"Most movie studios will add sound effects for a film during post-production, and of course it's not unusual for them to recycle sound effects from their archives. The "Wilhelm Scream" must be the king of those recycled sound effects. To the best of most peoples knowledge it started in the 1951 movie Distant Drums starring Gary Cooper when an unnamed soldier was attacked and dragged underwater by an alligator and appeared again In The Charge at Feather River two years later. A soldier named Private Wilhelm screamed in what sounded like alligator-assaulted agony when he was struck by an arrow. In fact, his cry of pained surprise was practically identical to unnamed soldier's. Both men would soon be forgotten as a bit parts in B-movies, seen by relatively few moviegoers. But the holler they bellowed went on to be heard by millions– if not billions– of people worldwide."

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=787#more-787

I was watching "Spaceballs" tonight and heard it yet again. I thought everyone would get a kick out of one those inside jokes "Hollywood" is fond of.

Here are a couple of compilations of the scream in the movies that they appeared in.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YDpuA90KEY&feature=related

Once you've heard it, you start to notice it in many of the shows we watch. If you're like me you'll chuckle every time.

"Most movie studios will add sound effects for a film during post-production, and of course it's not unusual for them to recycle sound effects from their archives. The "Wilhelm Scream" must be the king of those recycled sound effects. To the best of most peoples knowledge it started in the 1951 movie Distant Drums starring Gary Cooper when an unnamed soldier was attacked and dragged underwater by an alligator and appeared again In The Charge at Feather River two years later. A soldier named Private Wilhelm screamed in what sounded like alligator-assaulted agony when he was struck by an arrow. In fact, his cry of pained surprise was practically identical to unnamed soldier's. Both men would soon be forgotten as a bit parts in B-movies, seen by relatively few moviegoers. But the holler they bellowed went on to be heard by millions– if not billions– of people worldwide."

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=787#more-787

Now that's damn interesting! (Sorry, couldn't help myself. )

[SIZE="3"]Cool. Thanks for posting this.[/SIZE]

If you all want a good laugh about soundtracks being reused listen very carefully to the start of "Gladiator". At the start of the battle with the Germans, they lifted the warcries of the Zulu's from the film "ZULU". You will actually hear, mixed in the other shouts, "ZULLLLUUUUUU". Had to share that one!

This is one of those things that once you're let in on it you see (or hear ) it everywhere.

I havent watched the links you posted yet, but I'll be surprised not to see Radiers Of The Lost Ark and Reservoir Dogs (off the top of my head) in there somewhere.

That was neat, thanks.

:yikes:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cdbYsoEasio

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YDpuA90KEY&feature=related

Once you've heard it, you start to notice it in many of the shows we watch. If you're like me you'll chuckle every time.

That's really funny, Ken. Thanks!

Hey - I think this smiley is doing the Wilhelm scream! --> :yikes:

If you all want a good laugh about soundtracks being reused listen very carefully to the start of "Gladiator". At the start of the battle with the Germans, they lifted the warcries of the Zulu's from the film "ZULU". You will actually hear, mixed in the other shouts, "ZULLLLUUUUUU". Had to share that one!

I've never seen GLADIATOR, but the battle cry of the warriors in the movie ZULU was . . . USUTHU! (Which is/was the actual Zulu battle cry.)

Ken V.

"Most movie studios will add sound effects for a film during post-production, and of course it's not unusual for them to recycle sound effects from their archives. The "Wilhelm Scream" must be the king of those recycled sound effects.

Now that . . . was really interesting!

Another thing sound effects people like to recycle is firearm sounds.

From Mel Gibsons THE PATRIOT, to TOMBSTONE, to QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER, they always get firearm sounds wrong.

Listen to the sound the rifle makes when Quigley works the action on his Sharps Model 1874 -- clickety-ratchet-click when he opens the action, clickety-ratchet-click when he closes the action.

The real Sharps makes almost no sound when the action is opened, and just a small metallic snap when the action is closed -- this snap is caused by the trigger-guard/lever hitting the lower tang on the frame.

Ken V.

Once you've heard it, you start to notice it in many of the shows we watch. If you're like me you'll chuckle every time.

Now that you've brought it up, I'm certain that's exactly what'll happen -- we'll all start to hear it everywhere.

Funny . . . the things people notice in movies. With all the movies I've seen over the years, I had never noticed the Wilhelm Scream. On the other hand, in the Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix movie, I noticed that the dinnerware used in the Grimauld Place scenes was Royal Doulton, Carlysle Pattern. :dontknow:

The mind is a terrible thing.

Ken V.