History Main / BrownNote

** Seeing the true form of the Greek Gods was said to have this effect on mortals. One of the more famous cases being when Semele, a human princess, was tricked by Hera into convincing Zeus to reveal his true form to her since he had been coming to her in the night in disguise. When he finally relented and threw off his disguise, she was incinerated instantly. Since the gods by and large did not want to wipe out humanity, the desire not to kill humans [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MasqueradeEnforcer forces the gods to enact a masquerade]] Thankfully, her demigod fetus was immortal so Zeus was able to take it and [[MisterSeahorse bring it to term]] in his thigh and eventually gave birth to Dionysus.

** Seeing the true form of the Greek Gods was said to have this effect on mortals, with one of the more famous cases being when Semele, a human princess, was tricked by Hera into convincing Zeus to reveal his true form to her since he had been coming to her in the night in disguise. When he finally relented and threw off his disguise, she was incinerated instantly. Thankfully, her demigod fetus was immortal so Zeus was able to take it and [[MisterSeahorse bring it to term]] in his thigh and eventually gave birth to Dionysus.

* In [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/against-the-deep.97635/page-15#post-22451728 Against the Deep]], [[VideoGame/KanColle Shipgirls and Abyssals]] have this effect on [[Literature/{{Worm}} Thinkers]]. [[spoiler:Coil winds up bumping into Taylor Hebert, the natural-born USS Lord's Port, and literally passed out when he couldn't model her at all.]]

* In [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/against-the-deep.97635/page-15#post-22451728 Against the Deep]], [[VideoGame/KanColle Shipgirls and Abyssals]] have this effect on [[Literature/Worm Thinkers]]. [[spoiler:Coil winds up bumping into Taylor Hebert, the natural-born USS Lord's Port, and literally passed out when he couldn't model her at all.]]

** The sight of Medusa and her Gorgon sisters either [[OneHitKill kills you instantly]] or [[TakenForGranite turns you into stone]] depending on what version of the legend you read. In most versions, this power remains with her hideous visage even after she's been beheaded, and it ends up mounted on Athena's shield or breastplate for exactly that reason. Medusa was killed by the hero Perseus who had ([[SupernaturalAid along with various god-given tools]]) a mirrored shield -- not to reflect her gaze back ''VideoGame/NetHack'' style, but to look into, so he could aim his sword to kill her without looking directly at her.

** Seeing the true form of the Greek Gods was said to have this effect on mortals, with one of the more famous cases being when Semele, a human princess, was tricked by Hera into convincing Zeus to reveal his true form to her since he had been coming to her in the night in disguise. When he finally relented and threw off his disguise, she was incinerated instantly. Thankfully, her demigod fetus was immortal so Zeus was able to take it and [[MisterSeahorse bring it to term]] in his thigh[[note]]which may have been a euphemism for "ballsack" which makes more sense[[/note]] and eventually gave birth to Dionysus.

** Episode 6, "Echoes", has Corin tell the story of the Echo Tree Forest, which is now off-limits after a man stubbed his toe and went insane from the Echo Trees repeating his own scream back at him. When the company sends their body-collectors-who-happen-to-be-deaf, they complete their job but, despite being unable to hear the screaming, also complained a cold vibration inside of their bones.

** "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is officially considered so much of a tearjerker by Thom Yorke that he regards the song as being this, and claims that he didn't write the song so much as [[EldritchAbomination it chose the band as its biological conduit]] for its core message, which he claims he doesn't even fully know. He wrote the song in a deliberately cryptic fashion so that its full impact would be dulled, and he's added that he has to emotionally isolate the song from himself in order to sing it without completely emotionally breaking down.

** "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is officially considered so much of a {{Tearjerker}} by Thom Yorke that he regards the song as being this, and claims that he didn't write the song so much as [[EldritchAbomination it chose the band as its biological conduit]] for its core message, which he claims he doesn't even fully know. He wrote the song in a deliberately cryptic fashion so that its full impact would be dulled, and he's added that he has to emotionally isolate the song from himself in order to sing it without completely emotionally breaking down.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/TheChase'', when Jackson Hammond (Creator/CharlieSheen) tells his kidnapping victim to stop screaming at him because her voice is so high and whiny he can almost feel it boring into his skull. ("It's like a drill!")

