io9
On Friday we told you about the pervasive use of the Wilhelm Scream through movies, tv shows, and video games, but today we bring you something even closer to the hearts of science fiction history: Castle Thunder. It's been used to bring assembled body parts back to life, to send people back to the future, and to herald the ominous approach of spooky evil mad scientists who want to shrink you and your friends down to miniature size. Find out all about this multi-purpose noise below.
- The sound was originally recorded in 1931 for Frankenstein, and it quickly became a staple for haunted houses, spooky castles, and impending bad weather on film soundtracks everywhere.
- Originally recorded on optical film stock, most modern day version are 15th generation (or older) copies, meaning you can no longer hear the original crackles and pops that are apparent on the original.
- The sound was featured in Star Wars, courtesy of Ben Burtt again, and can be heard during the trench run sequence on the Death Star.
- The most famous science fiction use of the sound (besides Frankenstein) was probably when the Delorean was struck by lightning in Back to the Future. In fact, we're surprised they don't use that sound effect when anything gets struck by lightning. It's just so perfect. Maybe because I can't get it out of my head right now.
- Other science fiction films that latched on the Castle Thunder were: Ghostbusters, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Big Trouble in Little China (okay, we know this is fantasy... but c'mon), Short Circuit, The Land Before Time, The Monster Squad, and of course Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.
- The sound can be heard multiple times every day inside The Haunted Mansion as both Disneyland and Disney World, most famously in the stretching room when the host suggest a "way out." Cue the thunder and screams.
- The sound effect was a favorite on Scooby Doo, and could be heard during the opening credits. However, they later "retired" the sound from the show in 1988 to make way for digitally recorded thunderclaps. The bastards.
- However, it's still featured prominently in the opening to Aqua Teen Hunger Force, so there is still some cartoon love for the sound going on out there.
- For my money, the best usage of the sound was in the opening sequence to Dr. Shrinker, which was part of the Krofft Supershow. One day I'll devote an entire triviagasm to this show, trust me.
Comments
Brain... fried... Dr. Shrinker! My inner 6 year old thanks you, or is pissed for being reminded of that sad, sad show.
sweet. next you should look up the telephone from ghostbusters (and many more before that) or what about that hawk/eagle cry, its a very shrill distant noise and shows up in lots of outdoor scenes.
Dr. Shrinker? Hey, wasn't he that stinker? You know...the madman with an evil mind.
(and don't get me started on those far out, space nuts...crazy bastiches)
Almost positive the thunder is also in the Gilligan's Island intro...
+ Watch video
AWESOME!
I'll be linking to my blog!
Perfect, I love stuff like this.
Next: the doppler effect 18 wheeler honking as it goes by sound. It's ten times more prevalent than both of these previous ones combined.
Remember when the Krofft's said they didn't use drugs?
@workingonyourinvoice: Good call. I can hear it in my head right now.
I'm sure theres some smaller variety of doppler horn soundbytes used for taxies and regular traffic too.
The other one that really amazes me when I hear it is the children laughing sound that originally came with Windows 95 (I think). It's demonic, yet it's used EVERYWHERE.
I pay a lot of attention to sound effects, btw.
This is excellent. I always wondered about that thunderclap as the X-wings dive into the Death Star trench.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's used a lot in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. That's science fiction, right?
I want to know about the ubiquitous screeching cat sound.
what about the ridiculously prevalent record scratch?
"Tom is a High School Senior who has all the moves... (record scratch)
But all that changes when bla bla bla bla, stupid hackneyed plot device"
Hmm..wha'? sorry, it's FIRST type THEN submit isn't it?
(I believe the term is n00b)
I was wondering about the stock footage that often accompanies the Castle Thunder. You know, just a brief bit of a big trifurcated lightning boltI remember it was definitely used in the color opening sequences on Gilligan' Island and in Young Frankenstein. It shows up a lot. Does it have name like "Whilelm-" or "Castle-"? Just curious.
@Grey_Area: Yeah, I've wondered about that shot as well. It seems as if I've seen that lightning bolt in a kermungagajillion movies and TV shows.
Props for Dr. Shrinker and the Krofft Supershow! Right up there with the Far Out Space Nuts!
Ahhh Grumpy the T-Rex that should have starved to death because it couldn't catch a damn thing.... lol
@se7a7n7: What you really mean is:
"Tom is a High School Senior who has all the moves...
But all that changes when (record scratch) stupid hackneyed plot device"
Honey, I Shrunk the Brits!
Two other sounds I always hear:
1. The "Shee-whuff!" noise that always accompanies flames in movies/advertisements.
2. The "really long giggle" noise that is dubbed over every single group of young kids in movies and TV. You'd think that such a unique laugh wouldn't be used so generically, but there it is. I bet the foley artist is like "Awww that's so cute, let's use this one!" and so it goes, over and over again.
It sounds like "hehehehe-HAHA-huhuhuhu!"
@workingonyourinvoice: DUDE, I used to work at CompUSA before WinXP came out and I heard that every morning I worked and every evening I worked, I would hear that from 2 dozen plus computers, and we just called them giggling gerbils... thanks for bring that memory back.. NOT!!!
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