Response to "Theory of the Film: Sound"

Bela Balazs makes it known that sound is a fundamental element of film; the incorporation of sound is what makes film a unique and nearly limitless art form (nearly limitless when compared to painting and theater, of course). His evaluation of why sound is important in the film world is, in my opinion, dead on. Film is my favorite art form because it basically combines all other art forms into one piece. His claims concerning silence being beneficial in film really struck me. "No other art can reproduce silence, neither painting nor sculpture, neither literature nor the silent film could do so." This is a great point and is something that I have often thought. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN immediately came to mind, the fact being that it lacked non-diegetic music and that the Coen brothers used sound to build suspense: Anton removes his boots at the hotel and approaches Moss's room with shotgun in hand that way he is not to be heard, for he knows that the slightest sound can give away his presence, and Moss is constantly listening to the silence throughout the film, listening for the slightest of sounds. I feel that this is a clear example of how sound, and the lack thereof, can elevate film above other forms of art in terms of control over viewers.