The Wilhelm scream. Can it die already?

I know, I know.. .it's a big part of film history. But I'm so tired of hearing it. It's in every film I see just about.

Anyone else feel it needs to go?

 

Yup. Totally agreed. It's to the point of getting annoying as hell. + that sound of kids laughing that is ALSO in every movie... (if anyone don't know the sound, it is used in SW ep1 when those kids run to see Anakin working on the pordracer) I effing hate it.

Retire them please... big-time.

 

........

 

I think it should be replaced with this.

 

Aaaaaaauhghgggggggg

 

At least to my ears, it's also not a very natural scream and usually stands out like a sore thumb.

 

The Wilhelm Scream Compilation - YouTube

 

I couldn't seem to find this clip on youtube. :/ I was curious to hear the stock laugh, as I think I know what you're talking about, I jyst can't seem to remember it.

 

The Titanic one is great.
Scenes that should have the Wilhelm Scream... - YouTube

And this is pure awesome.
Star Wars Excessive Wilhelm Screams - YouTube

 

personally i find it kind of amusing,
i listen out for it like an easter egg in a movie,
sort of like spotting the starship troopers armor in various movies.

 

Same here, I get a kick out of it.

 

Apparently even Ben Burtt agrees. He has stopped using it, and even removed all copies of it from Skywalker Sound. They had to get it again on their own by downloading it from the Wilhelm Scream page, which was deliberately of poor quality. So they only use it when it's presented as coming from a TV or video game, which they do a lot for The Simpsons.

I guess for Ben it wasn't fun anymore when his own in-joke was being done by everybody.

 

Yeah it needs to go, what it's in over 130 films? :unsure

 

Yeah I bet that was the last time Ben shared an inside joke. I'm just waiting for Hasbro to release a stormtrooper with a Wilhelm scream button.

 

I'm kind of partial to the "cat scream" in "The Big Snit".

This is a clip of the scream itself (nothing to do with the cartoon "The Big Snit")-


Colin and Bradley Cat Scream - YouTube


And if you're interested this is "The Big Snit" (watch it; it's funny ):


The Big Snit - YouTube



Kevin

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooo!!!


I love it. Stop. Don't take away my Wilhelm!!!!!!

 

I purposely listen for it in films. For me, it's a cheap laugh.

 

Most times it doesn't bother me, but for some reason it bugs me when I hear it in the LOTR films.

This would be awesome.

 

I love the Wilhelm scream.

 

Fine, go suck the fun out of it.

Why do you have to focus on it so much?

It's a brief second in a film.

And those that have only now discovered it now would miss out.

I only recently informed my daughter of it and now she gets a kick out of hearing it.

Don't take away the fun for others because YOUR tolerance is gone.

You enjoyed it for years, please allow others to do the same.

 

I don't let things like this bother me.

 

I like it.

 

Don't take away my Wilhelms man!

OK.. gotta repost that one the face-book..:thumbsup

 

As long as there's a soundman that thinks its funny and should be used, and the director agrees with him,, it's not going to die.

 

Could always replace it with Howard Dean's scream...

 

Haha I had never heard of this before! I'm going to listen out for it now!

 

Prime example of why it shouldn't die!

 

Is that the Goofy scream I keep hearing whenever he get's launched or falls off a cliff?

 

Pep. Yep. It's that stupid over done scream.

 

Ya, pulls me out of the movie a soon as I hear it nowadays.

Like every good joke, funny first few times... then.. not so much.

 

It has been used well in the past, but nowdays it seems sound fx folks put it in 'cos they think it's cool. Sometimes it's so blatant it takes me out of what I'm watching; Primeval was guilty of this, I actually decided to count the Wilhelms in one episode - I stoped after six. When it's re-used within seconds for two obviously different characters it just ruins the effect.

I'm not saying don't use it, just use it better.

 

If I notice it, it takes me out of the film momentarily. That's never good.

 

I'm used to seeing "in-jokes" and things that filmmakers do as a wink to the audience or to other filmmakers, and I get a kick out of all of them. The Wilhelm is no different.

And really, we're the extreme minority here. I'd be willing to bet that 99% of the moviegoing audience doesn't even know the thing exists.

 

We were watching return of the king the other day and it is used 3 times within 1 minute during a battle. It completely took me out of it. Normally if I hear it once in a movie its not bad. Using it multiple times is like saying the punchline of a joke over and over and no one in the room is laughing.

 

Show me where. I've watched that movie a dozen times.

It's in there, but I do not believe it is ever 3 times in 1 minute.

No sound designer who knows to use it at all wouldn't be that dumb.

 

Yeah, I hadn't heard that one. It shows up twice in TTT, but I'm pretty sure only once in ROTK. I'm not sure it shows up in FOTR at all.

 

I'm fairly certain because of your selfish post here man, that the scream will never be heard again.

Thanks a lot man. Thanks a log. :cry

 

Oh, really? BTW, did anyone else know there were different takes on the Willhelm scream? I never knew that.

 

Yeah I understand that there are six variations of the scream but three are common-

The one we've heard a million times (AUOOOWWWWW!)

A second version is in ESB when the Rebel laser dish blows up (and when the * falls off the truck tearing the canvas in Raiders):

http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/sounds/Wilhelm_tk1.wav


And a third can be heard in Star Wars when the Stormtrooper is shot just before falling down the shaft in the Death Star (followed by the classic scream):

http://www.hollywoodlostandfound.net/sounds/Wilhelm_tk3.wav


Of the three, I prefer the ESB one.


Kevin

 

I know my post isn't going stop it from being used in films. It's silly to assume that I would think a forum post would somehow lay down the law on all of film sound production. I posted this to see if others on here felt the same way.

 

This is the reason behind 99% of posts in the OT and movie sections. Too bad some people think it is a direct attack on the way their World revolves. :rolleyes



Kevin

 

After watching several Goofy Holler videos on the tube, I am all for it! Especially this one...

Scenes That Should Have Had Goofy's Holler - Goldeneye - Alec Trevelyan's Fall - YouTube

 

Exactly. :thumbsup

Too much of this -> :darnkids goes on sometimes.

 

I've always hated it, because no one screams like that, and every time I hear it, it ruins the story since I know it's just an overly used sound effect.

I hate all other overly used sound effect though, I mean how few cats, dogs, kids, babies, screams is it really possible to record!!?

 

It used to be cute, fun. Now it instantly pulls me out of the movie/show and both me and my girlfriend roll our eyes.

Leave it for comedies and kids cartoons at this point, leave it out of everything else.

 

I still use it, but I always filter, pitch shift and mangle it until it's all but unrecognizeable. I'll post an example later.

I don't mind it too much even when it's obvious, except for egregious overusage like the first season of "Primeval". Multiple times per episode. Really obnoxious, that was.

The one that gets me nowadays is a common female scream needle drop (the Wilhelmina?) I think it's from either the BMG or the Hollywood edge library, but it's in everything. Here's one I just stumbled across: REMAINS - ComicCon Teaser Trailer - YouTube

 

Dude, you started this thread. And the first post is the very definition of :darnkids

 

Actually :darnkids=you. K thx bye.

 

here are the few wilhelm screams in lotr
The Lord of the Wilhelm Screams - YouTube

 

Oh really.

Please show me the threads that I have STARTED that warrants that Icon?

Unsubstantiated accusations will no longer be tolerated.

Plus that is such an incredibly LAME Icon. I mean really.