when the filmmakers respect the communities they're depicting
#SoundOfMetal #RizAhmed #videoessay
Join Me On Discord: / discord
Support Me On Patreon: / cinemastix
Sound of Metal is a film that went further than most to depict deafness and deaf culture with dignity and respect. This is how.
Written by Simon Leftie
Edited & Produced by Danny Boyd
Music Used:
Candlepower by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: chriszabriskie.com/divider/
Artist: chriszabriskie.com/
Mario Bava Sleeps In a Little Later Than He Expected To by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: chriszabriskie.com/vendaface/
Artist: chriszabriskie.com/
Silver Flame by Kevin MacLeod
Link: filmmusic.io/song/4362-silver...
License: filmmusic.io/standard-license
I made a mistake in my subtitles-chances are more than one, but-most importantly, I failed to capitalize Deaf Culture. It is a coined term, as Marder mentions. Typically, we don’t capitalize the expression “blank with a capital blank”, but in this case Marder was being literal (which is linguistically fascinating for different reasons). But, anyway, I wanted to point that out now that I’m aware of it. And I’m very sorry for the error. -Danny
I struggle to watch this carefully made video about media bringing cultures together and imagine you being very sorry for anything. Excellent work, keep it up.
This video is great, and I'm grateful you made it; I hadn't previously heard of this movie, and this video essay makes me want to watch it; so thank you for that. I appreciate you addressing the deaf/Deaf issue in your captions here, however I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be just for "Deaf Culture". There are several other times throughout the captions where "Deaf" is still referring to a person or the Culture, and it should be capitalized every time.
Oh absolutely. I guess that wasn’t clear from my comment, but 100%. It was an error consistent throughout the video, which is why I felt the need to address it. :)
I forgive you. Don't do it again
Cringe
As a musician who is losing their hearing Sound of Metal moved me quite a bit and the end of the film where he turns off his hearing aids and found a moment of peace it made me sob but I wasn't sad it was a bitter-sweet moment and I ended up crying throughout the whole credits. One of the best movies I've ever seen Riz is also such an underrated actor, the talent on show in this film is insane.
I have never full-blown cried from a movie, but I watched this movie twice and every time it ended, right when the credits roll, i burst into a ten-minute sob. I just can't explain what this magical movie is doing to my emotions so precisely, maybe it brings me back to when I first developed tinnitus as a musician 13 years ago and my tough journey into figuring out how to live with it. Maybe it was the breakup I had with my ex that, similar to this movie, emerged from a mutual understanding that things are not working anymore, and the necessary but tough decision to let go of each other even tho we had crazy love for each other. Maybe cuz Riz Ahmed's character reminds me so much of some of my childhood friends. Probably a mix of all these together. I tear up just thinking about this movie, is how powerful it is.
@@gd5158 This is insane you've pretty much had my same experience except 9 years with my tinnitus but I tear up in movies sometimes but I cried all through the credits and then some with Sound of Metal
He's so damn good in The Night Of
@@andrewz6986 I haven't heard if it but I'll definitely check it out
@Jakey James it's late golden age HBO so it's pretty solid I hope you give it a try and enjoy
As an audiophile and bassist, this film resonated with me on a level that I didn't expect it to. I take my hearing for granted, much like everything else that works. The realization to not be able to hear yourself is horrifying. My drummer mate after watching this film just sat in silence for a while. It's crazy how well made it is and truly what a performance.
It's scary. We take all of our, even basic, abilities for granted - but we are, all of us, are merely a wrong step away from loosing all or at least some of them.
Same, but add heroin addict on top of that. I was a year clean when I saw the movie.. I started crying and couldn’t stop at the scene when they are talking to the head of the group home for the first time. Up to that point they don’t mention that he is in recovery, they just heavily imply. Anyway, those were tears I couldn’t swallow. It was too real in that moment.
@@TheTuerespendejo Sorry to hear mate, I've been on Benzo and SSRI for 7 years and finally took the step to try and taper off these meds - it's not easy, not comparable. I learnt, whenever I talk to others, people all experience their own issues differently even if we share the same issue. I can't say I can relate to what you went through, but know that you're on a good path to clean yourself up and there is no shame in talking about it.
