Alan Splet (December 31, 1939 – December 2, 1994) was an American sound designer and sound editor known for his collaborations with director David Lynch on Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Dune, and Blue Velvet.
Due to being legally blind, Splet rarely traveled and mainly worked from Berkeley, California. In 1980, he won an Oscar for his work on the film The Black Stallion. He did not attend the Academy Award ceremony because he was in London working on The Elephant Man; Oscar host Johnny Carson joked about his absence throughout the remainder of the telecast. He was later nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for Never Cry Wolf. In 1995, The Motion Picture Sound Editors union posthumously honored Splet with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his creative contributions to the field of cinema audio.
Splet was married to sound effects designer Ann Kroeber, and collaborated with her on most of his projects from 1979 until his death in 1994.
Selected filmography Year Title Director Notes1970The GrandmotherDavid LynchShort film1976In the Region of IcePeter WernerSound design1977EraserheadDavid LynchSee Eraserhead soundtrack1978Days of HeavenTerrence MalickAdditional sound effects1979The Black StallionCarroll BallardSpecial Achievement Academy Award1980The Elephant ManDavid Lynch1983Never Cry WolfCarroll BallardAcademy Award nomination1984DuneDavid Lynch1986Blue VelvetDavid Lynch1986The Mosquito CoastPeter Weir1988The Unbearable Lightness of BeingPhilip Kaufman1988Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsFrank Oz1989Winter PeopleTed Kotcheff1989Weekend at Bernie'sTed Kotcheff1989Dead Poets SocietyPeter Weir1990Mountains of the MoonBob Rafelson1990Henry & JunePhilip Kaufman1991Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's DeadStephen Herek1991At Play in the Fields of the LordHector Babenco1992WindCarroll Ballard1993Rising SunPhilip Kaufman1996The English PatientAnthony MinghellaDied during production; replaced by Walter Murch
References
External links
"Eraserheads" the last part of Christopher Cook's "Dancing Shadows" series about sound design in film, originally aired on BBC Radio 4, 20.2.2001, repeated 25.3.2002 Eraserhead Interview