Delicatessen

We were given the task of writing about how sound is used to support the visual narrative in Delicatessen. This is my personal opinion,

Sound is very prominent in the progression and plot of Delicatessen. Ominous diegetic sound fills the silence of a post-apocalyptic french motel, such as whistles and the sharpening of knives, creating an eerie atmosphere. Foley sound is used to bring even the smallest of noises to the attention of the audience to create ambiance. The background music is orchestrated with string instruments to give off a sinister vibe. A few examples of Foley sound which was used to create the mood are:

- Water droplets falling from the ceiling that reflects the buildings bad condition.

- Antenna / signal static when the landlord Clapet was going to kill the handyman Louison.

- The bed creaking during the sex scene between Clapet and Mademoiselle Plusse.

For the purpose of this task, I am focusing on the sex scene.

The scene starts with handy man and part-time clown Louison painting the ceiling and sound bridging is used as we can hear Clapet upstairs moaning in synch with the roller brush. The visual narrative being painted is the act of foreplay before sex. We then see the handyman undo his belt as the sound of Clapet moaning in the background is synched with his movements .The scene then cuts to Clapet kissing and touching a lady called Plusse and we visually see and can hear the rhythm of bed springs creaking at a slow tempo. The camera then pans from the bed to the stove door which has been left wide open. Earlier in the narrative, it becomes apparent that any noise made in each apartment can be heard through the flu system. Clapet is aware that the other tenants can hear his sexual endeavours and has purposely left the door open to show his dominance as the landlord. He also uses the vents to listen to his daughters conversations. The flu system places sound as very important through the duration of the film as the rhythm connects all of the residents together.

The film then fades to black from the stove into the apartment of Clapet's daughter, who is playing her low sounding cello slowly (the visual image of the bow moving stiffly against the strings indicates sexual rhythm) in time to the bed creaks. She is subconsciously playing her cello right next to the stove, as if to block out what she is hearing. The camera cuts to a handful to the eccentric tenants, a woman bashing a carpet (an innuendo for some erotic practise), a man pumping a bike wheel up and down (referring to phallic insertion) and many other weird sexually insiuations. As the tempo of the bed springs increase, the other sounds throughout the house get faster too, the cello bow rubbing faster against the bow and the pumping of the bicycle pump moving quicker. All of these sounds are bridged and are playing in harmony like an orchestra. Both the tempo of the various different sounds and Clapet both reach their climax and we see Clapet groan in pleasure, the handyman fall off his painting stool and the bicycle wheel pop from being pumped "too hard", imitating climax.