Nova Zhang
The 2016 American slasher film *Hush*, directed by Mike Flanagan, features a deaf and mute writer, Maddie, who lives alone in a secluded house. The film's sound design is a key element, with heightened audio and an absence of dialogue creating a unique and suspenseful experience for viewers. Flanagan's attention to subtle noises forces the audience to be hypersensitive to sounds, knowing that Maddie, as a deaf protagonist, cannot hear her surroundings. This innovative use of sound and silence adds a layer of complexity to the thriller, inviting viewers to occupy the headspace of someone missing an important sense in a frightening situation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Title | Hush |
| Year | 2016 |
| Genre | Horror, Thriller, Slasher |
| Director | Mike Flanagan |
| Writer(s) | Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel |
| Stars | Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, Emilia "Emma" Graves |
| Plot | A deaf and mute writer living alone in a secluded house is terrorized by a psychopath. |
| Sound Design | Exaggerated and louder than usual; no voices; minimal dialogue |
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What You'll Learn
The sound design of the film
From the very beginning, the film plays with sound to grab the audience's attention. The opening scene features exaggerated sounds like crashing noises, eerie wind, and creaking trees, prompting viewers to question the sound settings. This initial emphasis on sound makes the subsequent silence all the more striking.
As the film progresses, sound becomes a crucial tool for both the protagonist and the antagonist. Maddie's isolation and vulnerability are heightened by her inability to hear her attacker's approach or the screams of her friend, Sarah. The killer, on the other hand, uses sound to his advantage, taunting Maddie by taking her phone and sending her pictures, as well as knocking on her door and using Sarah's corpse to lure her closer.
The sound design also invites the audience to experience the world through Maddie's perspective. We hear everyday sounds like cooking, running water, and the ultrasound-like ambiance of her environment. However, when danger approaches, the sound fades, reflecting Maddie's inability to hear and heightening the sense of dread for the audience.
The absence of sound also serves as a strength for Maddie at times. In a reversal of typical horror film tropes, Maddie's lack of hearing becomes a weapon against the killer, who underestimates her resourcefulness and determination.
Overall, the sound design of "Hush" is a pivotal aspect of the film's success. It challenges the conventions of horror and thriller genres by manipulating sound to create tension, empathy, and a unique sensory experience for the audience.
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Maddie's deafness and muteness
Maddie, the protagonist of the 2016 film Hush, is a deaf and mute writer who lives in a secluded house. The film follows one night in her life, during which she is terrorized by a psychopath. Maddie's deafness and muteness are central to the film's plot and create a unique dynamic between her and the antagonist.
The film begins with Maddie cooking dinner, and we hear the sounds of eggs cracking, onions being sliced, and asparagus sizzling on the stove. However, as the camera closes in on her face, the sound falls away, emphasizing Maddie's deafness. This attention to sound design continues throughout the film, with exaggerated and louder-than-usual sounds that heighten the tension and create a sense of paranoia.
Maddie's deafness and isolation make her an ideal target for the killer, who quickly deduces her disability and decides to make her his next victim. He steals her cell phone, takes pictures of her, and sends them to her laptop. He also learns that she can read lips and taunts her by threatening to take his time terrorizing her.
Despite her disability, Maddie is portrayed as a strong and resourceful character. She uses her knowledge of sign language and her quick thinking to try to outsmart her attacker. The film explores how Maddie's lack of hearing can be both a strength and a weakness in different situations. For example, her isolation and lack of communication with the outside world make her an easier target, but her ability to read lips and her knowledge of sign language give her an advantage in communicating silently with the killer.
The film's director, Mike Flanagan, also used various ambient sounds, such as the sound of ultrasound machines, to represent Maddie's world. He avoided using pure silence, as he felt it would make viewers more aware of their surroundings and take them out of the experience. The resulting audio for these scenes had to be redone in post-production, with Flanagan noting that the initial audio "sounded like a herd of elephants."
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The impact of silence
The 2016 American slasher film "Hush" is centred on Maddie, a deaf and mute writer who lives in isolation in a secluded house. The film's premise is built on the fact that Maddie cannot hear, creating an intriguing dynamic between her and her attacker, who is aware of her disability.
