The Relevance of Sound in Silent Films
The Relevance of Sound in Silent Films
Before the introduction of sound in the film industry, two prominent silent films during the 1920’s were Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror and The Battleship Potemkin. In Chapter 11 of The Film Experience, Corrigan and White pose a question regarding the use of sound in silent films. Corrigan and White asked whether sound allows film to fulfill a mission to reproduce the world, as it is, or if sound hinders cinema’s visual expression. Considering Corrigan and White’s question as to whether sound helps or hinders the cinematic experience, I believe that if the addition of sound had been available for films before 1927, sound could have improved the film experience, but would not have been necessary for, The Battleship Potemkin and Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. The Battleship Potemkin, directed by Sergel Eisenstein, depicted the uprising of the battleship Potemkin crew, revolting against the Czarist regime. As a highly influential and revolutionary propaganda film, I believe sound could have enhanced the drama and increased the viewer’s sympathy for these rebellious soldiers and their fight against the Czars. The scene from this film that I believe would benefit the most from the addition of sound would be “The Odessa Steps,” where the Czarist soldiers massacred the Odessans. In this very powerful scene, civilians are brutally murdered, and I do not believe the sole imagery, without any sound, gives the film enough justice and evokes enough emotion for how many lives are being lost. For example, the clip where the mother falls to the ground dying and her carriage rolls down the remainder of the steps could have been emotionally heightened with the sound of a cry or gasp, as well as the sounds of the gunshots being fired. I believe a very dominant scene, such as this, could have definitely been intensified with the use of loud battle sounds because it would make the scene appear more realistic, since those sounds are what
Before the introduction of sound in the film industry, two prominent silent films during the 1920’s were Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror and The Battleship Potemkin. In Chapter 11 of The Film Experience, Corrigan and White pose a question regarding the use of sound in silent films. Corrigan and White asked whether sound allows film to fulfill a mission to reproduce the world, as it is, or if sound hinders cinema’s visual expression. Considering Corrigan and White’s question as to whether sound helps or hinders the cinematic experience, I believe that if the addition of sound had been available for films before 1927, sound could have improved the film experience, but would not have been necessary for, The Battleship Potemkin and Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. The Battleship Potemkin, directed by Sergel Eisenstein, depicted the uprising of the battleship Potemkin crew, revolting against the Czarist regime. As a highly influential and revolutionary propaganda film, I believe sound could have enhanced the drama and increased the viewer’s sympathy for these rebellious soldiers and their fight against the Czars. The scene from this film that I believe would benefit the most from the addition of sound would be “The Odessa Steps,” where the Czarist soldiers massacred the Odessans. In this very powerful scene, civilians are brutally murdered, and I do not believe the sole imagery, without any sound, gives the film enough justice and evokes enough emotion for how many lives are being lost. For example, the clip where the mother falls to the ground dying and her carriage rolls down the remainder of the steps could have been emotionally heightened with the sound of a cry or gasp, as well as the sounds of the gunshots being fired. I believe a very dominant scene, such as this, could have definitely been intensified with the use of loud battle sounds because it would make the scene appear more realistic, since those sounds are what