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* Creator/DavidLynch's ''Film/Dune1984'' shows Atrades advanced weaponry is sonic in nature, using ultra and/or infrasound to shatter structures, inflict pain in enemy soldiers, etc. [[spoiler: When Paul becomes TheChosenOne he acquires the ability to imitate the effects of this sonic weaponry with just his voice]]

* In ''Film/IronMan1'', one of the weapons Stark Industries has developed is an auditory paralysis device. It causes anyone who hears the noise to be temporarily paralyzed unless they are wearing special electronic eargplugs to counter the noise.

* The [[https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/octobass?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page&fbclid=IwAR1RrhPqwR5jBR_7itnyQHZz3GlVtarVVAwEUX4mdsttR-kA_G9q7d0j5zo Octobass]] is a musical instrument designed for classical perfomance which is effectively an eleven-foot tall double bass. It only requires three strings, and its size is such that for fret work, the fingerboard is operated remotely via a system of switches and capos, as the perfomer would otherwise be physically incapable of reaching. It plays bass notes which are inaudible to the human ear as they are pitched so low, and the effect can only be felt. It was designed, in fact, to be felt as a whole-body experience and not perceived via the ears. Only seven examples were ever built, and one is occassionally used in performance by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

** Seeing the true form of the Greek Gods was said to have this effect on mortals, with one of the more famous cases being when Semele, a human princess, was tricked by Hera into convincing Zeus to reveal his true form to her since he had been coming to her in the night in disguise. When he finally relented and threw off his disguise she was incinerated instantly. Thankfully her demigod fetus was immortal so Zeus was able to take it and [[MisterSeahorse bring it to term]] in his thigh[[note]]which may have been a euphemism for "ballsack" which makes more sense[[/note]] and eventually gave birth to Dionysus.

* Seeing the full glory of [[Literature/TheBible God]] is harmful for mortals; none can see God's face and live. Moses asked to see God's face, and after explaining the aforementioned, God placed him in a crevice and passed over while showing His back to Moses. That was enough to make Moses' face shine when he went down. Saul saw God's light while on his way, and even closing his eyes during the encounter still rendered him blind. On the other hand, the Beautitudes mentioned how the pure of heart are blessed, for they will see God.

-->'''Robert Evans:''' I can just... I can hear our listener numbers plummeting... Listening in their cars with their stereos all the way up, just started vomitting at the side of the road.
* Creating these is the goal of [[MadArtist Zoey Evans]] in ''Podcast/OnTheThreshold'' through VR environments. Specifically she's tried to induce "the inversion of religous ecstasy" through her [[CreepyCathedral Cathedral of Bar Shacath]] and [[EternalRecurrence "mnemonokyklosia"]] through her newest project.

[[caption-width-right:350: Looks like he turned a blind ''[[{{Pun}} eye]]'' to Medusa's hair. [[note]] [[http://rye-bread.deviantart.com/art/Medusa-and-the-Optometrist-145352897 Image]] by [[http://rye-bread.deviantart.com/ RYE-BREAD]] [[/note]] ]]

** At the end of the film, [[spoiler:God kills a now-mortal Bartleby by speaking a single word in his ear. His head blows up. The viewer hears only a deep, loud thrumming noise.]]

* In the ''FanFic/PonyPOVSeries'', there's Havoc, AnthropomorphicPersonification of Mass Hysteria. Looking at his true form will terrify ponies so badly they'll likely never sleep again. His ''voice'' will reduce them to horrified wrecks.
* In [[http://thepunishment.tumblr.com/post/7430283171/prequel-daisy the prequel]] to a ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' fanfiction called [[http://thepunishment.tumblr.com The Punishment]], Wheatley falls victim to a glitch programmed into all personality cores which makes them [[CuteMachines "fall]] [[SleepCute asleep"]] at the sound of human singing.

* ''Fanfic/{{Equestrylvania}}'': Just looking at [[TheGrimReaper Death]]'s face {{Mind Rape}}s the viewer, causing them to relive every terrible memory they have.
* In a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot, Twilight Sparkle in ''Fanfic/PagesOfHarmony'' uses infrasound on Fluttershy as part of the procedures to break Kindness from her. The process causes Fluttershy to feel disoriented, a nearly tangible fear that completely overwhelms her as she experiences horrifying visions.