I had a big realization when I started having pretty bad tinnitus 24/7
@@nondescriptbeing5944 May I ask to tell us a bit more?
Riz Ahmed is such an underrated actor!
Yes
@@CinemaStix Yes
Ever since I saw his performance in Nightcrawler as a high schooler, I knew he was something different
I hope Riz is one of those actors who has a fanbase early on but who suddenly blows up into an All-Star later on
w rizz
The sound editing deserved its Oscar obviously, but the work they put in the whole production and the inclusion of deaf people is also extraordinary and easily overlooked as it just feels organic.
Isn't it so ironic that THIS movie gets an Oscar for sound?
How is it extraordinary? Virtually every single deaf character in film and television is portrayed by an actual deaf person.
@@dr.bherrin it's not
@@superslash7254 it's a little different when most of the film's characters are deaf.
I always like the Helen Keller quote when I think about hearing loss: "Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people".
Helen Keller had it especially tough, because she couldn’t use conventional sign language. I don’t know that sighted deaf people would agree with her in this quote.
@@KO-vb4tg she was a fraud and a hoax
@@KO-vb4tgin her time sign language was still pretty basic even for sighted deaf people so it makes sense back then. They pretty much spelled out every word using a sign alphabet rather than having a dedicated sign language
@@KO-vb4tg my sign language teacher would also disagree with it, he’s Deaf and so is his entire family and in our first lesson he really emphasised deafness does not mean broken or less, that Deaf people can live fulfilling and normal lives like hearing people. He broke heaps of myths and misconceptions about deafness. I would say deafness brought people together rather than cut them off, as my local Deaf community is huge with Deaf people and SL students
lets not take motivational quotes from a eugenicist
I think it’s a shame the hard-coded captions were removed for theatrical screenings, since they were clearly made to work so well with the film.
Agreed
Agreed, it's kind of offensive and removes a whole element of how the film was made. Imagine if they had removed some other integral part of the film for general release? Imagine they had removed all the scenes with women in. The film would just make no sense, which is exactly what happens when you remove the captions. It sucks that I always have to wait until a film is out on dvd or streaming before I can watch it and understand the dialogue. I have only been to one screening in my life that was subtitled and it was so lovely and enjoyable.
@@jennivamp5some movie theaters offer screens that show the subtitles, you put it in the cup holder and position it right. You should ask your theater about it
@@jemappellemerci I have tried those at my local cinema and they were pretty terrible unfortunately. They kept lagging and going out of sync with the movie. It made it much harder work to watch the movie than if they were just on the screen.
@@jennivamp5 So much this!
as someone who grew up w a deaf parent, so many of these scenes resonated w me. the culture, the banging on the table or ground or waving at someone to get their attention. the hand gestures that aren’t entirely ASL but are still understandable. literally and figuratively using body language to communicate. the expressions that go along with ASL. all of it is so impactful to me as a CODA.
I’m a musician (orchestral Tubist), but I used to fence way back… One day, I was fencing a particularly advanced fencer who also did boxing, and he was notorious for bruising others. He hit me in the head- hard- and it was that exact sensation of that movie. The ringing and then a sensation in my ear I can only describe as a drop. Like that feeling when you disengage a snare drum while its vibrating from another instrument’s sound. And then it was just nothing. I immediately started panicking and it felt like my helmet was closing around me but I realized I was crying and I didnt want it to show. I just walked off the platform and walked into the bathroom, and after only a minute or so the sound came back. But it was so so terrifying. When I went back to the training group, the coach asked me whats wrong and his (very flippant) response was, “yeah, that’ll keep happening more and more often. [other coach] is pretty much deaf in one ear, and most of us here have a constant ringing in our ears.” After having fenced for years, I quit the next day. Even though I’m near fluency in ASL (I’m a firm believer in the goal of total unrestricted accessibility), I can’t imagine many things more terrifying to me personally than hearing loss.
I'm assuming fencing isn't supposed to inflict this kind of trauma on a regular basis the way this coach implied, since you mention you fenced for years and this event seemed to have come as a surprise to you? I don't fence so I have no idea what's involved.
