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Mad Max Fury Road
Film Analysis
The film follows Max Rockatansky and Furiosa, the imperator, in an escape from post-nuclear earth with a sandy wasteland. It is persuaded by immortal Joe, the tyrant and his criminal gang of vehicle-cult boys of war (Klingman). Furiosa has kidnapped the slave wives of immortal Joe and is delivering them to the ‘green place’ of freedom where she spent her childhood and youth (Klingman). Max, who is branded ‘hi-octane’, is struck between an insane race and is more of a viewer in the ride. This essay explores how the story is told with sound, what is diegetic or non-diegetic in the story sounds and what worked (Klingman).
How the Story Is Told With Sounds
Sound cues are used in this story to assist in establishing the world, identifying characters and factions, and also help in driving the plot. Before the opening of the film to a visual world, an aural cue of engine noise defines the film’s trait (Klingman). This confirms that engines dominate this world together with machines. The film then accents to the world of sickness with otic hints (Klingman).
Earlier in the film, the wince-worthy job of tattoo done by Max, grants the sound suggestion of bloodied flesh, moist together with horrid hard breathing followed by a mucous cough which introduces the viewers to immortal Joe (Klingman). Sound cues are also used to show these major fuels of the story’s world: water, blood, mother’s milk and gas (Klingman). Each is displayed with different sound cues such as a world that is sick and a large and a large dying machine that is fueled by creatures that seem insane (Klingman).
Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Story Sounds
The diegetic sounds which the characters in the film could hear include the truck sounds, sounds of characters speaking and the explosion sounds (Ari). The non-diegetic sounds which could not be heard by the film characters include the main character’s narration, the intense music which was played background music, and the sounds that were added to create more tension (Ari).
What Worked
The sound cues used have helped in the storytelling task in the film. They help in the establishing of the aspects of the film’s world, its mood together with knowing of focal characters or the audience and knowing of factions (Klingman). They also help in signalling the plot significant changes (Klingman). Sound cues in storytelling have made the film to it right with the requirements of an action film. It adds finesse and depth without getting away with the film’s sequences of ‘hi-octane’ (Klingman).
Conclusion
To sum it up, this essay analyses the Mad Max Fury Road film by looking at how the story was told with sound, the diegetic and non-diegetic sounds used in the story and what worked. The story has used sound cues in the storytelling. For example, an aural cue o engine noise introduces the film and thus confirming that engines and machines dominate this visual world. Sound cues have also been used to show the major fuels o the story such as water, blood, mother’s milk and gas. The diegetic sounds used in this film include the explosion sounds, sounds o characters speaking and truck sounds. The non-diegetic sounds include the intense music, the main character’s narration and sound added to create tension. The sound cues used have helped in knowing the mood of the film and helps the film to it right with action movies’ requirements. They also help the audience to know the focal characters and factions.
Works Cited
Klingman, Joseph. “BEYOND THE BOOM PT. 1: STORYTELLING WITH SOUND IN MAD MAX: FURY ROAD.” FILM INQUIRY, 2016. https://www.filminquiry.com/storytelling-sound-modern-action-films-pt-1/. Accessed on November 20, 2020.
Ari, Escoffier. “Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sounds.” Weebly. 2016. http://aescoff.weebly.com/blog/diegetic-and-non-diegetic-sounds. Accessed on November 20, 2020.