Sound designers created the terrifying roar of the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings by dragging a heavy cinder block across a wooden floor and significantly lowering the pitch of the recorded audio.

A closer look

Sound designers created the terrifying roar of the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings by dragging a heavy cinder block across a wooden floor and significantly lowering the pitch of the recorded audio. Hollywood audio professionals often have to invent completely bizarre, mundane methods to manifest the terrifying vocalizations of ancient mythical fire demons. It is incredibly funny to think that the majestic, cinematic dread of Middle-earth was brought to life by someone essentially ruining the expensive hardwood flooring in a professional recording studio