@@Yidenia i’m very suspicious about the attitude of these guys. why would you purposely hit someone in the head hard enough to trigger hearing loss level damage. so weird and scary honestly. F THEM
@@soupafleye Right? I was the smallest in the training group too. He seemed to take joy out of being strong but being strong doesn’t make you cool unless you have the mental strength to restrain yourself. You only need to have the slightest contact of the blade to the body to make a point.
@@Yidenia Yes, you’re not supposed to be hitting people very hard, as all you’re required to do is touch their body with the blade to have the point. He once hit someone in the helmet so hard they got knocked over and the helmet dented. If you want to blugeon someone, take up European sword fighting!
You're describing an instant loss of hearing, from hearing to zero (I assume you had no issues before this incident?). Interesting to think how one's ability to cope with this Vs a gradual loss which I suspect is most people's experience.
I was able to enter the anechoic chamber at IRCAM in Paris last summer and while it is weird, it's not nearly as eerie and unnatural as it's always made out to be. It wasn't panic-inducing, it didn't cause me to hallucinate. It was weird how absolutely directional the sound was in ways that are hard to explain, but it wasn't anything more than quirky. After about 10 minutes in there I didn't go crazy; I just got bored.
As someone who lives near traffic I have dreamed of sleeping in one
As someone with very mild tinnitus an anechoic chamber would just annoy me lol. I always prefer to have some light sound like the hum of a computer or the wind rustling in the leaves outside to drown it out.
…Well yeah doesn’t the wild stuff happen like 40+ minutes in?
I don't know if that little room I was in was anechoic - the people at that tv/radio station called it an "absorber chamber" (freely translated from German). It was designed to make noises sound as if they were made outdoors / far away. It definitely had an effect on me. I was completely fine when I was alone and it was quiet. But after some time class mates joined me and moved around and talked. I started feeling disoriented. It wasn't "panic-inducing", but more like "somethign feels wrong", like a sensory uncanny valley. I was curious to see if I would adjust to it eventually - I didn't .. I just got sea-sick lol. My class mates were like you though, completely unfazed.
Veritasium did a video on one, and said it was fine as well.
I’ve avoided this movie because the direction my hearing is going. I really don’t want to accept that my hearing if going, and it’s terrifying. But now that I I understand more about the film, I think I’m going to go watch it.
I’d be very curious to hear your thoughts on it :) -Danny
I feel the exact same way 😅
Did you end up watching it?
There’s a complex dichotomy between the people who watch this film. I feel like that’s what makes it so engaging and interesting. Is that hearing and non-hearing people can enjoy a movie the same but it’s accommodated by conversations in ASL for those who can’t hear and subtitles for those who can. It really accentuates the difference between the viewers but makes it so they can be in similar dispositions of unfamiliarity. I’ve never seen anything like it on film.
Jesus, this was painful. I love music, always have. I play a couple of instruments, know quite a bit of theory, produce on my free time, etc. Music is almost everything to me. Just the idea of me not having that anymore breaks me. Unrelated or not I almost broke into tears twice in the durarion of this video and had to pause it a couple more. Damn
Same
**says he loves music** **has a blonde profile pic** 100% checks out.
@@firstlast9846 ?
@@firstlast9846 ? Are you having a stroke?
I know right?! The Sound of Metal is amazing, but very hard to watch .
I think you perfectly captured one of the key reasons this film stands above so many trying to tackle this type of radical change. The empathy is baked into the process to a degree that is seldom seen.
I fell in love with this movie when I first saw it. 2 years later, CODA wins the Oscar for best picture and I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that Sound of Metal didn’t get the accolades it deserved. CODA was a cute story, but Sound of Metal was a truly powerful story.
Agree. CODA felt like massive Oscar bait compared to this one.
I do agree but not fully, CODA had deaf actors instead of hearing actors. Although this story deserved the Oscar.
