"Interstellar" has been receiving criticisms for its approach to the sound and dialogues that are difficult to hear despite its box-office success that amounted to $326 million after just one week in global release according to Movie Web.
The sound of the Hollywood sci-fi film is exactly how Christopher Nolan, the director, wanted it to be.
"I've always loved films that approach sound in an impressionistic way and that is an unusual approach for a mainstream blockbuster," Nolan told The Hollywood Reporter.
Describing "Interstellar" as an experiential movie, Nolan said that he feels the way he mixed the sound for the movie is the right approach, so he tried to achieve clarity of story and emotions "in a very layered way using all the different things at my disposal, picture and sound."
According to Nolan, many of the filmmakers he has admired over the years "have used sound in bold and adventurous ways" and he does not agree with the idea that clarity can only be achieved through dialogue.
For "Interstellar," Nolan worked with sound designer Richard King, film producer and music producer Hans Zimmer and re-recording mixers Gregg Landaker and Gary Rizzo.
According to Nolan, it took them over six months to mix the sound and the creative decisions they made were "carefully considered."
Nolan also explained that there are specific parts in "Interstellar" where he decided to use dialogues as sound effects, which explains why other sound effects were slightly mixed underneath in order to put emphasis on the loudness of the surrounding noise.
One example he cited was a scene where Cooper played by Matthew McConaughey is driving through a cornfield. In this extremely loud scene, the director revealed that he rode in the back of the car and described the experience as "exhilarating and slightly frightening."
Released on Nov. 7, "Interstellar" also stars Anne Hathaway, Casey Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Flora Nolan, Matt Damon, Michael Caine, Bill Irwin, John Lithgow, Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy, Josh Steward, Leah Cairns, Liam Dickinson and Topher Grace, among others.