I was actually talking about the choice of some of the instrumentals during peak emotional buildups, especially when paired with the Whedoneque silence the moment before.
Whedonesque? Acck. (I'm not as impressed by Whedon as some are).
And I'd have to rewatch the episode again to listen for that...but I guess that's a sign of doing it well that I didn't notice it. Or is it? I don't know. Maybe it's just me. I just found the Costello something that jumped out at me.
Specifically Whedonesque for his decision to cut all sounds during the "Gentleman" episode of Buffy (where everyone loses their voice). The absence of background noise can be even more effective than even the best-chosen soundtrack, sometimes.
This wasn't quite so extreme, but there were a few moments where I thought "okay, very very quiet episode, this" just before a perfectly chosen bit of music focused your attention and made the emotional reaction kick in.
The power of silence is so vastly underrated. Have often wondered why more film and TV makers don't use, or even try to use, silence as effectively as the examples you just mentioned.
(Whedon's 'The Body' -- when Buffy's mother died -- also comes to mind. That episode just slayed me. I was riveted by the quiet of it).
The plot was fantastic and I teared up too - but what really impressed me weren't in the script.
1) The kid herself. That wasn't an easy role to pull off, especially for a child actor, and she nailed it. Dead on - bravery, moxie, but not a plaster saint.
2) "Balls in your court." I'm half surprised that made it past the censor, but then, we're not supposed to appreciate subtle dirty jokes these days.
3) Hugh Laurie's accent. It took me forever to adjust to it in the first place, but I have to admit it - he's got that generic East Coast accent nailed down pat. A hell of a lot of British actors can't do *that* much less layer a head cold on top of it and actually sound like an American with a head cold. Far too many sound like Brits with sinusitis just trying to get the basic accent down.
Add that quality to a quality script and I'm in heaven.
I admit, I was wondering if he just happened to have a cold, and they wrote that into the script on the go. I suppose I could just go ask a Certain Someone, but a Certain Someone seems to be a smidge busy these days...
And agree, totally, on the actress. She was fabulous.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 05:20 am (UTC)Effing brilliant.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 07:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 09:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 02:59 pm (UTC)And I'd have to rewatch the episode again to listen for that...but I guess that's a sign of doing it well that I didn't notice it. Or is it? I don't know. Maybe it's just me. I just found the Costello something that jumped out at me.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 03:09 pm (UTC)This wasn't quite so extreme, but there were a few moments where I thought "okay, very very quiet episode, this" just before a perfectly chosen bit of music focused your attention and made the emotional reaction kick in.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-22 03:10 am (UTC)(Whedon's 'The Body' -- when Buffy's mother died -- also comes to mind. That episode just slayed me. I was riveted by the quiet of it).
no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 03:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 12:48 pm (UTC)1) The kid herself. That wasn't an easy role to pull off, especially for a child actor, and she nailed it. Dead on - bravery, moxie, but not a plaster saint.
2) "Balls in your court." I'm half surprised that made it past the censor, but then, we're not supposed to appreciate subtle dirty jokes these days.
3) Hugh Laurie's accent. It took me forever to adjust to it in the first place, but I have to admit it - he's got that generic East Coast accent nailed down pat. A hell of a lot of British actors can't do *that* much less layer a head cold on top of it and actually sound like an American with a head cold. Far too many sound like Brits with sinusitis just trying to get the basic accent down.
Add that quality to a quality script and I'm in heaven.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-21 12:55 pm (UTC)And agree, totally, on the actress. She was fabulous.