One of the things that stood out the most to me in When the Levees Broke was the incorporation of music throughout what we’ve seen of this documentary so far, especially how some of the chosen music seems to drastically conflict with the story the documentary is trying to tell us. There were many times, more so towards the beginning, where there would be images of the flood, destroyed houses and stranded people, but the music seemed oddly light and joyful. This contrast is very jarring at times, but that’s why it’s absolutely brilliant. Even if one doesn’t recognize the musical choice the producers made, everyone that watches this film would be able to feel for the victims of Hurricane Katrina on a completely different level. Music is a very powerful tool that helps shape how individuals feel and understand something.
Even further, the absence of music makes an impact on the mood of the documentary, as well. When music suddenly disappears, it forces the listener to pay attention and ask “What happened?” Typically, this is done when there’s a new shift in tone or changing to a new speaker that has very personal, first eye-witness reports of what happened – essentially, it points out a change in substory. It creates a very somber feeling and forces you to listen to what each individual is saying to the camera, what story they have to share. This allows the speakers to have a much larger impact than they would have otherwise.
I have to applaud the produces on making these kinds of decisions and using the musical undertones in order to guide the documentary where it needs to go. The songs they chose were well picked and perfectly timed with the film and matched the overall pacing of the progressing story. This also brings back the significance of the musical life in New Orleans and, in a way, helps show that this is apart of everyday life in the city, though that is not the theme of this particular documentary. However, I do feel like the previous documentary we watched, City of a Million Dreams, gave a wonderful understanding of this part of New Orleans and gave us (or, at least, me) a better appreciation of musical impact in When the Levees Broke.
I look forward to seeing the rest of the documentary to see the progression!