Suddenly Shouting

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Two characters are carrying on a conversation. John Doe says something. Richard Roe responds in his regular voice, but then SUDDENLY HE'S SHOUTING!

Typically happens for one of three reasons:

  • Anger: Something John said just really infuriates Richard, or perhaps simply made an already bad mood worse. Often this is preceded by other visual cues of anger, such as a twitching eye, giving the impression that despite his feelings Richard is still trying to maintain some sense of composure before finally giving in and letting loose with an impassioned tirade.
  • Surprise / Fear: Richard is carrying on as normal, when suddenly a cold, dead hand settles on his shoulder, or someone sets off an explosive in his presence, or something else happens that he just didn't or couldn't expect. Often accompanied by an upward shift in pitch.
  • Drama: Richard is naturally a Large Ham and wants you to know that what he is revealing is quite important, no matter how mundane it may actually be.

Compare Careful with That Axe and Last-Note Nightmare, which apply a similar sort of logic to music. Sometimes overlaps with This Is Sparta or Ha Ha Ha No.

Examples of Suddenly Shouting include:

Advertising

  • Lampshaded in a Dave Barry column on ads he and the rest of the world hates:

"[...] ads where the announcer SHOUTS AT YOU AS THOUGH YOU ARE AN IDIOT and then reads, in very muted tones, what sounds like the entire US tax code."

Anime and Manga

Kyon: Okay, how is this happening right now? If your mouth gets any closer to her, someone standing off camera is gonna step into frame and KICK YOUR ASS, DAMMIT!

Colonel Mustang: When I'm Führer, there will be changes. That day, all female officers will be required to wear... TINY MINISKIRTS!

Comics

Jon: Be careful there, Garfield. Hanging on the drapes can be very painful. 'CAUSE I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR LEGS IF YOU DON'T GET OFF THEM THIS INSTANT!

Jon: Some dirty, rotten, low-down, slimy, filthy, disgusting, gluttonous, hog STOLE MY SUPPER!

Film - Animated

  • Toy Story 3: "He was putting you IN THE ATTIC!"
    • "He's not a space ranGER!"
  • The Iron Giant: "What you currently have IN YOUR MOUTH IS ART!"

Film - Live Action

  • The Thing (1982). Garry (the station commander) was tied down in case he was one of the Things. He has just been proved to be human and not a Thing, but he's still annoyed.

Garry: I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!

Austin Powers: WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
Basil Exposition: The shouting is a temporary side effect of the unfreezing.
Austin Powers: Yes... I'm having difficulty controlling THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE.

"Again, something that could have been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!"

Live Action TV

  • From Doctor Who, New Series 1 finale (paraphrased):

The Doctor: If there's one thing I do, it's talk, so if anyone's going to be silent, IT'S YOU!

Kenneth Rhys-Evans: That reminds me of a story that's in no way related. I was working with John Gielgud in a production of Troilus and Cressida, when I discovered I had no control OVER THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE!

  • Crowley from Supernatural does this a lot.
  • On Frasier, Frasier Crane is the master of this trope:

Frasier: This morning you said you two met on a double date.
Roz: Oh that's right, we did meet on a double date!
Frasier: THIS MORNING YOU SAID NOTHING!!!

  • Firefly Mal has a particularly good unexpected one during a stand off with his "wife" in the episode "Trash".

Mal: "While this is touching, Yosaffbridge, I really- DROP IT, NOW!"

Host: Mr. Dove, I believe you're interested in shouting.
Dove: (full volume) YES, I'M INTERESTED IN SHOUTING, ALL RIGHT. BY JOVE, YOU'VE CERTAINLY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THAT PARTICULAR OBSERVATION OF YOURS THEN.
Host: And what does your wife think?
Mrs. Dove: (full volume) I AGREE WITH HIM!
Dove: SHUT UP!

Video Games

  • Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow: The final boss of the bonus mode, Julius Mode, does this when you fight him with the titular character.

Julius: Kuru ga ii...Yuriusu...BERUMONDOOOOOO!

Look! Rhinos, RHINOS! Our enemies hide in METAL BOXES! The cowards, the FOOLS! We... should take away, their metal boxes.

Web Comics

Web Original

Western Animation

King Voracious: That baby...Daddy was telling SUCH A NICE STORY!