The basis of many films is their dialogue. Dialogues not only allow the actors to show their talent, but they also serve to advance the plot. While movies with lots of dialogue can work brilliantly, a movie is also a visual medium and can therefore do well without using a lot of words.
In some cases, silence is a better tool than dialogue and serves to heighten the atmosphere and increase the chances. While these films are not as common as their more talkative counterparts, several films in sound cinema history have made extensive use of silence and have become all the more memorable as a result.
5/5 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A space odyssey is hailed as one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. And that despite the fact – or perhaps because of it – that it makes a lot of use of silence. So much so that the first dialogue appears after 25 minutes, and doesn’t use the last 23 minutes of the movie either. Kubrick instead relies on music because he wanted to create a wordless experience from the beginning of the film and he didn’t want to rely on typical storytelling methods.
He succeeded and 2001: A space odyssey remains a contemplative sci-fi meditation on life, death and many more topics. It is visually beautiful and has the power to make the audience think. The film won an Oscar for best visual effects, but the real win was the iconic status it gained.
4/5 Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Films about paintings and art generally don’t need as many words as other genres. woman with a pearl earring is an excellent example of this. The film is set in the 17th century and focuses on a young girl Griet who starts working as a maid for the famous painter Vermeer and his family. Despite the difference in social status, Vermeer and Griet find their way to each other because they both look at the world differently.
The film offers many visually beautiful scenes that could very well be one of Vermeer’s paintings. And by portraying the fragile developing bond between Griet and Vermeer, it shows that sometimes less is more and that appearance and colors are as efficient as telling stories as words. As if that wasn’t enough for the audience, the film also has an excellent cast, starring Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth in the lead roles.
3/5 All is Lost (2013)
Despite the unoptimistic title, not everything is lost in the film. At least not for as long as his main and only hero, an unnamed man played by Robert Redford, continues to fight all dangers and challenge the sea as he sails on his ship. Since Redford is the only actor in the film, there is no room for dialogue scenes between him and the other characters.
That doesn’t mean the movie is wordless, but there are only a few. Instead, the story focuses on Redford’s stubborn struggle for survival. It’s easy to get fascinated by his battle and to keep a fast pace and focus on action instead of talking, all is lost leave a strong impression. So much so that it was nominated for multiple awards and Redford won several for his performance.
2/5 Silence (2016)
One way to creatively use silence in a movie is to tell a story through the eyes of a deaf person. Director Mike Flanagan combined this idea with the home invasion horror genre, and the result is impressive. Flanagan is no stranger to horror movies, as he has directed Oculus (2013) or Before I wake up (2016). In Quiethe manages to create an intense atmosphere with only a handful of actors.
The main character is Maddie (Kate Siegel) who stopped talking and went deaf when she was 13. Maddie is now an adult, works as a writer and usually leads a lonely but quiet life. That changes when an unknown man with a mask on his face tries to enter Maddie’s house. And fighting someone when Maddie can’t hear him but can only see him is no easy task. The fact that Maddie is deaf and does not speak allows the film to put a creative spin on the otherwise familiar home invasion storyline. As result, Quiet is a must-watch for all fans of the genre.
1/5 A Quiet Place (2018)
With the word silent in the title, the film suggests that more emphasis will be placed on things other than words. And it delivers on the promise and creates an atmospheric story of an alien invasion. The aliens prey on those who make noise, so the Abbott family must remain as quiet as possible. But the birth of a new baby is coming and their secret silence will be broken, which could cost them their lives.
The film, directed by John Krasinski, features strong acting performances from Krasinski, Emily Blunt and their on-screen children, most notably Millicent Simmonds. Unlike other movies, making sound means the difference between life and death in A quiet place, which means that the nerves of both the characters and viewers are strained to the max throughout the film. As result, A quiet place is not a film that audiences quickly forget.
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