Sound in Film

The scream references a plea for help where as the shout references a demand or an expression of power. Chion uses the example of Tarzan's call, which signifies the male dominance of himself and his surroundings. In opposition the female's cry communicates "limitlessness- - an abyss, a never ending black hole likened to the female orgasm. This black hole is endless for men, it is an analogy that they cannot obtain or explain and therefore have no real power over. In this sense the male is only in control of the sound once it has been produced and placed. .
             In agreeing with Chion's assessment of the societal inference regarding the female scream and the male scream and the accurate depiction of how society looks at a man w ho shows his emotion. Society frowns on the crying male because he is not supposed to be weak. However, I disagree with Chion's overall explanation about the usefulness of gender screams. It is a rarity to see a man scream in a film. Many films exploit the female scream because of its message and power. The underlying fact is the placement of the scream which is very important for its effectiveness. When accurately placed in a film to reflect fear the male scream can be a powerful tool of expression. Thus the scream is not frowned upon rather it accentuates the action. It is relevant to know that very few films are made to explore the male cry, therefore, there are few opportunities to examine this theory. .
             It is important to understand Chion's analogy of the relevance of Blow Out in defining the significance of not only the type of scream but also the placement of the scream. Chion defines the screaming point in a cinematic narrative as something that generally gushes forth from the mouth of a woman, which by the way does not have to be heard, but which above all must fall at an appointed spot, explode at a precise moment, at the crossroads of converging plot lines, at the end of an often convoluted trajectory, but calculated to give this point a maximum impact.