Tsotsi: Music and Sound

First off, as a nursing student wanting to go into pediatrics, I wanted to cringe every time Tsotsi did anything with the baby. Someone get this guy parenting classes! I couldn’t handle it. And of course…the dog. The animal lover in me cried. Now that I vented, I can discuss the focus of sound and music within this film.

The music in this movie is undeniable! It is an essential aspect of the movie. I found it interesting that sometimes the music fit perfectly, and other times left me wondering, what in the heck!? There is literally no silence in this film, which I love. Every sound is expressed, whether we want it to be or not. From dogs barking, thunder, rain, vomit, knife thrusting, babies crying, and flesh tearing, we hear it all. When the man is stabbed on the bus, there is an intense drum roll, almost as if it was the mans final act. I also thought the snake creepy slow music as Tsotsi sneaks up on the handicapped man fit the scene well. As did the music in the beginning of the movie with the hardcore, intense, up-beat, rap like music. It introduced the men drinking and doing shenanigans, and also the aspect of the poorer population surviving. What I did not find fitting was the slow paced, relaxed music as he steals the car. This is should be a dramatic and intense moment as he just shot a woman. Overall while the film is intense and brings about many emotions (like me wanting to scream what the heck are you doing Tsotsi get it together), I found it very interesting and compelling.