It's too bad that people often ignore the use of sound in Edgar Wright's movies. He's known for being a meticulous, everything-in-its-place director, but most people just notice the visuals and story being so expertly done (both of which are always amazing). His obsession with details extends to the sound design. Just watch any of the behind-the-scenes features on his films. The best is definitely "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World", since it is a movie about music and sound. Try putting that movie on after seeing it before, and close your eyes... You will still know every single thing that is happening onscreen. Everything (literally every single moment) has a sound cue, and almost all of them are brilliant and perfect.
When I think of sound in his movies, I think of the running joke in The Worlds End where everybody else gets a nice frothy pint while that one guy just gets water from the tap. It is so damn funny and I think sound plays a HUGE part in making that joke funny. Be sure to check out Every Frame a Painting's video on Wright, he does focus on the more visual comedy but he does devote some time to sound used as comedy as well. Highly recommend it. 8)
That would be top 10 iconic sounds, which all of those are. If by just reading it you can visualize it in your head, and it applies to a large majority of people, I'd say it's pretty iconic.
I'm starting to get the impression that Star Wars remains buried so deep in our collective consciousness mainly for the sound design, rather than characters, plot, logic etc!
Eric Ferrier You can test that because I can identify what just about anything is (that has screen time) from those films just from their unique sounds.
This is why Robocop is one of my all time faves. It has plenty of the 80's violent action and gore, but the SFX and score really make it stand out above similar movies of the time
Unpopular opinion: I think Burtt is more brilliant and talented then Williams. John Williams stood on the shoulders of classical composers, Ben Burtt created and entire new process of aproaching sound in film
I would've added Insterstellar in science fiction, the changes between the silence outside the spaceship and the loud noise inside it are chilling. Also the bank heist sequence of Heat is one of the defining points of why it is one of the greatest shootouts of all time.
I think No Country for Old Men actually does have some very, VERY faint music in its first "call it" scene. While we're at it, The Birds doesn't have music IIRC. It does have lots of birds chirping, tough.
+David Nicholson I was gonna say that! Movie as a whole was alright but the sound design blew me away. Actually come to think of it, it is the only movie that I remember because of the sound better than the picture itself. Those eerie noises easily get stuck in your head.
Sound design is a really difficult category when it comes to picking the bests, but you guys did a great job of making this list. All of them were very deserving and you really did well explaining why. Great job, CineFix!
there is no brahms. i think theyre thinking about the end of there will be blood which is quite kubrick esque. that utilized the last movement of the brahms violin concerto. you can hear the strauss influence on brahms in many of his works and he reportedly wished he had written the blue danube waltz
Brian De Palma's Blow Out deserved a mention. It's much like "The Conversation", but the way De Palma uses sound to create a narrative line is amazing.
In ALIEN, just before Ripley gets into the escape shuttle, we see her intermittently shrouded by thick white steam, lit by rotating yellow emergency lighting and cut through with glaring white strobe lighting. The scene is much more jarringly intense because while MOTHER calmly counts down to detonation in the background she is accompanied by loud hiss of steam and the even louder emergency klaxon blaring its warning. All of this had me on edge the first time I saw it and it was definitely more because of the sound.
Blow Out (1981). John Travolta, Nancy Allen, & John Lithgow. A sound recorder for movies is recording sounds in the environment and records evidence of a car accident that he believes is a murder.
I remember hearing on BBC radio, around the time Saving Private Ryan came out, an interview with a veteran who fought in the D-Day landings. He was quite forthright. He loved the film as a whole, but he specifically mentioned the sound design in the opening sequence being wrong. He said his lasting memory of the battle, fifty years on, was of how distant the farthest gunshots were. You were on your little bit of beach, you could only see so far, but you could hear the vastness of it from the gunshots and explosions as far as a mile down the beach, where similar fighting was taking place. When he saw the film, he said, you only heard what was going on around the characters. I think it stuck with me because it was so fascinating to think he remembered it so well, but also fascinating that film could be such an intricate art that with all their resources and talent, something like that could still leave room for improvement.
I would say Inception deserves a place on the list. A true example of well thought out well executed thematic sound design. Blockbuster as well as intellectual.
I love how your list starts with "THE LIST" at the top, because I actually sound designed a movie called "The List" I am honored to be recognized as one of the best sound designers of all time.
