The Silence Before the Storm
The first announcements concerning “A Quiet Place” concerned the horror industry. Silence is often a stylistic choice in the horror genre, as avoidance of sound builds tension. Silence in “A Quiet Place” is a matter of survival. Interest in the film “A Quiet Place” was birthed by the movie’s unique approach to sound. Directed by John Krasinski, as his first directorial film, “The Hollars” in 2015, he also gained fame as Jim from the American version of “The Office”.
The unique casting choice is also of interest about the film. Emily Blunt, married to Krasinski, was cast. It was also of importance that a deaf actress, Millicent Simmonds, was cast as their daughter Regan, focussing on representation and authentic casting.
A World Where Silence is Survival
The movie is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by blind aliens. These aliens have a heightened sense of hearing, and the story follows the Abbott family as they learn to live in silence. The film’s storytelling is unique as it focuses on visual storytelling and sound design to convey the narrative.
The family’s daily routines are organized to reduce disturbance, whether it’s walking barefoot on paths made of sand or using sign language for speech. The challenges on survival are heightened when Blunt’s character, Evelyn, finds out she is pregnant.
Characters in the Quiet.
The family dynamics are the emotional core of A Quiet Place. While sound has the potential to be fatal, parents Lee (Krasinski) and Evelyn have adapted to a world built around their children. Their bond is strained in the face of challenges in creating a safe, soundless environment to nurture their children.
In a different light, Regan, the deaf daughter, has issues of self-worth and guilt attached to her because of Beau’s death. Her transformation is the most profound because she discovers, and ultimately, embraces her gift in the fight against the creatures.
The younger son, Marcus, encapsulates the film’s portrayal of childhood innocence and the psychological effects of fear. As he grows, the film’s narrative accentuates the protective instincts of his parents and the lengths they will go to ensure his safety.
Real-Life Reflections
The film garnered authenticity due to its casting decisions. Millicent Simmonds, a deaf actress, drew from her own lived experiences while accurately portraying Regan, enriching her character’s complexity. Emily Blunt’s performance as Evelyn captured a mother’s unwavering strength and determination, and this reverberated with many audience members.
Tension throughout the film seemed to stem from the distinct direction of John Krasinski. The choice to limit dialogue and rely primarily on visual storytelling certainly bore fruit, as this move earned the film both critical and commercial success.
Behind the Scenes: Crafting the Silence
Filming A Quiet Place presented unique challenges. The sound designers constructed the silence and used diegetic and non-diegetic sound to create a score.
Sound designers shaped the experience to create tension and suspense. Audiences would not realize the level of detail that goes into the construction of silence.
Cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen used a specific blend of anamorphic and spherical lenses to highlight the contrast between the intimate moments that the audience shared with the Abbott family, and the vast, desolate open spaces of the world they inhabited. This choice enhanced the atmospheric tone of the film.
Success of the film sparked conversations regarding its portrayal of deafness as well as the inclusion of disabled individuals in mainstream cinema. While a great many compliments were paid to the film for its faithful representation of deafness, a call for more complex and diverse portrayals of disability in cinema remains.
The Impact of Silence
A Quiet Place was released to rave reviews. Initially, it was praised for a new approach to the horror genre, merging suspense with emotional layers. From a market perspective, it showed that audiences were hungry for new offerings in the genre as it did well at the box office.
A Quiet Place’s impact reached well beyond the film itself, leading to conversations around the silence in the film, the use of sound in cinema, and representation in film. This ultimately led to more sequels and spin-offs to expand the story.
A world filled with noise that seeks to drown out the important conversations was reminded of the power of silence with the release of A Quiet Place.