Uncensored Hotel Tape Audio

[pandorasxbox]

Back on the old SHF forums, I posted an interview with Akira Yamaoka where he said that a lot of SH2 was cut, for the most part to make it less graphic. He mentioned that the video tape of Mary's death was originally a lot more explicit/disturbing.

I'm not sure whether or not this is old news, but I came across it today: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f1C6CckWTs

This is apparently the original audio of the death scene. Someone discovered a "secret" audio file on the SH2 PC game? This video was posted a long time ago, but somehow I never came across it, as big a SH2 nut as I am, so I figured it would probably be news to other people as well.

[AlexY]

Feb 23, 2009 1:04:35 GMT pandorasxbox said:

Back on the old SHF forums, I posted an interview with Akira Yamaoka where he said that a lot of SH2 was cut, for the most part to make it less graphic. He mentioned that the video tape of Mary's death was originally a lot more explicit/disturbing.

Yup. That audio file was cut in the final versions, both the original and Director's Cut. Which is a shame - when I saw it the first time in the game, it was HUGE, but when I heard it some time later with the uncut audio, I was stunned for a couple of minutes.

It really sounds downright horrible. I still cringe when I hear her...

I don't know if they made a good choice when they decided to cut it. It certainly has much more impact, but it's also pretty nerve-wracking. Sure, it's only pixels on a screen, but the intense experience can be overwhelming for some...

[pandorasxbox]

I'm undecided officially, but I think I prefer the silence. While the screaming is very disturbing, a lot of what makes SH2 so special is its subtlety, and the muffled screaming doesn't leave much room for interpretation. In some ways, I think the quiet is more unsettling, with James sitting there in the dark silence, slowly realizing what he did.

[AlexY]

Feb 23, 2009 14:44:40 GMT pandorasxbox said:

I'm undecided officially, but I think I prefer the silence. While the screaming is very disturbing, a lot of what makes SH2 so special is its subtlety, and the muffled screaming doesn't leave much room for interpretation.

True. The first time I saw it, I even misinterpreted it as rape. >_>

[Vio]

I think in this case, Less is More.

I actually find the quiet censored tape more disturbing, like a child covering his ears, and telling himself that this isn't happening, or the shower scene in Psycho.
You can just imagine her muffled scream.

It also reinforces the fact, that this memory is in third person, (not like the rest of the tape in black and white) that James is suffering a breach with sanity/reality while commiting this act. The lack of sensory information reinforces this mind over body feeling. He is watching himself murder his wife.

Also, the loss of sound complements the loss of sight (increasing static, random other shots), it wouldn't make any sence if audio worked fine while the visual was becoming distorted.

And I agree with pandora's box, that the lack of sound allows James (and the player) to recognise the truth slowly.

[chackan]

Still prefer the original version.

And damn...this brings up memories. There will never be a game with such a deep storyline like this one, that's for sure.

[pandorasxbox]

Feb 23, 2009 18:05:27 GMT AlexY said:

True. The first time I saw it, I even misinterpreted it as rape. >_>

So did I, actually.

[The Crimson One]

Agreed, less is definitely more. It was so much more of a "No....way!" kinda thing when you slowly realized he is killing her. Think the screams needed to be more muffled anyway. Thanks for posting!

[roki]

Spoilers ahead.

This was very interesting, thank you. I too have to agree that the silent version is more horrifying. First of all, you don't realize immediately what is happening.
Also, your own imagination can fill the absence of sound, which creates a personal view of Mary's murder for the player.
Also, the sound in this version indicates violence which may result in the point of view that James killed his wife out of hate. But at the end, it is unclear why James did it, so the silent version leaves the player to decide the reason behind his actions.

[lemex]

I seen this some time ago.
Quite distressing.

[Iram Et Dolorem]

Mar 5, 2009 18:28:26 GMT roki said:

Spoilers ahead.

This was very interesting, thank you. I too have to agree that the silent version is more horrifying. First of all, you don't realize immediately what is happening.
Also, your own imagination can fill the absence of sound, which creates a personal view of Mary's murder for the player.
Also, the sound in this version indicates violence which may result in the point of view that James killed his wife out of hate. But at the end, it is unclear why James did it, so the silent version leaves the player to decide the reason behind his actions.

True, true.

I've heard this audio a few years back, and indeed it makes me feel...tired.

SH basically is a game that allows room for player speculation. It is best that they kept the audio out.

[katran]

Well, maybe I'm just sick or too desensitized, but the uncensored video didn't bother me at all. Then again, as soon as I saw the words "uncensored" and "audio file", I pretty much knew what it would be. After watching it I thought, "THAT was too graphic for Silent Hill?!"

I remember the very first time I saw the video in the game, I couldn't tell what had happened. It wasn't until James explained it to Laura that I understood. I'm not sure if the uncensored version would have make it any clearer to me or not.