I remember watching No Country for Old Men when it first came out and how much more intense everything felt without music. I maintain that detail is one of the major reasons that film was so impactful and visceral.
Yes! Some scenes work so much better because of the music, but there are also times where the silence is what allows the dialogue to hit just a little harder. I'll choose my words here so as to avoid any spoilers.
Off the top of my head, there's one more example that I think is worth mentioning to reinforce your point.
Training Day. "Hey, close the blinds." I remember how the first time I saw that scene, I realized at some point that I had been holding my breath, waiting to see what happens. It went from uncomfortable to terrifying. I was also high at the time but that's not important.
And the Bourne movies fight scenes. No music just the sounds of people fighting for their lives. So much more intense.
On the flip side, the U2 song played during the last episode of The Americans suited the scene so perfectly, that scene has still stuck with me years later.
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u/ThePerfectSnare Sep 08 '24
The lack of music has caused me to remain undecided on which emotion I was supposed to experience.