Naturalist Notes: The Sounds of Hollywood’s Nature

In the enchanting realm of cinema, nature often seems to have graduated from Drama School, where reality takes on a heightened, theatrical flair. Animals play unexpected roles as seasoned Shakespearean actors, delivering performances that rival professional thespians. Hollywood has transformed the animal kingdom into a vibrant theater troupe where every creature seems to possess a script, leaving subtlety behind at the edge of the forest.

One of Hollywood's most conspicuous creative liberties involves the sounds attributed to animals.

Let’s set the scene: our protagonists traverse a South American jungle, the air thick with the calls of diverse bird species. Yet, amidst this rich soundscape, something seems amiss — those calls don't belong in a South American jungle; they are the distinct calls of the Australian Kookaburra.

However, inaccuracies don't stop there. It's common to hear loon sounds in jungle and desert scenes, and Hollywood often mistakenly employs the Red-tailed hawk's call when depicting a Bald eagle. Many owl calls used in movies stem from the Great Horned owl, regardless of the setting's geographical accuracy. Not only bird sounds, but also most frog sounds mimic those of the Pacific tree frog, regardless of the film's location. Moreover, movies tend to amplify the ferocity of large mammals such as tigers, lions, and bears, endowing them with excessively loud roars.

These are just a few things Hollywood gets wrong. Have you observed similar inaccuracies in some of your favorite movies?

Submitted by naturalist Cathy Wesley, January 2024