When one thinks of the great sounds inM.
Night Shyamalansbreakout movie,The Sixth Sense, iconic lines probably leap to mind.
Its a powerful moment, one that deserves to stand the test of time.
But it relies upon more than just the dialogue.
It in a microcosm represents the genius at play inThe Sixth Senses soundscape.
Theres no score leading up to Coles revelation.
The score stays silent through Malcolms story, leaving space for the inhales and exhales.
The accompaniment to Coles confession is mostly made up of strings that are by turns mournful and hopeful.
A lovely motif consisting of rising notes falling gently back down creeps into the mix.
This motif can be heard throughout the film, whenever indicators of Malcolms death pop up.
It enters here when the shot reverses from Cole to Malcolm, watching but not fully understanding the boy.
However, the most powerful sound occurs just before Cole says that he sees dead people.
In that moment, we dont just start to see the dead people who haunt Cole.
We hear them as well.
When Malcolm translates the Latin he hears Cole speaking, the moaning rises up in the score.
Each of these choices underscores the central horror ofThe Sixth Sense.
In that way, we share Coles predicament.
Were constantly bombarded with suffering that we cannot fully understand or process.
These effective scares speak toShyamalans pulpy heart.
But he takes it further by using the sounds to create pathos.
The central conflict inThe Sixth Senseinvolves people who dont know how to connect with others.
Cole is too scared of the dead people to understand what they want from him.
The film doesnt deny that its scary to have so many others longing to be with us.
But theyre present all the same, and the movie remains confident of the connections that can be made.
I dont see anything, Malcolm admits, kneeling down to get on Coles level.
Throughout the conversation, the moaning comes back into the score, reminding the listener of human suffering.
When Cole asks Malcolm to make it stop, he replies with assuredness, Im working on it.
