The Sounds of Star Wars

[Alcove Audio]

It takes only a few seconds of sound — a spaceship launching, the familiar clash of lightsabers — to know that you are positively not in Kansas anymore. These are the sounds of Star Wars — from a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, three-dimensional in a way that envelops you and that has changed the way movie soundtracks get assembled.

The rest of the article and the NPR audio interview is here:

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/12/131968222/-the-sounds-of-star-wars-now-at-fans-fingertips

 

[Zensteve]

"The actors in the more recent Star Wars prequels," says Burtt, "found that when they were fighting on the set they were making those sounds verbally — unconsciously — 'cause they might have done it as boys, from the original film."

Heh, someone was telling us this story at a recent shoot.

Guilty as charged.

 

[PositiveFuture]

I know Tie Fighters are slowed down Elephant calls. Blew my mind, that did. Apparently the Foley in SW for one scene was the equivalent of some entire movies.

I read all this in the Anniversary hardback edition of the making of Star Wars. One of the best film books I've ever read.

 

[sonnyboo]

I remember that because everyone saw that the sound of the stormtrooper's blasters was hitting a telephone or electrical metal cable holding up the poles, so they started having to put plastic on them for the first 10 feet everywhere.