* Apparently, an age-regressed [[Fanfic/Gensokyo20XX Reimu]] and trying to understand her (or rather understand her personality and antics) is this for some, as Ran noted that trying to do so would cause mental distress, making the effect rather psychological. The fact that Reimu, by this point, is a youkai doesn't help matters either.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8806745/3/At-The-End-Of-All-Things The End of All Things]]'' a magical reaction destroys the Horcrux in Harry's scar during second year. It's stated that if Madame Pomfrey had been unlucky enough to hear the scream of the dying Horcrux it would've shattered her mind.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11053233/1/Number-48 Number 48]]'' Harry's Grim Reaper says that Leviathan's true form is so impossibly beautiful that looking at him causes mortals to feel pain unless he decides otherwise.
* In ''[[FanFic/PokemonBlackandWhiteTaleofaLegend Pokemon Black & White: Tale of a Legend]]'', Volan, Thrin, and their dragons are filled with intense pain and anger when they hear [[spoiler:Kyurem's cry]].
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8831374/2/The-Power-of-the-Press The Power of the Press]]'' the screaming of a Horcrux being destroyed gives Sirius nightmares and makes an American observer physically ill.
* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfAnElderGod'': In episode 9, "[[Franchise/CthulhuMythos The King In Yellow]]" play makes an appearance. When it's performed, a lot of people goes mad and dies, and [[EldritchAbomination Hastur]] shows up at the end. However, [[spoiler:it's defeated and destroyed.]]
* ''FanFic/ThisBites'':
** Soundbite learns to produce a sound that causes extreme nausea and disorientation in everyone who hears it, enabling Cross to take them down easier. [[CallingYourAttacks He and Cross christen it "Gastro-Phony" (going off of cacophony) in Chapter 25.]]
** When [[spoiler:DJ Gappa of Baron Omatsuri's crew, possessed by Lily, broadcasts on the SBS to invite them to come to their island]], the sheer fakeness being broadcasted sends chills up everyone's spine. To say nothing of what happens when anyone tries calling Soundbite while on the island. All they get is a completely unholy sound, with a hint of ''something'' underneath. [[labelnote: What?]][[AC:[[spoiler:My fun. My toys. My food. Go away!]]]][[/labelnote]]
* Ringo's mindsight turns out to function this way in ''Fanfic/TheKeysStandAlone: The Soft World''. Any genuine telepath (John is not one) who taps into Ringo while he's using mindsight will instantly become addicted to it, and unless he's heavily shielded, he'll also get the mental equivalent of a bad sunburn. And don't think the mindsight isn't having a comparable addictive effect on Ringo—hence his extreme BlessedWithSuck.
* ''Fanfic/BesidesTheWillOfEvil'': The screams of the [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings fell beasts]] cause anyone who hears them to be overwhelmed by visceral terror.
* ''Fanfic/RobbReturns'': The [[EldritchAbomination entity behind the Hightower Gate]] emits an aura of fear to everyone in its proximity, and the effect is stronger the closer you get. At a certain distance (marked on the floor), the aura causes people to lose control of their bowels. Get closer, and you'll collapse from fear. [[spoiler:And if you get too close, you die of sheer terror, then the entity possesses your corpse and tries to break out from behind the gate. However, wielding [[AncestralWeapon Otherbane]] renders you immune to the aura.]]
* In ''FanFic/TheShapeOfTheNightmareToCome'', saying the full name of [[EldritchAbomination the Nex]][[spoiler:us of ever fated rising madness hope of all turned black doom to all the belligerents and their gods all hail doom nightmares]] causes severe nausea and vomiting, and wreaks havoc on recording equipment.
* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': In "The Spaceship," Rhino blows on a dog whistle that proves intensely painful to both Bolt's ears and those of the dog-like aliens who try to abduct him.
* In ''Fanfic/ForTheGloryOfIrk'', the [[StarfishAliens Parasite]] known as Q usually speaks in a telepathic simulation of human voices. When he speaks in his own language, it's enough to cause Dib pain and nearly overwhelm him.

** In this same series, there's the Creepy Painting Strong Mad keeps in his closet, which depicts a gargoyle-like creature named Rocoulm who says "Come on in here!" and causes anyone who sees the painting to get "the jibblies."

--> '''Homestar:''' Li'l Brudder! I... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY LIFE! I'm thinking of getting into male modeling... or maybe high finance... I JUST DON'T KNOW!!

* In WebAnimation/YouTubePoop, an OffModel picture of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi]], nicknamed "Weegee", has gradually developed this power. Anyone who looks at him for too long [[TheVirus will become him]]. It's been used as a metaphor for how {{meme}}s spread.

See also BlackSpeech for inherently evil languages, which may overlap with this for people who aren't evil enough. A BrownNoteBeing is an entity that causes this by something of its very nature, and is a common trait of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, due to how mind-breakingly alien they are. The nastiest forms of this also force their victims to propagate them, overlapping with MindVirus. Not to be confused with the real-life [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_noise "Brown noise"]], which is completely harmless and sounds a bit like a poorly maintained air conditioner. Compare SuckinessIsPainful, for when the "Note" is an awful work of art, and MakeMeWannaShout for sounds that cause physical harm due to their extreme volume.

* ''Film/TheSignal2007'' features an audio/video signal that has a psychological effect on anyone who hears/sees it, causing people to go insane, or become obsessed with the signal, and trying to make others experience the signal.
* The videotape from ''Film/{{Ringu}}'' (and its [[ForeignRemake American adaptation]], ''Film/TheRing'') which causes anyone who watches it to die seven days later [[spoiler: unless they made a copy of the tape and gave it to someone else]]. In the American version, the short film ''Rings'' and the website "[[http://www.she-is-here.com/ She Is Here]]" expand on the concept; Samara's videotape is treated almost like a mind-expanding drug.
** In the original novels, it eventually becomes clear that the tape is not, in a traditional sense, haunted. The tape causes physical changes to the viewer's body, eventually resulting in their death. The film adaptation differs from this.
* Creator/DavidCronenberg's ''Film/{{Videodrome}}'', about a TV signal that causes brain tumors and hallucinations. The discoverers of the signal attach it to a violent {{gorn}} show [[spoiler: in order to clean up society by killing everyone who watches violent television]].
* In ''Film/MysteryMen'', Casanova Frankenstein built a machine that could warp [[RealityWarper reality itself]]. Apparently the equations underlying it were so complex that anybody who studied them would go insane. Fortunately for Frankenstein, he was [[ObfuscatingInsanity already insane]] and had spent a decade in [[BedlamHouse the asylum]] with several of those scientists.
* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' has the Knights who say Ni!. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Like their name makes clear]], they utter the word "Ni!" in a very screechy high pitched voice to hurt passing travelers and scare them into doing their bidding. "Ni!" works whether it's the Knights saying it or someone else, as when King Arthur is [[ItMakesSenseInContext harassing that old woman to find a shrubbery]]. [[spoiler:It's later revealed the word "it" serves as a Brown Note against the Knights themselves.]]
* In ''Film/MarsAttacks!'', it is discovered that the Martians' main weakness is the singing voice of Slim Whitman; a recording of "Indian Love Call" causes [[YourHeadAsplode their heads to explode]]. Seriously.

* The ''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/LiveAndLetDie'' opens with the assassination of the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United Nations, carried out through sound piped through his translation earpiece.

* ''Film/{{Pi}}'' is about a number sequence that helps define the universe. However, the process of determining this number is fatally destructive to a computer, be it machine or human.
* The film ''Film/{{Pontypool}}'' is about a memetic virus that is spread through human speech, leading to confusion and murder.
-->"For your safety, please avoid contact with close family members, and refrain from the following: all terms of endearment, such as 'honey' or 'sweetheart'; babytalk with young children; and rhetorical discourse. For greater safety, please avoid the English language. Do not... [[OhCrap translate... this message.]]"
* ''The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz'' features the Tuning Fork of Annihilation. When played back over the emergency broadcast system, it causes the destruction of all TV sets and kills all children who hear it.

* In ''Film/HighAnxiety'' Dr. Wentworth gets [[spoiler:trapped in his car and killed from an ear hemorrhage caused by the loud rock music blaring from the car radio.]]
* In ''Film/DisturbingBehavior'', the E-Rat-icator device used by [[AlmightyJanitor Mr. Newburry]] is designed to have this effect on rats to drive them away, but it doesn't work so well. [[spoiler:[[ChekhovsGun It is, however]], '' damn '' effective against [[MindControlDevice mind-control chips]].]]

