'Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound'

For 92 years, since “The Jazz Singer,” movies have been talkies — and the documentary “Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound” is a fond look at the art of melding sound to image and the pioneers who have changed how it’s done.

Even before we’re born, the legendary sound editor Walter Murch says to start the movie, “sound is the first sense that gets plugged in.” It’s a good reminder when talking about movies, because our focus on the visual aspect of filmmaking — the cinematography, the action, the faces — often shortchanges the other half of the equation: What we hear in a movie.

“The Jazz Singer” was a sensation when it debuted in 1927, but the advent of sound also took cinematic art back a step — because studios had to build cavernous sound stages so they could eliminate ambient sound. But soon, sight and sound worked hand in glove, with pioneers like Murray Spivack (“King Kong”) showing what could be done. Another hero mentioned is Barbra Streisand, who as producer of the 1976 “A Star Is Born” insisted on recording in stereo and urging theaters to install stereo speaker systems.

Director Midge Costin focuses largely on three greats in movie sound design. One is Murch, who met up with a guy named Francis Ford Coppola and worked on “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” the latter introducing six-track surround stereo. Next is Ben Burtt, who collaborated with George Lucas to make the many creatures and robots of “Star Wars” sound realistic. The third is Gary Rydstrom, who took sound-effects collection into the digital age, working on Pixar’s “Luxo Jr.” and “Toy Story,” and with Steven Spielberg on “Jurassic Park” and others.

The movie then dissects the elements of sound design, from the different types of dialogue to the variety of sound effects, and finally the music. All these elements are then brought together in the re-recording mixing studio, where all the sounds are melded together for maximum emotional impact and to further the story.

Costin draws from dozens of movie clips, and some solid interviews with many sound designers and the directors who rely on their work to tell the story. They share childhood anecdotes and dissect scenes from classic movies to show how the sound changes everything.

One wishes Costin didn’t feel the need to cram everything about sound design into 95 minutes, and could linger with some filmmakers and scenes. Frankly, I could hear Murch talk about “The Godfather” for the entire run time. Even so, “Making Waves” is a great primer for the up-and-coming armchair film scholar, and you’ll never listen to a movie the same way again.

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‘Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound’

★★★

Opened October 25 in select cities; opens Friday, November 8, at the Broadway Centre Cinemas (Salt Lake City). Not rated, but probably PG-13 for depictions of violence. Running time: 95 minutes.