Wilhelm Scream Sound Effect: What Is the Wilhelm Scream?

The Wilhelm scream is a stock sound effect used in films, TV shows, and video games. Hollywood filmmakers use this distinct scream sound effect most commonly in action, sci-fi, and animated films. The persistent use of the Wilhelm scream in entertainment is now an inside joke among sound editors and designers who use the sound effect as an easter egg for those who notice it.

The first film to use the Wilhelm scream sound was a western called Distant Drums (1951). In the film, a soldier screams as an alligator pulls him underwater in a swamp. The original recording was made by an actor named Sheb Wooley, best known for his novelty song “The Purple People Eater.” This scream ended up in the Warner Brothers stock sound library.

The name “Wilhelm scream” came from another western called The Charge at Feather River (1953) that used the stock sound for a character named Private Wilhelm. During the 1970s, sound designer Ben Burtt discovered the Wilhelm scream and used it in several blockbuster films, setting an audio in-joke in motion for decades to come.

There are hundreds of examples of this iconic sound making its way into films, TV series, and video games. Consider a few examples of the most popular films that used the Wilhelm scream.

1. 1. The Star Wars franchise: George Lucas worked with Ben Burtt on the sound design for Star Wars (1977). In the film, a stormtrooper lets out a Wilhelm scream after being shot by Luke Skywalker on the Death Star. The Wilhelm scream appeared in several other Star Wars films, including The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), and The Force Awakens (2015).
2. 2. The Indiana Jones franchise: Ben Burtt included the Wilhelm scream in Steven Spielberg’s iconic film franchise from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) onwards.
3. 3. Toy Story (1995): Buzz Lightyear lets out a Wilhelm scream after being knocked out of a window.
4. 4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy: Peter Jackson used the Wilhelm scream throughout his influential film trilogy.
5. 5. Reservoir Dogs (1992): Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the Wilhelm scream by using it during a chase scene in this crime film.

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