10 Must-See Movies That Were Made by Their Sound

From Wall-E to Mad Max, plug in the surround sound and discover these incredible examples of sound design

Sound designers are key members of the creative team behind any film. If they get it wrong, the movie loses impact; but often when they get it right, few viewers actually attribute a film’s success to the work of audio artists. However, there are times where a movie's audio stands out, making it obvious that sound design is a fundamental pillar of the story.

Discover ten films that wouldn’t be the same without their sound, and the sound designers and editors behind them.

1. Sound of Metal, 2019

Carolina Santana (Venezuela), Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc, and Jaime Baksht (Mexico), Nicolás Becker (France), and Philip Bladh (USA)

From the gig featuring punk-metal drummer Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed) playing the drums to the exact moment when he loses his hearing, the medical exams in which he discovers the artificial sound produced by cochlear implants, and the silence as he realizes he will never hear again—each moment is perfectly captured by the sound team responsible for designing the audio in this Oscar-winner. Sound of Metal is a strong example of how both noise and silence are fundamental to film.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015

Mark Mangini and David White (US)

The incredible atmosphere of this post-apocalyptic action film wouldn’t be the same without Mark Mangini and David White's sound design; whether barely audible or over-the-top intense, every sound in this film is carefully crafted to create the perfect impact on its audience.

Mangini, who received an Oscar for his work on the film, explained he drew inspiration from Moby Dick for the War Rig. The truck was his white whale, for which he used sound to devise its own personality, like that of a beast that’s impossible to catch.

3. The Others, 2001

Tim Cavagin (UK), Ricardo Steinberg, Alfonso Raposo, and Daniel Goldstein (Spain)

This Spanish/American supernatural horror directed by Alejandro Amenábar won eight of the fifteen Goya Awards it was nominated for, including Best Sound. The sound design throughout the movie is a great example of how audio is often more effective than visuals in building suspense.

4. Whiplash, 2014

Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley (US)

Although it was the performances by Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons that really captured people’s attention in Whiplash, the sound designers’ undeniably skillful work perfectly complements the on-screen action with music, sound effects, and silences that create varying degrees of tension throughout the film.

For Mann and the other members of the sound team, the main challenge was to create unique moments using sounds that everyone knows, such as a saxophone or drum kit. Their success won them an Oscar.

5. Luxo Jr, 1986

Gary Rydstrom (US)

Pixar Animation's first short film is considered a cult classic these days thanks to the quality of the visuals and for Gary Rydstrom’s incredible sound work. His design not only creates atmosphere, it brings the inanimate objects to life as they communicate through movement and sound. It undoubtedly proves that what you hear is a fundamental part of the story.

6. Birdman, 2014

Martín Hernández and Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Aaron Glascock and Frank A. Montaño (US)

Birdman received five Oscar nominations, two of which were for sound design (Hernández and Glascock for editing and Montaño for design). Mexican jazz musician Antonio Sánchez also received a Grammy for his work on the score.

Together, they mixed illusion with reality and dialogue with drums to successfully reflect and convey the on-screen tension.

7.The Impossible, 2012

Peter Glossop (UK), Marc Orts, and Oriol Tarragó (Spain)

The sound design team for The Impossible won a Goya for their immersive work following the story of a family caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Thailand. Except for the character dialogue, they didn’t use any sound from the shoot—the entirety of the 3D auditory atmosphere was created in post-production and with sound effects.

8. A Quiet Place, 2018

Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn (US)

Managing silence is a sound designer’s greatest challenge, but it's also a great opportunity for experimentation.
John Krasinski's 2018 horror movie A Quiet Place features a plot that's built on the absence of sound.

It's here that the talent of the sound editors Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn really shines; from the loud silences to each small sound, the duo helps prove that sound can be the greatest feature of a film.

9. Star Wars: The Complete Saga, 1977-2019

John Williams, Ben Burtt et. al. (US)

What would Star Wars be without its sound? For one, there's John Williams’ immortal work on the soundtrack, declared by the American Film Institute as one of the best of all time and iconic in pop culture. Then there's the work of William's colleague Ben Burtt who created many of the most iconic sounds in the franchise, including R2-D2’s voice, the sound of the lasers, and Darth Vader’s breathing.

Eighteen of the forty-four Academy Award nominations the saga earned are for sound and music, and three of the ten awards that it went on to win were in these categories.

10. Wall-E, 2008

Ben Burtt (US)

On top of his invaluable work on Star Wars, Burtt was also behind the voice of Wall-E, as well as the creation and editing of many sounds featuring throughout the animation. He recorded a lot of the audio in everyday settings, then turned them into part of a futuristic story. For example, the sound of the wind on Earth is actually a recording of the sound of Niagara Falls.

What are your favorite examples of great sound design in the movies? Let us know in the comments below.

English version by @studiogaunt.

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