Sounds are important. Probably as important as any other form of recall. Sometimes I remember sounds better than anything else. I also spot similar sounds, which can be distracting.
One distinctive sound is the two note screech during the 'video' sequence in the 2002 US horror film The Ring, based on the Japanese Ringu.
The short screech repeats itself in the background throughout the 'video'. If you are superstitious or squeamish or both about watching it then minimise the screen but keep listening. Click here courtesy of You Tube.
The sound I find similar is on the Atom Heart Mother Album by Pink Floyd from 1970. It's almost a reverse of the short screech and quite creepy in its own right! Click here for You Tube once more.
One sound for which I've been unable to find anything similar is that unique rattle given off by the pressing the buttons on Captain Lazer's back pack. You know, Matt's big buddy by Mattel. You can here the t-t-t-t-t-t sound here courtesy of You Tube again. Can you think of anything similar readers?
Another deja vu I had was listening to the soundtrack of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It pertains to a haunting motif here.
I can't help thinking of A L I E N when I hear it, which has a similarly eerie signature throughout the soundtrack, which you can hear in full on You Tube here.
What do you think readers?
Can you think of any similar toy or film sounds?
Hi Woodsy, I like the disturbingly subtle synthesized rhythmic beat used by director/composer John Carpenter throughout his 1976 movie, Assault on Precinct 13. For lack of a better description, I'd say it has a rattle snake type sound to it. The noise is heard alone in the opening 11 seconds of the theme music, then runs in the background throughout, reappearing alone to close the piece. This simple beat is used to great effect throughout the movie to build tension and alert the viewer that violence is about the occur. The film's a fave as well :)
ReplyDeleteSee what you mean Tony. Just had a listen. A distinctive rat ta ta tat. He was a soundtrack maestro Carpenter, which is rare, a director/musician. Its hard to separate his films from his soundtracks. I suppose in a way Dario Argento and his love of using Goblin for his films' backing music is similar.
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