History Main / HollywoodTorches

* Averted in ''Film/{{Westworld}}'' when the Gunslinger character follows the protagonist to Medieval World. The heat of the torches in the throne room where the man is hiding masks his body heat from the robot's infrared vision.

* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' torches never go out, even when exposed to rain or a blizzard. If completely flooded with water, the torch merely stops emitting light, being lit again the moment it's back in dry air. They do use gel instead of any real fuel source, but they nonetheless blatantly defy conservation of energy. The Cursed/Ichor torches take it even further by working underwater, though in that case it's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by using explicitly supernatural fuel.

* The Film/SyFyChannelOriginalMovie ''Thor: Hammer of the Gods'' makes frequent use of what may be a subtrope. Carrying a torch (or standing next to someone who does) helps you see in the dark, but apparently ''not by illuminating what you're looking at'', because the protagonists can keep their torches burning while spying on the antagonists! In real life, having the torch close enough to hold it would mostly turn off your night vision, and since it emits light it would be immediately seen by your opponents; even if they're too far away to see who's holding the torch, they would see the torch itself. Nor would a torch be good when hiding behind a corner, since the one you're hiding from could still see how it illuminates the other walls near where you're standing.

Even if they've been abandoned in a dilapidated temple for a thousand years, these burst into cheery flame at the slightest spark, without ever spreading this flame to their surroundings — unless intended to do so. Don't expect them to consume all the oxygen in the air, either, [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands unless the plot demands it]]. In other words, they're ordinary torches suffused with improbable traits of convenience.

** Played Straight in ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'', your torch can light up an entire room, never runs out of fuel, and it can even scare off the beast patients in Old Yharnam.

* Several ''Franchise/TombRaider'' games use a modern twist on the trope, with magnesium flares that [[TenSecondFlashlight burn for about fifteen seconds.]] Played straight in ''TombRaider2013'', where Lara only needs two torches over the course of a multi-day adventure, and only needs to replace the first one because she dropped it. Both burn indefinitely unless passed through water or deliberately extinguished (And apparently dry fast enough that they can be relit the moment she gets them out of the water if she has access to flame or a flint).

** This gets {{Reconstructed|Trope}} by WebVideo/{{Shadiversity}}, who [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsBNHbWGdbY points out that]] braziers are designed to keep ''unlit'' torches handy in case they're needed, much in the same way someone may hang their keys or a flashlight near their front door. Furthermore, keeping a lit torch indoors could (at the least) cover your ceiling with soot, or (at the worst) set your roof on fire. Indoor lighting was mostly done by small oil-burning lamps or lanterns [[note]]oil is incredibly easy to get-- just slaughter an animal and cook its meat in a cauldron with some water, and the fat will render and rise to the top[[/note]]. He points out that there were also very large, staff-like torches designed in the middle ages that solve many of the problems that Lindybeige brings up.

** This gets {{Reconstructed|Trope}} by WebVideo/{{Shadiversity}}, who [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsBNHbWGdbY points out that]] braziers are designed to keep ''unlit'' torches handy in case they're needed, much in the same way someone may hang their keys or a flashlight near their front door. Furthermore, keeping a lit torch indoors could (at the least) cover your sealing with soot, or (at the worst) set your roof on fire. Indoor lighting was mostly done by small oil-burning lamps or lanterns [[note]]oil is incredibly easy to get-- just slaughter an animal and cook its meat in a cauldron with some water, and the fat will render and rise to the top[[/note]]. He points out that there were also very large, staff-like torches designed in the middle ages that solve many of the problems that Lindybeige brings up.

** In the first game, the torch item is basically a superior lantern that will never go out on you. [[spoiler: Although it does become somewhat less desirable when you come across rooms filled with highly flammable gas.]] It's also made of precious materials, so the Thief might steal it at any moment.

* Played mostly straight in the ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'' series - torches do not go out on their own, and do not emit significant smoke.

[[caption-width-right:350:Made in 1776, burning brightly in 2004.]]

* ''Disney/FrozenII'': Anna creates a torch that burns brightly, merrily, and far too long without any sign of being consumed out of a simple piece of damp driftwood ''and nothing more.'' She even lights it instantly with a shower of sparks by striking 2 (likely equally-damp) rocks together over it.

* Notably played straight in the lairs of Orochimaru in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''. His massive bunkers are lit with regularly-spaced torches which apparently never burn out. This can be deduced by the fact that the only people in one base were Orochimaru, Sasuke, and Kabuto, none of whom you would expect to spend all day switching out the hundreds of torches.

