MAKING WAVES: THE ART OF CINEMATIC SOUND review

Featuring acclaimed sound designers Walter Murch, Ben Burtt, Gary Rydstrom and countless more, now in cinemas and on demand is Midge Costin's documentary about the journey of sound at the movies.

Making Waves starts with a big idea that is hard to dispute. Sound is the first thing we're exposed to, in the darkness of the womb, making what sense we can of the world with the information we're given. It's not too big a leap to equate this to the experience of cinema, with storytellers like Spielberg, Lucas, Kubrick and Coppola name checked as creative pioneers who understood the importance that sound was to their films. That might sound like an obvious statement (as Ang Lee states in the film "movies is sight and sound"), but by charting the history of cinema this film digs deep into how the art of cinematic sound has expanded its role.

Within the first few minutes of Making Waves, we're introduced to talking heads from Walter Murch, Ben Burtt and Gary Rydstrom, three hugely important contributors to how we experience sound at the movies; and they're just the tip of the iceberg for this film, which has an astonishing line-up of key industry figures on show. The film is largely split into two distinct chapters, firstly following the emergence of sound in cinema from the days of silent film to the introduction of sync dialogue and "talkies" in 1927's The Jazz Singer, and right up to the use of digital sound editing techniques in The Matrix and Pixar films that use numerous layered tracks to create this orchestra. Then the film pivots to be an in depth breakdown of every facet of the "Circle of Talent" that creates what we hear when we go to the cinema; so if you've ever wanted to know what ADR is, here you go. Understanding all these different areas of expertise can be a bit overwhelming, so the film uses some helpful on screen graphics to illustrate each discipline which seem daunting enough to make you wonder why anyone would want to make anything as labour intensive as a film, let alone a big budget blockbuster.

During the first half of Making Waves, there's a sense that with the focus on Walter Murch and his work with Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas at American Zoetrope, that we're headed to one film in particular; Star Wars. This actually comes surprisingly early into the film, with the Oscar winning achievements of Ben Burtt well documented (answering the question of what a Wookie sounds like by recording and manipulating the many noises of a bear). It was a given that Star Wars and the Star Destroyer roaring into frame was going to be a feature of this film, but what's surprising is the other films that played an important role in how we experience sound at the cinema today, chiefly the pivotal role Barbra Streisand and her version of A Star Is Born played in introducing stereo sound to cinemas.

There's a danger to films of this ilk that they become 'Film Studies for Beginners' whilst also largely appealing to people who've already studied it. Although there's a certain degree of that when covering the history of the medium, there's also genuine insight from professionals that you won't hear anywhere else that's sure to leave you with the burning desire to immediately re-watch an ever expanding list of cinematic greats. The enthusiasm for their craft is clear, and it's easy to be in awe of their achievements.

Listen up. Making Waves is not only a must see for film fans, it's a must hear.

Verdict
4/5

The Good, the Bad and the Blu-rays

Hardly a classic week for new releases, once again we have to rely on the back catalogue to offer up some interesting films and an absolute must buy.

Drew: The Man Behind The Poster - Trailer

In my humble opinion, anyone who considers themselves a true film fan should know the name Drew Struzan and if they don't, luckily there's a new documentary on the way that should fix that. Not literally the man behind the poster (they would have been incredibly hard to paint so he tends to stand in front of it), he is the man who created some of the most indelible film poster images of the last 35 years, be it Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Hellboy, Rambo, The Thing, Star Wars... the list goes on. 


Held in such high esteem by the directors who've been fortunate enough to have a Drew Struzan poster grace their film's promotional campaign, most of the big guns (Lucas, Del Toro, Spielberg, Darabont) appear in this documentary to talk about his artwork and what effect they think it's had on the audiences perception of their films.


There isn't a single filmmaker in the world who wouldn't want a Drew Struzan poster for their film, now the elder statesman of film poster designers and still the high benchmark for up-and-comers like Olly Moss, Sam Gilbey and Tom Hodge. This doc allows us a closer look at the man at work, now semi-retired and able to choose the projects he wants to do, and offers us the first meeting between Struzan and Harrison Ford, the man whose face he has probably drawn more than any other.


