Filming a scene from Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Though many consider motion pictures to be a primarily visual medium, it would be impossible to create the full magic of cinema without sound; this is especially true of the vital role that sound plays in shaping action.

Even silent films were never really silent.  Before the successful implementation of synchronized sound, it was common to accompany a film presentation with live sound, whether it consisted of notes from a single piano player, melodies from a full orchestra or live sound effects courtesy of a Soundograph, Fotoplayer or Allefex machine.  As early as 1904, some presentations of The Great Train Robbery (1903) were accompanied by live sound effects, which gave an extra dimension to the mix of violence, gunfights and chases. 

“The Sound behind the Image” will explore the extraordinary impact of sound by focusing on action-adventure films, including such landmarks as Don Juan (1926), the first feature film to have a synchronized soundtrack as well as an action scene with sound effects; Tarzan and His Mate (1934), a film that, without a musical underscore, firmly established the basic sound elements for jungle adventure films; and Lawrence of Arabia (1962), a film whose Oscar®-winning sound continues to influence sound designers today.

The evening will also take a fresh look at the revolutionary sound design of the 1977 Oscar-winning classic, Star Wars.  Film clips, live demos, and a panel discussion with the film’s key sound crew will examine the role that sound recording, sound editing and sound mixing played in shaping not only this groundbreaking film, but the hundreds of action-adventure films that followed it.