Sound in film was the biggest innovation in the industry as films transitioned from silent films to the films we know today starting in the early 20th century. Of course, sound in film now is incredibly important, as sound effects, score, dialogue, narration, and more are all essential components to telling a captivating story.
But what happens when the sound is put on mute? When there is no sound at all, all the emphasis is then placed on how the film looks visually, and how a film’s story is told through what the viewer is seeing, rather than hearing. Dialogue-heavy films do not do as well without any sound as the narrative can easily be lost by the silence. However, many films over the years have done such a good job with their visual storytelling, that they work just as well without sound as they do with sound. Here are 10 films that work just as well with the sound off.
10 Blade Runner 2049
Alcon Media Group
This futuristic mystery follows Ryan Gosling as Officer K as he hunts down replicants and uncovers a long hidden secret. Blade Runner 2049 is not only a fantastic sequel to its predecessor, it’s a fantastic science fiction film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
While the story certainly makes it a great film for any sci-fi fan to watch, the visuals of the film make it just as good to watch without the sound. Of course, this would make it hard to follow the twisting and turning story, but just looking at the futuristic world that director Denis Villeneuve has crafted is more than enough to keep you watching.
9 Moonlight
A24
If you’re looking to feel visually transported to a specific place, look no further than Moonlight’s representation of Miami, Florida. Not only can the visuals of the film transport you to a completely different place, but you can feel the tension as we travel throughout the different stages of the life of the film’s protagonist Chiron. Watching Chiron trying to find his identity as he searches for love and mentorship is such a poignant and real story for so many viewers, that you could watch the whole film without any sound on and still get a sense of the struggles he is going through. This film ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Picture for a reason, and the brilliant visuals will keep you coming back, no dialogue necessary.
8 The Grand Budapest Hotel
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Wes Anderson’s unique style is what firmly places this film on the list, as the cinematography, color palette, and overall design of the film is so visually different from most Hollywood movies that it truly is just a marvel to look at. This critically acclaimed film of course has a fantastic story to accompany it, which follows the concierge Gustave and bellboy Zero of the Grand Budapest Hotel after Gustave is named the prime suspect in the murder of a hotel guest.
The film is just so whimsical and silly with everything that it is just an absolute pleasure to watch. Sound is optional for The Grand Budapest Hotel, because you should look no further than this movie if you are looking for one of the most visually striking films to come out within the last ten years.
7 Rear Window
Paramount Pictures
Turning the sound off for Rear Window lets director Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, take you on a visual ride and not let you off. Following news photographer Jeff as he recovers in his apartment from an injury, he uses his telephoto lens to spy on other people in neighboring apartments before becoming convinced that one of them has committed a murder. The camera goes from apartment to apartment from Jeff’s point of view as we learn more about each person’s body language and what they do, as Jeff tries to figure out what is really going on in that other building.
Since much of this story is already told visually with no sound, Rear Window is a perfect film to watch with the sound off. Place yourself in Jeff’s shoes and try to solve the mystery with just as much context and knowledge as he does in this Hitchcock classic.
6 Hush
Netflix
A horror film that uses sound, or lack thereof, to its advantage, Hush tells the story of a deaf writer who is all alone in a house in the woods when her home gets invaded by a masked killer. If you are really looking to put yourself into the shoes of the protagonist Maddie, putting the volume on mute is a perfect way to get a taste of what she is feeling. The film already has moments of complete silence, using the silence to build up dramatic moments of tension, but turning the sound off completely really makes you wonder what you would do in a home invasion scenario when you can’t hear anything. Silence works well for some movies because of incredible cinematography or visual storytelling, but Hush works well because it will make you fear for your life.
5 A Quiet Place
Paramount Pictures
Similar to Hush, A Quiet Place is a horror/thriller film that already uses silence throughout the film to build up tension and really keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Of course, it’s not completely silent, as bringing some dialogue and other noises helps to relieve that tension a little bit, but putting the volume on mute will keep any viewer even more anxious to see if our protagonists will survive this apocalyptic scenario.
Watching A Quiet Place on mute will also make any viewer want to learn American Sign Language too, just in case giant, bloodthirsty aliens ever do end up taking over the planet one day. Overall, a film that utilizes complete silence as well as a film like this would work just as well with the sound completely off, and viewers should consider giving it a try just one time.
4 Hero
Beijing New Picture Film
Another type of movie that lends well to visual storytelling as well as being able to watch it without any sound is the martial arts movie. The story is told through the fights, and one of the best examples of this kind of film is Hero. There are already no words spoken during the fight sequences in the film, and the film itself is visually stunning. Whether we are talking about the fight choreography, color palette, or cinematography, Hero takes viewers on a journey that director Zhang Yimou has carefully crafted to show the beauty of Ancient China as well as the true beauty and artistry of martial arts. Hero is one of the most visually beautiful films released in the past 20 years, and can be universally enjoyed whether you have the sound on or you have the sound off.
3 Koyaanisqatsi
Island Alive / New Cinema
A film that does not have a traditional story or narrative, Koyaanisqatsi is an experimental documentary with various time-lapse moments of all different kinds of modern life, whether that is a busy shopping mall, a crowded freeway, or a massive group of people as they all pile onto an escalator. The film is intended to show how humans have grown far away from its relationship with nature, showing what our world has become.
The film has no dialogue either, depending on its imagery to keep viewers interested. Since the documentary is all imagery and no dialogue, it works perfectly without sound, as it is an entirely visual ride for the viewers to go along with. The film was also made in 1982, so it can give current viewers an unobstructed view into what modern life was really like 40 years ago. This is a film that, sound or not, is absolutely worth checking out for anyone that wants a glimpse into the world we used to live in.
2 Mad Max: Fury Road
Warner Bros. Pictures
Another visually excellent film, Mad Max: Fury Road is another film that you can get just as much out of without any sound as you can with sound. This six time Academy Award-winning film uses a simple plot with minimal dialogue to create an adrenaline-filled ride that you can truly feel, regardless of if you have sound or not. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron also give incredible physical performances, as the emotions that come out just with a facial expression from either of them tell whole stories with no words actually being said. Fury Road is definitely another one of the most visually brilliant films to come out in the last ten years that can be enjoyed just as much while being completely silent.
1 2001: A Space Odyssey
metro-goldwyn-mayer
While there is some dialogue throughout the film, 2001: A Space Odyssey uses its visuals to their absolute fullest potential, and are more than enough to keep any viewer glued to their screens. Of course, the film has an incredible accompanying score that should not be missed out on when given the opportunity, but the visual sequences are so gorgeous that the film can be enjoyed just as much without any sound to it. This film’s journey through space and time as the astronaut protagonists take on computer HAL is an ocular outing unlike any other that should be enjoyed both with sound and also in complete silence.
