[Rik]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

Nice reviews Dave.



Is Strangler of the Swamp available for a reasonable price anywhere? I really want a copy.



I too am a fan of The Longest Day, but didn't watch it this year as i went with Saving Private Ryan. (1998).



The opening half hour is rightly lauded but i also like the final battle in the town. Again lasting around half an hour it's a superb bit of film making. However it's the sequence prior to the action i really rate.



Hanks, Damon and co are sat around, basically killing time before the Germans move in.



Suddenly there's a low rumble and metallic grind in a rear speaker, then nothing, the same happens in the other speaker, all this happens minutes before we see anything, getting louder all the time, amid the reactions of the suddenly panicking Allied soldiers. The sound of two Tiger tanks rumbling into battle together with a Panzer division.



Tanks are featured in a lot of war films, but none do it as well as this, the sound sparking a real sense of fear and horror, long before the enemy is in range. Terrific stuff.

That'll be the genius sound design work of Gary Rydstrom then