From FilmSound.org
(An example of good sound post-production)...
there were animal screams and noises built into the ambience itself downstairs there. From a little movie I had made years ago called Little Monsters I took this lunatic kind of screaming that I had recorded; I took track, processed it, slowed it down, and played it in reverse. That became one of the ambiences in the room, too. It's the room tone, but the room tone has been made from some guy screaming in pain. Whenever you're down there with Lecter there's this element--it's a low tone that rises and then comes down again. It's very organic as opposed to something you can create electronically. I don't like taking sounds that start electronically; I like sounds that start organically. It' s a lot more fun."
listen to this:
On the other hand, there are movies with fairly gratuitous sound just seemingly thrown-in. Is it just me, or have late movie releases gone over the top with a (Phil Spector-like) wall-of-sound? I long for good, multi-track ambience, foley and vocal sound tracks. Music, when it's a theme, can be most powerful used sparingly but strategically. (Remember?)
Interesting post.
Alec Baldwin, Joel & Ethan Coen, Carter Burwell speaking about the score and sound track of Barton Fink.
(I have no idea which of these films fill the bill for not-overdone sound tracks. But here's a reminder-list)
The Alamo (1960 film)
All About Eve
All the President's Men
Amadeus
Apocalypse Now
Apollo 13
The Bells of St. Mary's
Ben-Hur (1959 film)
The Big House (1930 film)
Bird
The Bishop's Wife
Black Hawk Down
The Bourne Ultimatum
Cabaret (1972 film) Chicago (2002 film) The Cowboy and the Lady (1938 film)
Dances with Wolves The Deer Hunter Dreamgirls
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Earthquake
The English Patient
The Exorcist (film series)
The Exorcist
Fiddler on the Roof
From Here to Eternity
Gladiator (2000 film) The Glenn Miller Story Glory (1989 film) Grand Prix (1966 film) The Great Caruso
Hello, Dolly!
How the West Was Won
The Hurricane (1937 film)
The Hurt Locker
In the Heat of the Night
Inception
Jaws
The Jolson Story
Jurassic Park
The King and I (1956 film) King Kong (2005 film)
The Last Emperor
The Last of the Mohicans (1992 film)
Lawrence of Arabia
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Matrix Les Misérables (2012 film) My Fair Lady
Naughty Marietta
Oklahoma! (1955 film)
Oliver!
One Night of Love
Out of Africa
Patton
Platoon
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Ray
The Right Stuff
San Francisco (1936 film)
Saving Private Ryan
Sayonara
Slumdog Millionaire
The Snake Pit
The Sound Barrier
The Sound of Music
South Pacific (1958 film)
Speed (1994 film)
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Strike Up the Band
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
That Hamilton Woman
This Land Is Mine
Titanic (1997 film)
Twelve O'Clock High
West Side Story
When Tomorrow Comes
Wilson
Yankee Doodle Dandy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_that_won_the_Best_Sound_Mixing_Academy_Award
I have a calibrated surround system and I thought Kill Bill was very good, also the first Pirates of the Caribbean.
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