United Gamer Online (UGO)

by Mike Smith
Pop quiz: what does a plummeting Death Star stormtrooper in the original Star Wars, a defeated Nazi in Raiders of the Lost Ark, a dive-bombed hunter in Howard the Duck, and a fallen cowboy in 2010 hit video game Red Dead Redemption have in common?

Movie buffs will know the answer, but the rest of us may have to listen more closely: they all utter the same scream as they perish.
The famous sound-effect is called the Wilhelm scream -- named after one of the first characters to use it on screen -- and it’s become a favorite in-joke of sound directors and film fans.

Originally created for 1951 western “Distant Drums,” the distinctive scream was uttered by a soldier after being bitten by a crocodile. Its next appearance -- hollered by a character named “Private Wilhelm” in 1953 cowboys-and-Indians flick “The Charge at Feather River” -- gave it its name. From there, it found its way into a stock sound effects library used by Warner Bros. and was soon featured in many more movies during the 50s.

But it wasn’t until the late 1970s that the Wilhelm would rise to prominence, thanks largely to the efforts of Ben Burtt, the celebrated sound designer behind many of Star Wars’ iconic audio effects. Burtt liked the sound so much, he used it in many movies during the late 70s and 80s, including the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones films. Other soundmen followed suit, and you’ll be able to spot it in a seriously diverse set of movies, like Toy Story, Gremlins II, Reservoir Dogs, and even The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

In Red Dead Redemption, it turns up all over the place -- usually as you shoot an opponent off his horse. Here’s an example that takes place during the mission “We Shall Be Together in Paradise,” as the game’s lead, John Marston, is fighting his way along the San Luis river, picking off attackers that line the south bank.