Oh, ok. Than he should have been a bit more clear 'cause this video is all about sound design and the film was only discussed here in the context of its sound. Also, I personally liked Shakespeare in Love more than Saving Private Ryan: Private Ryan was great on a technical level (sound, editing, cinematography, directing, all of which it won Oscars for) however I feel that Shakespeare in Love was the better picture overall and was better in other ways (acting, writing, music, costumes, all of which it won Oscars for). It's subjective so different people will disagree over which one was the best picture. Some will think that Private Ryan was and others Shakespeare in Love (although people have since taken delight in bashing Shakespeare in Love since it's win, so a misperception of the film has developed--the film is much better than people give it credit for and almost all films that are relentlessly bashed are much better than people give them credit for). My whole life, I've known that if EVERYONE on the internet is obsessively bashing a film and talking about how lame it is, it's probably not as bad as everyone says it is and if it's an award winning film, it's probably out-and-out good and people are just being whiny brats who can't take the fact that their favourite film didn't win something. How Green Was My Valley, Oliver!, Ordinary People, Forrest Gump, Shakespeare in Love, and Crash are all pretty great films that are only being constantly bashed by fans of Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odessey, Ragin Bull, Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption, Saving Private Ryan, and Brokeback Mountain (some of which, themselves are over-rated). These people might be right in preferring the films that they like but I hate it when they act as if everyone agrees with them (i.e. "how the flying fuck the Oscar was granted to Shakespeare in Love instead of Private Ryan" followed by five question marks). Um, here's my answer: because films are subjective and there are people who disagree with you, you fucking ass!!!!! You like Saving Private Ryan. Great! The internet even seems to agree with you on that point. Congratulations. You like something and the internet seems to validate your preference. Does that mean that everyone in the world agrees with you? No. Does that mean that the majority of people agree with you? Definitely not: the internet is not a statistically solid way of determining how the majority of people feel about something: usually it's just a small bunch of dedicated people spreading their ideas like propaganda all over the place and making it seem like everyone agrees on something when people don't. For every film that "everyone on the internet" agrees is great, I'm sure there's millions who hated it, and for every film that "everyone on the internet" agrees was crap, I'm sure there's millions who loved it. I'm also sure that there are tons of (immature) people who will go on the internet and bash ANY film that wins Best Picture at the Oscars just because it won Best Picture at the Oscars and they want to be hip and contrarian. One last point: Saving Private Ryan wasn't snubbed by the Oscars. It won five Oscars (2 for sound, film editing, cinematography, and one for Best Director for Spielberg). That is not "being snubbed." That is not "being ignored." A film winning "best director" is one of the biggest honours that the Oscars can possibly bestow and people shouldn't be dismissive of that and act as if the Academy hated on it. The Academy showed Saving Private Ryan lots of love that year, ultimately recognizing the film for the specific reasons people liked it so much (the brilliance of the film;s direction and its major technical achievements of sound, cinematography, and editing). If you disagree, fine, disagree. But don't act as if everyone agrees on the whole Shakespeare in Love versus Saving Private Ryan debate, because not everyone does.
As an aspiring Sound Designer I completely worship the majesty of Ben Burtt, I actually did half of my thesis on the awesomeness of this dude! My lecturer gave me almost %100 because he too is a massive fan of this guy haha
Predator is one of the finest examples of sound design. From the jungle environment, weapons, the POV of the title character and the eventual combination that creates a character within itself.
I'm so glad one of David Lynch's films made the list. Too bad this was made before "A Quiet Place," I'd think that would deserve at least an honorable mention
Jurassic Park was extremely innovative too. The sound of dinosaurs we take for granted in movies today started and are still at their best in the original Jurassic park. I wish it had at least gotten a notable category or had a notable mention.
Might be worth mentioning that Lynch has cited Jacques Tati as an influence for bizarre juxtapositioning of sound and image. See Playtime and M. Hulot's Holiday and you see why...
Some of my favorite films here, especially A Man Escaped and The Conversation. Come and See has some of the most astonishing sound design I ever heard. It's also one of the most intense, harrowing and original pictures ever made.
I would've added Miracle somewhere on the list. Not in the top spot, but it definitely deserves a nod. Every bit of on-ice sound was done on the sound stage and it's dang good. As a hockey player, I can tell you that they got it really, really, right. I was so impressed with the lengths they went to for the camera angles and shots they got of the action, and then they went and floored me by making all the sounds of play from scratch. Good stuff.
Miguel Pereira a lot of things....like whenever there is a space shot in Interstellar, there is no sound and sound doesn't travel in air.....the amazing Soundtracks, 2001 just had like 1 major soundtrack (which was amazing though) , the plot of Interstellar was much better IMO, the Acting in Interstellar was better, the visuals were amazing in both but 2001 had very few such amazing visual scenes(ending,10 minutes colour sequence), but in Interstellar, there were lot of such moments (docking,waves,blackhole) I love 2001 and respect it as a classic given that its more than 50 years old, but overall i like interstellar better........
Elephant Man is the best example of sound design EVER, just how they used the subtlties of sound to set the mood and match the era, this was the most remarkable sound design I've ever witnessed that worked in conjunction with the storytelling.
***** You must be mistaken, good sir, because _I_ killed the Ghost Pirate LeChuck. You must be thinking of some other ghost pirate. Nice coat, by the way.
I can't watch movies just for the stories anymore because of you guys! I rewatch a lot of movies. Basically all of them. Often in the same week I saw it for the first time, just to pay more attention to how it was created. I love you guys for doing so.
I feel like one of the best animated movies to use sound is Inside Out, which obviously isn't on the list because of it's release date, but it creates an entire world that utilizes new sounds for everything, and does a fantastic job of it.
French Connection I like for a very different reason. The sound of that film is very guerrilla style real world, in the sense that whatever sound was caught on set was left as is.
What about Rear Window? The sound is incredible. The whole movie is in one location, yet creates totally different models moods and atmosphere from bustling daytime to the scenes in long hot nights and rainstorms... And the footsteps at the end!
