Stress and Anxiety Created by Sound of the Lack of Sound in No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men’s sound design enhances the theme of hunter vs. hunted by creating anxiety, suspense and many other emotions.
Dialog in a move is an important factor for themes. With certain dialog one can tell where a person live, what personality they have and what hobbies they may partake in. In No Country for Old Men two phrases in the first half hour of the movie show you that Anton Chigure and Llewelyn Moss are hunters. “Hold still.” When Anton kills the man at the side of the rode taking his car and, “You hold still.” when Moss shoots the animal off in the distance. The two characters are talking to their prey about staying still so they could …show more content…
Many of them are over looked at the time due to the activity that is happening at the moment. These quiet moments create tension for the audience who sees the hunter hunting down his prey. The first example of the quiet score is just before Moss gets shot by the Mexicans when he is running away from them in the dark, falling down the side of the steep hill into the water. It is a quiet ominous sound. The second time there is music it is more noticeable when Moss and the cabby drive by the hotel checking if some one has come by it adds anxiety to the scene as he knows he is being hunted down for the money. Right after this scene we see Anton driving into De Rio and the music changes notes, becoming flat it creates more of tension gripping tone as Anton closes into Moss. The quiet music doesn’t come back until the Sheriff pulls in to where Moss was staying as the Mexicans leave quickly. Its makes it obvious that something bad has happened, like in most movies. The sheriff is hunting for Moss to help him become safe when in fact he is already dead. This music creates a sense of Moss who was being hunted had been killed by other hunters (Mexicans). The next example of musical score that amplifies hunter vs. hunted is when the sheriff returns to the scene of the crime where Anton is currently hiding. In the entire movie the sheriff never takes out his gun unless he knows he is in danger. …show more content…
In the examples with no sound emotion and suspense is drawn out by quietness. When Anton enters Moss’ house he quietly looks for anything that could help him track where Moss may be or may have gone. He quietly moves around doing things so when loud noises do happen, like when he breaks into the trailer there is more impact to the sound in contrast to the quietness. For another example of how quietness leads to sudden anxiety and suspense is when Anton is at the door to Moss’ hotel room. Anton stands in front of the door, Moss clicks the gun, Anton walks away and turns off the lights, returns and then a loud noise happens in the quiet darkness creating intense anxiety. Another scene that is quiet and lacks music is after the car crash in which Moss was part of. They shoot at each other and then Anton goes into a dark alleyway. This entire scene has no music. The anxiety from not being able to see much because of the darkness then the deafening quietness that ranges from quiet to loud very quickly raises the heart beat. The last scene that lacks music is when the car hits Anton after killing Carla Jean. The quietness as he drives away, the movie seems like it is ending and he would just drive off into the distance. Generally there would be a song or a musical score at the end that would role into the credits but because this movie doesn’t have much music there is none which
No Country for Old Men’s sound design enhances the theme of hunter vs. hunted by creating anxiety, suspense and many other emotions.
Dialog in a move is an important factor for themes. With certain dialog one can tell where a person live, what personality they have and what hobbies they may partake in. In No Country for Old Men two phrases in the first half hour of the movie show you that Anton Chigure and Llewelyn Moss are hunters. “Hold still.” When Anton kills the man at the side of the rode taking his car and, “You hold still.” when Moss shoots the animal off in the distance. The two characters are talking to their prey about staying still so they could …show more content…
Many of them are over looked at the time due to the activity that is happening at the moment. These quiet moments create tension for the audience who sees the hunter hunting down his prey. The first example of the quiet score is just before Moss gets shot by the Mexicans when he is running away from them in the dark, falling down the side of the steep hill into the water. It is a quiet ominous sound. The second time there is music it is more noticeable when Moss and the cabby drive by the hotel checking if some one has come by it adds anxiety to the scene as he knows he is being hunted down for the money. Right after this scene we see Anton driving into De Rio and the music changes notes, becoming flat it creates more of tension gripping tone as Anton closes into Moss. The quiet music doesn’t come back until the Sheriff pulls in to where Moss was staying as the Mexicans leave quickly. Its makes it obvious that something bad has happened, like in most movies. The sheriff is hunting for Moss to help him become safe when in fact he is already dead. This music creates a sense of Moss who was being hunted had been killed by other hunters (Mexicans). The next example of musical score that amplifies hunter vs. hunted is when the sheriff returns to the scene of the crime where Anton is currently hiding. In the entire movie the sheriff never takes out his gun unless he knows he is in danger. …show more content…
In the examples with no sound emotion and suspense is drawn out by quietness. When Anton enters Moss’ house he quietly looks for anything that could help him track where Moss may be or may have gone. He quietly moves around doing things so when loud noises do happen, like when he breaks into the trailer there is more impact to the sound in contrast to the quietness. For another example of how quietness leads to sudden anxiety and suspense is when Anton is at the door to Moss’ hotel room. Anton stands in front of the door, Moss clicks the gun, Anton walks away and turns off the lights, returns and then a loud noise happens in the quiet darkness creating intense anxiety. Another scene that is quiet and lacks music is after the car crash in which Moss was part of. They shoot at each other and then Anton goes into a dark alleyway. This entire scene has no music. The anxiety from not being able to see much because of the darkness then the deafening quietness that ranges from quiet to loud very quickly raises the heart beat. The last scene that lacks music is when the car hits Anton after killing Carla Jean. The quietness as he drives away, the movie seems like it is ending and he would just drive off into the distance. Generally there would be a song or a musical score at the end that would role into the credits but because this movie doesn’t have much music there is none which