10 Horror Films With Terrifying Sound Design

Isolated in the depths of space and trapped with a vicious, acid-blooded killer onboard a claustrophobic ship, Ridley Scott’s Alien is the genre-defining masterpiece of sci-fi horror. Expertly lacing his film with suspense, the film follows the ill-fated crew of the Nostromos as a detour to investigate a destress call leads to the eponymous creature entering their ship via one of their crew’s chest cavity.

An iconic and acclaimed piece of cinema history, many know this film best for its stellar art design. However, this film’s chilling atmosphere wouldn’t be anywhere as brilliant if it weren’t for its disquieting sound design.

Emphasising the stillness and loneliness of its setting, silence is a pivotal part in teasing out the suspense of each scene. We know the Xenomorph is hiding in the shadows somewhere, and every clink of a chain and metallic clank of machinery could be caused by the creature skulking about.

In addition to subtly mixing in Jerry Goldstein’s eerie and ethereal score, Scott plays with plenty of other sonic tricks to keep viewers on edge. Most notably, electronic heartbeat sounds are scattered within the diegetic soundscape to simulate a fear response – and it worked.