Research: The Importance of Sound in Horror Films

Sound in horror films are very important. Sound is used to create the tension throughout the film. This is the main aim of a horror film.

Some examples that i can think of are the violins in Psycho. this is one of the most known and most heard horror scenes in history. The foley is the person/ people who make all of the sounds that are not heard by the people in the scene. One example of this would be the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. this is because the base sound of the dinosaurs in the films is a tortoises mating. For the different dinosaurs they would change the speed of the base clip to make it sound like a bigger dinosaur than what it was.


Pulp fiction is also another good example this is because we thought that the music that was playing in the background was non-digetic meaning that it wasn't actually was. But it turns out the music was digetic sound and they could hear the sound.

The sound in a horror film is a key role because it immediately sets the tone. Before the actor says anything the audience knows their fate because of the music in the background. The music sets the scene but doesn't give away what is going to happen in the plot.


Music adds to the complete experience of a horror film because it is a way in which the director chooses to set the mood of the scene and film. By repeating sequences of musical scores the audience associates that music with events in the film. The point of a horror film is to scare the viewer. Music is the biggest contributor to getting the viewer’s adrenaline pumping because it sets the tone before any events actually occur. The viewer can feel scared before any events transpire based on how effectively and artistically music is utilized.