View Full Version : The "Wilhelm"
Vodstok
08-31-2004, 04:40 AM
Any know what i am talking about? There is a scream that is used all the time in movies, usually with men. It's called the Wilhelm (as i understand it) because it was originally used in a ww2 film, and a character named "Wilhelm" originally made the scream. it shows up in practically everything.
Does anyone have any idea what i am talking about?
The main reason i am bringing this up is because there appears to be a female "Wilhelm". i have noticed the exact same female scream in Hackers, Dog Soldiers, and even the New Dawn of the Dead.
Anyone have any clues? Zwoti? Darthvonpokemon?
The Wilhelm scream is a stock sound effect first recorded in 1951 for the movie Distant Drums. It has been featured in dozens of movies since. Alongside a certain recording of the cry of the red-tailed hawk, it is probably the most well-known cinematic sound cliché.
The Wilhelm's revival came from Star Wars-series Sound Designer Ben Burtt, who tracked down the original recording (which he found as a studio reel labeled "Man being eaten by alligator"), and named it for a character that emitted it in the 1953 movie Charge at Feather River. Its use in Star Wars was the beginning of something of an in-joke amongst some sound designers of the film industry, (especially at Skywalker Sound). They continue to try to incorporate it into movies wherever feasible; action movies are naturals, but film sound cognoscenti are particularly impressed when it is used naturally in films such as A Star Is Born.
Movies that used The Wilhelm
1950s
Distant Drums Distant Thunder
Charge at Feather River (1953)
Them! (1954)
A Star Is Born A Star Is Born
Land of the Pharaohs (1955)
The Sea Chase
Helen of Troy
1960s
Sergeant Rutledge
PT 109 PT 109
The Green Berets (1968)
The Wild Bunch
1970s
Chisum
Impasse
The Scarlet Blade
Hollywood Boulevard
1980sThe Big Brawl
Swamp Thing
Poltergeist
Howard the Duck
Spaceballs (1987)
Willow
Always
1990s
Legion of Iron
Beauty and the Beast
Mom and Dad Save the World
Aladdin
Reservoir Dogs
Matinee
Evening Class
A Goofy Movie
Toy Story
Dante's Peak
Hercules (1997)
The Fifth Element
Titanic (1997)
Small Soldiers
2000s
Thirteen Days
The Kid
Just Visiting
Tomcats
Osmosis Jones
Planet of the Apes (2001)
The Majestic
Wet Hot American Summer
Life or Something Like It
The Salton Sea
Spider-Man (2002)
Scorched
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Kill Bill
Under the Tuscan Sun
cheebacheeba
08-31-2004, 06:26 AM
I dunno what ur talking about...but it sounds kinda like that male scream in the hell scenes of south park...that seems to be in everything too.
Vodstok
08-31-2004, 06:29 AM
VERY NICE Newb :)
nine9
08-31-2004, 07:22 AM
Wow! I'm really impressed!
That is very interesting newb! How did you know all that?
zwoti
08-31-2004, 07:40 AM
Originally posted by Vodstok
Any know what i am talking about? There is a scream that is used all the time in movies, usually with men. It's called the Wilhelm (as i understand it) because it was originally used in a ww2 film, and a character named "Wilhelm" originally made the scream. it shows up in practically everything.
Does anyone have any idea what i am talking about?
The main reason i am bringing this up is because there appears to be a female "Wilhelm". i have noticed the exact same female scream in Hackers, Dog Soldiers, and even the New Dawn of the Dead.
Anyone have any clues? Zwoti? Darthvonpokemon?
sorry, i was out shopping and get my hair cut....though newb seems to have it covered
Vodstok
08-31-2004, 07:46 AM
Way to go slacker..... i am so disillusioned......
Just Kidding. :D
I wish i could find the name of that woman's scream. If anyone has quick access to Dog Soldiers, it's in the part at the beginning where the woman campers gets killed. They play the scream, then blood splatters all over the husband.
In the new Dawn of the Dead, when Anna's husband is running after her, then charges the woman standing on her lawn, they use the same noise.
If nothing else, can someone check this out and verify that i am not fucking looney?
zwoti
08-31-2004, 07:49 AM
Originally posted by Vodstok
Way to go slacker..... i am so disillusioned......
Just Kidding. :D
give a guy a break....i'm on holiday here, you're lucky i got out of bed.
Originally posted by nine9
Wow! I'm really impressed!
That is very interesting newb! How did you know all that?
Although I would like to take credit for having that info in my cranium, I can't. A little thing I like to call "google search".I know that there is no way I can compete with zwoti in his ability to answer all things movies. I'm just glad I beat him to the punch on this one.
IN YOUR FACE ZWOTI!
who da man.....thats right...newb da man.:D
Of course now that Vod planted this little seed, I'm gonna have to watch some of these movies to try to pick out the famed " Wilhem".