Uncomfortable Elevator Moment: Difference between revisions

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[[File:elevator.jpg|link=Spider Man (Film)|~~right~~|Awkward~]]

[[File:elevator.jpg|link=Spider Man (Film)|frame|Awkward~]]

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'''Homer:''' HAAAAAH! [[Verbal Backspace|I mean, HAllo]]!<br />

'''Mindy:''' Heh... I guess we'll be going down together -- I mean getting off togeth-- I mean--<br />

'''Homer:''' That's OK. I'll just push the button for the stimulator -- I mean elevator!|''[[The Simpsons]]'', [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/The_Last_Temptation_of_Homer~~ "The Last Temptation of Homer"] }}

'''Homer:''' That's OK. I'll just push the button for the stimulator -- I mean elevator!|''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[wikipedia:The Last Temptation of Homer|"The Last Temptation of Homer"]] }}

''(For the proper experience, run the music from [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJsURbVhrWc&feature=related this video] while reading this page.)''

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Particularly in visual fiction, the Western "protocol" is often milked to generate ironic, uncomfortable silences from characters inside the elevator, when some other reaction might well be expected or justified. In short: an [[Uncomfortable Elevator Moment]].

Uncomfortable Elevator Moments traditionally take place inside [[The Elevator From Ipanema]]. The elevator "music" itself often forms part of the humor and/or tension in the scene, but will get cut off abruptly when the scene ends. It can also take the form of a [[Mid Battle Tea Break]] in a fight.

Uncomfortable Elevator Moments traditionally take place inside [[The Elevator From Ipanema]]. The elevator "music" itself often forms part of the humor and/or tension in the scene, but will get cut off abruptly when the scene ends. It can also take the form of a [[Mid-Battle Tea Break]] in a fight.

For added discomfort, cue the fart, with an elevator filled with many, many people.

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* Averted in ''[[The Matrix Reloaded]]'': Trinity, Neo, and Morpheus have entered an elevator, and another civilian is about to get into the lift. Morpheus gives the individual a meaningful shake of the head, which dissuades him from getting aboard. On the other hand, while they're ''in'' the elevator, the three characters still don't face each other when speaking, and they all follow the protocol despite the seriousness of the conversation.

* Parodied for all it is worth in the movie ''[[Asterix]] & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra''. Otis has conceived a primitive lift (powered by the enslaved Pirates) for the new Palace, and when Caesar, Cleopatra and Edifis try it for the first time, they instinctively follow the modern protocol despite the complete anachronism of it.

** "Otis" is the brand of a rather prominent present-day elevator manufacturer. Look around the lift next time you're having an Uncomfortable Elevator Moment. Even more than that, [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Elisha_Otis~~ Elisha Otis] made lifts carrying people possible.

** "Otis" is the brand of a rather prominent present-day elevator manufacturer. Look around the lift next time you're having an Uncomfortable Elevator Moment. Even more than that, [[wikipedia:Elisha Otis|Elisha Otis]] made lifts carrying people possible.

* In the movie version of ''[[Being There]]'', a [[Running Gag]] takes place in the elevator at the Rand mansion. Chance, wheelchair-bound at the time due to a minor leg injury, has never been in an elevator, and his attendant is at first confused by his comments/questions about it ("Does it have a television?"). Following the [[Rule of Three]], the third time around the attendant just breaks out laughing during the ride, explaining that he expected Chance to make another joke about the elevator. Beyond the gag, later in the film, Chance and Eve are going to their respective rooms after a party and Eve tries to explain how she feels about him, while both face the door; as he responds, they turn to each other.

* In the beginning of ''[[Ghost (Film)|Ghost]]'', Carl and Sam pull what's clearly an often-practised joke where they discuss what communicable diseases they've picked up, whilst in a crowded elevator.

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* These are sometimes used as office-sexism-scene-setting moments on ''[[Mad Men]]''.

** In one of them, Don is on the elevator with a couple of younger guys who start talking in fairly graphic detail about a sexual conquest. The elevator stops and an older woman, presumably a secretary, gets on... and the guys don't stop. Don, ever the [[Chivalrous Pervert]], gives them a few sideways glares and finally intervenes by telling the one guy to take his hat off, before reaching over and physically removing it for him, with the obvious overtone of "pay attention to your surroundings, you little prick."

** Bizarrely subverted by the scene in which Pete Campbell goes about expressing what he (in his upper-crust WASPy ignorance) thinks are more or less enlightened views on race to the elevator operator (who is of course black in this [[Politically Correct History|Politically Incorrect History]]) while actually having rather condescending [[Unfortunate Implications]]. Neither he nor most white people--including a lot of white supporters of civil rights--would have recognized it at the time, but the viewers at home were certainly meant to be wincing at least as much as the operator.

** Bizarrely subverted by the scene in which Pete Campbell goes about expressing what he (in his upper-crust WASPy ignorance) thinks are more or less enlightened views on race to the elevator operator (who is of course black in this [[Politically-Correct History|Politically Incorrect History]]) while actually having rather condescending [[Unfortunate Implications]]. Neither he nor most white people--including a lot of white supporters of civil rights--would have recognized it at the time, but the viewers at home were certainly meant to be wincing at least as much as the operator.

* ''[[House (TV)|House]]'' usually has at least [[Once Per Episode|one per episode]]. The standard is: House having conversation/catfight with person; *ding* lift arrives; doors open; House finishes with a witty/cutting/[[Politically Incorrect Hero|entirely innapropriate]] remark and steps into lift -- doors close, with last glimpse of the other passengers eyeing him in alarm. (Because they are now ''trapped with a raving lunatic.'')

* A truly uncomfortable elevator scene took place in a later episode of ''[[Moonlighting]]''. Maddie had just suffered a miscarriage and chose to bury her emotions and get back to work, until she and Dave end up stuck in an elevator together. After several minutes of elevator music, Dave rips out the elevator's speaker while Maddie finally breaks down crying. Dave ends up comforting Maddie and by the time the elevator door opens again, they exit singing, "Oh What a Friend We Have in Jesus".

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* ''[[Mass Effect]]''

** Used during assorted loading screens in. Most of the time the main character and sidekicks just stand there with news playing over the PA system, but from time to time one of the characters starts making commentary on things that are going on in the game.

** This gets perhaps the single greatest [[Shout Out]] in a video game ever though, when in the second game, having Tali and Garrus in your team while running up and down ''stairs'' in the Citadel Wards causes Garrus to [[Lampshade Hanging|comment on how he]] [[Crowning Moment of Funny|misses the conversations]] they used to have in the elevators. Tali threatens him with a shotgun.

** This gets perhaps the single greatest [[Shout-Out]] in a video game ever though, when in the second game, having Tali and Garrus in your team while running up and down ''stairs'' in the Citadel Wards causes Garrus to [[Lampshade Hanging|comment on how he]] [[Crowning Moment of Funny|misses the conversations]] they used to have in the elevators. Tali threatens him with a shotgun.

*** Got lampshaded by [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tAcIGhh5Yo another character].

** Most conversations other characters have with [[Blood Knight|Wrex]] in the elevator end with an awkward silence.

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[[Category:Elevator Tropes]]

[[Category:Uncomfortable Elevator Moment]]

[[Category:Trope]]