Making its debut in the 1951 western,Distant Drums, theWilhelm screamhas become one of the most iconic soundbites to ever grace the silver screen. Largely popularized by sound engineer Bill Burtt’s decision to include it inStar Wars: A New Hope, the shriek has been incorporated into over four-hundred movies, and there doesn’t seem to be any signs of it disappearing in the future.
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The Wilhelm scream can usually be heard during action sequences, and while some are quite easy to recognize, certain films approach its use with subtlety, so as not to distract viewers from the story being told. That said, most of the best Wilhelm screams in cinema are quite obvious, and are usually used to enhance the humor associated with someone falling or getting injured.
6Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)
Directed by Nick Park and Steve Box,Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, follows Wallace and his loyal dog, Gromit, on a mission to rid their town of a rabbit infestation. With Tottington Hall’s yearly vegetable competition on the horizon, Wallace must ensure the townsfolk’s vegetables are kept safe, but his determination eventually inflicts him witha dangerous curse.
Wallace’s attempt to alter the minds of the rabbits he captures backfires and has a lasting effect on him. Whenever a full moon appears in the sky, he transforms into a gargantuan were-rabbit and spends his time consuming the vegetables scattered throughout the town. During the vegetable competition, he transforms and stands on top of a contestant, who before succumbing to Wallace’s weight, lets out one of the best Wilhelm screams in cinema.
5Up (2009)
Up, directed by Pete Docter, follows Carl Fredricksen on his ridiculous journey to Paradise Falls, a picturesque location both he and his deceased wife wished to settle down in. Using balloons to fly his house there, Carl is faced with some serious challenges along the way, especially when he meets Charles Muntz.
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As a child, Carl idolized Charles, but his journey to Paradise Falls helped him realize that the famed explorer is no longer the person he once knew. When Carl tries to flee, Charles sends a pack of dogs to chase after him. Just when it looks like Carl has been caught, all the pursuing dogs plummet into a ravine. What makes the Wilhelm scream heard here so humorous is the fact that it is normally associated with humans; the idea that a dog is even capable of unleashing such a sound is ridiculous.
4Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 1, directed by Quentin Tarantino, follows a character known as the Bride (played by Uma Thurman), on a mission to get revenge on her former employer, Bill. The Bride was betrayed by her former colleagues and left for deadon her wedding day, but the people who betrayed her failed to finish the job.
Most ofKill Bill: Volume 1follows the Bride as she hunts down her former comrades until she finally locates O-Ren, a former Deadly Viper. Before she gets the chance to fight her, however, she must first best the Crazy 88, a large group of skilled fighters, none of whom go down easily. While it’s easy to get lost in the violence of this sequence, one of the most memorable parts of the fight comes when the Bride impales an attacker with her blade. Unlike the other members of the Crazy 88, this man feels it necessary to unleash a Wilhelm scream before he kicks the bucket.
3Toy Story 1 (1995)
Directed by John Lasseter,Toy Story 1tells the story of a group of toys whose lives are turned upside down when a space ranger named Buzz Lightyear joins their family. Unlikethe rest of Andy’s toys, Buzz is convinced he is a real, living being. Woody struggles to accept Buzz’s beliefs, which causes a rift between them.
The opening ofToy Story 1depicts all of Andy’s toys living relatively happy lives, but everything changes when Woody inadvertently causes Buzz to fall out of Andy’s bedroom window. The scene itself is comical due to the sheer ridiculousness of the events that lead to Buzz falling, but the funniest part happens when Buzz lets out the Wilhelm scream while falling out of the window.
2The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,directed by Peter Jackson, follows Frodo and Sam on their journey to destroy the One Ring. In the previous film, they made several unlikely friends, but the climax saw them all separating and following their own paths.
For Aragorn,Legolas, and Gimli, their paths led them to Helm’s Deep, a seemingly impenetrable fortress that comes under the attack of Saruman’s army. Though a lot happens during the siege, it’s hard to miss the iconic Wilhelm scream let out by the elf who gets thrown over the stronghold’s wall onto the Orc-riddled ground below.
1Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Directed by George Lucas,Star Wars: A New Hopefollowsa young Luke Skywalkeron his quest to find his place in the galaxy. When the Empire makes it impossible for him to return home, Luke sets off on a journey to Alderaan, only to discover that the planet no longer exists.
He, alongside his new friends, gets captured by the Empire and is forced to find a way to escape the Death Star, all while attempting to rescue Princess Leia. While trying to escape, Luke and Leia get pursued bya group of Stormtroopers, but none prove to be a match for Luke’s skills with a blaster. When shot, one of Luke and Leia’s pursuers ends up falling from the ledge they were standing on while letting out what is arguably the most iconic Wilhelm scream in cinematic history.
