Terence Davies' The Long Day Closes (1991)

Full Answer Section

• Scene 2: The Cinema Sequence. When Bud goes to the cinema, the diegetic sound of the film within the film blends seamlessly with the non-diegetic music. The sounds of the projected film—dialogue, music, and effects—become intertwined with Bud’s internal emotional state. The cinema is a liminal space, where reality and fantasy merge, and the sound design reflects this. The non-diegetic music, often melancholic and romantic, amplifies the emotional impact of the film within the film, blurring the lines between what Bud is watching and what he is feeling. The use of popular music from the era also plays a role in the non-diegetic sound, allowing the audience to be pulled into the time period of the film.

The interplay of diegetic and non-diegetic sound in these scenes creates a powerful sense of subjective experience, allowing us to feel the world as Bud does, filtered through the lens of memory and emotion.

2. The Sculpting of Time: Editing Techniques

Davies employs a range of editing techniques to shape the emotional landscape of his film, creating a sense of fluidity and dreamlike continuity.

• Scene 1: The Singing in the Parlour. Davies uses long, languid fades to transition between shots, creating a sense of seamless flow and emotional continuity. The fades soften the edges of reality, blurring the lines between past and present, memory and experience. The use of match cuts, such as the transition from a close-up of Bud's face to a shot of a religious icon, creates visual rhymes and thematic connections, suggesting the interconnectedness of memory and experience. The pacing is slow and deliberate, allowing the emotional weight of the scene to unfold gradually.
• Scene 2: The Cinema Sequence. In this sequence, Davies utilizes a more dynamic editing style, reflecting the heightened sensory experience of the cinema. He employs rapid cuts to juxtapose images from the film within the film with shots of Bud's face, creating a sense of visual and emotional immersion. The use of match cuts, such as the transition from a character on screen to Bud's reaction, further blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. The editing creates a sense of disorientation and wonder, mirroring Bud's own experience of being transported by the magic of the cinema. The use of dissolves, and superimpositions, also contribute to the dream like quality of the cinema scenes.

In both scenes, Davies' editing choices are driven by a desire to evoke emotion and create a subjective experience. He uses fades, cuts, and match cuts not just to connect shots, but to sculpt time and space, creating a world that is both familiar and dreamlike. The editing, like the sound design, is a crucial element in Davies' masterful evocation of memory and emotion.

The Long Day Closes is a film that lingers in the memory, its evocative power stemming from its masterful use of sound and image. Davies' ability to create a world that is both deeply personal and universally resonant is a testament to his artistry and his profound understanding of the human experience.

Sample Answer

A Luminous Echo: Reflection on Terence Davies' The Long Day Closes

Terence Davies' The Long Day Closes is a deeply personal and evocative cinematic experience, a nostalgic reverie of childhood steeped in the sensory richness of memory. The film's power lies not just in its narrative, but in its masterful manipulation of sound and image, creating a subjective world that resonates with universal emotional truths.

1. The Symphony of Memory: Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound

Davies crafts a soundscape that transcends mere realism, weaving together diegetic and non-diegetic elements to create a layered and emotionally resonant experience.

• Scene 1: The Singing in the Parlour. This scene, where the family gathers around the piano to sing, is a masterclass in diegetic sound. The raw, unpolished voices of the family, the slightly out-of-tune piano, and the ambient sounds of the room create an intimate and authentic atmosphere. The singing evokes a sense of warmth, community, and the simple joys of childhood. The diegetic sounds here are not just background; they are the heart of the scene, transporting us into the emotional core of the family's shared experience. In contrast, even within this scene, a non-diegetic musical swell may occur, emphasizing the emotional power of the moment, transcending the immediate diegetic reality.