When your parents tell you to turn down the music or you'll go deaf, listen to them. I blared music as loudly as I possibly could in my ears from ages 10 to 20 and have been to many very very very loud concerts. One day, after a Tool concert, I noticed I had tinnitus in both ears and it wouldn't go away. It kept me up at night for months and I felt like I was going insane. During that time, I always wanted to be asleep because, if I was awake, it meant I had to endure the tinnitus. It was extremely distressing always having a ringing sound echoing in your ears that no one else can hear. People without it don't get how scary and annoying it is, especially in the beginning. I just had to learn to deal with it and can sleep pretty soundly now, and I notice it less and less with time, but it's still an annoyance after having it for 2 years now. I get sad when I realize I will NEVER hear the sound of pure silence ever again. Although, I am fortunate that I have kept my hearing pretty well and I have been very careful with my hearing since. I know now how precious a gift it is to have.
I obviously don't know you but I feel extremely satisfied to hear what you went through and I hope my annoying bastard of a neighbour too gets his turn like you but till the time he dies.
It kind of pisses me off that theaters don’t have subtitles or captions when the screen films. I think movies should be enjoyable on a big screen by everybody. Why should deaf people have to wait for the DVD/streaming release, or get special permissions, or go to different theaters?
It can spoil scenes early and ruin the film.
@@CautiousHaze that is happening less and less as companies like Netflix are actually custom making subtitles, and not just relying on auto-generated captions. It’s pretty easy to avoid that if you just make your own subtitles for the film. I’ve basically never had this happen to me in any significant way.
Im not deaf but subtitles are forever appreciated because my brain just needs it to fully understand what's being said
@@CautiousHaze So then the subtitles should come up when the person who is speaking, speaks.
Movie theaters do have them available! You have to ask before the showing and sometimes they have glasses that display in front of them
olivia cooke deserved a lot more recognition for her role in this!!
I just saw her and I'm so happy she has gotten recognized for her role on HotD
I was adopted, and I just found out recently that my biological mother was nearly deaf when she was alive. She had a hearing aid and had lost most of her hearing by her late 20s. I’ve always had hearing issues, had ear infections, and sound processing issues, and I have been coming to terms with the fact that I may one day be completely deaf. I started learning ASL in college because I wanted to be able to communicate with any deaf students I might have in the future (I’m a teacher), but I now want to learn ASL because I have a vested interest in not wanting to feel cut off from the world or be stumbling around unable to communicate for months if it eventually does happen.
I hope you'll never feel totally cut off and alone no matter what happens. And as a former child and student :-), I'm sure it would mean a lot for me, if any of my teachers could speak my language.
I have an auditory processing disorder where words get almost muddled in my brain, I have to ask ppl to repeat themselves over and over again and my brain takes twice as long to create a response in spoken language. I’m autistic, I know that it’s completely different however I live my life so dependent on other senses to get by and my life is overrun by them and can almost break me mentally if I’m unequipped to handle it. I felt a connection to this movie that I’m not really sure how to explain, the frustrating scene in the pharmacy where it feels disrespectful the way they’re speaking to him and belittling him. As if no one can just ask him if he would prefer pen and paper. Everyone always wants you to conform to their preferred form of language, no matter what. I prefer visual, written, just point maybe. I don’t like long spoken complex conversations bc my brain just doesn’t connect what you said to meaning. And I hate being yelled at by others bc I don’t understand.
I have the same thing, and a slight lisp. I like your explanation. I find that I shutdown in public a lot and just try to listen to everything around me that I ignore the people near me, because I'll get overstimulated
I’m autistic and hard of hearing, and it’s very very difficult to have that sensory overload that you talk about. However, I also don’t hear enough. It’s too much, and not enough, and it’s terrible. If I watch a movie, I play it on a very low volume, but I have the captions on.
@@jax_firestorm9689 yesssss I totally understand what your saying
Fellow autistic here. And wow I could've written this. I get it. Even though I've always suspected autism, didn't get diagnosis til my 30s. Not only did my world change, but truly seeing the ablism among us is heartbreaking. I do believe it's changing. Little by little. Anyway, thank you for sharing. You're so not alone with others losing impatience when you don't understand ❤
@tobsteroyster6026 Is it like that with your vision too? I just got hearing aides lately and def help but there are times where I “hear but don’t hear”. And I wear glasses too that correct my astigmatism but still feel like there a very thin screen between me and what I’m seeing like scrambling it just a little? Just diagnosed at 40 and still connecting dots.
