Shocking Sounds

I've never really looked at the Clip Joint section of the Film & Muisc supplement of the Guardian. However, this week's selection from AJ Bee was rather tasty - they're all on the theme of horror sounds, and as well as the reader's thoughts there are actual clips to watch and listen to

AJ writes:
When it comes to cinema, sound is often sight's neglected sister. Yet all things aural feed our mood, while an absence of sound leaves scenes cold. This is why sound is a key tool of the filmmaker with a desire to genuinely affect their audience. Fingernails screeching down a blackboard signalled an ominous presence in Jaws, while the industrial grind of Eraserhead pummels the viewer into a paranoid wreck.

The darker side of cinema is often home to the most creative use of audio. For those who can't afford CGI, the experienced sound engineer proves invaluable. Who would have thought that The Exorcist's head-turning scene was made especially dread-drenched by the creak of a leather wallet? These skilfully added acoustics may be a backdrop for the movie, or part of the plot itself. They are a secret narrator in our minds, skilfully and invisibly steering our emotions. Often misused by studio hacks to shock the viewer into supposed terror through volume (or possibly just to keep us awake) sound is still, for good or for ill, a central element of the scary cinematic experience.

1) Alan Bates opens his mouth, destroys a shepherd and damages John Hurt's eardrums in The Shout.
2) Bernard Herrmann's shrieking strings in Psycho terrify us into thinking we've witnessed violence that we haven't.
3) In Requiem for a Dream sound conjures up one woman's paranoid psychosis (plus the most dangerous fridge outside Ghostbusters)
4) David Lynch uses sound in Eraserhead to gradually wear down the viewer, leaving us a gibbering mess.
5) A cocktail of surreal, layered sound and image make the 1977 comedy horror Hausu an unforgettable experience