Summary
The horrifying climax ofImmaculateis punctuated by a single shot with a long, guttural scream so raw it lingers long after the credits roll. This visceral vocal performance by Sydney Sweeney is atestament to the raw emotion in the movie, which she also produced. But it’s not just the acting that elevates the movie – the film’s sound design definesImmaculate’s gory and unhinged horror.
Often overlooked,sound effects are the unsung heroes of cinema, capable of creating heart-pounding suspense or absolute dread. From the ethereal whispers of the Ringwraiths inThe Lord of the Ringsto the sinister slicing used for beheadings, the movie experience would be nothing without them. InImmaculate,an unusual sound effect is a big part of what made the final scene so horrifying.
Every Sydney Sweeney Horror Movie, Ranked (Including Immaculate)
Sydney Sweeney is quickly becoming a star in Hollywood for a range of performances, but one genre that she has appeared in frequently is horror.
Immaculate’s Ending Is More Horrifying Thanks To The Shocking Source Of 1 Sound Effect
Immaculate’s ending sceneis arguably the most effective moment in the whole movie, with much of its power coming from a clever use of sound. Director Michael Mohan revealed they had previously tried a different sound effect but changed it following test audiences' amused reactions. PerCinema Blend:
“We had done something to the sound of a baby goat. There was a little bit of a bleet in there. And it did not work. It was campy.”
Mohan then revealed what direction they went in following the feedback:
“I believe what (the sound designer) found was the sound of a sick cat that he then pitched up and added a warble to. That’s what you hear.”
A recent print edition ofEmpireconfirmed that the cat used has asthma. Thegurgling, wheezing inhales caused by this add to the bodily horrorofImmaculate’s scary and violentfinal scene – this is further enhanced by the baby not being shown which, considering it’s conceived blasphemously, is probably for the best.
The animalistic sounds are enough to make the audience side with Cecilia.
The sound of the baby’s breathing also contributes to thecatharsis of Cecilia’s final act inImmaculate’s ending. This would easily translate as being for shock value only – however,the sound designer choosing to use non-human sounds makes it seem like a mercy killing. If there was any doubt that the baby inside her is“insane,”monstrous, and unholy, the animalistic sounds are enough to make the audience side with Cecilia, despite the moment being horrifying.
Immaculate’s Sound Design Is What Makes The Horror Movie So Powerful
Sound designers seldom receive enough credit in the filmmaking process. In the case ofImmaculate,the film wouldn’t have the same horrifying effect without it. Sound defines the horror genre, and perhaps the Catholic horror subgenre most. For instance,the experience of going to a Catholic mass is given its vibrancy by appealing to the senses– the smell of incense, the colors of the stained glass, and above all the dramatic acoustics of the cathedral. To subvert that intoImmaculate’s grand religious horror experience requires incredible attention to sound. It’s part of what transports us to its Rome setting.
From the beginning, diegetic sound is used to build tension – doors creaking, keys jangling, bones breaking. Sounds are also used to create a twofold horror experience throughout. Haunting choral sounds are used to provide spiritual horror – this also periodically breaks the fourth wall. There are scenes where the nuns are singing in harmony, and there are scenes where the choral soundtrack makes Cecilia’s final girl rampage even more dramatic. In terms of the visceral,sounds like vomiting, splatting, and bludgeoning root it in body horror. Together with the visuals,Immaculatebrings nunsploitation back to its violent 1970s roots.
