Sound in 'pi'

I chose the film "Pi" for this semiotic analysis for one simple reason: it is one of my all-time favorite films. I tend to like films that involve several layers of meaning or genres. "Pi" is a work of science fiction based on a more than 2000 year-old Jewish legend. But it is also a psychological thriller. It exhibits many features of gothic film: a dark claustrophobic quest, full of contrast, that leads into insanity.

I'll discuss the use of sound in terms of subjectivity later on, but I must first address the issue of the narrative's sound design and musical support. First, the score composed by Clint Mansell creates the atmosphere and the perfectly captures the protagonist's personality. Amplification is used for impact not only here, but also throughout the entire film. On the one hand, the tracks reflect Max's paranoia; on the other, the music accompanies and determines the pace of images and narration. Because there is a connection created between Max's quest and the musical score at times serves a diegetic function, even though it is a basically non-diegetic element. The high degree of subjectivity also seems to lend a diegetic element to the music. I will point to one prominent example: Whenever a migraine attack looms on the horizon, the little melody of the score is heard, followed but the song itself as soon as the actual migraine starts. This creates the specific atmosphere of persecution and therefore reflects Max's inner state of mind at that time. Thus the music turned out to be part of his inner, psychological subjectivity.

Another point to have a look at is the voice-over that guides us through the movie. It is Max's voice telling single events or giving temporal hints. There's no clue whether this is an internal monologue inside Max's head, or an external report he is relating to someone else. When he says things such as, "twelve fifteen, press return" while we see his finger reach out for the return key: the voiceover is simultaneous. But it is not a constant guide or flowing, "real time" source of information. There are just loose fragments given about the story background. The most important one is a hint on Max's childhood and the beginning of his disease.

Great soundtrack and perfect harmonize diegetic and non-diegetic makes "Pi" originally film. You should watch this film and even "listen".