Amazing list for having put Tarkovsky, Bresson and Lynch (especially Eraserhead). Their films are masterpieces of sound (and everything else, of course).
Wow! I teach audio and I also agree that The Conversation is the best sound designed film of all time - and one of the best films of all time. Thanks for backing me up.
_Underground_ (1995) by Emir Kusturica _The Thin Red Line_ (1998) by Terrence Malick (another to add to the list of war films) _From Dusk Till Dawn_ (1996) by Quentin Tarantino (only for the crazy low rumbles)
Gravity is one film that uses music score so effectively, especially when everything starts getting smashed to pieces. There's the vibrations, which, along with breathing and the sound coming over the mics, this gets so brilliantly complimented with that "buzzsaw" sounding score. Like a shinny new saw meeting a razor blade. But that moment when Sandra's character is speaking with the Inuit gentleman back in the world. Neither have any idea what the other is saying but it's still a beautiful conversation. I'm sure his mind would have been blown if he knew that the lady on the other end is 250 miles above and about to be part of an international incident where the sky is filled with space junk burning across the sky.. day and night.
I would put Jurassic Park for the number one spot. It was the first film to include dolby digital 5.1 surround sound. Pretty much the standard for today's films. I was more impressed with the sound mix on Jurassic Park than the visuals.
+Mark Meason apocalypse now should be right up there.. they invented their own surround sound system for the movie, the origin of todays 5.1 surround sound.
+Mark Meason The first film with true modern surround sound (Disney's Fantasia played around with it on a few road shows) was "Ladies and Gentleman the Rolling Stones." It's a documentary of their '72 tour and was presented in roadshow format with actual rock 'n roll amps and surround speakers for the large stadium audience and reverberation. Like the actual show which I saw in Boston my ears rang for days after seeing the movie in '74.
If you do another sound design list, please leave some space...for the sound! You talk over pretty much all of this. I enjoy the commentary, but it helps to be able to hear a little bit of what you're talking about. Same with any of the other audio based lists.
You should have done a category for movie monsters. There are so many creatures that had to be brought to life through sound and are instantly recognizable through just their sounds. Some of my favorites include toothless, E.T, the xenomorph, the raptors and Trex from Jurassic Park, and of course, Godzilla’s roar. It’s amazing how these creatures were brought to life and made to feel organic and real.
wanted has one of the best sound designs in any movie i've ever heard, and inception's use of repetitive sounds aside the repeated audio cues is one of the best ways it uses it's dream setup.
The sound design of the movie "Berberian Sound Studio" was epic, and uses sound as the main narrative. I'd also give one hell of an honorable mention to Wook-Park Chan's "Stoker", which sound puts your mind in a state of unrest that the picture does not imply in the beginning of the movie, making you anticipate the turn without really understanding how nor why you did. Great work there.
When it comes to sound design, a personal favorite is Interstella 5555. What's interesting about it is that the movie is basically a 65-minute music video for Daft Punk's Discovery album. There is literally no dialogue, and very little sound effects added. The sound design was essentially done in reverse, with each sequence being animated to match its respective song perfectly, and they all come together to form a cohesive narrative. It actually made me cry.
Finally found a RUclips Chanel actually interested in art and not in popularity like fucking watch mojo and All the others preceding them. Thank you cinefix for noticing that movies are also an art form
Berberian Sound Studio is a movie literally about sound design in a movie. The movie itself I have reservations about, but I can't deny its sound quality.
Was gonna suggest this one as well but you beat me to it. (It's Studio not System by the way) Unrelated: Cruise's Oblivion has great sound design as well.
Another vote for Berberian Sound Studio for future lists. It created such an oppressive atmosphere that I didn't even realize I was feeling until the wave of relief that hit when the film finished.
The first time I watched The Conversation I was totally caught off guard and blown away by the use of sound design cause I went in not knowing anything about the film. I'd never thought sound in films could be utilized like that, it's almost like that sound design was the main character itself.
I would add the original King Kong the crescendo of Kong's entrance the roars the hisses the blending of the soundtrack with the effects not to mention the fact that it was one of the first original scores in film I think it deserves a spot these lists are always good though thought-provoking and well thought-out thank you
In university I wrote an essay on the music in Wall-E and I was floored just how intricate it was when I was making it. Its like a Sondheim musical of bleeps and bloops that are all related motifically with whatever's happening on the screen.
I was going to recommend Dunkirk for number 10, but then I saw that the video is from 2014. Your work is awesome guys it inspires me every time thank you!
My first surround sound movie was "Ladies and Gentleman The Rolling Stones" in a reserved seat roadshow presentation. The theater had a full rock band sound system set up with massive surround speakers for reverb and audience noises. It sounded as loud as if the Stones were in the room while you could hear someone sitting next to you screaming. My second was the roadshow presentation of "Apocalypse Now." Similar deal a custom finely tuned sound system was installed in the theater. Everyone ducked when stuff would come flying out of the jungle at the boat. Now I have an amazing refurbished system I just bought from Amazon for just $200 from Vizio. Full digital 5.1 sounding better than my old system I invested 4 figures on back in the 90s. Great sound is essential to fully enjoy a great movie.
