The History of Sound

Ithink that, more than the love story many think this is, the film is about our inability at times to say things (and how music is sometimes the only way to express). It is a film about the beauty of song, yes, but also about how song can convey the messiness and hardness of life in ways we could never explain otherwise (and maybe wish we could). The acting is understated but devastating. The direction is slow-paced, but allows so many details to sink in rather than scream. It has enigmatic moments and unclear messages; but in the long run I think that makes it more realistic and powerful

The History of Sound (15) is a period drama set largely in the early 20th century. It was screenwritten by the author of the book of the same name. Lionel (Paul Mescal) is a country boy from Kentucky with an aptitude for music who leaves home for a college in Boston. Hearing a familiar song from home being sung by a pianist, he introduces himself to the player, David (Josh O' Connor). They become friends but it is 1917 and David enrols in the US Army, Lionel's eyesight preventing him from doing the same. The college closes and he returns home to help out on the family farm. The heart of the story is during 1919 after David returns from the war. He suggests that Lionel joins him in a project for his new employer, a college in Maine. Travelling the state, they will record the songs of rural America on wax cylinders using a special machine. They rebond over their common interest in folk songs but David won't talk about his wartime experiences. He explains to Lionel that in order to get people to co-operate and sing he often bends the truth about the recording to encourage participation. The two are recording songs that may soon disappear, as one small island community is being moved on so that their land can be developed so their soulful and beautiful music may one day be preserved only on those wax cylinders as they are uprooted from the land they know and love. The two men part and in the early 1920s Lionel travels to both Italy and England to earn a living in music either singing or as a choirmaster. He leaves relationships behind him and is clearly restless. Having written to David he receives no replies. When his family no longer have any call on him, he seeks out his old friend in Augusta, Maine, the last place he lived. Will Lionel find some contentment or will he fall further into despair? The film develops slowly and on occasions is beautifully shot. The music is affecting and is not country music as we know it today but a folk precursor that with its themes of love, death, pain and sorrow has been handed down and modified by each generation but is now gradually being lost. In some way the songs mirror Lionel's own experience as we move through his life as he takes new lovers and ends old relationships. It is well acted by both Mescal and O' Connor who bring both men to life in their different ways, complementing each other, the one born rural and poor with family responsibilities, the other wealthy and urbane with no ties. This was a film I did not plan on seeing as I knew nothing about it. Those who like thoughtful and reflective films may enjoy it but it will not be for everyone.

The History of Sound is a film that breathes contemplation. From the very first minutes, it is clear that this is not a conventional romance, but a story built on subtlety, silences, and what remains even after everything is over. Directed by Oliver Hermanus, the film focuses on preservation, memory, and how the past shapes who we are. It is a sensory drama, delicate and, at the same time, emotionally ambitious.Even with a few missteps along the way, the film manages to make a strong impact in its conclusion. It may not be expansive in events, but it is intense in what it decides to keep and, above all, in what it chooses not to **** History of Sound is a delicate, sensory, and emotionally sincere film. It finds in its protagonists the strength necessary to sustain a narrative that depends more on sensation than on events. Music and silence work together to construct a portrait of love and memory that lingers after the final **** the same time, it is a feature film that demands commitment. Its intensity does not come from major external conflicts, but from what is kept hidden. For some, this choice may sound like a lack of depth or an excess of contemplation. For others, it will be precisely what makes the experience **** the end, it is a story about what remains when everything else is gone. A novel that may not exceed all the emotional limits it promises, but finds beauty in what it chooses to preserve. And when memories are all that remain, sound becomes eternal.

Paul Mascal plays a Kentucky boy with a musical gift who meets a fellow musician at college (Josh O’Connor). Their friendship is instant and erotic. They eventually embark on a journey thru the woods of America to record folk songs on wax discs (it was the 1900s). While this was their mission, the story revolves around their love affair and the eventual outcome. Mascal gives yet another nuanced and compelling portrayal, while O’Connor charms with his sparking eyes and winning smile. Director Oliver Hermanus has kept the emotions restrained and could have upped the pace. Even so, this sprawling story is both sad and sweet.

"The History of Sound" is a slightly thin characterisation with an over-reliance on musical recitals that make it hard to buy into the film’s premise of enduring love.