Berberian Sound Studio Review

15th Dec 2012

Toby Jones stars as Gilderoy, a sound engineer who travels to Italy to work on an equestrian film. When he arrives he learns that he is actually working on a graphic horror film. He decides to put his head down and get on with the job, but as the scenes unfurl they become more and more disturbing. He becomes profoundly affected as the horror film seeps into his unconscious. When asked to physically step out of his studio and make the sound effects himself, it tips the balance in his mind and he struggles to cope with the effect the film has on him.

As Gilderoy’s mind unravels, he wonders if by participating and taking a professional interest in creating those sounds, he too is torturing these women. Sound brings those characters to life and his reluctance to create those sound effects show that he is frightened and ashamed of his involvement. In a scene where he pushed to elicit a genuine scream from a woman, he crosses a line and is trapped in this world, another torturer and victim in one.

It’s a film about so many things and you bring your own interpretation to it. I felt that it was about being influenced and stained by being a part of the process. Santini, the Director tells Gilderoy that he too detests violence, but wants to show the world the truth of what happened. But you know that he’s manipulating Gilderoy and all of the women who appear in the film. There’s the very obvious horror of what is happening on screen, but the real creeping menace is what is happening to Gilderoy and to everyone on the crew. Everyone is changing, being used, being tortured in cruel, subtle ways. They are all pawns in the making of this film and all the while the neon red ‘Silenzio’ sign flashes as a warning.

Gilderoy is never vocal enough in his refusals or reluctance, he is a quiet unassuming man who has been pushed too far too fast. He clearly loves his job, and uses his spare time to work magic with everyday objects and sounds. It brings the world of sound engineering to light and I guarantee you won’t watch another film without thinking about all of the imaginative solutions that goes into creating sounds. All that is used against Gilderoy, his passion is turned into something that for him is ugly. A fascinating, intelligent piece of cinema that forces you to think about what you’re seeing.