Star Wars: 9 Things All Original And Prequel Trilogy Fans Agree On
5. The Sound Effects Are As Important As The Visual Effects
In movies, sound effects take a back seat to visual effects. This is no exception in the case of Star Wars with the bulk of praise Star Wars receives regarding technical achievements surrounding visual effects, and rightfully so. Yet OT purists and PT defenders cannot seem to get on the same page regarding visual effects.
Prequel fans can appreciate the groundbreaking technology and sheer creativity of the original trilogy’s practical effects, but scoff at any notion that the clumsy designs and unbelievable movements hold a candle to the CGI used in episodes 1-3. And they’re right. But to find common ground, we must instead start listening to both sides' trilogies.
Ben Burtt is a sound effects genius who has worked on some of the biggest movies in Hollywood and is either directly responsible for or oversaw the sounds we hear in all Star Wars movies. He created the audibly awesome sounds of the lightsaber using interference. The heavy breathing of Darth Vader’s iron lung was created by using a SCUBA regulator. Whether our ears were being flooded with the sounds of disco, techno, or house music, Lucas desired to have organic sounds for the same reasons he wanted a classical score, to contrast his futuristic imagery with depth and realism.
Ben Burtt and his team manufactured these sounds using everything from animal roars to old propeller airplanes. Next time you watch any one of the six Star Wars movies, pay close attention to the intriguing sound effects if you haven’t done so already.