Gattaca Film Analysis

Through Gattaca, director Andrew Niccol constructs a film rife with non-diegetic audio techniques for the purpose of conveying core ideas in an indirect manner. The three methods Niccol uses to this end are music, sound and narration, which all work in conjunction with one another and thus are all tantamount for similar concepts. Michael Nyman’s orchestral soundtrack is omnipresent throughout the film accenting the tone of scenes, sound effects assist in creating the dystopian atmosphere of the futuristic world, and narration is used for exposition into the thoughts of the protagonist.

Nyman’s soundtrack is used extensively, ensuring the mood is sombre and reflective throughout the film, majority of the pieces heard are light orchestral compositions …show more content…
The electronic buzzing, the tapping on keyboards, the reverberation of footsteps in the lengthy corridors, all serve to build the futuristic atmosphere and how separated it is from the natural world. This concept of the world’s artificiality is extended further in the scene in which Vincent attempts to cross the highway while following Irene, the unnatural whizzing of the passing cars serves to remind Vincent of one of his genetic weaknesses, his poor sight, and how he slides through the gaps of the honking of the vehicles in order to follow his dreams. In addition to these ideas, as aforementioned, sound ties into the music numerous times, constructing several powerful scenes. Among the most significant is the film’s title sequence in which Vincent exfoliates his body of genetic material to Nyman’s signature melody, the sounds of skin and particles hitting the ground is amplified while coinciding with the soundtrack, emphasizing the idea of genetics and enhancing the effect of the highly magnified camera shot. The sounds echo in slow motion as Vincent’s true identity is stripped away and then burnt, again connecting to this idea of making sacrifices in order to achieve your goals and also how a person has been reduced to their genetics rather than being judged for the sum of their parts. Another use of sound is to help create to film noir tone, notable during scenes set in the bar in which the sounds of drinking and smoking compliment the comparatively jazzy music and shadowy visuals enabling the atmosphere to be truly noir-esque. Despite the importance of sound effects, Niccol often silences them when providing narration