BEYOND THE WILHELM SCREAM - RECYCLED SOUND EFFECTS IN HOLLYWOOD!

I haven't written a blog since the untimely passing of our co-producer John J. Gallo in November. But today I was moved to write a blog about an email that was forwarded to me by a friend. The email shared a video and website that demonstrates, amongst other things related to sound, how Hollywood recycles sound effects. The casual viewer/listener will be surprised and maybe even shocked to hear the same scream, known as the "WILHELM SCREAM," in movies ranging back from the 1950's through to modern times, including GEORGE LUCAS and STEVEN SPIELBERG movies amongst the big time Hollywood movies of many other heavyweights.

Here's the first Youtube video, part one. Part two, which includes the scream in STAR WARS movies is here.

The website filmsound.org/cliche goes deeper and provides eye opening, or should I say ear opening demonstrations of the "flesh" side of Hollywood's two sides, "flesh" and "fantasy". The "flesh" side being the nuts and bolts of the movies. The organized chaos and secrets of the restaurant's kitchen, so to speak. The 'fantasy" side is the illusion of the story the audience sees on the screen. The world of AVATAR as opposed to the actors in Lycra suits on an empty sound stages with tracking and information recording cameras.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. At a certain point through the video I burst out laughing from the joy of hearing the same scream coming out of different mouths in different movies, many of which are moments that are considered classic cinema film moments. It's great for a laugh and a little enlightenment.

Enjoy!

~Later