10 Recent Movie Truths We've Just Found Out
4. The Original Take Of The Wilhelm Scream Has Been Discovered
There's perhaps no single movie sound effect more famous than the Wilhelm scream - the iconic sound of a man screaming in high-pitched agonising pain which has been a running joke for sound editors and filmmakers for decades at this point.
And though the gag wore thin years ago, enough that it's basically a distraction these days, there's no denying its status as an industry staple - kickstarted by its appearance in Star Wars: A New Hope, when Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) shoots a Stormtrooper off a ledge.
It's no secret that the Wilhelm scream originated from the 1951 Gary Cooper film Distant Drums, with cast member Sheb Wooley credited with providing the scream when a character is attacked by an alligator.
But earlier this year, the full recorded take from which the Wilhelm scream originated was released online by the University of Southern California, giving fans an insight into the process by which Sheb Wooley finally arrived at the iconic scream.
The alternate screams featured throughout the clip are all rock solid, but there's just no topping the original.