The absence of sound also serves to build suspense and tension. The lack of jump scares and loud music cues, typically used in horror films, challenges the conventions of the genre. Instead, "Hush" relies on clever sound design and the audience's knowledge of Maddie's disability to create a sense of impending danger. The silence becomes a tool to heighten the tension and keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
Furthermore, the use of silence in "Hush" invites viewers to occupy the headspace of someone missing an essential sense in a terrifying situation. This perspective shifts the focus from primal horror to an intellectual thrill, as viewers find themselves contemplating the challenges faced by a deaf protagonist in a life-or-death scenario.
Overall, the use of silence in "Hush" is a pivotal element that shapes the viewing experience. It challenges conventions, fosters engagement, and invites viewers to contemplate the complexities of navigating a dangerous situation without the sense of hearing.
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The use of ambient sounds
The 2016 American slasher film "Hush" is centred on Maddie (Madison), a deaf and mute writer who lives alone in a secluded house in the woods. The film's director, Mike Flanagan, chose to use various ambient sounds to represent Maddie's world, such as the sound of ultrasound machines. This was a deliberate choice, as pure silence would have made viewers more aware of their surroundings and taken them out of the experience.
The use of ambient sound in "Hush" is a key element that sets it apart from other horror films. By exaggerating certain sounds, such as the wind and the creaking of trees, Flanagan creates a sense of suspense and makes the audience hyperaware of even the most subtle noises. This is particularly effective given the protagonist's inability to hear, as it forces the audience to imagine occupying her headspace in a frightening situation.
The film also plays with the absence of sound, using silence as a tool to build tension and create a sense of discomfort. For example, in the opening scene, the sound of Maddie cooking dinner—cracking eggs, slicing onions, and sizzling asparagus—is suddenly cut off as the camera closes in on her face. This technique not only emphasises Maddie's deafness but also creates a sense of unease, as the audience is denied the familiar comfort of ambient kitchen sounds.
The use of ambient sound and silence in "Hush" is a clever device that enhances the film's suspense and psychological horror. It makes the audience acutely aware of the power dynamics between Maddie and her attacker, who uses sound to his advantage, taunting her by knocking on her door and using her dead friend's body to make noise.
Overall, the use of ambient sound in "Hush" is a critical component of the film's success, contributing to its intense and unique atmosphere.
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The absence of jump scares
From the very beginning of the film, the audience is made aware of the importance of sound and how it impacts the protagonist, Maddie. The opening scene, in which Maddie cooks dinner, is a prime example of this. We hear the sounds of eggs cracking, onions being sliced, and asparagus sizzling on the stove, only for the sound to fall away as the camera closes in on her face. This initial use of sound draws the audience in, making them hyperaware of the auditory cues that Maddie herself cannot perceive.
As the film progresses, the lack of jump scares becomes even more notable. The most terrifying and shocking moments in "Hush" often occur without the usual loud music or sudden noises typically associated with horror movies. Instead, the film relies on the intelligent use of sound to build tension and create a sense of dread. The audience is forced to confront the reality of Maddie's situation, knowing that she is at a disadvantage due to her inability to hear her surroundings.
The sound design in "Hush" is a crucial element that enhances the viewing experience. By forgoing jump scares, the film creates a unique and unnerving atmosphere that keeps viewers engaged and immersed in the story. This approach showcases the filmmakers' understanding of the impact of sound in cinema and their willingness to experiment with traditional horror tropes.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the movie Hush has sound. The film's soundtrack was composed by The Newton Brothers.
Yes, Maddie, the protagonist of Hush, is deaf.
Yes, in addition to being deaf, Maddie is also mute.
The sound design of Hush is used to represent Maddie's world. For example, various ambient sounds, such as the sound of ultrasound machines, are used to create an atmosphere.
The sound design in Hush is a key element that makes the film memorable. The director, Flanagan, pays attention to even the most subtle noises, forcing the audience to be hypersensitive to sounds, knowing that the protagonist cannot hear.