2001: A Space Odyssey and Brahms? I'm sorry, but that's just stupid. The music Kubrick used is very famous: Richard Strauss (Also sprach Zarathustra) Johann Strauss (Blue Danube waltz) Ligeti György (Atmosphères, Lux aeterna, Requiem) Aram Il'yich Khachaturian
+Sotnas The film would have been much better if there was no dialogue (or at least far less of the inane waffling which ruined an otherwise beautiful film)
Am I alone on this or what? The conversation is not only the best sound design movie, but the best Coppola movie. Much love to apocalypse now and godfather but the conversation is so layered with intrigue, suspense, and the perfect character study of a isolated man. love the conversation.
For God sake - Das Boot - its a german word , dont try english pronunciation on german words! Duble "oo" in german is long "o" (not "ou", "oh", or "u").
Blade Runner has an incredible sound design. It was great to see M get recognition. I seem to remember there being a couple spots where the sound just cuts off, but they're small flaws to the film's otherwise brilliant use of sound.
I'd just like to add that 2001 Odyssey music uses "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss as the Main Theme and that non of the Brahms' compositions are featured in that film.
every time I watch one of these my movie watchlist gets longer.
Heh... I hear what you're saying mate!
Every. Freaking. Time.
As it should
It's too bad that people often ignore the use of sound in Edgar Wright's movies. He's known for being a meticulous, everything-in-its-place director, but most people just notice the visuals and story being so expertly done (both of which are always amazing). His obsession with details extends to the sound design. Just watch any of the behind-the-scenes features on his films. The best is definitely "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World", since it is a movie about music and sound. Try putting that movie on after seeing it before, and close your eyes... You will still know every single thing that is happening onscreen. Everything (literally every single moment) has a sound cue, and almost all of them are brilliant and perfect.
When I think of sound in his movies, I think of the running joke in The Worlds End where everybody else gets a nice frothy pint while that one guy just gets water from the tap. It is so damn funny and I think sound plays a HUGE part in making that joke funny. Be sure to check out Every Frame a Painting's video on Wright, he does focus on the more visual comedy but he does devote some time to sound used as comedy as well. Highly recommend it. 8)
YES 👏👏👏
I LOVE Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Or how baby driver matches its sound with its soundtrack
Thank you. I will listen to Edgar Wrights movies better
Meanwhile at Watchmojo... #10. Grudge Gurgling, #9. TRex Roar, #8. Star Trek's Transporter, #7. Tron's Lightcycles, #6. DeLorean, #5. Proton Packs from Ghostbusters, #4. Darth Vader Breathing, #3. Tarzan Scream, #2 Light Saber Sound, #1 Wilhelm Scream.........................
Oh god...
That would be top 10 iconic sounds, which all of those are. If by just reading it you can visualize it in your head, and it applies to a large majority of people, I'd say it's pretty iconic.
I'm starting to get the impression that Star Wars remains buried so deep in our collective consciousness mainly for the sound design, rather than characters, plot, logic etc!
Eric Ferrier You can test that because I can identify what just about anything is (that has screen time) from those films just from their unique sounds.
The sound design and the score. If Star Wars didn't have John Williams' music it wouldn't be half the series it is.
This is why Robocop is one of my all time faves. It has plenty of the 80's violent action and gore, but the SFX and score really make it stand out above similar movies of the time
Ben Burtt was The Man.
Unpopular opinion: I think Burtt is more brilliant and talented then Williams. John Williams stood on the shoulders of classical composers, Ben Burtt created and entire new process of aproaching sound in film
Saving Private Ryan was the first film I watched after I got my first 5.1 surround sound system and it was truly breathtaking.
I did the same! Went out and got the blu ray the same day! Lol
I would've added Insterstellar in science fiction, the changes between the silence outside the spaceship and the loud noise inside it are chilling.
Also the bank heist sequence of Heat is one of the defining points of why it is one of the greatest shootouts of all time.
+starklombardi Good choices! (We definitely endorse checking these out)!
+starklombardi Interstellar is terrible
+Ryan Unicomb How is interstellar terrible?
And the scene in interstellar when part of the ship explodes with a jumpy loud bang followed by complete silence.
+Shawn Ception That was really well done. Coming from sound engineer perspective thats tough to accomplish.
No Country for Old Men: no music, just sound and dialogue
Apocalypto: Nature surround sound at best
Just like every Michael Haneke film.
+Sin Kimishima Totally agree wish No Country for Old Men. Foley at its best!
I think No Country for Old Men actually does have some very, VERY faint music in its first "call it" scene.
While we're at it, The Birds doesn't have music IIRC. It does have lots of birds chirping, tough.
Under the Skin has a sound design that is unlike any film I have seen in the last few years. It is absolutely brilliant.
+David Nicholson I was gonna say that! Movie as a whole was alright but the sound design blew me away. Actually come to think of it, it is the only movie that I remember because of the sound better than the picture itself. Those eerie noises easily get stuck in your head.
Sound design is a really difficult category when it comes to picking the bests, but you guys did a great job of making this list. All of them were very deserving and you really did well explaining why. Great job, CineFix!
kubrick didnt use brahms in the opening sequence of 2001. thats richard strauss
+Thomas Headley yes, that is correct
Its all strauss. Blue Daunbe is one of the Johann Strauss' not sure if there is any Brahms.
