Sound technique · used in 3 films
Mixing musical traditions from different cultures or languages in one soundtrack. The blend adds a sense of place or playful displacement.
Examples
Akira Kurosawa · 1961
Composer Masaru Sato said his main influence was Henry Mancini, the American jazz composer. His score stacks heavy drums and brass on top of traditional Japanese flutes. It's loud and a little cheeky, and it makes the gangsters seem as silly as they are dangerous.
Where to see it: The opening titles. The samurai walks away from the camera through the countryside, rolling his shoulders, while Sato's theme pounds along behind him.
Wes Anderson · 2004
Seu Jorge plays a crew member who sings David Bowie songs in Portuguese. You know the melodies, but the new language and plain guitar make them feel like memories from somewhere else. The songs comment on the story without anyone explaining.
Where to see it: Songs on the Belafonte: Seu Jorge's character sings David Bowie songs in Portuguese aboard the ship.
Alejandro González Iñárritu · 2006
Gustavo Santaolalla's score won the Academy Award for Best Original Score. The film ends with Ryuichi Sakamoto's song Bibo no Aozora. The mix of sounds helps the four countries feel like one story.
Where to see it: Closing scene: the film's closing scene features Bibo no Aozora by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Chieko stands with her father on the balcony as he comforts her.
Questions