Re: [microsound] the power of sound - irreversible

[Graham Miller <grahammiller@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

check  out this film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irréversible

"The film also uses extremely low-frequency sound during the opening  
twenty to thirty minutes to create a state of disorientation and  
unease in the audience. This contributed to the number of people who  
walked out during the first few scenes set in 'le Rectum'."

also from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290673/trivia

"The first 30 minutes of the film has a background noise with a  
frequency of 28Hz (low frequency, almost inaudible), similar to the  
noise produced by an earthquake. In humans, it causes nausea,  
sickness and vertigo. It was the main cause of people walking out of  
the theaters during the first part of the film in places like Cannes  
and San Sebastian. In fact, it was added with the purpose of getting  
this reaction."

i highly doubt any theatre could reproduce 28Hz. my mackie 824  
monitors don't even go that low... but there must be some truth to  
some kind of low frequency technique the filmmaker used...

g.


On 20-Oct-06, at 5:34 PM, Robert Arnold wrote:

> Might some truth to that "brown note".
>
> I recall reading an article several years ago on experiments using  
> low frequencies and subsonics as a means of crowd control. The  
> article mentioned that the researchers found that the sphincter  
> muscle in the anus resonates at around 77Hz and that a tone that  
> fluctuated a few Hz either way, played at sufficient volume, caused  
> the sphincter muscle to relax, resulting in, well, the obvious.  
> Problem was that it was a failure as a crowd control method,  
> because it worked directly on the muscle and there was no way to  
> limit its effects to a specific group. It worked equallly well on  
> those who were trying to do the controlling.
>
> I always thought it would be an interesting thing to incorporate  
> into a performance piece...
>
> R.
>
>
>
>
>> On Oct 20, 2006, at 3:04 PM, Graham Miller wrote:
>>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note
>>
>> wasn't there a South Park episode about the "brown note" ?
>> one of the boys (it must have been cartman) had a flute....
>> cheers
>> bruce
>>
>> bruce tovsky
>> www.skeletonhome.com
>>
>> "Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
>> Douglas Adams
>
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