Noise Matters

Noise Matters is a 2013 independent film by Italian-American filmmaker Matias Masucci. This avant-garde dramedy showcases a unique approach to storytelling, presenting subjective realities through the eyes of its leading characters. The dark humor and unconventional narrative style provide the audience with an alternative and innovative cinematic experience.

The film stars Masucci himself in the lead role of Dagobert, a paranoid and borderline delusional man who has developed an obsession with creating the ultimate sound. Dagobert lives a life of self-imposed isolation in a makeshift bunker filled with noise-producing contraptions. His world is inhabited by strange characters that add a layer of color and complexity to the narrative. Ugo Bianchi, Bret Roberts, and other ensemble cast members illustrate the unfolding drama with their distinctive performances.

Masucci, who also wrote and directed Noise Matters, treats viewers to an intricate and elaborate exploration of socio-cultural issues, the obsession for power, and the human condition through the lens of an eccentric and troubled outcast. His crafted narrative blends reality and delusion, seriousness and satire, transitioning seamlessly throughout the film. The protagonist’s attraction to noise as a vehicle of connection and expression is central to the film's premise, intensifying the viewers' engagement with this unique narrative.

The film concludes into a journey into a world dominated by noises - both physical and metaphorical. Dagobert's mission to create peerless noise results in an accidental alliance with three equally eccentric characters - Ralph, Julian, and Philip, played by Bryce Jones, Bret Roberts, and Joey Capone, respectively. Ralph is the self-appointed cavalry leader who runs a failing public relations company, desperate for a business deal that could save his company. Julian is an ambitious yet mediocre photographer who is striving to find art through chaos. Then there's Philip, a loner who has a peculiar interest in extraterrestrial beings.

These characters' paths cross with Dagobert, culminating in a musical project initiated by Ralph, who sees potential in Dagobert's noise-making obsession to save his sinking PR business. The unfolding narrative intelligently meshes the illogical with the realistic, expertly crafting a non-linear story that's both compelling and innovative.

The quest of these offbeat characters to create a unique sound leads to a series of events that provide the core conflict of Noise Matters. Masucci expertly walks the line between comedy and profundity, revealing layers of social commentary through the absurdities of the characters' lives. The unconventional and multi-dimensional characters reveal personal, social, and philosophical themes that pose thought-provoking questions and challenge the audience's perceptions of reality.

Aesthetically, Noise Matters reflects its title in its cinematography, immersing viewers in a visual world of rhythmic disorder and sonic chaos. The black-and-white format of the film brings out the shades of the characters' lives, highlighting the juxtaposition of their stark realities against the absurdity of their ambitions. The film is a dialogue about the pervasive nature of noise in human lives, presenting it as a metaphor for societal and individual disorder, chaos, and pursuit of subjective expressions.

Meanwhile, the humor in Noise Matters is dark and dry, leaving it up to the audience to find the lighter side amidst a backdrop of harsh realities. The film is a stark commentary on the human condition, corporate greed, an obsession with art, and individuality, revealing how 'noise' permeates various aspects of life.

The film's original music by Alessio Galassi is a character in itself, riddled with high tension and dissonance to mirror the film's thematic elements. The narrative's labyrinthine construct and its corresponding musical facets mark the heart of a conflict that moves beyond mere storytelling, and into an exploration of psychological, artistic, and emotional dimensions.

Noise Matters is more than just a film; it is an artistic expression that dares to push cinematic boundaries. It captivates the audience with its nonconformity, thrusting them into an immersive narrative filled with philosophical musings, dark comedy, and powerful performances. Overall, spectators are challenged to consider their interpretation of noise – both literal and metaphorical – and the role it plays in human encounters and everyday life experiences. Truly, Noise Matters is a film trip down the road less traveled, promising to leave the audience in silent contemplation long after the end credits roll.