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The use of sound in movies highlights the emotional connection with the viewer and the story. At times, sound effects can be added to make you jump when a killer pops out of the closet. Musical scores can be created to symbolize love or emotion like soft slow music in a love scene. There is also an element that each actor provides through the emotion within their dialogue. In each case the use of sound amplifies the story, plot, and emotion desired in telling a story. Sound is what separates movies from print in their ability to connect with the audience on a deeper level.
Analyzing the effect of sound on film, you must look at the film that revolutionized sound in telling a story. For its time period Star Wars was ahead of anything that was being done in the film industry. In fact, the success of the franchise with its use of sounds that writer George Lucas formed THX as a result. The combination of all three elements of sound were used to tell the story.
Dialogue
From darth vader to C3PO the dialog for many of the characters in Star Wars have become almost recognizable. The wisely crafted voices used for both Darth Vader and Yoda created specific context in the way each character was portrayed. In the case of Yoda, the soft broken tones in speech were warm and helpful. In contrast, the voice of Darth Vader was dark and deep which spoke to his hatred and evil intentions. He was surrounded by death. This inflection was visibly seen when conversations were had by either of the characters. Yoda was sought for his wisdom while Vader terrified people upon his arrival.
Sound Effects
The light saber, who could forget the sound of a light beam swooshing through the air. This iconic sound has been used since the release of the first movie as a recognizable effect throughout the franchise. Symbolism is used even the color of light represent good (blue) and evil (red) to represent both internal and external struggles. I tried to imagine the film without the sound and came to the conclusion that it has become intrigue in telling the story. Many of the sounds heard in the film are iconic and almost second nature that you associate with vehicles or equipment.
Music
The introduction to the Star Wars films remains pivotal in the course of the story. The story begins each movie in print and transitions to film by music from a full sympathy. The music director created a score specifically for the intro to the movie. It is timed to coincide with the print streaming across the screen. Coupled with the imperial death march anytime you see a scene with the Emperor or Darth Vader you can feel the darkness both visually and through audio. The music, like sounds effects, were used to separate and connect the audience to either the force or the dark side. The music speaks to the scene. You can almost time the march of storm troopers to the march.
Sound has the ability to pull you in and make you feel connected to the plot. Whether you are for or against, it gives you the feel of a football game and your team is winning or losing. It invokes an emotional response that would otherwise remain dormant. Viewers want to connect to the characters and the theme of a movie. They come to see movies with the expectation of experiencing certain feelings. Star Wars changed the way we approach sound in film and continue to expand technology in film.
Reference:
Star Wars, 1977, International Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/?ref_=nv_sr_2
Star Wars Text, 1977, http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Wars
Lightsaber Picture, 2013, http://sweetsoundeffects.com/lightsaber-sounds/
Introduction to Film 