“In Sound, We Live Forever” – A Slasher Turned on Its Head

“What the eyes see, and the ears hear, the mind believes.” ~ Harry Houdini

Joshua Giuliano certainly took this to heart when he crafted, “In Sound, We Live Forever”, playing now on Alter’s YouTube channel. The screen is empty of physical characters for much of the runtime, yet their voices and a classic car set the scene for a terrifying act of violence.

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The Plot

The film begins with a black screen and the sound of insects before a fade in on an aerial view of a large field surrounded by trees. The woosh and clanking of a windmill’s blades intensifies then is replaced by a running engine. An old red Ford pickup comes into view in the lush grass field and the camera pans slowing across the car and around to its open doors. On the front seat is a transistor radio playing a sentimental version of “Air on a G String” by Bach. At this point, the characters appear.

Sort of.

The voiceover is a young woman and her male companion flirting, their banter light and familiar. The camera swoops over the vehicle, pans out to the idyllic field with its cottage core tall grass and sweet petalled flowers. While the couple, Meredith and Charlie, continue their give and take, the camera focuses on the bed of the truck. The sounds of their activities can be heard—the squeak of the truck’s cab opening and them climbing in, the pops of beer can lids, Meredith removing her retainer before the lovers’ kiss—through crisp audio but…the characters still do not physically appear.

As the couple’s cozy interaction becomes more playful, a silent figure, unseen to the viewer, enters their world. Meredith alerts Charlie to an imposing form in the distance coming towards them. Charlie declares it’s time to leave. The sounds of an engine stalling are proof they will need to find another way out. Their rushed voices punctuated with urgency overlay the scene as they try to make a hasty escape.

Meredith’s screams confirm it is not to be.

Hard punches, thumps, and thuds accompany Meredith’s screams and Charlie’s pleas for her to run. The suction sound of a knife repeatedly stabbing flesh and Charlie’s moans splinter the serene landscape as the camera sweeps around the side and front seat of the empty truck and transitions to tracking low to the ground. The tortured wailing gives way to quiet as the camera pans away into the distance but not before capturing Charlie’s lifeless body faced down on the ground. The sun is waning. Tall grass obscures a wobbling shadow that stumbles forward. It’s Meredith and she’s alone in the remote field. Her only way out is to get back to the truck.

This is the moment when Meredith’s terrifying journey ramps up.

What Lies Underneath

“In Sound, We Live Forever”, is reminiscent of an old time radio play with the actors’ voices bigger than life and the sound effects an unseen character. The film effectively uses the dialogue between Meredith and Charlie to replace the physical presence of the characters. The emotional journey is on full display through their voices. This aspect of the film is so powerful that when Meredith makes a physical appearance, the viewer fully invests in her bid for survival.

What Makes It Killer

The audio of “In Sound, We Live Forever” does the heavy work of immersing the viewer into the horrors that unfold. Joshua Giuliano decision to divorce the characters’ physical presence from their audio presence throws the entire narrative out of whack.

And that’s a good thing.

Giuliano taps into the viewer’s own fears of the unknown stranger danger by using the killer sparingly, holding that bit of terror until the very end. The film allows the viewer to create a mental picture of the peril and violence which ultimately benefits the end product. Even with a scaled back aesthetic, Giuliano delivers a robust experience and a wild ride throughout, turning the slasher genre on its head.

Watch it below.