Great Expectations

How far does Pudovkin’s approach support the sound used in Great Expectations?

Pudovkin subtly uses editing to suggest psychological states, His intention is to provoke the viewers thought and create emotional effects throughout his imagery. Pudvokin‘s approach supports the use of sound in the film Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens but later filmed in 1998 by Alfonso Cuaron. This is a twisted tale of Finn’s unrequited love for Estelle dominated by an affecting soundtrack that compliments the complicated journey between the characters. The connection between Pudovkin and Cuaron is a lyrical approach to editing through cross-cuts, while dramatic, do not break up but enhance the narrative. Cuaron’s similarities to Podvkin’s approach are reflected in the cut up of the title sequence. The sound of an eerie flutes constant whistling at the beginning of the film indicates a mysterious prophecy and sets the mood. The Director uses expressive sounds of footsteps, water, heavy breathing and heartbeats throughout to sexually provoke the viewer and highlight the frustrating intense passion between Finn and Estelle. Cuaron like Pudvokin improves the perception of the image on the film by montaging and re-arranging to improve meaning and emotion around the piece. Pudovkin theorised that actors on screen do not really act; it's their context that moves us - something established, through montage, by their relationship to exterior objects. Curaron to an extent displays this theory through the scenery, movements and sounds between the characters. Emotional hard sound of footsteps and heavy breathing, contrast the soft gentle actions of kissing and dancing. Altogether these actions explain, compliment and enhance the sensual and erotic theme between the characters, continuous feelings of pleasure and pain.