# What is this movie scream called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652 "2009-12-26T22:15:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/1 "2009-12-26T22:15:41Z")
A few minutes ago I heard on a PBS radio station the end of an interview in which the two men were discussing a type of scream which is very distinctive and which movie directors and sound engineers as an inside joke try to sneak into otherwise innocuous scenes. I missed the name that was given to the scream. Does anyone know what they were talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/2 "2009-12-26T22:16:28Z")
[Wilhelm Scream](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_scream). ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/3 "2009-12-26T22:16:31Z")
[Wilhelm Scream](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_scream) ---
**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:** [December 26, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/4 "2009-12-26T22:17:47Z")
[IMDb link](http://www.imdb.com/keyword/wilhelm-scream/), for variety ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/5 "2009-12-26T23:08:21Z")
And it’s **Johnny L.A.** , by a nose! Don’t go to Youtube and listen to any Wilhelm Scream compilations; you’ll inevitably get pissed and suffer a temporary drop in your suspension of disbelief when you hear it in a movie (or TV show) somewhere. Yes I myself made that mistake, now I can’t help but notice them (I really hope Cameron didn’t put one into **Avatar** , which I’m planning to see tomorrow). ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/6 "2009-12-27T00:02:36Z")
Is there a female equivalent one I’ve been hearing lately? It was used in a shampoo commercial a few years back and most recently in the Pixar short “Presto”. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/7 "2009-12-27T00:56:09Z")
::sniff:: I’m so proud of my kid! A year or so ago, we were watching a TV broadcast of LOTR, and during the siege of Helms Deep, he said, “Mom! Did you hear that? It was the Wilhelm!” And he was right! ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/8 "2009-12-27T01:25:20Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > And it’s **Johnny L.A.** , by a nose! > > Don’t go to Youtube and listen to any Wilhelm Scream compilations; you’ll inevitably get pissed and suffer a temporary drop in your suspension of disbelief when you hear it in a movie (or TV show) somewhere. Yes I myself made that mistake, now I can’t help but notice them (I really hope Cameron didn’t put one into **Avatar** , which I’m planning to see tomorrow). Yeah. Part of my brain recognized that scream as being common and familiar, but as soon as I found out it wasn’t coincidence, it bugged the crap out of me thereafter. I don’t think Cameron is a Wilhelm guy though. I hope not. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/9 "2009-12-27T01:49:02Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah. Part of my brain recognized that scream as being common and familiar, but as soon as I found out it wasn’t coincidence, it bugged the crap out of me thereafter. Same. See previous comments about moviemakers that like mugging for the camera. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/10 "2009-12-27T02:40:28Z")
What is the scream heard here at the :45ish mark? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/11 "2009-12-27T06:28:33Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > (I really hope Cameron didn’t put one into **Avatar** , which I’m planning to see tomorrow). I do love Avatar, but Cameron not only uses the Wilhelm, he uses it _twice_ in the movie! ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/12 "2009-12-27T06:32:23Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > What is the scream heard here at the :45ish mark? Smart move me, forgot the link dummy. [The :37 mark here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm_wfo_zLes) ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/13 "2009-12-27T09:21:46Z")
OK, are there names for the Wilhelm-type yowl and ‘prreow’ often heard when cats are involved or objects crash offscreen? ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-movie-scream-called/522652/14 "2009-12-27T10:44:00Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Smart move me, forgot the link dummy. > > [The :37 mark here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm_wfo_zLes) It’s [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBXkfb7Ok0o) one, also used in Starcraft as the Terran Academy sound effect. I don’t think it has a name, though.