So, I once watched The Lighthouse together with my then girlfriend remotely, being in a long distance relationship at the time. We used the same file, started at the same time and were in chat together.

The audio codec of this (of course 100% legal) file for some reason did not work with my VLC player properly. There were no voices. But it also wasn't just complete silence, some music and subtle, surreal sound effects came through. None of this was happening for my ex, btw, even though we had the same file.

Talking about the movie in chat and afterwards was fascinating, I only then realised it was, in fact, not a masterful, purposeful, stylistic choice: A major production not just in black and white, but as a silent movie. I also was able to get the essential things that happened and the important plot points, so that is also another point very much in favour of the film.

[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 25 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Sounds like you had the audio set to 5.1 while only having stereo speakers.

[–] AbnormalHumanBeing@lemmy.abnormalbeings.space 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

That is a possible explanation, although I think it was weirder than that, because I remember checking some "obvious" settings like that afterwards. I also re-encoded the file with VLC media player out of curiosity, where it should have just re-encoded whatever audio track it had, without adjusting it to a specific output device, and the resulting file then also had the same issue when played in SMPLayer (whereas the original worked in SMPlayer).

I might still have both files laying around on my NAS, but I myself at least don't really have the energy right now to go into a rabbit hole again years after the fact, and sharing them would be non-trivial.

[–] Uli@sopuli.xyz 4 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Have you seen it again since? If not, you could watch it again and give us ratings for how good it is with dialogue, versus without? Would be neat if they accidentally made a silent movie that's better than the version with full audio. But I think as a control, you should also get back together with that girlfriend and be on the phone with her while you watch it. She'll understand, it's for science.

[–] AbnormalHumanBeing@lemmy.abnormalbeings.space 3 points 4 days ago

As just a personal thing, the original mute watching was so surreal and unique, I enjoyed it more - solving the mystery of what is happening from what's shown visually alone (and some subdued music) - but that is a deeply subjective thing.

you should also get back together with that girlfriend and be on the phone with her while you watch it.

Oh no, I couldn't do that to her, she definitely deserved better.

[–] MegaUltraChicken@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

Honestly, I think most of Eggers' flims are probably still fantastic without dialogue. The atmosphere and visuals he creates tell the story all on their own most of the time.

Hell, I couldn't even tell you what the hell they're saying in The Witch without subtitles and it's still one of the best horror movies released in the last decade.

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 31 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I once watched a 2 part DVD movie in the wrong order and I thought it was a bold director’s choice to not introduce any of the characters or explain the background.

[–] insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

This is the best one. 😁

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 25 points 4 days ago (1 children)

can't remember what I was watching, but I accidentally muted it just when a dramatic scene started, and I was so riveted by the scene having no sound at all.

i had to focus only on the scene, and it was so suspenseful, tense, and immersive, thought the director was a genius for taking such risks and it paid off... eventually I noticed it was on mute.

[–] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

When something like that happens, I automatically assume it's on mute or frozen, so I can't get those kinds of masterpiece moments. I wish I could trust art as much as you.

[–] MoonMelon@lemmy.ml 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I don't know if it's still a thing in the digital age, but having even just a few seconds of dead air back in the analogue broadcast days could mean that "silence detectors" all over the country would start going off and radio engineers everywhere would think there was some kind of problem with their station. So there had to be talking, music, something at pretty much all times.

If you wanted intentional silence you could play comfort noise in the background.

[–] killingspark@feddit.org 4 points 4 days ago

Comfort noise really surprised me when I learned about it regarding phones. We register it as silence but we also register the line as active whereas we immediately notice complete silence. Brains are cool stuff

[–] Kuma@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

My first and only audiobook (I forgot the title) had one track per chapter. I started at chapter one and kept wondering from time to time why things were happening with no explanation. Then, several chapters later, I’d finally figure it out what was going on because the characters started setting up events I’d already heard about so I checked my music player and it was on shuffle… It actually worked weirdly well, haha.

[–] insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

There's a planet of the apes film where they are talking to each other in their common language and we watched without subtitles for so long. We thought we were supposed to just get the vibe.

[–] Zkuld@lemmy.world 21 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Marihuana is not bad for you, but it makes you ok with being bored

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

If you're bored while stoned, you're not stoned yet. 🫠

[–] MrVilliam@sh.itjust.works 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

They mean more "bored of life" than "bored in the moment".

Used habitually, it can be a pacifying kind of drug. You're unhappy with things, so you get stoned to get a little escape. If you didn't have the out of that little escape, you might be more inclined to make choices and put in the work to make lasting changes.

On the other side, shrooms makes you uncomfortably confront the shit that you don't like about yourself and neural pathways get a chance to reroute, so you can kinda give yourself the kick in your ass you need to see the problem and make changes.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

you might be more inclined to make choices and put in the work

Fuck off, Dad! I learned it from watching you!

Also, genuinely sorry to hear about your record label and tour dates recently. ✊🏼

[–] BuboScandiacus@mander.xyz 14 points 4 days ago

That's performance art !

[–] bradboimler@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Best show on television

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago

You obviously haven't watched Friends.

[–] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 4 days ago

You... have a TV? 😱 Faaaancy.

[–] SmoothOperator@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

I somehow missed one of the middle episodes of the first season of House of Cards, and was very surprised at the boldness of having to piece together what had happened between episodes. Very demanding of the viewer.

I did realise my mistake immediately after though.