Melbourne filmmaker Matthew Saville crafts a disturbing account of urban fear and isolation as police investigate a senseless commuter train shooting.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2007
Noise 2007
Melbourne filmmaker Matthew Saville utilises the framework of police drama with devastating effect in his disturbing account of urban fear and isolation. By avoiding “quirk”, to create a realistic portrayal of city life, Noise marks a significant shift in Australian cinema. It opens shortly after a killer has run amok on a commuter train; one terrified woman is helping police with their investigation, another is found dead in a ditch. A police caravan is set up to field enquiries and is staffed by an officer (Brendan Cowell) whose tinnitus becomes a dominant motif in the film. The vehicle soon becomes a beacon for ill-assorted characters as several threads converge, giving Saville a broad canvas on which to explore assumption and reality. His compelling use of atmospheric lighting and – above all – an eerie and “hyper” soundscape cements the deal.
“Interpret the film as an allegory or a metaphor, or just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a sublimely harrowing cop movie and a powerful psychological thriller that refuses to succumb to conventional definitions.” — Luke Buckmaster, In Film