Story of the Scene: Star Wars (1977)
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.How did a stock Warner Brothers sound-effect become an in-joke after Star Wars? Why won't Joe Dante use it? Why did Quentin Tarantino break off mixing Reservoir Dogs because of it? Who screamed the Wilhelm scream?
Luke Skywalker, on the Death Star, fighting off Storm Troopers, comes to a vertiginous abyss. A Trooper falls, and there's a strangulated, high-pitched cry – the Wilhelm scream, used in more than 130 films. Ben Burtt put it into Star Wars; he was looking through the archives when he came across a 3D film called Distant Drums (1951), featuring its first use as a soldier is savaged by an alligator. Burtt called it the Wilhelm scream after finding it in The Charge at Feather River (1953), where Private Wilhelm (Ralph Brooke) is shot in the leg. For years, it was only heard in Warner films. Joe Dante employed it as a zombie cry, but abandoned it because everyone's in on the joke.
Editing Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino was told the history of the scream as he was using it. By chance, Distant Drums was on TV– and everyone took a break to watch it.
Who screams it? Probably Sheb Wooley, famous for the song "The Purple People Eater", who'd been in Distant Drums. It was probably a post-production scream.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments