Cure (1997) Review
Sound is one of, if not the most important aspects of horror cinema. Without the presence of a diegetic soundscape to lull the audience in, capturing their piqued interests, there is no tension, no drama, no horror.
Alongside fantastic visuals, a narrative ripe for a Japanese PS2 game and outstanding performances, sound lies at the heart of Cure's prolific success; creating one of the most unique films in the genre for a variety of reasons.
The most glaring skill at Kurosawa's disposal, is his seemingly natural talent at creating emotion without the reliance on score or music. Shawn Levy be damned, Kurosawa demonstrates a beyond-human level of understanding emotion and being able to manipulate the audiences' every thought into his sick and twisted will. For those wondering how difficult this is, try to imagine The Shining without Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind's score, or better yet, stumble your way into working as a sound designer on a short film with next to zero understanding of ProTools. It's tough.
In a way mimicked by 2024's In a Violent Nature - a film built on expert sound design - the ability to build a real soundscape from the exaggerations of everyday noises is not a feat undertaken lightly, and will often go unnoticed. There are several scenes within this film which, for lack of a better word, mesmerise you - largely in part down to the subtle sounds present; creating a newfound sense of dread which sets in before you know what happens.
Every aspect of the film benefits from the sound design. It compliments the hazy cinematography by almost always telling the audience where to look - the machine in the apartment making noise in the back of the frame, the waitress moving offscreen yet remaining the focal point of the scene - alongside the thought-out dialogue and often solitary setting.
Cure is an extremely well crafted film, the sound being one of many crucial elements which impressively holds it together and elevates it far above the average film.
4/5 - Freddie Smith
23/10/24