One of the key features of the film which I noticed was the related use of visual references used to aid the viewer. A prime example of this was during Coppola's narration of the filming of the infamous Nung River assault. He explained that they had filmed enough footage to create a feature length film just from this scene. During this narration we see a shot of the room in which the footage is stored with reels and reels of film upon shelves. Layered over this shot is then the actual scene being discussed from the film, giving a clear visual references for the audience.
The use of visual references is repeated throughout, once again during Coppola's discussion of the editing process for his film and how he instead of assigning a single editor for one scene, he let each editor edit the scene so that all possible edits could be contributed and completed. While he narrates, visual symbolism is shown as the Nung River assault plays under and at the exact moment Coppola explains how this editing process drove his editors 'crazy', we see a grenade being thrown into a helicopter and exploding.
The film under the drama genre was Milos Formans 1984 biographical drama 'Amadeus'. In this film, sound in general is used to great effect along with imagery to create a juxtaposition. This is notable during the first scene in which Salieri attempts suicide. Up until his bedroom door is opened, dialogue is the only audio heard, yet at the very second one of his servants breaks down the door, the drama is elevated significantly. As a non diegetic orchestral score rises up to an extremely high volume and we see Salieri lying on the floor writhing in a white nightshirt with bright red blood running down it.
This is continued as he is carried on a stretcher through the streets and he looks up toward a building where we then see a hall filled with people dancing to Mozart as we cut back to Salieri's cold face. This juxtaposition is used in order to create and display the contrast between Mozart and Salieri and also suggest symbolically that it is Mozart who has driven Salieri to attempt suicide.
The editing is also used to great effect when Salieri is remenising about his time as a composer. A sound bridge is used as Salieri raises his hands as if to conduct an orchestra and we cut to a flashback of a much younger Salieri conducting. As the piece finishes, the younger Salieri freezes whilst posing we cut back to an older Salieri holding the exact same pose within the from. This I feel was done to blur the line between the past and present and to display how vivid the memories are for Salieri himself.
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