I am a drummer and a movie nut and I know that my hearing isn't what it used to be so I want to watch this movie so bad for many reasons but I somehow can't bring myself to do it. Your video was beautiful, thank you.
It probably won’t be an easy ride. But if you find yourself in the right space to do it at any point, then I highly recommend it. :) -Danny
Profound deafness runs in my family, my father has it, his father has it, his uncle has it and so on.. I fully expect my hearing to similarly deteriorate as I grow older. But watching this film gave me a real sense of hope about the future. After the initial anxiety of watching Ruben lose his hearing, watching him find sources of happiness in community and friendships was extremely beautiful to watch - and made me less scared for any loss I may experience in the future.
Recently got my first hearing aid at the age of 25 knowing I might lose all my hearing at some point, this movie brought me solace in knowing everything will be ok!
I got my first hearing aids around the same age, also knowing that I would gradually loose more hearing over time. I'm now in my 30's and I can tell you, yes, everything will be OK 😊❤️
fun fact: Darius Marder is a lifelong friend of Misha Collins, aka Castiel from Supernatural, and Marder took Misha Collins as his +1 to the debut. Misha Collins is known for his charity work. he created one of the most successful and reputable charities Random Acts. he grew up homeless with a single mother and his brother. so Misha does a lot of food drives and domestic aid runs. he also created the world's biggest scavenger hunt, GISH, which has a Guinness Record. his prompts are usually rooted in social services, especially mental health and community work etc. in 2021 he made a few prompts for the deaf community specifically (the 2020 hunt was cancelled). anyway, thank you for this 🌟
LOVE Misha Collins.
I am a musician and songwriter and music teacher and i have audio processing disorder and degenerative hearing loss. this was extremely moving. i dont know what else to say. im fighting to keep music. maybe i can no matter what.
I was fortunate to become deaf slowly, rather than due to a sudden event. This is a wonderful movie in every regard I can think of. A very insightful (and emotional) line was "To the people who live here, deafness is not a problem to solve - it is a way of life." And the final scene, when Riz A. is sitting and listens to the overwhelming sounds around him, he does what I do very often - he removes his implant processors and enjoys the wonderful silence that surrounds him. I need to watch this movie again, it's been a while. I wish you all well. Be safe, and don't take anything for granted.
i adore this movie so much, the sound design, attention and accuracy to detail, the messages. it’s a masterpiece
I think the thing about this movie that really affected people, especially musicians, is it both respected the experiences of deaf and HoH people and that their lives are still full lives, while also showing that the fear of losing your hearing is fundamentally the loss of the known and the being plunged into a world that's based on a whole different world of stimuli. That's where the dread of losing one of my senses comes from, for me at least.
as a composer and musica lover, when i saw this movie it really impacted me, cause i'd also be very opposed to accepting the inevitable condition that the character fell into. i had thought with fear about this cenario before knowing that the movie existed, so when i saw it i could understand so much the pain of a musician loosing his hearing. Truly a great movie, the ending gave me exactly this message also, of acceptance and moving on with the inevitable
I went deaf suddenly for a still unexplained reason. A violent sneeze shattered my cochlear and it never recovered. The things you have to adjust to, mostly a feeling of aloneness, is very difficult to process and explain to anyone else. People just don't get it, they don't understand unless they also share the same fate. I had never felt like an outsider, like a plague carrier of some sort, in my entire life until this. I am not contagious, but the way people who can hear treat me, they way they react to me, it feels very much like that.
I'm someone who struggles with hearing loss and tinnitus every day. All the sounds and the isolation you can sometimes feel is... really a lot. This movie made me feel less alone, since I don't know any hard of hearing/deaf people in my life.
There are Deaf Events (Coffee/lunch/dinner/etc) in most places (just google "deaf events near me"). It's a fun way to find community and they're always very welcoming to new students of ASL (it's a great way to accelerate your learning, too). Would definitely recommend. EDIT: Sorry, just realized I should clarify that I'm talking about the USA and cannot speak for other areas of the world, no idea how the Deaf Community is there.
I cried throughout the whole movie. Tears of sadness, tears of joy, shouts of excitement. The directon, cinematography, score and acting were so impactful and impeccably done. Probably the best movie I've seen in the past 5 years.
