Time to get yourself a new book, huh? Look at this:
“A fascinating behind the scenes look at the previously unexplored territory of horror film sound..
Through in-depth analysis of sound in the films of Dario Argento and discussions with leading practitioners, this book explores our inherent relationship with sound; examining how and why specific sounds are chosen and utilised to express and manipulate human perception and emotion.”“Talent, initiative and attention to detail”
“Interesting and provocative”
SOUNDS TO DIE FOR – SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF HORROR FILM SOUND
Part 1 – Discussions & Interviews
- Walter Murch
- Antonella Fulci
- Michel Chion
- Claudio Simonetti
- Claude Letessier
- Gary Rydstrom
- James Bernard
Part 2 – The Sound World of Dario Argento
- Deep Red
- Water:Bringer of Death
- Beware the ‘Raptus’
- Watcher in the Wind
- Symbolic Roots
- Suspiria
- Voice Behind the Curtain
- Great Wall of Sound
- Conclusion
- Footnotes
- References
- Recommended Reading
- Filmography
- Index
Via U.S.O Project
First let me make it clear that I know the writer of this book very well. Vested interest declared, I have a copy of this book beside me and can perhaps prove helpful in answering this query, which is actually a tricky one, because the points examined and discussed in the book are somewhat interwoven.
If you are asking whether the book is worth reading for the insights into horror film sound alone, without the take on Argento’s work then I would have to say yes. The discussions with Murch section is approx 15 pages long and seems to delve into an area of Murch we haven’t seen much of before.
It’s refreshing to read people discussing their thoughts and work on this kind of ‘personal’ level – the interview with Bernard has been commented on as deeply moving.
The work on Argento’s sound is top notch, meticulous and truly original stuff. Much of it was researched back when horror sound was deemed as ‘low art’ and there was precious little, if anything out there on the subject. I think it would be fair to say that the writer pioneered it’s more recent popularity in the ‘academic’ world. I know she spent time traveling to studios in Rome researching with Argento’s sound editors etc., so she developed a deep understanding of
what went into these films on a practical and personal level. Put together with her skills and obvious passions for the subject it makes for one rock solid little book, already being predicted by some as a cornerstone.
The book itself is typically small academic sized, a bit larger than 6×9 I’d say, thoughtfully illustrated with coded pictures. Winds up with useful recommended reading section at the end.
Sound like a great read .. Thanks .. David
Thanks for the info. Good little book, well researched and written from the heart. Informative material. Nice.