Ten Great Movies for Demonstrating Home Theater Surround Sound Systems—Part 2

Posted by: Chris Martens at 2:02 am, September 9th, 2010

• To magnify the sheer oddity of the late night return visit, the sound designer introduces the deep, dark, foreboding sound of a large gong or giant temple bell that rings with ominous authority, making the whole scene feel progressively more off-kilter. After the visitor is, seemingly, sent away, things slowly start to unravel within the house. First, the sound of the fire in the fireplace takes on an odd tone, as it becomes apparent that the chimney is blocked and that the room is slowly filling with smoke, setting off a smoke detector, which McKay struggles to disarm. Next, McKay tries to call Hoyt using her cell phone, only to find that its battery dead and that the phone must be plugged into a charger. Then, McKay uses a land line to call Hoyt to ask that he come home quickly, but during the call the line suddenly goes dead. Throughout the scene, more banging at the door occurs, much louder this time. McKay also hears eerie, unexplainable noises from outside the house, though when looking out through a window she cannot determine what has caused them.

• Finally, after trying to calm her nerves, McKay turns back toward the center of the room, only to realize that the smoke detector has been moved from the spot where it had fallen on the floor, and that the cell phone has been taken from the charger and has disappeared. Small but significant sonic details add up layer by eerie layer, as McKay--now beside herself with anxiety--realized that not only are intruders playing with her emotions from without, but that at least one of them is in the house with her. All the while, the film score becomes darker and more ominous, and the banging sounds at the door become harsher and more insistent, ratcheting tension levels higher and higher. In short, if you're the sort of viewer/listener who finds a good scare thrilling, then the soundtrack the The Strangers should certainly do the trick. (Hint: This is not the sort of movie that the squeamish will want to watch in a fully darkened room.)