I don't know if the choice of adding captions for your narration in this was mainly to be within theme of the movie, but I really liked it! I have no idea how much work goes into adding the captions and editing the timing, but if you're concidering it and wonder if it could be a good addition for future videos; you got my vote!
Yup- as a deaf teen/adult, I absolutely appreciate this video.
This makes me very happy to read :) -Danny
This was a really beautiful video. I haven't seen the movie, but you so carefully explore the underlying theme and sensibilities of the film in a way that really underscores how groundbreaking and special it is. Thank you
:) I definitely really recommend it. Phenomenally put together directorial debut. -Danny
This film immediately shot straight to my heart as a person who grew up in a household rattled with addiction and deafness. My father's hearing loss started before I was born but increased over my childhood. Similarly, my father's addictions increased as I continued to age into maturity. I, like the viewers of this film, felt powerless in situations dealing with a frustrated and angry person struggling in lfe. I, like the viewers of this film, watched a person grapple with the loss of autonomy in the process of dealing with their own deafness. My father refused and still refuses to learn any sign language and last I knew was at 80% deaf in both ears. That hearing aid screeching sound was in my life ever since I was a child and while those devices have come a long way, I watched my father take those devices out of his ears like gasping for a breath of fresh air. This film really touched me and moved me and gave me a lot of compassion for someone who is hard to have compassion for: an agressive/rageful addict. Thank you for making this synopsis and shining a light on more details about how embedded in deaf culture the making of this film was. I had no idea beyond my experience of the film and feeling it on an emotional level, that the actors and director put so much effort into the representation. One of our generation's greatest films.
I haven’t seen the film but this presentation was moving. And the star is a great actor. I loved him in the sisters brothers movie.
Such an underrated gem! I never hear anything about the sisters brothers. Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly are excellent in that
This might unwittingly be the best ad for a movie I’ve ever seen. I’ll make sure to watch it
Such a demanding and important role, played perfectly by Riz Ahmed
I initially watched this film because of Riz Ahmed and also of my grandparents on my mom's side who are both deaf. They became deaf when they were born so while the cause of the condition was not due to constant exposure to loud noises, I still watched the film because it was a subject that I want to gain more understanding about and get an idea of what it may be like and gain a new perspective. Glad to say, that this was a masterpiece of a film and I have gained greater respect for the deaf community.
The director's approach to the lead actor is frankly bizzare. Asking a hearing non-musician to portray a deaf musician, and task them with learning a new language fluently and an instrument proficiently _as well_ as the usual craftsmanship of acting whilst threatening him with 'sucking' or being 'disrespectful'... Props to the guy for stepping up to the plate, and no doubt the director got results, but frankly he sounds like a prick and it's only through the incredible effort of the people collaborating with him that his film wasn't a shitshow.
A lot of great directors are not the mostly likable people, unfortunately.
yeah as a Deaf person i'm not watching this movie for this reason. riz ahmed is a good actor but can we please get disabled actors to play disabled characters???
I started watching this video and then immediately paused and went to watch the movie for the first time. I wasn't prepared. I am an audio engineer and a drummer; my entire career is built upon the ability to hear. I genuinely was terrified putting myself in the shoes of Ruben. It was such a well executed and effective movie. I remember working a festival one weekend and then the following week having temporary hearing loss and it was one of the scariest things I've ever faced. I immediately took protecting my hearing a whole lot more seriously.
I searched for this comment! Had to find someone else who paused it. That's all. Sorry for replying to a 3-month-old comment.
Sitting here, watching this and listening to your voice and the background music you'd put in and then, once the video ends, the little constant fluctuating ringing of my unknown-origin tinnitus in my ears.. that's an experience. I think I need to see this movie now. edit: never fucking mind of course it's an amazon original, not in theatres, not anywhere I can access it. I hate the streaming era
Well. That’s just because I’m very late to the game talking about it, unfortunately. It was in theaters when it released. But that was almost four years ago now.
I was very close to losing my hearing on both of my ears after a kind of cyst developed and "ate" my ear bones. I was very lucky to get surgery when I did or else I would become deaf. I was horrified at the prospect and began looking into learning sign language and the deaf community. This movie moved me to such a degree that I sat silent with tears rolling down my face. I still kind of take my hearing for granted, but it helped me get reminded of what could be taken away at a moments notice.
As a musician, one of my greatest fear is not being able to hear what I create. This movie hit so close to home, especially because I also suffer from tinnitus, that I actually cried upon my first watch. I still get drawn to tears when rewatching, such a fantastic movie with truly gut-wrenching sound design
i've always admired that actor, he was so young yet one of the most dedicated to their roles that i've witnessed. this does not suprise me.
I've been half deaf since I was a kid, regained it through surgery in my teen years and now lost it again in my late 30s. I've been on both side of the fence and this movie moved me like few other things in my life. It's very hard for fully hearing people to grasp how really hard and different is life as when hearing impaired. This movie is truly a gem.
Damn just this commentary alone made me teary,, and then i went and watched the actually movie and broke down in tears
Sound of Metal has honestly the best sound design, and editing in a film ever. There's a bit of bittersweet irony in the sense that non hearing people aren't able to fully experience the film to its full capacity despite the film being the deepest exploration of the deaf community yet. Cheers on another great video Danny!
Joe Raci's performance in this is one of my favorites. Ahmed too, of course. SPOILER - the scene 2/3 in where Ruben asks Raci's character for the loan, and is told he has to leave, is so powerful to me, Raci's line to the effect of "I was telling you to sit by yourself and write all of these months, I wanted you to experience that silence, because that's the kingdom of God, and that place will never desert you." and Raci says 'the kingdom of God' with such a presence, a sense of assurance intermingled with a brokenness and pain he feels with Ruben's decisions, makes me have no doubt Raci knows exactly what that kingdom of God is like
oh this video made me CRY … sound of metal has been on my to watch list for a long time, this review has made me realise I have to watch it immediately. thankyou for that
you must! it's absolutely incredible
:) It really is something special. -Danny
I randomly came across this film review and the description was so beautiful I teared up
I hope Riz Ahmed keeps getting quality roles like this.
Bloody fantastic video. Thank you for bringing this movie and people behind it to my attention.
So glad you liked it! Definitely a movie I recommend :) -Danny
sound of metal is one of my favorite films ever. thanks for this!
It's just amazing. I really like how you approaches these video essays. It made maneant to watch sound of metal.
This looks like such an amazing film. I cant wait to watch it. This video was awesome thanks for making it
God damn man. Your edits and style and script... I mean even the earlier videos were a piece of art, but you've really progressed since then - which I didn't think was possible. And I enjoy watching that progress as a bit of a side dish to the videos themselves. (Not that I know anything about making a documentary, or editing or anything - but that speaks volumes too. When even a layman can see the quality)
I am beginning to love film analysis more than film itself
:)
I literally had to go on my phone to type this comment (I watch KZhead on my tv lol) But what a wonderfully made video! Thank you so much for a beautiful depiction of deafness and the movie itself. I’m honestly in love with the way you’re approaching a movie interpretation. Now im going to binge your channel 😂💖
this is the kind of channel you stumble across and watch all of their videos. you earned another sub
Very happy to hear :) -Danny
Thanking you making this. I think I've seen this movie around but never really noticed it until now. And now it's on my list for sure! Seems like a masterclass of show-don't-tell as well. I'm looking forward to it.
Incredible observations with attention to keen details and excellent delivery. I may have cried a little towards the ending
this movie is the best piece of cinema i have seen in the past year holy shit. incredible.
This was a beautiful video and now I’m dying to see this film asap! Great work!
Highly encourage it :) -Danny
I downloaded this movie on a whim and was amazed by it. Fascinating, with a measured pace, and very cleverly used sound design to immerse us in the characters experience.
I just hope that more films, not just ones about the Deaf Community can adopt these accessability options. I would love for Blu Rays to come with an option for a side by side ASL translator. Hiring one translator to do about 2 hours of work would take a week max and wouldn't cost too much for the production company, but it would mean the world for a whole new audience to be able to enjoy your film.
got chills at the end, such a good one, thank you.
:)
This movie has been on my back burner for a while now, definitely going to have to watch it now. Awesome video!
Really happy I came across this video, thanks!
