History of a Famous Star Wars Scream

An anonymous reader writes "There is a very famous scream in Star Wars (Episode IV) that occurs when one of the stormtroopers falls into the Death Star chasm. No doubt all geeks are familiar with this scream, but may not know that it has been used in dozens of other movies and even has a name - "The Wilhelm". There is a fascinating interview (transcript and audio) from NPRs "On The Media" that discusses the now cult-like following and history of this scream."

Comments

huh?

[oiarbovnb]

I don't completely get it... So a sound file was used again and again...isn't this common place?

Re:huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yep, that was Wilhelm. There's also one in the video game of Return of the King (when a Gondorian soldier takes a grappling hook in the 'nads).

like stock art.. sounds abound...

[joeldg]

it is just like stock art, this is a "stock sound' that can be used...

Why is this news again?

Re:the origin

[BMonger]

Or actually as per the article...

"Star Wars" Sound Designer Ben Burtt tracked down the scream recording - which he named "Wilhelm" after a character who let out the same scream in the film "Charge at Feather River."

This is true for more than just this scream

[quantax]

I remember hearing this scream in RotK somewhere, during one of the battle sequences involving Minas Tirith. However, the 'stealing' of sounds (that scream sound isnt stealing) is more common than people suspect. Though i can only think of 1 movie off hand that did so (Leprakaun 4: in space, haha), MANY scifi movies have ripped sound effects from video games, most notably Doom2, specifically door effects. I cannot tell you how many times I've heard a Doom II door opening sound used in TV or a movie. However, its more than just Doom II; I've heard video game gun shots, explosions, and so on; never do these recieve any credit. I can only imagine the amount of trouble some of these movies or shows would get into if they were discovered to be using non-royalty-free/non-folly sounds.

On a side note, I've been to sound studios before where they do mixing for movies and tv, and these guys often have huuuuuuuuge sound archives, both folly and royalty-free, and very often if you are working on a project for someone and they hand you a CD filled with audio effects made for their show/movie, you copy that effects cd for yourself for later use. So if you look out and have good audio memory, you can hear every once in a while a sound thats been used in other shows/movies. This is doubly true for TV where the schedules are tighter as well as money.

Re:This is true for more than just this scream

[metrazol]

Another reason this happens is that a good sound is a good sound. Even better if it has a history. Getting a good door sound is harder than it... sounds. I'm an editor and trust me, if the best door sound has been done, I'd use it if I couldn't get a good foley. Of course, if I could get something better, or just original, I'd use that.

The pathetic bit is that a lot of movies lay in used foley samples that are not only common, but just stupid. A little ingenuity or a 10 minute drive with your over the should recorder and you could do better, but no, have to use that sample that you used last year... There isn't ONE car crash sound, but you couldn't tell that from most movies. There isn't ONE gunshot, but don't tell guys working on a series. Hell, the Wilhelm is just the most famous because it's funny, a little ridiculous, is a tribute to all the films it's been in, and is so damn recognizable.

There're other overused samples, and I'm tempted to say they're probably all from some sample library that was published in 1976 and has just been moving around forever or is included with a ProTools rig.

Re:This is true for more than just this scream

[reality-bytes]

Was just thinking that its equally likely that the door effect from Doom came from elsewhere. In fact the more I think about it, the more I believe I may have heard it before-hand.

Just can't place it.

Re:All OVER the place

[Keighvin]

I should just read the actualy *BLURB* before posting then, shall I? I hadn't noticed the link in the article was identical to my submission.

Please disregard the parent post - MOD ME INTO OBLIVION!

Re:It's in The Two Towers, too

[Abcd1234]

You're telling me that one scream from one Elf in a 3 hour movie during a protracted battle scene "detracts from the movie"? Can we say "overly critical"?

Re:Speaking of NPR - Offtopic.

[John M Ford]

There is a reason for her voice sounding the way is does.

"Doctors earlier this year began treating Rehm for spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological condition in which the vocal cords constrict when they're not supposed to."

Not that you can't continue to hope somebody dies simply because you dislike the way they sound on the radio.

John

Re: the scream

[BiggerBoat]

It would probably be more appropriate to say, "...how many movies/commercials have used the same sounds that were also used in the game DOOM." Most of those sounds are pretty common sound effects library stuff.

Realistic / Vivid.

[Grendel Drago]

Eh, people say 'realistic' when they mean 'vivid'. In anything by SF/fantasy, they're equivalent.

--grendel drago