Prill Jazz America the danube Waltz ist from Johann Strauß Son
there is no brahms. i think theyre thinking about the end of there will be blood which is quite kubrick esque. that utilized the last movement of the brahms violin concerto. you can hear the strauss influence on brahms in many of his works and he reportedly wished he had written the blue danube waltz
Prill Jazz America can you blame him.
Brahms in 2001: A Space Odyssey?
Brahms?!?!?!
BRAHMS???!!!???!!!???!!!???
***** I must disagree. Richard is greater, yes, but Johann has his own kind of deceptively simple perfection.
+Conrad Spoke Apart from the relevant discussion about Strausses ... this list is about sound design - not musical score.
+Freya Ea Bjørnlund How is a discussion about Strausses relevant, except for my own discussion about Strausses?
+Conrad Spoke My precise reaction! :P
+Conrad Spoke Thank you very much!
Brian De Palma's Blow Out deserved a mention. It's much like "The Conversation", but the way De Palma uses sound to create a narrative line is amazing.
agree!
In ALIEN, just before Ripley gets into the escape shuttle, we see her intermittently shrouded by thick white steam, lit by rotating yellow emergency lighting and cut through with glaring white strobe lighting. The scene is much more jarringly intense because while MOTHER calmly counts down to detonation in the background she is accompanied by loud hiss of steam and the even louder emergency klaxon blaring its warning. All of this had me on edge the first time I saw it and it was definitely more because of the sound.
Not enough people understand the importance of sound in film. It can make or break a movie. Thanks for this list.
Blow Out (1981). John Travolta, Nancy Allen, & John Lithgow. A sound recorder for movies is recording sounds in the environment and records evidence of a car accident that he believes is a murder.
I remember hearing on BBC radio, around the time Saving Private Ryan came out, an interview with a veteran who fought in the D-Day landings. He was quite forthright. He loved the film as a whole, but he specifically mentioned the sound design in the opening sequence being wrong. He said his lasting memory of the battle, fifty years on, was of how distant the farthest gunshots were. You were on your little bit of beach, you could only see so far, but you could hear the vastness of it from the gunshots and explosions as far as a mile down the beach, where similar fighting was taking place. When he saw the film, he said, you only heard what was going on around the characters. I think it stuck with me because it was so fascinating to think he remembered it so well, but also fascinating that film could be such an intricate art that with all their resources and talent, something like that could still leave room for improvement.
I would say Inception deserves a place on the list. A true example of well thought out well executed thematic sound design. Blockbuster as well as intellectual.
"The Fifth Element" - Absolutely eye-opening sound design and brilliant mixing.
i always thought the lightsaber noises in starwars were one of the more creative and memorable moments of sound design
the silent explosion of the episode 2
I love how your list starts with "THE LIST" at the top, because I actually sound designed a movie called "The List" I am honored to be recognized as one of the best sound designers of all time.
snowflakeeel Ayyy
"Blowout" is one of De Palma's over looked gems. Wonderful sound design.
How the flying fuck the Oscar was granted to Shakespeare in Love instead of Private Ryan?????
+Bender B. Rodriguez Because fuck logic.
The same as how the dark knight wasn't even nominated
Umm, I don't know what you're talking about: Saving Private Ryan won the sound Oscar, not Shakespeare in Love.
Denis Sweet He's referring to the Best Movie Oscar.
Oh, ok. Than he should have been a bit more clear 'cause this video is all about sound design and the film was only discussed here in the context of its sound. Also, I personally liked Shakespeare in Love more than Saving Private Ryan: Private Ryan was great on a technical level (sound, editing, cinematography, directing, all of which it won Oscars for) however I feel that Shakespeare in Love was the better picture overall and was better in other ways (acting, writing, music, costumes, all of which it won Oscars for). It's subjective so different people will disagree over which one was the best picture. Some will think that Private Ryan was and others Shakespeare in Love (although people have since taken delight in bashing Shakespeare in Love since it's win, so a misperception of the film has developed--the film is much better than people give it credit for and almost all films that are relentlessly bashed are much better than people give them credit for). My whole life, I've known that if EVERYONE on the internet is obsessively bashing a film and talking about how lame it is, it's probably not as bad as everyone says it is and if it's an award winning film, it's probably out-and-out good and people are just being whiny brats who can't take the fact that their favourite film didn't win something. How Green Was My Valley, Oliver!, Ordinary People, Forrest Gump, Shakespeare in Love, and Crash are all pretty great films that are only being constantly bashed by fans of Citizen Kane, 2001: A Space Odessey, Ragin Bull, Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption, Saving Private Ryan, and Brokeback Mountain (some of which, themselves are over-rated). These people might be right in preferring the films that they like but I hate it when they act as if everyone agrees with them (i.e. "how the flying fuck the Oscar was granted to Shakespeare in Love instead of Private Ryan" followed by five question marks). Um, here's my answer: because films are subjective and there are people who disagree with you, you fucking ass!!!!! You like Saving Private Ryan. Great! The internet even seems to agree with you on that point. Congratulations. You like something and the internet seems to validate your preference. Does that mean that everyone in the world agrees with you? No. Does that mean that the majority of people agree with you? Definitely not: the internet is not a statistically solid way of determining how the majority of people feel about something: usually it's just a small bunch of dedicated people spreading their ideas like propaganda all over the place and making it seem like everyone agrees on something when people don't. For every film that "everyone on the internet" agrees is great, I'm sure there's millions who hated it, and for every film that "everyone on the internet" agrees was crap, I'm sure there's millions who loved it. I'm also sure that there are tons of (immature) people who will go on the internet and bash ANY film that wins Best Picture at the Oscars just because it won Best Picture at the Oscars and they want to be hip and contrarian. One last point: Saving Private Ryan wasn't snubbed by the Oscars. It won five Oscars (2 for sound, film editing, cinematography, and one for Best Director for Spielberg). That is not "being snubbed." That is not "being ignored." A film winning "best director" is one of the biggest honours that the Oscars can possibly bestow and people shouldn't be dismissive of that and act as if the Academy hated on it. The Academy showed Saving Private Ryan lots of love that year, ultimately recognizing the film for the specific reasons people liked it so much (the brilliance of the film;s direction and its major technical achievements of sound, cinematography, and editing). If you disagree, fine, disagree. But don't act as if everyone agrees on the whole Shakespeare in Love versus Saving Private Ryan debate, because not everyone does.
