Nations of the World Montage

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

No, this isn't when Yakko Warner performs a musical number.

A form of montage that uses shots of various cultures from all around the planet, doing the same thing.

It's frequently used to show a global unity, that in the times of the greatest fight, the direst crisis, or the merriest celebration, we, humans, are not so different after all. Despite that, it might still mildly poke fun at National Stereotypes. Due to the Lowest Common Denominator, if a culture is meant to be recognized from a single shot, this picture will probably contain the single most famous landmark of that culture as well.

Distantly related to Travel Montage, which might use similar imagery. Often used with Gondor Calls for Aid when the called groups are also different cultures, and they are all shown answering the call.

No real life examples, please; Real Life does not have montages.

Examples of Nations of the World Montage include:

Anime and Manga

Comic Books

  • In The Death of Superman, nations all over the world are shown reacting to Superman's death. A Frenchman pulls the same expression as a famous photo of a Frenchman watching helplessly as Paris fell to the Nazis. In a Middle Eastern country, Supergirl is criticized for not wearing a veil.

Film - Animated

Film - Live Action

Governments tried to coordinate their defences with those of other nations. The government of India met in a railroad coach, while millions streamed for the imagined safety of the Himalayas. The Finnish, Turkish, Chinese and Bolivians worked and fought furiously. Every effort against their other-world antagonists ended in the same rout.

  • In the 1966 Batman movie, the entire world waits to see whether Batman and Robin can rehydrate the Expies of the United Nations Security Council. "Success, success! They've done it! They've done it!"
  • Baseketball features a montage with countries all over the world tuning in to the sport as it becomes more popular.
  • In The Fellowship of the Ring, the shots of all of the free peoples of Middle-Earth showing up for the Council of Elrond might qualify.
  • Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey has people around the world watching the Battle of the Bands on TV.

Live-Action TV

  • The 2009 V showed all the nations of the world watching the Visitors' greeting message, each in their own language.
  • Done a few times in the revived Doctor Who. The Taj Mahal often seems to stand in for "the rest of the world".
  • The closest way this trope can be experienced in Real Life is when the news shows on January 1 do a report with a Montage of last night's New Year's Eve celebrations and fireworks from all around the world.

Music Video

Newspaper Comics

  • The very first installment of Flash Gordon kicks off with shots of people all over the world panicking because of the impending collision with planet Mongo.

Video Games

  • The final levels of Elite Beat Agents and both Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan games feature the nations of the world cheering against their corresponding worldwide threat, whether it be a giant meteor, an alien invasion, or the heat death of the sun.

Web Original

Western Animation

  • In the Futurama pilot episode, the nations of the world count down to New Year's Day 2000 with the usual suspects including the Eiffel Tower, Great Pyramids, and African tribes. It then happens again for New Year's Day 3000, which includes aliens on a distant planet.
  • South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut has a version of "Kyle's Mom's a Big Fat Bitch" which goes into this.
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