Music is undoubtedly one of the most impactful forms of art and expression; there are a seemingly infinite number of ways to combine instrumental and vocal sounds to create a song that can tell a story, elicit an emotion, or simply be appreciated for its beauty and uniqueness. That’s why when it comes to filmmaking, music is the perfect tool to enhance the plot, adding a whole new layer of complexity for viewers to unpack.
Some of the greatest films ever made are accompanied by an expertly crafted soundtrack, one that can define the film for generations to come. But what happens when a movie chooses to forego its score, instead opting for no music at all? At times, the decision to omit music entirely can have a similar effect, heightening the suspense and allowing viewers to focus entirely on the interactions between the characters instead of the backing track.
Here, we explore movies that use having no soundtrack to their advantage and recount the stories that made these works so intriguing.
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10 Winter Light (1963)
Allan Ekelund
Though one of the oldest entries on this list, 1963’s Winter Light has certainly stood the test of time and is a stellar example of the immense impact that no music in a film can have. Here, we follow a small town priest as he attempts to come to terms with his struggling relationship with God; as he tries to help the people of his community, he finds himself having an internal battle about what faith truly means to him.
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His struggle is only further emphasized given the film’s lack of music; it makes sense that music, which has ties to religion and especially the church, would be absent from a film where God and faith in general are so openly and aggressively questioned. The quiet scenes of prayer and contemplation are made all the more intense in silence, without a backing track to take away from the profound sense of solitude.
9 No Country for Old Men (2007)
Miramax
2007’s No Country for Old Men has themes of death, justice, and morality. When a man named Llewelyn comes across a horrific scene after a drug-deal-gone-wrong and takes a large amount of money in the process, he finds himself the new target of a stone-cold killer. The story also follows the town’s sheriff as he pursues LLewelyn in an attempt to protect his small town from the horrible danger that is coming its way.
Though No Country for Old Men lacks a traditional score, it still uses sounds to elicit a sense of suspense and tension among its audience; from heavy footsteps on the floor to a beeping radio, the sound effects echo on the music-less background, making each scene all the more suspenseful.
8 Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Dog Day Afternoon features a star-studded cast including names like Al Pacino and John Cazale. This 1975 biographical crime drama tells the true story of a Brooklyn bank heist gone-wrong. When the plan to rob a bank goes awry, two criminals find themselves in over their heads, complete with wads of stolen cash and a collection of innocent hostages.
The lack of music allows Pacino’s talents to take the focus; Pacino plays criminal Sonny Wortzik, a man who is clearly horrified at the situation he created and struggles to find a way out of the punishment that’s coming to him. Without music, audiences are able to enter Sonny’s mind, which is similarly laser-focused on the situation unfolding in front of him.
7 Cache (2005)
Les Films du Losange
2005’s Cache is an action-packed French thriller film. When main characters and couple Georges and Anne find out they are being stalked, their lives are turned upside down. Fearing for their own safety as well as that of their teen son, the couple set off to uncover the truth behind the anonymous messages they receive in an attempt to put an end to the harassment.
This film is full of twists and turns; with its fast-paced, anxiety inducing scenes, Cache immerses viewers in Georges and Anne’s emotions throughout the entire ordeal. The lack of music only helps to up the ante even more; since there is no score to fallback on to increase the emotional impact, the sounds of genuine terror and stress from the victims take center stage.
6 Two Days, One Night (2014)
Another foreign entry to the list, Two Days, One Night is a 2014 drama film that tells the story of a woman named Sandra. Here, Sandra is faced with the prospect of losing her job when her colleagues accept bonus pay in exchange for her dismissal. Now, Sandra must convince them that she is a valuable asset to the team and persuade them to forego their bonuses so that she can remain employed.
Sandra, who experiences intense bouts of depression, must also learn to deal with the rejection of her coworkers and overcome the stress of the overall situation. The score-less scenes seem to mirror Sandra’s depression, which can be a debilitating and lonely experience for anyone, but especially for someone in her predicament.
5 The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
MK2 Productions
The Wind Will Carry Us is the only Iranian film on this list, however, its expert use of both sound and silence make this one of the best films without a score. The film is focused on main character Behzad, a man from the city who finds himself in an unfamiliar village surrounded by new people, culture, and ways of living.
As he learns to fit in with this new group, Behzad begins to come to new realizations about himself and his own culture. Life in the village can come across as mundane compared to the city living Behzad is used to, which is mirrored through the film’s lack of music.
4 Rope (1948)
Alfred Hitchcock is a director who certainly does not shy away from the darker aspects of life. In his 1948 crime-thriller film entitled Rope, we follow two friends named Philip and Brandon as they carry out and attempt to cover up the murder of a man named David. The two eventually hide David’s body in a chest while inviting his loved ones over for a dinner party.
This dinner party is made all the more uncomfortable when the guests begin to question David’s absence, ignorant to the fact that the two responsible for his disappearance are right in the room. The absence of music puts the audience directly in the awkward silence of the dinner party on screen.
3 Beyond the Hills (2012)
Mobra Films
The 2012 film Beyond the Hills is a Romanian production that follows two orphans, Alina and Voichita, as they form a deep connection that extends from childhood into adulthood. The two women are known to be attracted to one another which is explicitly forbidden given their religion. When Voichita joins a convent, their relationship is extensively tested, leading to the downfall of the two women.
The lack of a soundtrack helps to add to the sense of eeriness that ultimately, hints at their dying connection. The story itself is heart-wrenching, and watching their beautiful but withering relationship come to an end without the cushion of music makes this film’s conclusion all the more emotional.
2 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Artisan Entertainment
The Blair Witch Project is the 1999 found-footage-style horror film. Here, we follow three film students as they travel to a small town in Maryland to uncover the truths behind a local legend known as the Blair Witch. The insidious figure was known for terrorizing the town in the 1700s, so much so that parts of the town are now entirely abandoned. As the students learn more about the Blair Witch and eventually find themselves stuck in the local woods, the local legend seems to come to life.
Since The Blair Witch Project is made to look like it was found off of a camera, it makes sense that no soundtrack would play behind these thrilling scenes. Not only does the natural ambiance of the woods add to the spine-chilling nature of the film, but even the silence between action scenes creates a hollowness that ramps the fear factor up to ten.
1 The Birds (1963)
Universal-International Pictures
Alfred Hitchcock was a director that was known for his risk-taking; his ability to challenge the status quo became the catalyst for major evolution within filmmaking that persists even today. His 1963 horror film The Birds was no exception, opting not to include a musical score which was a standard practice for filmmaking at the time.
In California, The Birds follows Melanie Daniels as she befriends a man named Mitch Brenner and eventually follows him back to his hometown. While there, local birds begin wreaking havoc and attacking random civilians. Soon, the town is overtaken by the birds, leading to one horrifying encounter after another.
Having no soundtrack makes this classic thriller all the more terrifying; hearing only the screams and squawks of local townspeople and the violent birds heightens the suspense with each bird attack.
