As we learned from watching a Star Wars scene without music, removing the soundtrack from a movie or TV show can drastically change how we experience and understand a piece of media. Many film critics and philosophizers of cinema have noted that sound is one of the most important — if not the most important — sense when reading film or television. Just try watching a horror film with the sound off — not very scary.
We know sound plays a vital role, but the absence of sound can be just as important. Take this intro to MacGyver for example. With the intro theme attached, there’s a sense of hopeful urgency, a sensational rush signaling that the next half hour will be filled with ingenious inventions and tamable villains.
Without it, we discover MacGyver has a horrid giggle, screams much too frequently, and is not above standing in the shadows as he peers upon a sexual act. Yet, no absence of sound can take away from the magical aura that Richard Dean Anderson’s hair maintained throughout the show’s run.
