Sound Effects In The Driver

Drive, an indie film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn illustrates the importance of sounds effects and music to convey the mood in scenes, making the viewer subconsciously believe that the action is realistic. Yet the bass-driven electronic music throughout the scenes with The Driver, paired with little dialogue and prominent engine sounds represent his alienation from the rest of the world. Meanwhile, when he is with Irene, the music becomes warmer and has vocals, contrasting his loneliness that he is overcome with for most of the film. Thus, the careful placement of sound effects and combination with background music allow the viewer to be immersed in the world of The Driver. Just like many sound effects, the sound effects in the movie are not factually acurrate to the movie …show more content…
In one of the most gruesome scenes in the film, sound effects and background music are used to achieve the full impact of the scene without having the camera show the violence fully. Initially in the scene, when Irene, The Driver, and a hitman are in the elevator, there is light electronic music playing in the background. As Irene and The Driver kiss, the music stays just as calm and nearly dreamlike, almost as if the scene is happening in The Driver’s imagination. Yet, the moment The Driver sees the gun in the hitman’s jacket and attacks him, the mood suddenly changes. The music cuts out, and the horrific sounds of the man being beaten to death are heard. The realistic sounding squelches as his head is smashed in off camera lets the viewer know what happens to the man. Yet the film only shows a quick shot of his face to not disgust the viewer. This, along with the minimalistic music driven by synth allows the viewer to understand more about The Driver than his limited dialogue is able to