Au Revoir les Enfants: More Than Just a Sad Ending (Sound Design Deep Dive)

Okay, so I just re-watched Au Revoir les Enfants for like, the fourth time, and damn, it still hits hard. I know everyone focuses on the ending (obviously heartbreaking), but I'm really struck by how much the sound contributes to the tension and impending doom. Like, the director (did anyone figure out who directed this thing?) is a genius at not showing everything, but letting you hear it. Think about the scenes with the German officers – you often just hear the truck rumbling in the distance, or their boots on the gravel before you even see them. It’s so subtle, but it creates this constant feeling of unease, like something bad is always just around the corner. I wonder if it was Louis Malle. Also, not sure how the audio department did it but the school hallways are just the perfect amount of creaky. And it's not just the obvious 'tension-building' stuff. Even the quieter moments are amplified by sound. Think about the dinner scenes, how the clinking of silverware and hushed conversations just underscore the privilege these kids have, and how fragile that privilege is. I think that's why the final scene is extra gut-wrenching. I mean, the dialogue is minimal, but the sounds of the boots on the stairs, and the way the boys are whispering is just...ugh. One thing I noticed this time around: the lack of score. There are a few instrumental moments, but mostly it's diegetic sound, and I suspect that's really intentional. It makes it feel less like a movie and more like a memory, like Julien's own recollections, all fragmented and vivid. Has anyone else picked up on the sound design? Thoughts? Side note: anyone know what kind of mic's would've been used back then? The dialogue is so clear, but you also get so much environmental sound. I bet they really carefully placed the mics so it feels so real and raw.