Dunkirk (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2017) is a historical drama/thriller about the British evacuation from Dunkirk during World War Two. The film follows three story lines of three different perspectives of the evacuation – one lasting a week, one a day and one an hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ml0r-5U3lw

This is the final dog fight scene from the film, where the three different story lines come together during the actual evacuation from the beach. This scene begins by focusing on Farrier in his plane, flying over the beach. The dominant sound at this point is the diegetic sound of the Spitfire’s engines and the propellers spinning. Nolan wanted the sounds of the Spitfires to be authentic, to add to the verisimilitude of the film. During post production, real Spitfire engine noises were added to make the film as historically accurate as possible.

As the sound of the engine dies out, the noises of the propeller and the wind become louder. This signals the moment when Farrier finally runs out of fuel. These diegetic sounds are emphasised as it helps the audience to imagine the situation inside the cockpit, and how the pilot is feeling as he begins to lose control of the plane. Again, this adds to the believability of the film, as these sounds are realistic and it is easy for the audience to imagine that it they really happened.

Beneath all of these sounds, there is a Shepard’s Tone playing. This non-diegetic sound is created by having three octaves that increase in pitch at different speeds. It creates a sense that the music’s pitch is always increasing. During this scene, it adds tension to the action, as it makes it seem like time is running out for Farrier. The Shepard’s Tone is accompanied by a quiet ticking noise, which is a repeating motif throughout the film. This again adds a sense of desperation for the audience, as it makes them even more aware at how little time is left for him in the plane before he crashes.

This Shepard’s Tone is continued for a while through the scene. At the moment where the civilian ships arrive and Commander Bolton is happily talking to the soldiers and nurses, it can still be heard. This makes the audience uneasy, as it suggests that there is still something important to happen. However, as this is a non-diegetic sound, meaning that it doesn’t exist in the world of the film, the characters seem completely unaware of the danger that they still could be facing. However, this scene also features the Nimrod music piece, which reflects the mood of the characters as it sets a joyful, victorious tone.

Towards the end of the scene, a happier score is introduced, just after the German plane is shot down. This music creates a sense of victory and British pride, as it comes at a moment where it seems like everything is going to be alright for the British soldiers. The music starts at the same time as the diegetic sound of the soldiers on the beach below cheering, again making the audience feel a sense of relief as the German plane was defeated. This non-diegetic music also contrasts the darker scores that were heard before in the scene and in the rest of the film, making it feel as if this scene is the climax of the film with a happy ending.