I absolutely love the sound design of Eraserhead, one of my favourite parts of the film.
Even though it was on television, David Lynch's sound design for Twin Peaks: The Return is extremely impressive.
I think Jurassic Park deserves a mention. The dinosaurs sound just as real as they look.
Well, what do Dinosaurs sound like?
Absolutely and no mention of it. It was one of the first with digital surround sound
As an aspiring Sound Designer I completely worship the majesty of Ben Burtt, I actually did half of my thesis on the awesomeness of this dude! My lecturer gave me almost %100 because he too is a massive fan of this guy haha
How do you even become a sound designer??
Predator is one of the finest examples of sound design. From the jungle environment, weapons, the POV of the title character and the eventual combination that creates a character within itself.
ash street ...turn around, turn around
..over here, over here
anytime
Thank you for respecting Wall-E. One of the greatest but most forgotten animated films
I'm so glad one of David Lynch's films made the list. Too bad this was made before "A Quiet Place," I'd think that would deserve at least an honorable mention
Jurassic Park was extremely innovative too. The sound of dinosaurs we take for granted in movies today started and are still at their best in the original Jurassic park. I wish it had at least gotten a notable category or had a notable mention.
I did a sound design class at uni and it blew my mind how much sound affects a movie and the work that goes into sound design
Might be worth mentioning that Lynch has cited Jacques Tati as an influence for bizarre juxtapositioning of sound and image. See
Playtime and M. Hulot's Holiday and you see why...
Some of my favorite films here, especially A Man Escaped and The Conversation. Come and See has some of the most astonishing sound design I ever heard. It's also one of the most intense, harrowing and original pictures ever made.
I would've added Miracle somewhere on the list. Not in the top spot, but it definitely deserves a nod. Every bit of on-ice sound was done on the sound stage and it's dang good. As a hockey player, I can tell you that they got it really, really, right. I was so impressed with the lengths they went to for the camera angles and shots they got of the action, and then they went and floored me by making all the sounds of play from scratch. Good stuff.
The most recent use of sound instead of sound in the background is Interstellar.
Carlos Santana yes
Carlos Santana But it's done exactly like 2001 so it doesn't really deserve to be on the list.
Conn O'Gorman that's bullshit
The Crypter What does Interstellar do that 2001 didn't?
Miguel Pereira a lot of things....like whenever there is a space shot in Interstellar, there is no sound and sound doesn't travel in air.....the amazing Soundtracks, 2001 just had like 1 major soundtrack (which was amazing though) , the plot of Interstellar was much better IMO, the Acting in Interstellar was better, the visuals were amazing in both but 2001 had very few such amazing visual scenes(ending,10 minutes colour sequence), but in Interstellar, there were lot of such moments (docking,waves,blackhole)
I love 2001 and respect it as a classic given that its more than 50 years old, but overall i like interstellar better........
Best list Cinefix ever done. Perfect reunion of examples, very well done.
What about Ran? That first battle scene with complete silence only to classic music is a true masterwork of film and sound. Ran is a masterpiece.
Elephant Man is the best example of sound design EVER, just how they used the subtlties of sound to set the mood and match the era, this was the most remarkable sound design I've ever witnessed that worked in conjunction with the storytelling.
I think you missed "The Exorcist." That had a highly unusual, innovative soundscape that contributed significantly to the impact of the film.
My favorite sound design is in Oblivion with Tom Cruise. Those Drones are so cool
In addition to your video
Stalker (1979)
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Sound design: Vladimir Sharun
Great pick for #1. Unexpected and totally correct.
*****
You must be mistaken, good sir, because _I_ killed the Ghost Pirate LeChuck. You must be thinking of some other ghost pirate.
Nice coat, by the way.
I love that Ben Burtt received an acting credit for Wall-E's voice. Richly deserved.
So glad equipment wasn't mentioned. Nothing beats sheer talent. Thanks for the list.
Y'know, I really feel sorry for deaf people.
