Is the Wilhelm Scream Supposed to Be Funny

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• #1

I hate the Wilhelm scream. You know, that horrible scream that's loud and kind of silly in every single movie? If you don't know it:

Or:

I was just re-watching The Two Towers, and toward the beginning of the climactic Helm's Deep fight, there it is, that damn scream. There's nothing that takes me out of a movie more than hearing that stupid scream. I realize it's a "funny" little easter egg in Hollywood at this point, but it's just so annoying! And once you hear it, you hear it EVERYWHERE. It is in so many movies and tv shows! At this point, it's just immersion breaking for me.

• #2

Yeah, it was a funny little easter egg in the 90's. But now it's just annoying.

• #3

Can't stand it. I lose a little respect for any film maker that uses it. Takes me right out of the film. It's not cool or funny, right of passage, just stupid and annoying.

• #4

Just the other day I was going to make a post for people's favorite use of this.

• #5

It's funny hearing a gruff badass suddenly let out a Wilhelm Scream as they die, just this baritone "I will cut you down maggot and - (Girlish scream) ARRGGHHH!"

Start from 4.26, it's perfect for this.

• #6

Never gets old to me.

AAAAAAEEEGHH.

• #7

You're wrong and you should be ashamed.

• #8

Yeah, it was a funny little easter egg in the 90's. But now it's just annoying.

Feel the exact same. I guess directors still think it's clever or something. Like a lame inside joke they all still laugh at.

• #9

Heh. Personally I like it.

• #10

thought you nerds liked memes and in-jokes and references and shit?

seems like there's no fucking winning with you

• #11

They're just silly action movies.

• #12

My son and I love it. We laugh every time one comes on.

• #13

With todays audio tech, I wish filmmakers would be a little more creative with it. Like slow it done to replicate an animal screech or engine or something.

• #14

There is a band called "A Wilhelm Scream" that is objectively great, so, theres that.

• #15

YUAAAAARGH will always be the better scream

EDIT: This one:

• #16

I hate the Wilhelm scream. You know, that horrible scream that's loud and kind of silly in every single movie? If you don't know it:

Or:

I was just re-watching The Two Towers, and toward the beginning of the climactic Helm's Deep fight, there it is, that damn scream. There's nothing that takes me out of a movie more than hearing that stupid scream. I realize it's a "funny" little easter egg in Hollywood at this point, but it's just so annoying! And once you hear it, you hear it EVERYWHERE. It is in so many movies and tv shows! At this point, it's just immersion breaking for me.

I was just gonna say this. I just roll my eyes hard when I see it used now. Its so jarring and pulls you out of the experience.

• #17

There is a band called "A Wilhelm Scream" that is objectively great, so, theres that.

Came in here to say that the band is much better. Nice.

• #18

I think I heard it was not in The Last Jedi, breaking SW tradition. Or was it in TFA? Not sure.

• #19

I hate hearing that and the 'youraagh". they both take me immediately out of the movie because right there I think "now there's a sound designer trying to be clever" instead of "dude X just died"

• #20

Just takes me out the film.

• #21

I agree. Stop using it. It's not funny anymore. Burn it.
It's never an appropriate sound.

• #22

It's actually pretty perfect in Tropic Thunder.

• #23

Don't ever play Red Dead Redemption. That game would break yAAAAARGH

• #24

What I hate is that big truck passing by sound.

• #25

My wife and I are delighted whenever we hear it.

• #26

Agree OP. I hate it, there's another one I hate as well but with a woman that is in alot of horror films I think.

• #27

I also hate it!
Incredibly unfunny and takes me out of a movie

• #28

It's actually a guy singing, and his name isn't Wilhelm! Whole thing is a lie.

• #29

it's been misused
it's supposed to be a funny death scream for a comical death

i facepalmed in the OP's video when it was used for the death in a terrorist attack

• #30

YUAAAAARGH will always be the better scream

EDIT: This one:

• #32

Doesn't bother me. Maybe I'm just not all uptight and shit.

• #33

For me, the most immersion-breaking voice sample was the "imp alert" sound from Doom (dunno if it's originally from that game, but that's where I heard it for the first time) in a climactic scene in The Babadook. Took me right out of the movie for a moment!

• #35

Pretty much any recognizable stock sound effect instantly takes me out of the movie
I was watching Good Time the other day and I couldn't stop laughing because the sound they used for the pitbull is the same dog sound you hear 100 times in STALKER shadow of chernobyl

• #36

The Wilhelm scream is up there with the Mario coin sound for pure Pavlonian joy.

• #37

You took this thread right out of my head. Hollywood NEEDs to retire this scream already. Like you nothing takes me out of a movie more than hearing that damn scream. If they have to do it, keep it to comedies only. Its such bullshit in the middle of a great action scene, especially a serious one, that we hear that fucking scream and ruining the gravitas.

• #38

It's the best meme out there
Kidslaughing.mp3, Gunholster.mp3 and Doorcreaking.mp3 can die in a fire though

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge

• #39

Isn't it just one big inside joke?

• #40

It's a great sound effect. A classic. Never retire it.

• #42

It takes me out of what I'm watching every time I hear it. I don't think that's something the people making movies generally intend for the audience.

• #43

This right here is the fucking worst, everytime a movie or show plays it I'm immediately thinking of diddy kong racing

• #44

Can you imagine if (Black Panther Spoiler)

T'Challa made the Wilhelm scream when he was thrown over the waterfall?

• #45

To me that scream means the same guy died, reincarnated in that movies universe, just to die again.

• #46

Isn't it just one big inside joke?

Not really an inside joke though if everyone knows it and can hear it jammed into a movie scene that it doesn't belong in! It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so noticeable as an odd scream(like, if it were a normal sounding scream that was hard to pick out and so could be hidden better).

• #47

And thought I took my movies seriously

YUAAAAARGH will always be the better scream

EDIT: This one:

Took the words right out of my mouth

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge

• #48

Not really an inside joke though if everyone knows it and can hear it jammed into a movie scene that it doesn't belong in! It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't so noticeable as an odd scream(like, if it were a normal sounding scream that was hard to pick out and so could be hidden better).

Well meaning, the use of it is a joke. Kinda like an flimmaker's homage. Most people can recognize it, but I don't think many people know the name and its history. I didn't until recently, but I'm not a huge movie guy.

• #50

I hope they play it when they lower my casket into the ground.

gaskinsocapturpon1980.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.resetera.com/threads/the-wilhelm-scream-is-terrible.24348/

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