5

I once saw a scene from Silence of the Lambs without the post-sound work. It was significantly less scary, hardly even creepy... This got me thinking: in rather emotional movies, the score adds a great deal of emotional value that results -- at the very least -- in a knot in my throat.

Are there any films that have a film score in their standard version, but are also released without the score in a separate version? Perhaps for a study on the emotional effect of music in film?

Improve this question
5
  • Always wondered that about laugh-track sitcoms. Though some editors make valiant efforts, I'd be very curious to see actual episodes with the laugh track completely removed.
    – Walt
    Aug 6, 2014 at 16:04
  • 1
    I distinctly remember seeing the "Get Smart" episode "Rub-A-Dub-Dub... Three Spies in a Sub" televised without a laugh track at some point in the late '70s, but when I went to look at it just now on Youtube it had a laugh track just like every other episode. I remember the jokes all sounding very lame without it.
    – Will Feldman
    Aug 6, 2014 at 18:45
  • 1
    @Walt - Red Dwarf series 7 has been released both with and without the laughter track
    – queeg
    Aug 6, 2014 at 19:21
  • Interesting, thanks both. I wish more series came with that option.
    – Walt
    Aug 6, 2014 at 19:24
  • Here's a little something...Don't have the full movie but you can see side by side clips of JAWS youtube.com/watch?v=f2K-YedETiI
    – Ben Plont
    Aug 12, 2014 at 22:46

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
2

"Signs" (2002, M. Knight Shyamalan) offers a version without the musical score on the DVD. The sound design is still pretty intense -- all the chirping cicadas and whooshing wind and scraping of metal on wood. But it's interesting.

Improve this answer
3
  • Is this something like an easter egg? I find no listing of that feature anywhere I've checked. Is it on the US DVD?
    – Meat Trademark
    Aug 8, 2014 at 11:42
  • I'll have to check what version of the DVD I have, and get back to you. (My version is a U.S. DVD.)
    – BrettFromLA
    Aug 8, 2014 at 16:58
  • 2
    Argh! My memory of this was wrong! It's not on the DVD, just like you said. I distinctly remember M. Knight talking about how much time he spent on the sound design, and was thinking about releasing it without music. Then James Newton Howard played those 3 notes, and I guess part of the score, and M. Knight was blown away. (But I remember him saying there's a version without the music! Guess I was wrong. Shooooooooooot.)
    – BrettFromLA
    Aug 9, 2014 at 1:34
1

"Gravity" (2013, Alfonso Cuarón) offers a special edition known as the Diamond Luxe Edition. I'm not sure if it is on both Blu-Ray and DVD or Blu-Ray only. I own the Blu-Ray myself, and it's on Special Features menu by the name of "Silent Space". The sound design is fantastic from the muffled sound in Space to noise inside the stations and down to Earth. This version looks scarier with the sound of gasping and desperation, and the performances of both Bullock and Clooney shine better than the original version. It was an amazing experience.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .