Backmasking- 1951 The Day The Earth Stood Still

I was watching the DVD extras of 1951 The Day The Earth Stood Still and ran across this snippet. I didn't write down this person 's name,sorry. He is talking about Bernard Herrmann's film score. I can't tell which instrument was played backwards or where. Wikipedia: "Unusual overdubbing and tape-reversal techniques were used". You be the judge!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Backmasking
• reverse
• The
• Day
• Earth
• Stood
• Still
• bernard
• herrmann

[spacepatrolman]

@Dojora4 2 your right it was at that moment when the earth stood still the earth did indeed stand still because everyone stayed home to watch it on nbc saturday at the movies 2 theremins and electric violin were used joe meek used backwards toilet bowl flushes for space sound effects on telstar [ i found a paper back book from the movie with black and white photos inside a press kit type book with pictures was also issued i dont have that ]

[Dojora4]

Unfortunately, he confused you... When he said Title Sequence, I think he was meant the point in the movie where the Earth Stood Still.... There are indeed some weird overdubs and tape reversing going on... If you can find a copy of the sound track, listen to Track 11 "The Elevator / Magnetic Pull / The Study"

That's where you'll find what he's talking about... a cluster of chimes and a cymbal crash is reversed in the right channel then played forward in the left.. An interesting effect indeed.

[rangeclerk]

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL , THEM and FORBIDDEN PLANET set the standard for sci films for the 1950s and into the 60's.

[hebneh]

If you've ever seen the documentary about the man who invented the Theremin, you saw his former girlfriend (who was then elderly), who was one of the few people to become a skilled theremin player in the '20s and '30s, denouncing how the instrument became a cliche of sci-fi movies in the '50s. To her, it sounded cheap. To all the rest of us, it sounds fantastic and appropriate.

[KiwiKugai]

The use of the Theramin in this was an inspired choice and way ahead of it's time.

[kahunadad]

It sounds just as cool backwards !

[Oglenthorne]

I hear a theramin

[judah71]

It's Stephen Smith, who's written a book on Herrmann called Heart At Fire's Center.

As for the dubbing/reversal stuff: I'm still trying to work it out.