Road to M. A. 9: Sound Design and Emotions

In cinema, sound design is often an umentioned „silent“ hero—shaping emotions, heightening tension, and guiding the audience’s experience. When it comes to expressing female rage, sound design becomes even more critical. Women’s anger has historically been muted, dismissed, or vilified in both media and society. However, through the meticulous use of sound, filmmakers have found ways to amplify, legitimize, and even celebrate female fury.

The Role of Sound Design in displaying Female Rage

Female rage in film is not just about screaming or breaking things—though those moments are certainly powerful. It’s about the underlying tension, the controlled fury, the slow build-up before an explosion, or the eerie silence that signifies something is about to snap.

Sound design helps shape and embrace these moments of rage in multiple ways:

1. Silence as a Weapon

Silence—or the deliberate absence of sound—can be just as powerful as a loud explosion of rage. In films like Gone Girl (2014), the eerie quiet in Amy Dunne’s most intense scenes builds unease, letting her emotions simmer beneath the surface before they explode. Silence forces the audience to sit with the weight of female anger, making it all the more impactful when it finally erupts.

2. Distorted and Layered Sounds

When rage boils over, sound designers often layer and distort sounds to mirror the character’s emotional state. In Promising Young Woman (2020), for instance, moments of intense confrontation are underscored with subtle yet jarring sound distortions—heartbeats, high-frequency ringing, or muffled audio—to simulate stress, adrenaline, or dissociation.

3. Breathing and Vocalization

The sound of breathing—whether controlled and measured or ragged and erratic—can define a moment of suppressed or unleashed anger. Consider Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), where The Bride’s breathing shifts from controlled calm to explosive fury. Sound design ensures that we feel every ounce of her wrath before she even lifts a weapon.

4. Destructive Sound Effects

Objects breaking, fists clenching, heels clicking sharply against the ground—these small details are magnified through sound design to externalize the character’s internal storm. In I, Tonya (2017), the sounds of skates grinding against ice or fists slamming into objects make the audience feel Tonya Harding’s frustration and the brutality of her world.

5. Music and Score in Female Rage

Soundtracks and scores play a crucial role in shaping female rage on screen. Strings stretched to an unsettling high pitch, pounding percussion, or an abrupt drop in music can all signal anger before the character even speaks. Joker-esque brass instruments, pulsating synths, or discordant notes in films like Pearl (2022) highlight a woman’s descent into fury, allowing sound to convey her emotional unraveling.

Iconic Moments

  • Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Furiosa’s silent yet seething breakdown is punctuated by the howling wind and the pounding desert heat, making her grief-fueled rage even more visceral.
  • Natalie Portman in Black Swan (2010) – The use of distorted breathing, whispers, and classical music descending into madness intensifies Nina’s transformation from repressed to rageful.
  • Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019) – The climactic group scream scene is not only visually stunning but sonically overwhelming, using layered vocalization to transform individual pain into collective rage.

Sound design is a critical tool in shaping how female rage is perceived in cinema. Whether through silence, distortion, or heightened realism, sound gives weight to anger that has long been silenced or trivialized. As filmmakers continue to explore the complexities of women’s emotions, we can expect even more innovative uses of sound to make female rage impossible to ignore.

*This text was proofread for punctuation and spelling errors with the help of DeepL, ChatGPT 4o and Grammarly.
*This text is based on literature & topic recommendations from ChatGPT 4o and Gemini Pro 2.0. All content was verified by me for accuracy and relevance, and the text itself was created by me.

Literature:

https://medium.com/vionlabs-tech-blog/how-sound-design-triggers-emotion-bf052d3da2a9

https://www.filmbaker.com/blog/importance-of-sound-design

Görne, Thomas. “Sounddesign: Klang, Wahrnehmung, Emotion.” Munich: Carl Hanser Verlag, 2017

Sonnenschein, David. “Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema.” Los Angeles: Michael Wiese Productions, 2001

#06 Poor Things

Like I wrote in my previous blog posts cinema mirrors societal norms and especially the portrayal of women has been a subject of interest. One cinematic piece that bravely delves into the complexities of female emotions, particularly female rage, is „Poor Things“. I went into this film with zero expectations but was left speechless after I saw it. This film not only highlights the raw intensity of women’s emotions but also serves as a canvas for the exploration of the female gaze, providing a refreshing perspective on storytelling.

The Unapologetic Rage of Women

„Poor Things“ invites viewers to witness the unapologetic rage of its female protagonist, mirroring the suppressed emotions that women have carried for centuries. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the film breaks away from conventional narratives and embraces the power of feminine fury, challenging stereotypes and demanding a reevaluation of societal expectations.

The central character embodies the frustration and anger that women often suppress in the face of adversity. Her journey becomes a poignant exploration of the multifaceted nature of female rage, from quiet rebellion to explosive outbursts. The film encourages audiences to empathize with the struggles women face, shedding light on the resilience required to navigate a world that often dismisses or silences their voices.

A Cinematic Ode to the Female Gaze

„Poor Things“ not only addresses female rage but also offers a unique perspective through the lens of the female gaze. Traditionally, cinema has been dominated by the male gaze, shaping narratives from a male perspective. However, this film challenges the status quo, providing a narrative that is not only driven by a female protagonist but is also seen through her eyes.

The female gaze in „Poor Things“ is characterized by a nuanced portrayal of relationships, desires, and societal expectations. It subverts the traditional norms of objectification and instead focuses on the empowerment and agency of the female characters. Through this lens, the film invites viewers to reevaluate their own perspectives and question ingrained biases in the portrayal of women on screen.

Breaking Stereotypes and Redefining Narratives

„Poor Things“ becomes a catalyst for change in the cinematic landscape, contributing to the ongoing conversation about the representation of women in film. By embracing female rage and the female gaze, the film challenges stereotypes and offers a more authentic portrayal of women’s experiences.

As we continue to dissect and discuss the impact of cinema on societal perceptions, „Poor Things“ stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in reshaping narratives. It encourages a more inclusive and diverse representation of women, paving the way for future films to explore the depth and complexity of the female experience.

In conclusion, „Poor Things“ is not just a film; it’s a statement. A bold declaration that demands attention to the unspoken, the overlooked, and the rage that simmers beneath the surface. It’s a call for a cinematic revolution where the female gaze takes center stage, breaking free from the confines of stereotypes and offering a truer reflection of the diverse stories that women have to tell.