History Main / MarionetteMotion

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'': The result of Screaming Mantis using her weapon on people.

* ''Literature/TheWarAgainstTheChtorr''. During ''A Rage For Revenge'', [=McCarthy=] gets [[DrowningMySorrows suicidally stoned]] and wanders into a Chtorran nest where he has a weird dream in which Ted (a male former LoveInterest who joined the Telepathy Corp) helps him back to his helicopter where he'll be safe. When [=McCarthy=] looks at the camera footage the next day to find out what happened, all he sees is himself doing a SillyWalk like someone else is controlling his body. [=McCarthy=] just puts this down to the drugs and doesn't consider the possibility that he's been secretly implanted by the Telepathy Corp.

* This style of dancing is used by a lot of [[KoreanPopMusic k-pop]] artists, but a particularly memorable example can be seen in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKtvDv7eykg 2PM's music video for "Heartbeat"]] in which the members utilize the style of broken-body dancing to show how their hearts are being controlled by a scornful girl and how they are helpless to stop it. At a few points in the dance, they are even shown as being [[MarionetteMaster controlled]] by one of their own.

Usually used for {{horror}} stories because it is just [[UncannyValley (un)naturally creepy]]. To accentuate the eerie motion, camera tricks like [[JitterCam jitters]], SlowMotion and speeding up may be used. GhostlyGlide may also be used to suggest invisible strings suspending the figure in question.

* In ''Film/MirrorMask'', the UncannyValley box mannequins have this. So ''very'' much. And to the tune of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re-6eOhrejE "Close to You"]], no less.
* When the... ''thing'' in ''Film/{{Splinter}}'' controls bodies, this is how they move.
* The BossBattle in ''Film/{{Stardust}}'' features a very well-done duel with a magically animated dead swordsman who moves this way.
* The android Ash does this when hit over the head in ''Film/{{Alien}}''.
* ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors'' had this with one of it's victims, who ''was'' being controlled as a marionette by Freddy in his dreams.
* ''Film/{{Mama}}'' has this with both [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ins7QwvAp28 Mama]], and the younger sister Lily.

* In The remake of ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1999'', {{undercrank}}ing accompanied by deliberately slow movements resulted in a jerky style for the ghosts (particularly Vannacutt) that plunged them into the UncannyValley.

* The zombies in ''Film/TrainToBusan'' move like this, particularly after they've broken their limbs.

* In the ''Wrestling/LuchaUnderground'' promo where Catrina taunted Fenix about the imminent return of Mil Muertes, [[TerribleTrio the Disciples of Death]] also made their debut- three skull-masked figures perched above Fenix on top of the lockers, [[UncannyValley moving in this eerie, jerky manner]]. It produced the distinct impression that not only might these guys not be your average luchadors, they may not even be ''human!''

* The dead astronauts in ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "Silence in the Library[=/=]Forest of the Dead". Likewise in "Oxygen".

* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E05BloodyMary "Bloody Mary" (S01, Ep5)]], the titular character moves this way when she leaves her mirror.

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* ''Series/CriminalMinds'' had an unsub make marionettes [[BodyHorror with human beings]] in an episode.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldofGumball'', the Robinsons and their son Rocky are 3D puppets animated as if they were actual Muppets.

* ''Literature/TheWarAgainstTheChtorr''. During ''A Rage For Revenge'', [=McCarthy=] gets [[DrowningMySorrows suicidally stoned]] and wanders into a Chtorran nest where he has a weird dream in which Ted (a male former LoveInterest who joined the Telepathy Corp) helps him back to his helicopter where he'll be safe. When [=McCarthy=] looks at the camera footage the next day to find out what happened, all he sees is himself doing a SillyWalk [[spoiler:like someone else is controlling his body. [=McCarthy=] just puts this down to the drugs and doesn't consider the possibility that he's been secretly implanted by the Telepathy Corp.]]

* ''Series/DeepSpaceNine''. Used for BlackComedy when a hostage exchange goes wrong in "The Magnificent Ferengi". The bungling Ferengi accidentally kill their prisoner, implant him with controlling devices and trying walking him towards the Vorta, who seems to think he's been tortured horribly by the evil Federation. "What have they ''done'' to you?"

* Appropriately enough, the Marionettes in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'', who even still have strings on their limbs.

* Two of the Brides in ''Film/BramStokersDracula'' do this briefly after Dracula catches them with Harker. Backing away in a weird jerky motion while growling inhumanly.

* Some of the vampires in ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn3TheHangmasDaughter'' so this in a sped up fashion to showcase their inhuman nature.

* In ''Film/TheGamer'', the BigBad leads himself and several mind-controlled mooks in a marionette dance to mock Creator/GerardButler's character for his lack of autonomy.

* The [[spoiler: ghost of the [[MadArtist Artist's]] dead wife]] appears as this in ''VideoGame/LayersOfFear]]. She ambushes you at certain points if you get too close or ignore warnings on the walls, netting you a nasty JumpScare. Notes around the house explain that the wife's twitches stem from nerve damage caused by a fire that disfigured her in the past.

This is when a robot, ClockworkCreature, golem, [[TheUndead undead]], {{mind control}}led or other human-sized and -shaped entity moves as if it were a puppet on a string. In the process, it defies the laws of anatomy and gravity by [[AbnormalLimbRotationRange bending in unnatural ways]] and [[PowerFloats floating]]... all without strings. Alternately, it might move like a broken animatronic robot, as if its insides had less articulation than a 3-inch ''Toys/GIJoe'' figure.

!!Examples

* In the Hades chapter of ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', the specter Minos Gryphon can turn his enemies into PeoplePuppets. [[CombatSadomasochist The sadist enjoys]] twisting them and breaking them to "put on a show", at one point turning this power on [[spoiler:Gemini Kanon]].

* ''Anime/PrincessTutu'':"

* Mr. Clipboard from ''WesternAnimation/FoodFight!'' moves like this to such a ridiculous degree that WebOriginal/JonTron refused to comment on it during his review out of fear that he ''might have a disability''.

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* In the finale of ''WebVideo/ThereWillBeBrawl'', [[spoiler:The Butchers, [[VideoGame/{{Mother}} Lucas and Ness]], animate and voice [[PeoplePuppets the stuffed corpse]] of Peach to taunt Luigi for his failure to save her]].

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* As with traditional animation, the most basic components of computer animation are keyframes: each movement of a character is broken into a series of poses, and the intervening space is filled in with "tween" frames that transition between these poses. The trouble, however, is that computers are very bad at anatomy, and a poorly keyframed movement can find a character momentarily demonstrating any and all of the many jittery, twitching, gravity-defying, limb-flailing forms of Marionette Motion. Amusingly, a newer CGI animation technique known as digital puppeteering can help {{Def|ied}}y such accidental trips through {{Body Horror}} land: first, the artist defines [[GoingThroughTheMotions a collection of simple, fluid animations for basic movement types]] like walking, getting up from the ground, extending an arm, looking right and left, etc. Then a series of controls are created that allow these to be mixed, matched, and blended on the fly. The exact setup varies from artist to artist; one might use a motion capture system to mimic traditional marionette puppeteering, another might create a hidden control box [[note]] For example, a sphere might be used to point the character's eyes and head, a joystick-like object might make the character lean in various directions, a box sliding on a track might open and close their hands, etc.[[/note]], another might script an interface that lets them use a game controller to enter commands. Done properly, it allows the artist to work with the animation intuitively in real time, and creates much more fluid and natural-looking results.
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This is when a robot, ClockworkCreature, golem, [[TheUndead undead]], {{mind control}}led or other human-sized and -shaped entity moves as if it were a puppet on a string. In the process, it defies the laws of anatomy and gravity by [[AbnormalLimbRotationRange bending in unnatural ways]] and [[PowerFloats floating]]... all without strings. Alternately, it might move like a broken animatronic robot, as if its insides had less articulation than a 3-inch ''GIJoe'' figure.

* The HumongousMecha in older ''SuperSentai'' seasons sometimes slipped into this during wirework stunts.