History Main / SilenceIsGolden

Though some people have difficulty imagining movies without spoken dialogue, [[UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the first few decades of film]] did extremely well without it, to the point that many filmmakers dismissed talkies as a [[ItWillNeverCatchOn gimmicky passing fad]] or a [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks perversion of real cinema]]. To be honest, they initially had a point considering that film sound recording techniques were very crude in the beginning, making for some really stiffly staged and dull films until the combined talents of artists and technicians solved the problems. Regardless, perhaps it isn't such a shock to learn that, long after the end of the {{silent film}} era, many filmmakers and writers still think that silence is, well, golden.

** The classic episode "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E51TheInvaders The Invaders]]", written by Richard Matheson, has no dialogue save for the final scene. [[spoiler: This builds up the TwistEnding, since the final scene has the minuscule "aliens" speaking English, while we never hear the protagonist speak at all--obscuring the fact that ''she's'' actually the alien, while the supposed aliens are human astronauts]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Aether}}'' tells it's entire story in music. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbVFzanUviI Pleasant, soothing music]].

* ''VideoGame/FragileDreamsFarewellRuinsOfTheMoon'': To really hammer down the lonely atmosphere of the game, most of the game is spent silent, with no BGM and no one to talk to. Becuase the game is lauded for it's emotional and beautiful music, the tearjerking effect when said soundtrack is actually used has much more impact.

* ''[[VideoGame/LonaRealmOfColors Lona: Realm Of Colors]]'', is a game that focuses on "art and music narration" and features no dialogue whatsoever, using it's watercolour-style visuals and music to tell the story. Basically, you're [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS-Z5V_fbl4 a young girl exploring an art world]]...

Though some people have difficulty imagining movies without spoken dialogue, [[MediaNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the first few decades of film]] did extremely well without it, to the point that many filmmakers dismissed talkies as a [[ItWillNeverCatchOn gimmicky passing fad]] or a [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks perversion of real cinema]]. To be honest, they initially had a point considering that film sound recording techniques were very crude in the beginning, making for some really stiffly staged and dull films until the combined talents of artists and technicians solved the problems. Regardless, perhaps it isn't such a shock to learn that, long after the end of the {{silent film}} era, many filmmakers and writers still think that silence is, well, golden.

Though some people have difficulty imagining movies without spoken dialogue, [[UsefulNotes/TheSilentAgeOfHollywood the first few decades of film]] did extremely well without it, to the point that many filmmakers dismissed talkies as a [[ItWillNeverCatchOn gimmicky passing fad]] or a [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks perversion of real cinema]]. To be honest, they initially had a point considering that film sound recording techniques were very crude in the beginning, making for some really stiffly staged and dull films until the combined talents of artists and technicians solved the problems. Regardless, perhaps it isn't such a shock to learn that, long after the end of the {{silent film}} era, many filmmakers and writers still think that silence is, well, golden.

* ''VideoGame/SnowBros'' has a rare UsefulNotes/MegaDrive version that features original cutscenes similar in style to those from ''VideoGame/ZeroWing'', but with neither Engrish nor Japanese text.

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'' has a silent segment when he's fighting [[MakeMeWannaShout Shriek.]] Batman enters a car factory to hide. Shriek responds by tuning out all noises in the area except Batman's footsteps, which he amplifies. The show makers did this because 1) they'd ''always'' wanted to do a silent scene and 2) when the noise filter shorts out and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Shriek is rendered deaf by the sudden onslaught of amplified noise]] it's more obvious.

** Rey's EstablishingCharacterMoment in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' has no dialogue at all until the very end, as we watch her scavenge from a wrecked Star Destroyer, sell the parts for food, and return home to eat dinner all alone, the same as she's been doing for her entire adult life. Without a word from Daisy Ridley, [[ShowDontTell we learn]] her loneliness, independence, desperation to be part of something greater, and feeling of insignificance against a vast and dangerous universe, shown visually when she puts on a salvaged Rebel flight helmet and watches the stars while sitting in [[RuleOfSymbolism the shadow of the destroyed AT-AT]] in which she makes her home.