10 Ridiculously Overused Movie Sound Effects

1. Castle Thunder

Castle Thunder is, surprisingly enough, the sound of a loud thunderclap during a lightning storm, and was initially recorded for 1931's horror classic Frankenstein, before becoming one of the all-time most prolific and overused movie sound effects, before essentially being laid to rest in the late 1980s (with the occasional referential exception). The sound is most commonly used to set an ominous tone, though is often incorporated into other sound effects to create something entirely different, such as in the 1974 movie Earthquake, where it was used to help create the sound of a dam bursting. Notable films that it has been used in over the years include Citizen Kane, Bambi, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Cleopatra, The Jungle Book, Star Wars, Escape from Alcatraz, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, First Blood, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, Total Recall, Space Jam and Paranorman. Though largely used ironically these days, it does still manage to (barely) live on over 80 years after its creation, a testament to the potency of the sound effect, even if I'd be happy not to hear it again for a long while... Which overused movie sound effects do you love and hate the most? Let us know in the comments below.