That Star Wars and Wall-E parts got me. Genious!
I can't watch movies just for the stories anymore because of you guys! I rewatch a lot of movies. Basically all of them. Often in the same week I saw it for the first time, just to pay more attention to how it was created. I love you guys for doing so.
I feel like one of the best animated movies to use sound is Inside Out, which obviously isn't on the list because of it's release date, but it creates an entire world that utilizes new sounds for everything, and does a fantastic job of it.
French Connection I like for a very different reason.
The sound of that film is very guerrilla style real world, in the sense that whatever sound was caught on set was left as is.
No country for old men. Loved the emphasis on sound.
Agree with you about #1, I'd have tried to work The Haunting (Wise, 1963) in there too somewhere too.
What about Rear Window? The sound is incredible. The whole movie is in one location, yet creates totally different models moods and atmosphere from bustling daytime to the scenes in long hot nights and rainstorms... And the footsteps at the end!
Amazing list for having put Tarkovsky, Bresson and Lynch (especially Eraserhead). Their films are masterpieces of sound (and everything else, of course).
You could have mentioned Brian De Palma's Blow Out as a worthy cousin to The Conversation
Also, the sound work on Amadeus is worth mentioning
Wow! I teach audio and I also agree that The Conversation is the best sound designed film of all time - and one of the best films of all time. Thanks for backing me up.
The Jurassic Park (1993) deserves a spot. one of the most innovative and greatest sound design.
exactly. nobody knows what a dinosaur sounds like.
when I hooked up my 5.1, this was the first movie I played
It should have at least got an honorable mention
I love the sound work for Inception. The sound work layers deeper just like the visuals and storytelling.
_Underground_ (1995) by Emir Kusturica
_The Thin Red Line_ (1998) by Terrence Malick (another to add to the list of war films)
_From Dusk Till Dawn_ (1996) by Quentin Tarantino (only for the crazy low rumbles)
Robert Rodriguez did From Dusk til Dawn...
+Franklin Blankenship Oops, yes Rodriguez directed. Tarantino wrote the screenplay.
Brahms, Strauss, what's the difference?
I am mocking the fact that narrator mistaken one for the other when talking about Also sprach Zaratustra.
Mbeluba Kubrick, Coen, what's the difference?
They both have orchestras! I think they're all secretly Beethoven.
One film that is not well-regarded but has very vivid sound design is Ridley Scott's "Legend."
Aliens !!!
Also left out: Blow Out.
This is a great idea for a video, btw
I like the David Fincher mention
Gravity is one film that uses music score so effectively, especially when everything starts getting smashed to pieces. There's the vibrations, which, along with breathing and the sound coming over the mics, this gets so brilliantly complimented with that "buzzsaw" sounding score. Like a shinny new saw meeting a razor blade. But that moment when Sandra's character is speaking with the Inuit gentleman back in the world. Neither have any idea what the other is saying but it's still a beautiful conversation. I'm sure his mind would have been blown if he knew that the lady on the other end is 250 miles above and about to be part of an international incident where the sky is filled with space junk burning across the sky.. day and night.
Top 10 underrated films that have amazingly beautiful special effects. Long title, I know, but 1985's Legend can be placed in that list.
Dune (1984). Mediocre film from genius David Lynch with (mostly) excellent special effects. Particularly the Sandworms.
I would put Jurassic Park for the number one spot. It was the first film to include dolby digital 5.1 surround sound. Pretty much the standard for today's films. I was more impressed with the sound mix on Jurassic Park than the visuals.
+Mark Meason apocalypse now should be right up there.. they invented their own surround sound system for the movie, the origin of todays 5.1 surround sound.
+Mark Meason The first film with true modern surround sound (Disney's Fantasia played around with it on a few road shows) was "Ladies and Gentleman the Rolling Stones." It's a documentary of their '72 tour and was presented in roadshow format with actual rock 'n roll amps and surround speakers for the large stadium audience and reverberation. Like the actual show which I saw in Boston my ears rang for days after seeing the movie in '74.
+Mark Meason Jurassic Park was the first to use DTS, not Dolby Digital. . . first DD was Batman Returns.
+Mark Meason it's more about sound design instead of sound innovations throughout the years. The first talkie didn't make the list for example
Mark Meason and the way they used a guitar to help out with some of the visual effects for the T-rex scene.
Ah, glad to see you included Stalker. Big brain film, big brain sound design.
If you do another sound design list, please leave some space...for the sound! You talk over pretty much all of this. I enjoy the commentary, but it helps to be able to hear a little bit of what you're talking about. Same with any of the other audio based lists.
Gravity also creates such a emersive sound track with its music seeming very diagetic, it all fits in to the scene so well
You should have done a category for movie monsters. There are so many creatures that had to be brought to life through sound and are instantly recognizable through just their sounds. Some of my favorites include toothless, E.T, the xenomorph, the raptors and Trex from Jurassic Park, and of course, Godzilla’s roar. It’s amazing how these creatures were brought to life and made to feel organic and real.
wanted has one of the best sound designs in any movie i've ever heard, and inception's use of repetitive sounds aside the repeated audio cues is one of the best ways it uses it's dream setup.
The sound design of the movie "Berberian Sound Studio" was epic, and uses sound as the main narrative.
