There is one sound effect in filmmaking that I guarantee you’ve heard. It’s cropped up in every Star Wars film, every Indiana Jones film, and… well, lots of other films, too. Over 100, in fact. Can you guess what it is? (Preferably without looking at the title for this article, which might give it away. You cheating bugger.)
It’s the Wilhelm Scream.
The Wilhelm Scream is so potent that it travelled back in time and inspired Edvard Munch to paint this magnificent work. And I've just realised I've now used this picture twice on this site. Am I an art lover yet?
It’s pretty much the eponymous movie scream, not least because so many companies have snuck it in their movies; I think it’s almost become a sort of industry in-joke. Cinexcellence posted up a a video compiling almost all of them, as well as a list charting every film in which the scream has appeared. If you like, you can watch the video (which I’m unable to embed) and try to guess the movies before you check out the list.
Weirdly enough, when I watched A New Hope in my youth, it’s one of the things that I really remembered about the film. I had no idea of its significance at the time, but the scream stood out. Bizarre, no?
TORWars Podcast #152: The Terrors of Nuturing the SWTOR Community
Yes, but will the Wilhelm Scream end up in The Old Republic? I hope so!
Maybe someone at BioWare is reading this and smiling knowingly…or hastily sending out a memo to the audio department right now. That’d be cool.
AAAAiiiieeeeeeeeeee.
If it doesn’t turn up in one of the cutscenes, at least, then I’m boycotting SWTOR.
Maybe.
Crap I cheated I looked at the title!! Oppss… Does this DQ me from the poster draw? lol :p
You’re safe Atlona. You’re safe…cheater.
Yeah, that scream is a staple of Star Wars. It just wouldn’t be the same without it.
Also, has anyone else noticed that many cop movies use the same background transmission over and over a lot? It’s a woman’s voice, and you can’t really make out the words, but most cop shows and movies I hear it at least once.
I have heard this one, definitely. I love those repeat stock sounds you hear constantly.