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'''Music/Sounds:''' A synthesized crescendo sound effect known as the "Deep Note". It starts off with a group of 30 descending synthesized voices reminiscent of the sound of an airplane flying. Each voice moves slowly and randomly in a frequency sweep between 200hz and 400hz. This part of the Deep Note then repeats, and eventually, the voices proceed to their target notes, a drastic change of three octaves. The lower notes grow deeper, and the higher voices grow more shrill, becoming an ascending dramatic sound until the sounds stop in one pitch. Three voices are heard per note, slightly detuned. Two more voices are heard in the bass. It was coded by James Andy Moorer. | '''Music/Sounds:''' A synthesized crescendo sound effect known as the "Deep Note". It starts off with a group of 30 descending synthesized voices reminiscent of the sound of an airplane flying. Each voice moves slowly and randomly in a frequency sweep between 200hz and 400hz. This part of the Deep Note then repeats, and eventually, the voices proceed to their target notes, a drastic change of three octaves. The lower notes grow deeper, and the higher voices grow more shrill, becoming an ascending dramatic sound until the sounds stop in one pitch. Three voices are heard per note, slightly detuned. Two more voices are heard in the bass. It was coded by James Andy Moorer. | ||
'''Availability:''' Extremely rare. This was only used on the theatrical premiere of ''Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi'' in theaters located in Dallas (the GCC Northpark and UA Prestonwood) and Hollywood (the Avco Center), and was never used on THX-certified video releases. That said, it can be seen on select Demo DVDs and at THX's official website (plus their official Vimeo and YouTube). The alternate variant appears on one of the ''Return of the Jedi'' featurettes made exclusively for the ''Star Wars Trilogy: The Definitive Collection'' LaserDisc set. | '''Availability:''' Extremely rare. This was only used on the theatrical premiere of ''Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi'' in theaters located in Dallas (the GCC Northpark and UA Prestonwood Creek) and Hollywood (the Avco Center), and was never used on THX-certified video releases. That said, it can be seen on select Demo DVDs and at THX's official website (plus their official Vimeo and YouTube). The alternate variant appears on one of the ''Return of the Jedi'' featurettes made exclusively for the ''Star Wars Trilogy: The Definitive Collection'' LaserDisc set. | ||
'''Editor's Note:''' The introduction of the infamous THX logo. It's a simple effort, but nonetheless a very effective one as well, mostly thanks to its musical soundtrack, the Deep Note. It is probably one of the most infamous movie sound marks in history, thanks to its often frightening nature for younger viewers. | '''Editor's Note:''' The introduction of the infamous THX logo. It's a simple effort, but nonetheless a very effective one as well, mostly thanks to its musical soundtrack, the Deep Note. It is probably one of the most infamous movie sound marks in history, thanks to its often frightening nature for younger viewers. | ||
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'''Music/Sounds:''' [http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t007116.html According to Brad Miller, a Film-Tech forum administrator who used to be a projectionist], one of two pieces were used at first, depending on the film format: | '''Music/Sounds:''' [http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t007116.html According to Brad Miller, a Film-Tech forum administrator who used to be a projectionist], one of two pieces were used at first, depending on the film format: | ||
* 35mm: The appearance of the box is accompanied by the sound of an orchestra warming up, which fades out as the conductor's hand appears. Once it flicks the baton, a booming, descending synth note accompanies the hyperspeed boost, overlapped by an orchestra crescendo as it reaches its peak. When the THX logo appears in the abyss, the descending synth is played again with less distortion. An ascending string note slowly becomes prominent as the THX logo appears before it replaces the synth note entirely as it reaches its peak, representing the Deep Note. Twinkling sounds play as the "'''The Audience is Listening'''" text appears, and echo until the end of the trailer. This early audio was recalled due to its potential to break underpowered theater speakers (some theaters reportedly still retained this variant well into the mid-'90s, however) and thus replaced with what can be read below. | * 35mm: The appearance of the box is accompanied by the sound of an orchestra warming up, which fades out as the conductor's hand appears. Once it flicks the baton, a booming, descending synth note accompanies the hyperspeed boost, overlapped by an orchestra crescendo as it reaches its peak. When the THX logo appears in the abyss, the descending synth is played again with less distortion. An ascending string note slowly becomes prominent as the THX logo appears before it replaces the synth note entirely as it reaches its peak, representing the Deep Note. Twinkling sounds play as the "'''The Audience is Listening'''" text appears, and echo until the end of the trailer. This early audio was recalled due to its potential to break underpowered theater speakers (some theaters reportedly still retained this variant well into the mid-'90s, however) and thus replaced with what can be read below. | ||
* 70mm: A new orchestral piece composed by James Horner. The trailer still begins with an orchestra warming up, but the loud descending note following the conductor flicking his baton is replaced with a rousing orchestral cue; whistling sounds accompany the hyperspeed boost as the cue reaches a crescendo before abruptly fading out (not in the original version of ''WOW!'' except for the 2002 & Vimeo releases). As the THX logo appears, a slightly quieter series of ascending string notes is heard, representing the Deep Note; a "whoosh" accompanies the THX logo zooming in. Wind chimes, played in the same pitch as the string notes that preceded it, accompany the appearance of the "'''The Audience is Listening'''" text. Eventually expanded to 35mm as well due to the aforementioned speaker problems. | * 70mm: A new orchestral piece composed by James Horner (who also composed the score for ''Willow'', where this trailer premiered). The trailer still begins with an orchestra warming up, but the loud descending note following the conductor flicking his baton is replaced with a rousing orchestral cue; whistling sounds accompany the hyperspeed boost as the cue reaches a crescendo before abruptly fading out (not in the original version of ''WOW!'' except for the 2002 & Vimeo releases). As the THX logo appears, a slightly quieter series of ascending string notes is heard, representing the Deep Note; a "whoosh" accompanies the THX logo zooming in. Wind chimes, played in the same pitch as the string notes that preceded it, accompany the appearance of the "'''The Audience is Listening'''" text. Eventually expanded to 35mm as well due to the aforementioned speaker problems. | ||
** A prototype appears on the LaserDisc, ''THX WOW!''. The music on this release seems to be unfinished, as the whistling sounds at the start are absent, as is the "whoosh" that accompanies the THX logo zooming in. | ** A prototype appears on the LaserDisc, ''THX WOW!''. The music on this release seems to be unfinished, as the whistling sounds at the start are absent, as is the "whoosh" that accompanies the THX logo zooming in. | ||
** The LaserDisc variant also starts with a thunderclap, transitioning into the ascending string notes from the 70mm music variant. | ** The LaserDisc variant also starts with a thunderclap, transitioning into the ascending string notes from the 70mm music variant. | ||