I'd also give one hell of an honorable mention to Wook-Park Chan's "Stoker", which sound puts your mind in a state of unrest that the picture does not imply in the beginning of the movie, making you anticipate the turn without really understanding how nor why you did. Great work there.
When it comes to sound design, a personal favorite is Interstella 5555. What's interesting about it is that the movie is basically a 65-minute music video for Daft Punk's Discovery album. There is literally no dialogue, and very little sound effects added. The sound design was essentially done in reverse, with each sequence being animated to match its respective song perfectly, and they all come together to form a cohesive narrative. It actually made me cry.
Finally found a RUclips Chanel actually interested in art and not in popularity like fucking watch mojo and All the others preceding them. Thank you cinefix for noticing that movies are also an art form
FANTASTIC list. Wanna also give a shout-out to the wonderful sound direction in Stoker
Berberian Sound Studio is a movie literally about sound design in a movie. The movie itself I have reservations about, but I can't deny its sound quality.
Was gonna suggest this one as well but you beat me to it. (It's Studio not System by the way) Unrelated: Cruise's Oblivion has great sound design as well.
praevius gotcha, thanks
Another vote for Berberian Sound Studio for future lists. It created such an oppressive atmosphere that I didn't even realize I was feeling until the wave of relief that hit when the film finished.
The first time I watched The Conversation I was totally caught off guard and blown away by the use of sound design cause I went in not knowing anything about the film. I'd never thought sound in films could be utilized like that, it's almost like that sound design was the main character itself.
I would add the original King Kong the crescendo of Kong's entrance the roars the hisses the blending of the soundtrack with the effects not to mention the fact that it was one of the first original scores in film I think it deserves a spot these lists are always good though thought-provoking and well thought-out thank you
I wonder if Baby Driver would make this list today. The gunfight scene to the tune of Tequila was amazing
In university I wrote an essay on the music in Wall-E and I was floored just how intricate it was when I was making it. Its like a Sondheim musical of bleeps and bloops that are all related motifically with whatever's happening on the screen.
I'd also like to mention the sound design in Upstream Color.
I was going to recommend Dunkirk for number 10, but then I saw that the video is from 2014.
Your work is awesome guys it inspires me every time thank you!
My first surround sound movie was "Ladies and Gentleman The Rolling Stones" in a reserved seat roadshow presentation. The theater had a full rock band sound system set up with massive surround speakers for reverb and audience noises. It sounded as loud as if the Stones were in the room while you could hear someone sitting next to you screaming.
My second was the roadshow presentation of "Apocalypse Now." Similar deal a custom finely tuned sound system was installed in the theater. Everyone ducked when stuff would come flying out of the jungle at the boat.
Now I have an amazing refurbished system I just bought from Amazon for just $200 from Vizio. Full digital 5.1 sounding better than my old system I invested 4 figures on back in the 90s.
Great sound is essential to fully enjoy a great movie.
Stalker is such a beautifully haunting movie. Absolutely stunning movie.
Eraserheads soundtrack is a pure proto industrial masterpiece, and that makes David Lynch a n essential act in music as well as film
One of my favorites was Berberian Sound Studio
You missed: Sergio Leone's "Once upon a Time in the West"
2001: A Space Odyssey and Brahms? I'm sorry, but that's just stupid. The music Kubrick used is very famous:
Richard Strauss (Also sprach Zarathustra)
Johann Strauss (Blue Danube waltz)
Ligeti György (Atmosphères, Lux aeterna, Requiem)
Aram Il'yich Khachaturian
I loved the combination of sound and image in Requiem for a dream
Skywalker Sound is my favorite sound companies of all time.
Gravity's sound design would have been way more effective if there had been no score.
+Sotnas The film would have been much better if there was no dialogue (or at least far less of the inane waffling which ruined an otherwise beautiful film)
Master and commanders clean sound design stood out
Black Hawk Down was incredible re: sound design. Built on some nice atmosphere and emotion.
Am I alone on this or what? The conversation is not only the best sound design movie, but the best Coppola movie. Much love to apocalypse now and godfather but the conversation is so layered with intrigue, suspense, and the perfect character study of a isolated man. love the conversation.
You don't pronounce "Das Boot" boot. It is more boat and it also means boat.
+Nether Rack Das Buut ^^
THANK YOU! It sounded weird for someone who can speak some german.
Dess Buht
If you say the english word it's closer than trying to pronounce the german one.
For God sake - Das Boot - its a german word , dont try english pronunciation on german words!
Duble "oo" in german is long "o" (not "ou", "oh", or "u").
Two words: David Lynch.
That’s right.
Great, great list. The Conversation and Eraserhead are very deserving.
Das Boot is a GREAT film, I can't believe all that was done in post!
Excellent work. We agree on top 1 by all means. It might need an extended 12" version with Mad Max Fury Road in the top 5 though....cheers.
Blade Runner has an incredible sound design. It was great to see M get recognition. I seem to remember there being a couple spots where the sound just cuts off, but they're small flaws to the film's otherwise brilliant use of sound.
I'd just like to add that 2001 Odyssey music uses "Also Sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss as the Main Theme and that non of the Brahms' compositions are featured in that film.