunity to witness Michael go from a normal life person to the head of a crime family in New York. This also was a great choice as the audience knew the story beginning with his father, the death of his father and how he then replaced his father. Character development impacts the storytelling choice since the audience may grow to know who the character is or simply realize who the character is as the story goes on. I believe the audience would not have had the same mood as the one found in the end of the movie if they had known Michael was already the godfather and the story took you back constantly to show how he became that person.

References:
http://www.afi.com/10top10/moreDetail.aspx?id=54023&thumb=1

http://www.thegodfather.com