We see and hear clearly the source of each of
these sounds. Because we are in the desert, there is
no background sound per se (with the exception of
the sound of the train approaching); at two brief
moments we hear voices and, at the end, only a hint
of Ennio Morricone’s musical score. This sound
design not only helps us distinguish the individual
sounds, but also helps us understand how they are
arranged in relation to one another. Furthermore,
it creates a brooding suspense and raises funda-
mental questions about the narrative and charac-
ters: Who are these desperadoes? Who are they
waiting for? Why do they seem to betray Harmon-
ica the moment he arrives? Why does he kill them?
In addition to directing our attention to both the
spatial and temporal dimensions of a scene, as in
Once upon a Time in the West, sound creates emphasis
by how it is selected, arranged, and (if necessary)
enhanced. In Robert Altman’s The Player (1992;
sound: Michael Redbourn), sound helps us eaves-
drop on the gossip at one table in a restaurant and
then, even more deliberately, takes us past that table
to another in the distance where the protagonist is
heading and where the gossip will be confirmed.
Because the scene takes place on the terrace of an
exclusive restaurant in Beverly Hills—the guests all
seem to be in the motion-picture business—the
sound makes us feel as if we’re among them, able to
see the rich and famous come and go and, more rel-
evant here, able to hear what they’re saying, even if
they think they aren’t being overheard.
Audience Expectations
Sounds create expectations. For example, in a
scene between a man and a woman in which you
hear quiet music, the sounds of their movements,
and a subtle sound of moving clothes, you might
expect intimacy between the characters. However,
in a similar scene in which the characters are not
moving and you cannot hear their clothes—and
instead you hear the harsh sound of traffic outside
or a fan in the room—you might expect something
other than intimacy. Sound also requires precise
timing and coordination with the image. For exam-
ple, when a simple scene of meeting in a doorway is
accompanied by a musical chord, we know that the
incident is significant, whether or not we know how
it will evolve. But in a scene where a small boy is
taken away by a bad guy at a carnival, and we hear
only the carnival music and loud crowd sounds, and
then see the look of terror on the parents’ faces
when they realize their child is gone, dramatic
music is probably not needed.
When a particular sound signals an action and
that sound is used repeatedly, it plays on our expec-
tations. In Ridley Scott’s Alien(1979; sound: Jim
Shields), sound (along with visual effects) plays an
impressive role in helping to create and sustain the
suspenseful narrative. This science-fiction/horror
movie tells the story of the crew of a commercial
spacecraft that takes on board an alien form of
“organic life” that ultimately kills all but one of
them, Lieutenant Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).
One device used to sustain this suspense is the
juxtaposition of the familiar “meow” sounds made
by Ripley’s pet cat, Jonesy, against the unfamiliar
sounds made by the alien. After the alien disappears
into the labyrinthine ship, three crew members—
Ripley, Parker (Yaphet Kotto), and Brett (Harry
Dean Stanton)—attempt to locate it with a motion
detector. This device leads them to a locked panel,
which, when opened, reveals the cat, which hisses
and runs away from them. Because losing the cat
is Brett’s fault, he is charged with finding it by
himself. We hear his footsteps as he proceeds war-
ily through the craft, calling “Here, kitty, kitty...
Jonesy, Jonesy,” and we are relieved when Brett
finds the cat and calls it to him. Before the cat
reaches Brett, however, it sees the alien behind
him, stops, and hisses. Alerted, Brett turns around,
but he is swiftly killed by the creature. This sound
motif is repeated near the end of the film, when
Ripley prepares to escape on the craft’s emergency
shuttle but is distracted by the cat’s meow.Expression of Point of View
By juxtaposing visual and aural images, a director
can express a point of view. In countless movies,
for example, the sounds of big-city traffic—horns
honking, people yelling at one another, taxis screeching
to a halt to pick up passengers—express the idea that
these places are frenetic and unlivable. Similarly, when416 CHAPTER 9SOUND