Saving Private Ryan (1998) has a plethora of characters that include: Captain Miller (Tom Hanks), Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Private Jackson (Berry Pepper), and Private Caparzo (Vin Diesel). This is the story of how a few selected men endured the battle of D-Day, and then set out on a mission to find a soldier. This soldier named Private Ryan (Matt Damon), is the last brother alive out of four that was serving in the military on D-Day. His three other brothers were killed in action. Captain Miller leads a team of U.S. Army soldiers to try locate Private Ryan during the chaos of war. To enhance this movie, sound was one of the most important elements. I remember sitting in the movie theater in 1998, and I could hear the bullets whiz by my head during battle scenes. It made the audience feel as if they were part of the action.
Some movie sound elements are dialogue, sound effects, and music. Dialogue, according to the text book by Goodykoontz-Jacobs (2011), states that dialogue is “As is the dialogue, which includes any number of memorable lines and helps to advance the plot, explain relationships, and establish characterizations” (ch. 6.1). In Saving Private Ryan, dialogue is important during the scene called “That’s my mission”, Captain Miller explains to the soldiers why it is so important to risk their lives to save Private Ryan. This dialogue connects with the audience to help move the story along, and give cause for the mission. Saving Private Ryan (3/7)- That’s my mission (1998). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvAIBDGIYE0
Sound effects are also another important attribute when it comes to movies. Sound effects which are noises that happen in the movie can either be downplayed or enhanced. In the scene where Captain Miller is in the middle of the beach assault, a large explosion happens near him. The sound is downplayed or reduced to give the effect that Captain Miller has temporarily lost his hearing. Then, in a flash, his hearing is restored to hear the sounds of battle. The clip is Saving Private Ryan (1/7)-Omaha Beach (1998).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqSg7WO4tT4
Music is a very important part of any film. In the movie clip titled “Flashback to Omaha Beach”, Private Ryan is now an elderly man that is visiting a gravesite on the Normandy beach. The music is dramatic in the sense that it gives the audience the emotion of pain, humbleness, and loss. Saving Private Ryan Flashback to Omaha beach (1998).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpDET2j9wQc
A specific sound in Saving Private Ryan is the gunfire and explosions. The gunfire and explosions coming from the movie, helps the audience become part of the battle experience, and it really establishes the movie into the war/action genre. The gunfire is very realistic, and I have no doubt that they recorded real live gunfire to use in the movie. If the gunfire sounded any different, then it would change the movie a little bit because the movie then would not sound or feel as real. If you watch this movie with surround sound, you can hear the bullets whizzing by your head. If these sounds effects were not put into the movie, then it would not have as much as a dramatic effect on the audience. In the following clip, called “Capt. Miller’s Last Stand”, the sound of the bullets is dead on, however when the tank approaches, you can almost feel it getting closer. Saving Private Ryan-(7/7) Capt. Miller’s Last Stand (1998).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnX_mQ9apu8
References:
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Movieclips. (2011), Oct. 27). Saving Private Ryan- Capt. Miller’s Last Stand [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnX_mQ9apu8
Movieclips. (2011), Oct. 27). Saving Private Ryan- Flashback to Omaha beach [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpDET2j9wQc
Movieclips. (2011, Oct. 27). Saving Private Ryan-That’s My Mission [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvAIBDGIYE0
Paramount Movies. (2014, Aug. 14). Saving Private Ryan-Trailer [Video File]. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYExstiQlLc
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