# Are there ANY movies that \*accurately\* represent the noise of a gunshot and peoples' reaction to it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296 "2011-06-13T06:34:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/41 "2011-06-15T07:14:30Z")
> [@Philliam](#): > > Sighting in the Remington Model 600 .350 Magnum my wife and I carried as ‘Bear Repellant’ during Alaska F&G stream surveys, I neglected to use any ear plugs. > > Result: serious twitterpation and ringing ears for days. Man, that little carbine was LOUD! I have one of these as well. The muzzle blast of the .350Rem Mag out of an 18.5 in. barrel gets some serious attention whenever I take it to the range. ---
**Author:** ![Double\_Foolscap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85e7bf/32.png) [@Double\_Foolscap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Double_Foolscap)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/42 "2011-06-15T09:24:28Z")
> [@howye](#): > > I would nominate _Children of Men_ for being more realistic with guns and explosions than is typical. That’s the film I came in here to mention, as loud noises are typically followed up with a continual “ringing ears” effect over the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/43 "2011-06-15T09:31:04Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > It’s interesting that you both mentioned Heat and Miami Vice. I posted to mention Collateral. All three are Michael Mann films. He seems to have a thing for this. > [@Acsenray](#): > > This thread has been interesting because I’ve somehow previously gotten the impression that movies radically beef up sounds of gunfire with things like lions’ roars, bison stampedes, rocket engines, and volcano eruptions to make them a lot bigger than they would bs in real life. Yeah, I wonder if there hasn’t been a reaction against faked-up gun sounds. On Michael Mann’s TV shows, \*Miami Vice \*and _Robbery Homicide Division_, there were of course limits on how loud gunfire could be. So in _Miami Vice_, at least, they added extra sounds (like a backwards lion roar, iirc) to give the gunfire an impressive effect. This was publicized negatively in the 1980’s by someone saying, in effect, _Well, of course real gunfire doesn’t sound that cool._ Given a) the real risk of hearing damage, & b) the fact that the hard of hearing (like me) will have trouble following a movie with huge variations in volume, it makes sense to represent whispers louder than reality and gunfire softer. So on reflection the weird overlays make a sort of dramatic sense. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/44 "2011-06-15T12:10:30Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > This thread has been interesting because I’ve somehow previously gotten the impression that movies radically beef up sounds of gunfire with things like lions’ roars, bison stampedes, rocket engines, and volcano eruptions to make them a lot bigger than they would bs in real life. Me too - in fact, I seem to recall threads here on the SDMB where it was generally agreed that the sound of gunfire, when heard across or down the street, was more like a loud ‘crack’ sound than the ‘BLAM!-CRASH!’ sound used in movies. (granted, most people in this thread seem to be talking about gunfire in a confined space) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/45 "2011-06-15T12:12:42Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > On the topic of cinematic gunfire, one of my favorite shootouts (aside from the previously mentioned _Heat_) is in the David Mamet film _Heist_. The fight occurs outdoors on a quay, with the gunfire making the genuine loud, flat sound of true gunfire, and the participants frantically firing and dodging each other, fearful of being shot, and Danny DeVito standing in the middle of it pleading with everyone to stop shooting. And it ends with what is, for me, one of Mamet’s greatest exchanges ever: **DeVito** Don’t you wanna hear my last words? **Hackman** I just did. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/46 "2011-06-15T15:15:34Z")
You just can’t replicate a true gunshot for film or TV. As the OP stated, guns are LOUD. Non-shooters don’t have any idea. Everytime I point out that this or that character would be deaf, both of my kids roll their eyes & yell “Dad, it’s a MOVIE!”.😛 Terminator 2? Breaking Sarah out of the wacky hut? They make it to an elevator where Arnold is shooting a shotgun, then Sarah unloads a .45 at the T-1000. I wouldn’t want to be in there even with earplugs under my headset. Guns indoors are unbelievably loud. I have an Armalite AR-50. The muzzle brake on it is huge, and if you’re 45degrees to my side, the blast is incredible. Ever watch a tank’s main gun fire? See how the very dirt all around just jumps up and hangs for a moment? That’s what a .50BMG does. I was taping a shooting session, and about to fire, when some idiot with no headgear on walks by. He sees I’m about to fire and sticks his fingers in his ears. No matter. At 45 degrees to the muzzle, he caught it all, and started cussing up a storm.😃 Good times… The polar opposite is true as well. Hollywood never gets suppressed weapons sounds correct. If you shoot a supersonic round (9mm, most rifles), you’ll get a supersonic crack the same loudness, even if you don’t hear the blast itself. Only a bolt-action with sub-sonic rounds is what we call “Hollywood Quiet” Loud music until 1:20, then crank it up. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RWdj9PeV4vE/hqdefault.jpg "AAC scar h suppressor bolt gun 308 sub sonic") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWdj9PeV4vE) ---
**Author:** ![samjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@samjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samjones)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/47 "2011-06-15T15:32:28Z")
Abe Zapruder’s movie did a pretty good job. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/48 "2011-06-15T15:38:07Z")
In regards to peoples reaction. My memory is telling me that a director somewhere did something like this. They had the main actor doing his thing (probably somethinng like looking into the camera like he was talking to someone). The director, without telling the actor what was going on (and probably gave him a somewhat inaccurate script), had somebody fire a blank closeby (probably right behind the actor and just off screen). And of course, as the actor is delivering his lines it scares and startles the shit out him at the right time (just what the director wanted). Anybody recall this or am I just inventing it out of whole cloth? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/49 "2011-06-15T15:38:45Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > Terminator 2? Breaking Sarah out of the wacky hut? They make it to an elevator where Arnold is shooting a shotgun, then Sarah unloads a .45 at the T-1000. I wouldn’t want to be in there even with earplugs under my headset. Guns indoors are unbelievably loud. This is the example that always comes to mind for me, even if it does occur in an already ridiculous science fantasy. (Which I happened to really enjoy, but that’s beside the point.) . ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/50 "2011-06-15T15:58:11Z")
