{"id":457,"date":"2022-08-29T14:45:49","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T14:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/?p=457"},"modified":"2024-01-04T14:33:30","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T14:33:30","slug":"minimalist-moments-the-bourne-trilogy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nancyepton.co.uk\/?p=457","title":{"rendered":"Minimalist Moments: The Bourne Trilogy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It begins in water. It ends in water. Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass perfectly bookend the journey of their amnesiac hero with symbolic imagery, but the three films create a structure of their own through the repeated use of Moby\u2019s now-iconic song \u2018Extreme Ways\u2019. The electronica artist was already known for lending his tunes to the dramatic endings of Scream<\/em> and Heat<\/em>; the latter film is given a particularly poetic ending through the use of Moby\u2019s \u2018God Moving Over the Face of the Waters\u2019, and that\u2019s one I\u2019ll discuss in a later post. But the repeated use of \u2018Extreme Ways\u2019 at the end of each film begins to cultivate a distinct gravitas, similar to the \u2018dah dah dah\u2019 sound at the end of Bond films. All you need to hear are those first sounds (writer Adrian Hon describes these distinctive noises as \u2018Wree! Wree!\u2019, but you\u2019re welcome to interpret them in whatever onomatopoeic form you see \u2013 or rather, hear \u2013 fit), and you know the protagonist is in the clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Bourne Identity<\/em> ends as Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), finally escaping the threat of Chris Cooper\u2019s villainous Alexander Conklin, tracks down and reunites with love interest Marie (Franka Potente). Unlike Bond though, all we hear as the two embrace are the sparce, repeating notes of a violin alongside a basic synth motif. There\u2019s no grandiose booms or pomp. While the song subsequently develops into a more textured composition as the credits roll, it\u2019s the minimalism of these solitary first notes that really make an impression. It\u2019s hard to put a finger on what makes these initial sounds so darn great, but perhaps it\u2019s something to do with pace. Each note is long, drawn out and lingering. There\u2019s a measured pause between each violin note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps it\u2019s the calming sounds we\u2019ve heard beforehand when Bourne enters the shop, which subtly play upon the song we\u2019re about to hear, lulling the viewer into a sense of ease before the couple inevitably meet. Rather than the original song\u2019s two \u2018Wree\u2019s, the cinematic version extends the soundtrack to four. It\u2019s a subtle difference, but an important one. The cinematic version lets us bask in the glory of Bourne\u2019s escape from authorities before it expands into bigger sounds and the narratively apt lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This \u2018slowness\u2019 of the song \u2013 allowing the viewer to listen longer without dialogue from either characters or Moby\u2019s lyrics, diegetic or nondiegetic \u2013 was clearly appreciated by the filmmakers in The Bourne Supremacy<\/em>. The exact same version of the song is used again, where Moby\u2019s lyrics begin 53 seconds into the track. This time, Bourne calls Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), spying on her from the opposite building. After she reveals Bourne\u2019s real name \u2013 David Webb \u2013 she offers to meet him to discuss his identity further. Bourne then advises her to get some rest, before hitting her with the final zinger that she looks tired, thus revealing his position, at which point the \u2018Wree\u2019s come back into full force as Pam swerves around to look out the window and we watch Bourne disappear into the crowded streets. The same scene is recycled in ultimatum without Moby\u2019s score, but it\u2019s this one that makes the biggest impact. Unlike Identity<\/em>, Bourne is now in his element, having experienced the tragic loss of Marie but also defeating the man behind her murder without resorting to the same violent means. The \u2018wrees\u2019 serve a similar purpose in showing Bourne\u2019s freedom from malicious forces, but also his newfound confidence in messing with the system responsible for his current state. Comparing both image and sound, we now get more of a \u2018take that\u2019 vibe that continues into the final film. Bourne is the master of the situation, and Moby\u2019s song confirms this fact with its stylish beats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Extreme Ways makes another appearance in Ultimatum<\/em>\u2019s finale, as Nicky Parsons (Julia Styles) listens to news of Bourne\u2019s potential demise on a nearby television, smirking as she hears the reporter state that no body has been found. Those distinctive \u2018wrees\u2019 start up again, and we know Bourne\u2019s made it as we watch his previously still body move and swim to freedom. It\u2019s immediately clear from the subsequent sounds that this is a new version, more operatic, exaggerated, and, in my opinion, not quite as good. Still, it\u2019s a fitting ending to a fantastic trilogy. I noticed that you\u2019re looking tired at this point, hm? Get some rest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It begins in water. It ends in water. Doug Liman and Paul Greengrass perfectly bookend the journey of their amnesiac hero with symbolic imagery, but the three films create a structure of their own through the repeated use of Moby\u2019s now-iconic song \u2018Extreme Ways\u2019. The electronica artist was already known for lending his tunes to … <\/p>\n

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