An intriguing looking doc for anyone with an interest in poster art, there's no clear indication yet as to when this is going to be released. Imagine what the poster might look like though...

Against Unbelievable Odds, Super 8 Just Got A Little Bit Cooler

As if I wasn't looking forward to this Friday's release of JJ Abrams' Super 8 enough already, I've just discovered this awesome retro arcade game that ties in with the film and achieved the impossible of making me want to see it even more.

Super Smashing Gr-8

Today has seen the release of the above teaser poster for JJ Abrams' forthcoming Alien drama Super 8, as well as the first substantial trailer. Whilst the poster might not reveal too much about the film's story, it's a really cool, not to mention gorgeous image. From the tilted silhouette that runs down the side of the poster we can just about make out an average small town skyline and the outlines of the five central characters. I'd hazard a guess that the town's water tower/shining beacon will play an important part in the final film, but we'll have to wait until June to see if I'm right or not.


Following the curvature of the silhouette, the rest of the frame is overtook by the ominous dark clouds which make a surprisingly effective stand-in for the surface of a planet. The upwards horizon is where the two worlds meet and where the story takes place; simple really. To where this side of the poster is alluding to we can't quite by sure yet (it looks like the Moon to me), but it's definitely otherworld-y and not our planet.

As for the trailer, it gives us a better idea of the relationships between the main characters, and with its amateur filmmaking story includes the reason behind the odd title. The setting, characters and music all feel very Spielbergian, and although there's not an awful lot of JJ Abrams immediately shining through he's still a rookie filmmaker, albeit one with quite an assured sense of story and character development. A powerhouse producer JJ Abrams may be, but if he's looking for some directorial guidance he couldn't be in better hands than Steven Spielberg.


There's something oddly nostalgic and reassuring about seeing the old Amblin Entertainment logo, and with the expertise of both men put together I think we're in for a fantastic film. I think they've got the marketing for this film absolutely spot on so far (going right back to the original teaser with its cryptic hidden message), and this new poster and trailer have got me really excited about the final outcome. Please God, let this be amazing.


Due June 10th
Anticipation Level

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON teaser trailer review

The teaser trailer for the third Transformers film has just been released on the web. If you thought the second film was terrible (like me), prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Well, who'd have thought it. After seemingly ruining the franchise with the second installment, this teaser trailer for the third outing actually looks quite promising. I quite like the idea of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin being super spies, sent to the Moon on a secret mission. Government conspiracies have always played a part in the Transformers films, but this appears to be the biggest one yet.


Of course, what this trailer doesn't show us is any of the present day shenanigans with Shia LaBeouf and Josh Duhamel, and that's where the bulk of the story is going to lie. Little is known about the plot for this one, only that Megan Fox won't be returning and Patrick Dempsey's been added to the cast. Not as a replacement for Fox, obviously. 


I don't know who that robot on the Moon was, but I'm sure he'll turn up at some point to stir things up, hopefully without any cringeworthy racial profiling. Michael Bay took some horrendous missteps on the second film, and I only hope that Steven Spielberg has been able to set him on the right path this time. As for it being in 3D, I'm slightly looking forward to it. The robot on robot fights will be as predictable as ever, but if they use some real outer space photography as backdrops, it'll at least look nice.


I still think this third film has an awful title, but then so did the second film and that turned out to be... oh, wait. It was terrible, wasn't it.


Mr Bay, this is your last chance.


Due July 2011
Anticipation Level

Super 8

There's a secret message hidden on the film reel at the end of the new Super 8 trailer. Want to know what it says? Read on to find out.


More after the jump...

SLACKER Trailer Review

Trailers are an important tool in building buzz and anticipation for films. A good trailer can sell a bad movie, a bad trailer can kill a good movie. Here we try and tell the difference between the two and pick out the most anticipated new films.
More after the jump...