Critical Theory: Initial thoughts on sound

Sound is an essential element of any film. Not only does it enhance the picture, it allows things such as emotion and atmosphere to be conveyed in a way other than visual. It also gives audiences opportunities to establish links with characters through the use of sound motifs. It can also help evoke certain emotions within audiences. An example of this is the slow, building music commonplace in many horror films. As the melody progresses, the audience is likely to react to the tension that accompanies this and, subsequently, feel scared. Indeed, even silent films rely on sound - largely to generate humour.