Film & TV Language: Sound

Find a film clip on YouTube that uses sound in an interesting way. Analyse the use of sound, making sure you use the key language we have learned about sound in film:

• Diegetic and non-diegetic sound
• Parallel and contrapuntal sound
• Sound bridges

Remember to discuss/analyse all the different types of sound present in the clip:

• Music
• Dialogue
• Voiceover
• Sound effects

THE SHOWER SCENE // PSYCHO (1960)

This movie clip is from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 movie 'Psycho'. This scene from the movie is very terrifyingly effective due to the sound design. 

The scene starts of with Marion Crane entering the shower. She turns the shower on and we can hear the 'screech' of the tap turning and the shower running down the head. This is an example of diegetic and parallel sound. 

At 0:46 we can clearly see that someone has entered the bathroom through the door. There is no sound of the door opening or the person approaching, we only see their shadow through the curtain window which makes the scene more ominous and leaves the audience in anticipation of what is about to happen. 

At 0:58 the person behind the shadow quickly draws back the shower curtain, creating a diegetic 'screech' sound. We clearly see that they are holding a knife, ready to stab. At this exact moment, non-diegetic sound effects are placed in the background. This makes the scene more frightening. 

At 0:59, Crane realises what is happening and starts to scream. There is a large zoom in on her face at this moment so that we get a close up of her mouth while she is screaming. This emphasises how terrified she is. This is once again diegetic and parallel sound. 

The person with the knife starts stabbing Crane repeatedly. We do not directly see her getting stabbed but we can hear every stab going in to her body- the sound of her flesh being cut in to as blood rolls down the shower drain really creates a violent scene and leaves the audience shocked. The sound of the stabs is non-diegetic and parallel (Interestingly, Alfred Hitchcock achieved this by stabbing through countless melons to find the perfect one for the scene). 

At 1:23 the killer has left Crane after stabbing her multiple times. There is a change in the non-diegetic music playing in the background. It creates a dramatic and serious tone as we see Crane slide down the shower, symbolising how her life is now over. 

At 2:14 there is a sound bridge from the shower drain the Crane's eye. There was no dialogue or voice overs throughout this whole scene. I believe this was intended so that a tense and lifeless atmosphere could be created.