Unless you’ve lived off the grid for the last 60 years, you’ve heard the “Wilhelm scream”. It’s a stock sound-bit originally used in film and television post-production. It started in a western movie. It’s back in a western video game.
Kotaku’s Owen Good previously wrote about the Wilhelm scream and its long history in the film industry. Over 48 notable titles have used the scream, but recently Red Dead Redemption bridged the gap between the film and video game industries. That scream started in the movie Distant Drum and made its way through all sorts of shows, movies (Star Wars!) and games. It’s now in the biggest western of this year, which is, naturally a video game.
The scream got its name from the movie The Charge at Feather River. It was exclaimed by the character Pvt Wilhelm.
If a couple of screams wasn’t enough for your inner sadist, here’s a video of Marvel Ultimate Alliance taking it to the next level with over 50 screams – forwards, backwards and slowed down for good measure.
Ryan Thomas
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 8:48 AMHeard it in Force Unleashed, storm trooper gets thrown out of a ship
Riavan
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 10:03 AMPretty sure its in deadspace too near the start.
Adam Ruch
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 10:30 AMHere’s another to chase up: the Academy from StarCraft 1 sounds to me identical to the scream at the end of some of the Nutri Grain cereal ads.
Jodie-and Daniel
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 1:27 PMI think I know which scream you’re talking about. A quick search revealed that it is called the “Gut Wrenching scream” or “Fall into distance.” I always remembered it from Broken Arrow where that guy gets kicked off the train bridge. Everytime I hear it, it ruins the movie slightly. Probably because of the Nutri Grain ad.
Thomas Fulton
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 2:11 PMIt was also the scream used in Star Wars: Dark Forces when you fell off a cliff.
Kyle_Katarn
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 2:31 PMWas even in the old “Shadows of the Empire” game.
The Cracks
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 2:07 PMGood ol’ Wilhelm Scream. If there’s people dying, it’s likely there’s a Wilhelm Scream nearby.
When/if I die, this is how I’m going out :P
sharmona
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 3:19 PMLOL
Adrian Milano
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 7:49 PMIt’s actually in the original Star Wars movie’s too not just Fource Unleashed.
I knew what the Wilheim scream was going to be before I watched this and I have never heard the name before.