Comparison Between the Play and Movie Versions of Death and the Maiden
There is a significant difference between the play and movie versions of Death and the Maiden. The movie version emphasizes visual and sound effects, while the play highlights the importance of language.
The movie version starts by playing a section from Schubert’s quartet Death and the Maiden. After the melodious music, viewers immediately see and hear lightening outside a small house as well as ocean waves clash against rocks. This contrast not only shocks the viewers, it also prepares them for the upcoming “action” in the movie. However, the play presents a different perspective. There are only two sentences that cover the above scene, “Sound of the sea. After midnight.” This simple language will generate imaginations inside readers’ mind and let them create their own movies.