WHEN DID WE LEARN TO SCREAM?

Recently I was watching a movie and as usual I predicted the oncoming scream. The gut wrenching high pitched, loud female scream we know today. Then I wondered when this became a socially acceptable trained response to fear. To let out a piercing siren for help when my first response is, my eyes opening wide, my ears trying to focus and for me to be QUITE!

I remembered I grew up when there was big influence from Hollywood. We collectively were taught to scream. We were taught that The White Handkerchief meant Chlorophorm and someone will be going unconscious immediately after. Today Hollywood still uses the White handkerchief that I cannot find as easy in most retail stores.

The scream, is still recognized as a “danger cry for help”. Some of the most famous female Hollywood screams are: Fay Ray of King Kong 1933; Margret Hamilton of Wizard of Oz1939; Janet Leigh of Pyscho 1960. The opening scene of Jaws 1975, her scream was created by Susan Backlinie.

Then there is the male screams of Hollywood that has a long history of using the same guy! It is an inside Hollywood story of how an uncredited actor was recorded screaming and his recording has been use throughout the years.

Known to insiders as the Wilhelm Scream it has been used from The Charge of Feather River 1953, several George Lucas Star Wars films, Indiana Jones movies, even Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in 1991.

I think our collective conscience has learned to expect a well-placed scream but in reality [mine] not so much. So the next time you sit down to watch a scary movie, wait for the chlorophorm and the well placed scream.