The creation and incorporation of the sound that is used in a movie are some of the most vital aspects of filmmaking. I adamantly believe far too many people appreciate only surface-level details when watching movies, often neglecting the different parts that come together to make that movie great. I believe one of the best examples of the impact sound can have on a film is the movie Interstellar.
I examined this film earlier in the year, and now I am delving back into what I believe is perhaps the best part of the movie: the beautiful sound and the variety of ways it is incorporated. The film features an incredible film score by the legendary Hans Zimmer, in what some have said is his best soundtrack.
Something unique about this film is the fact that the theme was created before the movie. The director Christopher Nolan went to Zimmer and gave him a page-long paper about being a parent and having to leave your child and wanted him to come up with a score that reflects this connection. Thus, the now-iconic “S.T.A.Y” was created.
Perhaps one of the foremost examples of the unique use of sound is that throughout the film, the volume of the film score varied from being nearly completely quiet to incredibly loud. At some point, the score is so deafening that it seems to drown out all other sounds in the movie, such as dialogue. Nolan did this with the intent to make the audience experience the film on another level, not just watching the film but feeling as if they are living through the events themselves.
This is particularly notable during the more intense scenes in the film, such as when Cooper is forced to dock the ship into another spacecraft manually after their autopilot malfunctioned. The dialogue is difficult to hear, but that is precisely the point; the dialogue is not the point, but the intense event that is happening.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the film smartly implements no sound into scenes that place in the void of space. Unlike many contemporary sci-fi films, the space scenes are experienced in deafening silence. Any of these shots contain no diegetic sound. Like the bombastic sound used in intense scenes, this use of silence helps the audience to feel as if they are experiencing the void of space themselves by accurately reflecting what it would be like in the real world.
The dead silence truly grounds the audience, who experience the film as astronauts would. I believe the film smartly balances both its soundtrack and silence to connect to the audience on a deeper level. The soundtrack is utilized throughout the film to convey the tone and deeper meanings.
The soundtrack in this film is unparalleled in the way in which it represents the events and emotions present throughout this film. The stunning central anthem “S.T.A.Y” perfectly captures the emotion of a father having to abandon his child, and in essence, represents the simple story of a father and daughters bond that transcends the space that divides them that is at the heart of this film.
The epic, organ-heavy score massively increases the drama present throughout the movie. The way in which the score overwhelms any other sound in the movie represents how the audience is supposed to be overwhelmed with drama. I believe the connection between the events of the film and the soundtrack is vital, as the sound elevates the film to another level.
The creation and incorporation of the sound in this film were incredible, and truly pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved in filmmaking. I believe the sound is what truly elevated the movie to another level. I believe Nolan put it best, where he said that he believed “Hans’ score for Interstellar has the tightest bond between music and image that we’ve yet achieved.”
Works Cited
Barsam, R. M., & Monahan, D. (2010). Looking at movies: An introduction to film. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.
Nolan, C. (Director). (2014) Interstellar [Film] Paramount Pictures
