May 11, 2017

The Wilhelm scream. Cinema's best inside joke. Warning - nerdy post.


The Charge At Feather River


The Wilhelm scream. You've heard it. You probably don't realise it though. A Hollywood inside joke for over 40 years. It's turned up in the most popular films of all time and is still a great secret.

OK, go to this site, turn up your sound and hit the button 

Wilhelm scream  

Recognise that? That's one of the most famous stock sound effects in film history.

It all originates from a 1951 western called Distant Drums. In one scene a man is eaten by an alligator and screams as he dies. The recording of the scream was used 2 years later in another western called The Charge At Feather River when a soldier called Private Wilhelm gets shot with an arrow. Over the years it turned up in numerous more westerns and b-movies but then 25 years after its creation during the making of Star Wars, the man in charge of the sound effects, Ben Burtt, found a recording of that scream and used it in a scene where an imperial stormtrooper is shot. Burtt over the next few years jokingly inserted the sound effect into a number of films he worked on including other Star Wars films & the Indiana Jones trilogy. He was also the one who gave it its name.

Another poor stormtrooper on minimum wage dies during work

It then gradually became a big film joke and turned up in numerous films, cartoons and TV shows.

It's one of those geeky little things that jumps out at me during a film and always makes me smile. Recently i even heard it on Emmerdale. I wanted to applaud! It's just a nice little touch and a wink to fans that I'll never get tired off.

*EXHAUSTIVE LIST KLAXON* This only includes films. It was used in The Mrs Brown Movie. The Mrs Brown Movie like. C'Mon!

If, like a normal person you can't be arsed to look at this list skip to the bottom for a video compilation.

  • Star Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope  *We'll use this as a start point*
  • The Star Wars Holiday Special 
  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture 


1980 - 1989

  • Star Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back 
  • The Big Brawl 
  • Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark 
  • History of the World, Part I 
  • Swamp Thing 
  • Poltergeist 
  • Star Wars: Episode VI, Return of the Jedi 
  • Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 
  • Howard the Duck 
  • The Nutcracker: Motion Picture 
  • Spaceballs 
  • Willow 
  • Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf 
  • The Star Trek Adventure 
  • Three Fugitives 
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 
  • Star Trek V: The Final Frontier 
  • Always 

1990 - 1999

  • Gremlins 2: The New Batch 
  • Legion of Iron 
  • Beauty and the Beast 
  • Batman Returns 
  • Mom and Dad Save the World 
  • Reservoir Dogs 
  • Aladdin 
  • Matinee 
  • The Flintstones 
  • Street Fighters 
  • A Goofy Movie 
  • Toy Story 
  • Runaway Brain 
  • Die Hard: With a Vengeance 
  • The Fifth Element
  • Hercules 
  • Lethal Weapon 4 
  • Small Soldiers 
  • The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride 
  • A Bug's Life 
  • Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace 

2000 - 2009

  • The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vega
  • Mission Impossible 2 
  • The Kid 
  • Backstage
  • The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea 
  • Thirteen Days 
  • Dude Where's My Car! 
  • Golden Dreams 
  • Tomcats 
  • Just Visiting 
  • Planet of the Apes 
  • Wet Hot American Summer 
  • Osmosis Jones 
  • The Majestic 
  • Life or Something Like It 
  • The Salton Sea 
  • Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones 
  • Spider-Man 
  • Scorched 
  • Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  • Confessions of a Dangerous Mind 
  • Cradle 2 the Grave 
  • Tears of the Sun 
  • Agent Cody Banks 
  • A Man Apart 
  • The Animatrix 
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 
  • Once Upon a Time in Mexico
  • Under the Tuscan Sun 
  • Kill Bill, Vol. 1 
  • Looney Tunes: Back in Action 
  • Peter Pan
  • Lord of the Rings: Return of the King 
  • Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! 
  • Hellboy 
  • Troy 
  • Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle 
  • Ghost Rock 
  • Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 
  • Freddy vs. Ghostbusters 
  • Paparazzi 
  • Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 
  • Taxi 
  • Team America: World Police 
  • I Am David 
  • The Pacifier 
  • The Ring 2
  • Sin City 
  • Kingdom of Heaven 
  • Monster-in-Law 
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 
  • Madagascar 
  • Fantastic Four 
  • Thank You for Smoking 
  • Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit 
  • Get Rich or Die Tryin' 
  • Storm 
  • Aeon Flux 
  • King Kong 
  • 16 Blocks 
  • She's the Man 
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 
  • Abominable 
  • X-Men: The Last Stand 
  • DOA: Dead or Alive 
  • Cars 
  • Monster House 
  • Accepted 
  • Black Sheep 
  • Flushed Away 
  • Norbit 
  • Blades of Glory 
  • Are We Done Yet? 
  • The Invisible 
  • The Sandlot: Heading Home 
  • My Name is Bruce 
  • Shrek the Third 
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
  • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer 
  • Transformers 
  • License to Wed 
  • Juno 
  • Dragon War 
  • 30 Days of Night 
  • Death Proof 
  • Resident Evil: Extinction 
  • Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
  • Eagle vs. Shark
  • Enchanted 
  • The Mist 
  • The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
  • Meet the Spartans 
  • Over Her Dead Body 
  • Zombie Strippers
  • Iron Man 
  • Kung Fu Panda 
  • Speed Racer 
  • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 
  • Tropic Thunder 
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars 
  • Unstable Fables: Three Pigs and a Baby 
  • Bolt 
  • The Day the Earth Stood Still 
  • Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
  • Dragonball Evolution
  • Knowing 
  • Monsters vs. Aliens 
  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop 
  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian 
  • Up (2009)
  • Inglourious Basterds 
  • Solomon Kane
  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 
  • Astro Boy 
  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon

2010 -

  • Tooth Fairy 
  • The Spy Next Door 
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid 
  • Toy Story 3 
  • Despicable Me 
  • Machete 
  • Skyline 
  • Due Date 
  • TRON: Legacy 
  • Yogi Bear
  • Sucker Punch
  • Paul 
  • Mr. Popper's Penguins 
  • Cars 2 
  • Captain America: The First Avenger 
  • The Smurfs 
  • The Raid Redemption 
  • Rise of the Planet of the Apes 
  • Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance 
  • 21 Jump Street 
  • Casa De Mi Padre 
  • Lockout 
  • Snow White and the Huntsman 
  • Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 
  • Rock of Ages 
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days 
  • Premium Rush 
  • Stolen 
  • Alex Cross
  • The Man with the Iron Fists
  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 
  • Django Unchained 
  • Man of Steel 
  • Monsters University 
  • Despicable Me 2 
  • Grabbers 
  • Getaway 
  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 
  • Machete Kills 
  • The Harry Hill Movie 
  • Saving Santa 
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 
  • The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared 
  • Ride Along
  • The Lego Movie 
  • 22 Jump Street 
  • Mrs. Brown's Boys D' Movie !!!!!!!
  • Into the Storm 
  • Birdman 
  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 
  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 
  • Mortdecai 
  • Ted 2 
  • Smosh: The Movie 
  • Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! 
  • Minions 
  • Hitman Agent 47
  • Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
  • Ride Along 2 
  • Open Season: Scared Silly 
  • Hardcore Henry 
  • Ratchet and Clank 
  • The Angry Birds Movie 
  • Warcraft 
  • The Secret Life Of Pets 
  • Sausage Party 
  • Masterminds 
  • Keeping Up with the Joneses
  • Sing 
  • Monster Trucks 





There ya go. Bit of table quiz trivia for ya.

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