Two narratives run throughout both Pi and Requiem for a Dream; a narrative of plot or
story, and a stylistic narrative. The two intertwine, making complimentary points, and in the end, their combined impact
is more than the sum of their parts.
Aronofsky tells the story not only by conventional means, but also develops tension and drama through
skillful employment of all of the stylistic tools available to him. The shot composition, the sound effects and music,
the editing sequences and the visual rhythm all contribute to development of the story, as well as to the
characterization of the protagonist(s). In both Pi and Requiem, the two are often on equal footing.
As a result of this symbiosis, it would be nearly impossible to comprehend, based exclusively on
knowledge of plot development and dialogue, the psycho-cerebral terrain of Aronofsky’s characters. A complete
understanding of the narrative depends upon being able to see, hear, and experience the film. The audience's experience
viewing the film mirrors the actual experience of the film's character(s), and as a result, the movie is absorbed both
emotionally and intellectually.
In Pi, as Max begins to get closer to finding "The Answer," the tempo of the music slowly begins
to increase, creating the feel of a heart beating faster and faster, building a sense of excitement and tension.
However, as Max deals with his ever intensifying migraines, the film becomes difficult to see or hear. Aronofsky makes
deliberate use of the soundtrack to increase tension, capitalizing on the impact that sound has on audiences. Again, the
sum is greater than the parts: sounds and images have the power to bring an audience much deeper into the inner world of
a character than the narrative arc would, were it to stand on its own.
Together the dual narratives provide a complete portrait of the characters and their struggles, so that
one can truly transcend the boundaries that separate a film from its viewers, and experience the story on a much more
personal level.
"I think the stylistic narrative hopefully comes out of the main narrative, [and] that you're
stylistically trying to support it. Me and Mattie [Matthew Libatique], my director of photography, call what we're doing
"expressionism," where we're taking the emotion of the characters and the emotion of the themes of the story, and trying
to figure out visual ways to express them." -Aronofsky
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