Sound can play a very important in the overall feel of a film; this is especially true in the horror film genre. This is very true of the 1976 version of the movie The Omen, where sound helps the overall creepiness of the film. Our text tells us that “sound production would become as important a part of making a movie as any other” (Goodykoontz, 2014). There are three parts of that make up sound used in movies; the most well-known is of course dialogue. Dialogue is the talking between characters or by a narrator this helps to create the storyline and develop the plot of the movie. The second part would be sound effects; this of course is an important part of certain genres of films like science fiction or action movies. This would encompass explosions, the sounds of car chases, gun fire, and any other sound that would be made outside of dialogue. This helps enhance the viewing experience but making things seem more realistic. The last aspect of sound is music. Music is used to enhance the experience and can easily enrich the viewer’s emotions of a giving scene. In The Omen all of these features of sound are used to help create a terrifying experience while watching the movie.

            In scare used by sound starts from the very beginning of the move with the music of the opening credits. You know right away you what to expect from this movie, the creepy music along with the almost chanting of the lyrics makes my heart race just listening to it.It is also there when Mrs. Baylock kills Mrs. Thorn. 

          

  The film also uses dialogue not only the actual words being said to set the theme of the movie but how the words are spoken. Most of the dialogue is low and soft, especially when the nanny is speaking.

            One scene where sound effect is used well is the hanging scene. At first there is a lot of noise from the party but then as the nanny calls to Damien and it gets quiet and she jumps you hear the snap of the rope, the crashing glass, and as everyone stares in disbelieve you hear the creak of the swinging rope holding the lifeless body

            What makes all of these sounds more terrifying is that they are all realistic sounds that we would hear if we were there to hear them ourselves. I am not sure the movie would have been as scary to me without that haunting music and singing that appears in the film. Also if the dialogue was louder and faster it may have made for a lighter over all feel of the film.

References:

Goodykoontz, B. &. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego : Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

MovieTitleScreens, (May, 2013) The Omen 1976 – Clip retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rga3FBT6J2A

VideoT01, (July, 2011) The Omen 1973 - Clip retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzEqXPcDgT8

Richard Madnezz, (April, 2012) The Omen 1976 – Clip retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDHisWRsE98