ABSTRACT
The concept of layering sounds over themselves for design purposes appeared promising. The film-based Moviola assembly at sound editorial facilities like ours just could not layer and combine prior to the predub rerecording phase. Properly designed sound has a timbre all its own. Timbre is the violin--the vibration resonating emotionally with the audience. Timbre sets good sound apart from a pedestrian soundtrack. Style, content, slickness of production, rapidity of storytelling-all made the sound of movies produced in the United States a benchmark and inspiration for sound craftspersonship throughout the rest of the world. The general audience believes that almost all nonmusical sounds are actually recorded on the set when the film is shot. The sound effects, by design and intent, were profoundly responsible for the psychological, claustrophobic terror during such sequences such as the depth charge attack, which left the audience with sweaty palms, gripping the armrests.