* ''Disney/FrozenII'' contains a particularly egregious example: Anna creates a torch that burns brightly, merrily, and far too long without any sign of being consumed out of a simple piece of damp driftwood ''and nothing more.'' She even lights it instantly with a shower of sparks by striking 2 (likely equally-damp) rocks together over it.

Even if they've been abandoned in a dilapidated temple for a thousand years, these burst into cheery flame at the slightest spark, without ever spreading this flame to their surroundings- unless intended to do so. Don't expect them to consume all the oxygen in the air, either, [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands unless the plot demands it.]] In other words, they're ordinary torches suffused with improbable traits of convenience.

!!Examples

[[folder: Anime And Manga ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]
* Averted in ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' where the Pevensie children try to make torches to explore the ruins of Cair Paravel. Held in the normal way, the torches get too hot to hold, and held upside-down the flame goes out, so they end up using Edmund's flashlight instead.

* Averted in one ''Literature/TheLegendOfDrizzt'' novel where Cattie-brie is told that there's no way she could carry enough torches or lamp oil to light her way in the Underdark long enough for her to reach Menzoberranzan, so she is provided with a magical artifact that lets her see in the dark instead.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* The torches on ''Series/{{Lost}}'' will stay lit through just about anything, including torrential rain, and generally burn as brightly as the plot needs.
* During the ''Danger Island'' segments on ''WesternAnimation/TheBananaSplits'' show.
* Subverted in ''Series/{{Castle}}'': When about to explore a secret passage way, his first thought is to jury-rig one of these out of a plunger, toilet paper and lighter fluid. Beckett gives him the DopeSlap and tells him they're going to need breathable air and hands him an electric lantern after pulling out her own flashlight.

* ''Series/GetSmart''. A MadScientist and TheIgor have these lighting their hidden cave, and keep burning themselves as a result.
* ''Series/DoctorWho''
** In "The Name of the Doctor", the catacombs under the Doctor's tomb have burning torches [[BattleTrophy made from Dalek eye stalks]].
** The production team for "The Curse of Peladon" got in trouble for bringing burning torches into the studio. The cameras had to be stripped down and all the soot removed.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

[[folder: Web Video]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* 1960s ''Series/{{Batman}}'' series:

* WebVideo/{{Lindybeige}} has a whole video series called [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM5bKwQUA08ye59tygnx8vG8JbFwJ4_Pj Lindybeige about Torches]] nitpicking apart the inaccurate ways that movies use fire and torches. They randomly stick torches and braziers on walls and depict them burning even during the daytime, despite the fact that real torches burn out, produce a lot of smoke, are expensive, and by no means a good way of lighting an interior. He even notices a scene in ''Series/TheLastKingdom'' where they [[SpecialEffectFailure failed to conceal]] the gas pipe that was feeding a wall torch.

Even if they've been abandoned in a dilapidated temple for a thousand years, HollywoodTorches burst into cheery flame at the slightest spark, without ever spreading this flame to their surroundings- unless intended to do so. Don't expect them to consume all the oxygen in the air, either, [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands unless the plot demands it.]] In other words, they're ordinary torches suffused with improbable traits of convenience.

* The SyFyChannelOriginalMovie ''Thor: Hammer of the Gods'' makes frequent use of what may be a subtrope. Carrying a torch (or standing next to someone who does) helps you see in the dark, but apparently ''not by illuminating what you're looking at'', because the protagonists can keep their torches burning while spying on the antagonists! In real life, having the torch close enough to hold it would mostly turn off your night vision, and since it emits light it would be immediately seen by your opponents; even if they're too far away to see who's holding the torch, they would see the torch itself. Nor would a torch be good when hiding behind a corner, since the one you're hiding from could still see how it illuminates the other walls near where you're standing.

** Zig-Zagged in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', the default Torch along with the Follower Torch never run out of fuel, not even water can extinguish them, it also gets rid of maggots from your body should your foes spilled them onto you. The Immolation Tinder, while not as effective as the Torch when it comes to lightning up a room and being unable to drive out maggots, it never runs out of fuel. However, both the Cleric's Candlestick and Scholar's Candlestick's weapon skill only lights up your candlestick for a set amount of time.

** Zig-Zagged in ''VideoGame/VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', the default Torch along with the Follower Torch never run out of fuel, not even water can extinguish them. However, both the Cleric's Candlestick and Scholar's Candlestick's weapon skill only lights up your candlestick for a set amount of time.