coughing in movies

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when a character coughs in a movie it's pretty much the handiest indication that they're going to die before the act is up (esp. when the cough comes out of nowhere, during some fun activity or scene of the characters relaxing that doesn't advance the plot in any other way.)

where does this come from? my pet theory is that it dates back to victorian times or whatnot, and we're still using the signifier for tuberculosis... what do you think?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 25 November 2004 06:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Or else it's used as a device to trick the viewer into thinking that's the character that's going to die even though HE DOESN'T.

Still leads to death. Somebody's, at least.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 25 November 2004 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

When I make my movie, when somebody coughs it will bean he's A SMOKER! PHOAR3R3R.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Thursday, 25 November 2004 07:06 (twenty-one years ago)

It's savvy (if overused) screenwriting! Oversimplifying, but it's the notion of a plant / payoff combo. An audience's conditioning is to expect the possibility of a death with a cough, but hope/fear it will/won't happen. When the event does arrive, it will've been anticipated, but not directly, and the audience will attach their dramaturgical relief to the emotional scene onscreen, and feel an additional beat of satisfaction to the one they would otherwise allow.

― Remy (x Jeremy), Thursday, 25 November 2004 07:27 (twenty-one years ago)

It's just Chekhov's gun dude. I hate it and things like it too though. It's possible to write a really great screenplay without hamfisted foreshadowing.

― Dan I., Thursday, 25 November 2004 09:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Cliche city: Also if anyone arranges to meet up for lunch 'later'...

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 25 November 2004 09:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Why don't they make more films where people cough and sneeze and burp and fart and play with their feet and involuntarily kick each other's legs and apologise all the time? It would make it more realistic.

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 25 November 2004 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I always thought the handiest indicator that a character was about to die was when he started speaking wistfully of his girlfriend at home, who he was going to marry when the damn war was over.

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 25 November 2004 09:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember once discussing the way you could tell if something was a porn film or not - when the characters get in a car and start to drive somewhere, the camera follows THEIR ENTIRE FUCKING JOURNEY even though nothing happens and the plot doesn't go anywhere.

― He's allergic to lettuce (Mark C), Thursday, 25 November 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Matt, using a version of your theory, we've got to worry for Rob B - it's almost his last day at work before a round the world adventure-of-a-lifetime!

― He's allergic to lettuce (Mark C), Thursday, 25 November 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

You haven't arranged to meet him for lunch after his travelling is done, no?

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 25 November 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

There are much clearer indicators if what you're watching is a porn film, surely?
xxpost

― beanz (beanz), Thursday, 25 November 2004 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, that's the Umberto Eco argument.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)

LATELY I'VE BEEN COUGHING
DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE THE LUNG CANCERS?

OH MY FUCKING GOD I'M GOING TO DIE OH MY GOD OH SHIT OH GOD I DON'T WANT TO DIE!

― trigonalmayhem (trigonalmayhem), Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Relax dear. It's only a commercial.

― Michael Winner (mark grout), Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Films shouldn't be realistic!

― adam... (nordicskilla), Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

and involuntarily kick each other's legs and apologise all the time?
what you mean woody allen movies?

― trigonalmayhem (trigonalmayhem), Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah all those girls in slasher movies cough just before they get hacked by jason or michael myers or whatnot.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 25 November 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

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