Watched The Kingdom a couple of nights ago _(good movie by the way)_, at one point someone fires a heavy machine-gun next to the female investigator and she was depicted as being hurt and stunned by it. ---
**Author:** ![Troutsqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Troutsqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troutsqueezer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/51 "2011-06-15T16:43:50Z")
The human ear can discern around 140dB of audio dynamic range (ratio of softest to loudest sound that can be heard). The gunshot would have to be pretty close to the 140 dB limit. The electronics used to process audio will limit what can be used in a movie or home theater. A CD player at 16 bit resolution will do around 96dB dynamic range. Advanced digital processors with higher bit rates can go as high as 144dB dynamic range in theory but the analog circuitry the audio must flow thru to reach the speakers will limit that range back closer to the 100 dB mark. Probably a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/52 "2011-06-15T16:59:31Z")
I never realized gun shots were as loud as everyone always says. The ones I have shot and heard shot didn’t seem that loud. But I guess I my idea of loud is different than most. Mythbusters did this, though right? Didn’t they say the sound can be duplicated pretty well, but obviously not the decible levels? I’m not sure about anything I posted just now. Sigh. Why do I post when I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/53 "2011-06-15T17:01:27Z")
I don’t know about the noise factor, but I always thought the shooting (and wounding, and killing) scene on top of the parking garage in \*Fargo \*seemed extremely realistic. So much so that it’s very distressing to me to watch it. The father-in-law’s reaction to being shot seems extremely true-to-life, and Steve Buscemi’s wound looks 100% real. It makes my jaw ache just to think about it now. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/54 "2011-06-15T17:10:54Z")
Oh, yeah. Yikes. As odious as his character was, I actually felt a little sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/55 "2011-06-16T08:21:05Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Was it my imagination or did all the handguns in _The Deer Hunter_ sound like cannons? I know they’re loud, but they don’t all sound like thunder. The first time I heard .44 magnum being fired It reminded of being close to a ground strike by lightning. It isn’t just a matter of being loud, even though it is loud even through plugs and muffs. You can feel the pressure hit your chest. I noticed a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum isn’t nearly as loud. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/56 "2011-06-16T08:43:26Z")
I remember the first time I was behind a berm and heard the crack of a rifle round passing overhead. It took a couple of times before I actually figured out what I was hearing. Of course, my reaction was, “Those morons can’t even hit the berm!?”. That reminds me of the movie, _Joe Kidd_. There is a scene where someone is shooting at them from several hundred yards away. You would hear a thunk when a bullet hit someone and then a report from the rifle a second or two later, but there wasn’t a crack from the bullet itself. Did they just screw up or were they implying that the bullet was sub-sonic when it got to the target? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/57 "2011-06-16T13:12:19Z")
Just saw the Anglina Jolie action thriller _Salt_ and, without giving too much away, there are several scenes were pistols and machine guns are being fired in enclosed spaces without ear protection and, moments later, characters are talking. So… not too realistic. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/58 "2011-06-17T08:11:57Z")
One thing that really surprised me when I fired a .44 revolver the first time was, besides the tremendous noise, was the _force_ that came back through my arms. There was unbelievable energy there. It felt like I was holding up a phonebook and someone was hitting the other side with a sledgehammer at full force. And, with regards to Newton, I realized that that same amount of energy was coming out the other end contained in a little piece of metal. I thought, 'Oh my God, people are _hit_ with these things?" As far as pistols go, is a .44 magnum even necessary? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/59 "2011-06-17T15:38:34Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > One thing that really surprised me when I fired a .44 revolver the first time was, besides the tremendous noise, was the _force_ that came back through my arms. There was unbelievable energy there. > > It felt like I was holding up a phonebook and someone was hitting the other side with a sledgehammer at full force. And, with regards to Newton, I realized that that same amount of energy was coming out the other end contained in a little piece of metal. I thought, 'Oh my God, people are _hit_ with these things?" As far as pistols go, is a .44 magnum even necessary? Strictly speaking, what you are sensing is the impulse or change in momentum, which is a vector quantity. (Energy is a state quantity that is derived from measurements such as speed or temperature.) The kinetic energy in the fired bullet measured at the muzzle is around 1200 ft-lbf; the respected and hard-hitting .45 ACP, by comparison, has around 420 to 430 ft-lbf of kinetic energy in the SAAMI spec loading and about 500 ft-lbf in the high pressure loads. As for the necessity, the .44 Remington Magnum was not designed for law enforcement or combat use, but rather for large game hunting where greater penetration is needed than for a human target. The .44 Magnum is massively overpowered for personnel combat use, and aside from popular film series involving maverick cops and unstoppable vigilantes is isn’t used by law enforcement. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296/60 "2011-06-17T17:39:13Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > One thing that really surprised me when I fired a .44 revolver the first time was, besides the tremendous noise, was the _force_ that came back through my arms. There was unbelievable energy there. > > It felt like I was holding up a phonebook and someone was hitting the other side with a sledgehammer at full force. And, with regards to Newton, I realized that that same amount of energy was coming out the other end contained in a little piece of metal. I thought, 'Oh my God, people are _hit_ with these things?" As far as pistols go, is a .44 magnum even necessary? I’ve never fired a .44mag, but used to do a lot of target practice with a .357, and even with that gun I sometimes wondered the same thing. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-movies-that-accurately-represent-the-noise-of-a-gunshot-and-peoples-reaction-to-it/585296.md?page=4)