Image Credit: Disney
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Netflix

‘Stranger Things’ sound designer explains how to make a grandfather clock a weapon of fear

When the clock strikes, all hope is lost.

Warning: This story contains spoilers for season 4 of Stranger Things.

Recommended Videos

Vecna may be the latest villain to terrorize Hawkins, but the true fear generated for Stranger Things 4 comes from the eerie imagery of a grandfather clock.

The significance of the grandfather clock in Stranger Things 4 relates to the torture method known as Vecna’s “curse,” which involves the victim suffering from severe headaches, nosebleeds and nightmares. As these nightmares progress, the cursed victim will experience malicious hallucinations, often linked to traumatic events from their past. Eventually, they start to see visions of a grandfather clock superimposed onto the world around them; the grandfather clock acts as a countdown and marks the beginning of the end. When it chimes, the clock makes a distorted noise and after seeing it a number of times, the curse becomes fatal for the receiver and Vecna appears in the flesh to claim his victim.

Craig Henighan, the sound designer for Stranger Things, spoke to Deadline about the symbolism behind the grandfather clock and how its intricate sounds instill fear in those who hear it — including audiences. Henighan touches briefly on how the grandfather clock is of the utmost importance to the overarching story behind Stranger Things 4, including its ties to Henry Creel and its purpose in Vecna’s backstory. He mentions that the clock needed to indicate the idea that time is “ticking away” for the victims and their hour was close at hand.

It’s a really big story point so we needed it to be Stranger Things-sounding but we also needed it to still tell the idea that time is ticking away. I was thinking about the pendulum swinging and how we can make that more interesting and more terrifying and just more involved than just a classic grandfather clock.

It feels overwhelming to think about how much work goes into sound design, especially when one object holds such consequence within the Stranger Things 4 narrative. The unnerving sound from the grandfather clock — as Henighan confirms — was created using cello tracks that defy the normalities of playing an instrument and use the equipment to make unnatural sounds. Most of the time, sound design is all about experimenting with different objects to find unusual sound combinations.

I ended up finding these cello [tracks], basically taking the bow and striking across the strings, not really playing a note but you’re sort of doing this like thumping sound.” When he put those sounds in sync with the pendulum, the next challenge was to find the right chiming noise.

Stranger Things 4 has left its fans on the fence after “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab,” revealing Vecna’s identity and raising the stakes as Eleven fights to regain her powers. The adventure continues when Stranger Things returns with Volume Two, scheduled to air on July 1.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Chynna Wilkinson
Chynna Wilkinson
Chynna has been a noteworthy presence within creative media for over seven years. As a self-proclaimed geek driven by a passion for horror, comic books, video games, and modern cinema, she takes pride in doing what she loves. In addition to her personal writing projects, Chynna is also an award-winning screenwriter, published poet, and accomplished academic writer, producing everything from short stories and screenplays to articles, features, and poetry. She enjoys watching anime, horror movies, and animated shows and her life revolves around cinema, video games, and tasteful literature.