In this clip screened in the lecture from the Coen brothers ‘Blood Simple‘ describe what is happening in terms of the edits specifically in terms of the audio and video. Also name the different kinds of audio you can hear. 

The clip from the Coen Brother’s ‘Blood Simple’ was shown in the lecture to aid the idea that vision and sound do not necessarily have to be cut to what happens but to what continues the music and sound flow. When watching the clip you start to notice how the camera will cut away from the person talking and to the person listening, through this sound adds continuity and has the ability to convince the viewer they have seen the character’s mouths move. In the clip the vision and sound are no longer cut at the same point, this is something the lecture emphasised as editing vision is independent of sound and can be dragged under different shots.

In the clip you firstly hear the sound of the dead fish hitting the table with the base sound of crickets and cicadas which continue throughout the scene almost to form a constructed heartbeat. We then hear the lighter snapping shut and placed down on the table, the dialogue between characters then begins, the chair squeaks as the Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya) sits down and the forklift can be heard moving around as background noise. The Private (M. Emmet Walsh) then hands him an envelope and we hear it opening and the paper on paper effect as a picture is slid out. We then hear the pencil slide the fish across the table and the heavy breathing and swallowing by Julian as he expresses his discomfort. Julian then stands and we hear his footsteps as walks to the bathroom, the door is pushed open and the distant sound of vomiting and the toilet flushing, footsteps and then tap opening and water rushing as he washes his hands is heard. We then focus back on the Private as he butts out his cigarette and then a fly sounds as it circles around his head. Then the clicking of the combination lock on the safe and the safe door opening, Julian then places down of stack of money on the table and the chair squeaks again as he sits. We hear him swallow as he drinks and the sound of glass being slammed down. The sliding paper as Julians foot pushes the paperwork and money across the table, as the Private reaches into his pocket we identify the clicking of revolver which he then uses to shoot Julian. The Private then places the gun on the ground and we hear it slide and hit nearby objects as he violently kicks it away. The money then rustles as the Private tries to shove it into his pockets, and the adjusting of clothing as he fixes his hat. His footsteps are then heard as he walks away and the door closes shut. The ceiling fan then increases volume as it transitions the next scene.

The best example from this clip to demonstrate the ideas raised in the lecture is the part where Julian is in the bathroom being sick while the Private waits in the adjoining room. It is not necessary for the audience to see Julian as sound demonstrates what’s happening in the bathroom – we hear him vomit, the toilet flushing and then the squeaking of the tap handles and gush of water – from this the audience can construct what is happening and put this into context for his return to the scene.