This movie was amazing! It made me sad, angry, etc. and taught me so much of the culture that I didn’t realize even existed. I remember watching after this film a reality show of these deaf college students and it was like a new world of people, it was interesting. Great movie all around from the acting to the sound editing and the story! I recommend this movie to everyone!
Your scripting is beautiful! Thanks for this :)
Great video, CinemaStix, thank you. I tear up just thinking of this film. What a fabulous cast and crew. I knew Riz was an amazing actor but this was just beyond cosmic tier...
Thank you for sharing this interpretation. This film slipped by me and your video has put it at the top of my watch list.
Sound of Metal is a phenominal film and the absolute highest praises to Darius Marder for directing and espcially Riz Ahmed who did an outstanding job fully capuring that performance.
this sounds really cool, i’m definitely going to be sure to watch this now
I have found 3 movies I want to watch because of you. Thank you for your work, and keep it up))
As someone who is losing their hearing, this hurt to watch because of how real it felt
This is beautiful thank you!
This is just beautiful to watch and listen to. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, Stix.
:D
this movie and your video mean so much to me. thank you
:)
Beautifully written, thank you ❤
I'm really glad you mentioned the role of addiction in the story, one of my favorite lines in the movie is about Ruben finding a place that will never abandon him.. so much of the story is about loss, grief and finding peace in stillness and silence and facing the bareness of a life without your loves.. It's a beautiful film, heartbreaking but sweet once he finds that place within
What a profoundly beautiful video and production. Thank you.
Thank YOU. -Danny
Phenomenal film
Wow sir you just.... I'm at a loss. This breakdown was amazing. Thank you for explaining and showing the behinds of it all and what it took to make the movie what it is.. as well as the meaning for both us who can hear and the deaf community. A beautiful movie but will defo need to watch
That’s very kind, thank you :) I definitely recommend the movie. It hits a lot harder than any video made on it. I have new stuff every week or two, so hopefully there’ll be more that catches your eye. Thanks again, Danny
Found this video randomly. Movie was great and now I want to learn how to sign. Great Video.
ugh i remember watching this movie for the first time and it was soo good at displaying emotion and putting the watcher in the scene riz ahmed blew it out of the water I love this movie soo much I didn't realize how much went into the sound design which given the movie subject makes soo much sense
Thank you for including captions for the video!
:)
Amazing essay for an amazing film :)
I’m not Deaf or hard of hearing, I can hear music just fine but for some reason I’ve always had problems understanding when people talk, to the point where I can’t really watch a show or a movie without captions. And music is such a huge part of my world. Everytime it feels like it’s gotten worse, I’m a little terrified it’s going to disappear entirely, and I realise there’s such a huge culture out there that I could be part of if it does, but at the same time letting go of music the way I know it seems impossible to me. Thank you to everyone who took part in showing this protagonist’s struggle on the screen and making us think about it.
I have severe hearing loss and what I think you might be describing is Auditory Processing Disorder. You'd think that having visited doctors and audiologists over decades would have been how I learned this exists. Instead, I learned that it's a thing from a KZhead comment.
For my last year at uni, i wrote a thesis on deaf culture and disability in media (specifically in comic books) and it was a really great exercise in understanding the Deaf community. I'm glad there are videos like this out there to help more people learn 😊❤
Those last pictures of him in video was like you really see deaf person. Totally on spot. Never seen movie and have little time to do so. I wish have everybody better life.
your videos are really well done and articulated, i love them a lot. keep up the great work :)
Thank you!! -Danny
Absolutely beautiful case study. Gotta watch this movie now.
Honestly, you're one of my favorite youtubers. Excellent and tasteful clickbait that keeps me coming back every time, and I never regret clicking on a video. Keep up the good work!
I’m so glad the videos AND their titles are resonating :) Thank you!! -Danny
I loved this movie so much a pond your essay made me appreciate it that much more ❤thank you
:)
beautiful video from yourself as well and an excellent movie, I need to watch it
Such a beautiful analysis
:)
This movie has sat with me longer than any I have watched before, even the first time I watched it for about two weeks I would just randomly think about it and it would literally affect me emotionally. It is truly a masterpiece in every sense of the word!