Hypnotic Head
A stock visual effect that is usually used to indicate someone is being hypnotized (or trying to hypnotize someone). It does get used for all sorts of hallucinations and visualized breakdowns but it's primarily associated with hypnosis for some reason.
The common version tends to include:
- A floating head
- The head itself is spinning or moving
- A (usually) multicolored swirl as the background
- A humming 50's sci-fi sound effect or increased echo if the head is speaking.
Goes in hand with Hypnotic Eyes and Compelling Voice, often used as part of a Mass Hypnosis plot. Compare Hypno Ray, Huge Holographic Head. For the eastern version of hypnosis symptoms, see Mind Control Eyes.
Examples of Hypnotic Head include:
Comic Books
- The Ringmaster from Marvel Comics has done this at least once.
- Blake and Mortimer: Used when Abdul Razek hypnotizes Blake and Mortimer so they can't remember the Chamber of Horus and later in the series when Septimus hypnotizes Mortimer, complete with swirling effect.
Commercials
- This commercial for Super Mario Land 2. "Obey Wario! Destroy Mario!"
Film
- Used in Zoolander, when Mugatu tries to brainwash the title character into assassinating the Prime Minister of Malaysia. "OBEY MY DOG!"
- The Joker in the 1989 Batman film, just after his "Smilex" "commercial".
Live-Action TV
Video Games
- Sam and Max Freelance Police: Culture Shock has this happen to Sam when he gets hypnotized by Brady Culture. "Do my evil bidding, and so forth."
Western Animation
- The villain Vertigo in Batman the Animated Series episode "Off Balance".
- Apu in The Simpsons episode "Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood", during Bart's and Milhouse's squishee hallucinations.
- In Phineas and Ferb, Dr. Doofenshmirtz invents a Musical-Video-Mind-Control-Inator, and a Hypnotic Head of him was shown (see featured image above).
- Mr. Mental in The Tick (animation).
- The Brain during the bumpers in "You Will Buy This Video".