* Creator/DavidLynch's ''Film/Dune1984'' shows Atrades advanced weaponry is sonic in nature, using ultra and/or infrasound to shatter structures, inflict pain in enemy soldiers, etc. [[spoiler: When Paul becomes TheChosenOne he acquires the ability to imitate the effects of this sonic weaponry with just his voice]]
-->'''Atreides:''' [[WordsCanBreakMyBones I can kill with a word]].\\
'''Soldier:''' And his word shall bring death eternal for all those who stand against the righteous!
* In the ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRockyAndBullwinkle'' movie, the villains use a television program that causes the viewers to become zombies and attempt to broadcast it across the United States so Fearless Leader can become president.

* ''Film/{{Constantine}}''. When John is trying to exorcise a demon from a little girl he tells the men helping him not to look. One of them does and his [[LockedIntoStrangeness hair instantly turns white]].
* In ''Film/TheLordsOfSalem'' the song on the strange record has this effect on Heidi.
* ''Film/KickAss2'' has the Sick Stick, a stun baton of sorts that induces instantaneous nausea and diarrhea on it's victims. Hit-Girl uses it on the AlphaBitch and her GirlPosse for humiliating her.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Film/TheChase'', when Jackson Hammond (Creator/CharlieSheen) tells his kidnapping victim to stop screaming at him because her voice is so high and whiny he can almost feel it boring into his skull. ("It's like a drill!")
* In the religious horror film ''Film/DeliverUsFromEvil'' the (apparent) head villain repeatedly leaves graffiti in the form of latin/persian incantions written in strange places. It turns out [[spoiler: simply reading these incantations, not necessarily even out loud, allows the reader to be possessed by a demon]].
* In the UsefulNotes/NewZealand-made film ''Film/{{Deathgasm}}'', the protagonist stumbles upon some sheet music that when played, turns anyone within earshot into demons.
* In the 2015 film ''{{Film/Kingsman The Secret Service}}'', the villain develops a signal (transmittable by cell phone) which causes anyone nearby to become violently homicidal. The first live test is done in a crowded church, while a highly competent secret agent happens to be present. The resulting four minutes of deadly free-for-all is epic.
* The last segment of the horror anthology ''Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear'' features video recordings of experiments with a lethal Brown Note musical piece that makes listeners tear themselves apart. The researchers had to destroy the eardrums of their pianist just to let him play the whole thing, and it ''still'' killed him when he finished.
* ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'': The concussion from the tank's main gun firing in the opening sequence puts the pursuing constables on the ground, groaning and helpless. {{Justified}} considering they just had several artillery shells powerful enough to blow the vault door off its hinges go off in a confined space; the bigger surprise is that the overpressure didn't outright kill them and that the Fantom and his men can still hear each other (apparently the tank cabin has ''very'' good sound insulation).
* In the Thai horror film ''Film/ComingSoon'', watching the scene of the [[ShowWithinAShow film within a film]] "Evil Spirit" where the BigBad Shomba is hung to death after being discovered kidnapping children will cause whoever watches it to die.
* ''Film/BirdBox'': The mere sight of the creatures causes this. It drives most people to suicide. With those who were already mentally unhinged, they became obsessed with it, and force others to look.

* In WebAnimation/YouTubePoop, an OffModel picture of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi]], nicknamed "Weegee", has gradually developed this power. Anyone who looks at him for too long [[TheVirus will become him]]. It's been used as a metaphor for how {{meme}}s spread.
* According to the ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' cartoon "Fall Float Parade", Strong Sad goes into an unexplained trance whenever he hears the phrase "covered bridges". At least until Strong Bad starts hitting him with nunchucks.
** In this same series, there's the Creepy Painting Strong Mad keeps in his closet, which depicts a gargoyle-like creature named Rocoulm who says "Come on in here!" and causes anyone who sees the painting to get "the jibblies."
** And apparently, a drawing of a one-legged puppy nicknamed "Li'l Brudder" can make Homestar break down in tears.
--> '''Homestar:''' Li'l Brudder! I... I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY LIFE! I'm thinking of getting into male modeling... or maybe high finance... I JUST DON'T KNOW!!

* The Creator/DavidLynch film version of ''Film/{{Dune}}'' shows Atrades advanced weaponry is sonic in nature, using ultra and/or infrasound to shatter structures, inflict pain in enemy soldiers, etc. [[spoiler: When Paul becomes TheChosenOne he acquires the ability to imitate the effects of this sonic weaponry with just his voice]]