History Main / SmallTownBigHell

This is not just famous in South America; Japan also has this phrase, but it refers not only to small towns but to the [[CloseKnitCommunity small communities each of us formed to]] (close family/friends circle) and how our actions can affect our circles for good or worse.

"[[GratuitousSpanish Pueblo Chico, Infierno Grande]]" in Spanish is an [[TropeNamer old and famous saying in Latin America]], which is about a {{Small Town|s}} that has its own drama since everyone knows each other, and so when something happens (usually something ''bad''), the whole town gets the news and everyone takes sides. If a couple gets into a fight and later get separated, people take sides with either of the ex-lovers. If someone dies, EveryoneIsASuspect. If a rumor is spread, it's a matter of days (or even hours) before the whole town gets the "news."

"Pueblo Chico, Infierno Grande" in Spanish is an [[TropeNamer old and famous saying in Latin America]], which is about a {{Small Town|s}} that has its own drama since everyone knows each other, and so when something happens (usually something ''bad''), the whole town gets the news and everyone takes sides. If a couple gets into a fight and later get separated, people take sides with either of the ex-lovers. If someone dies, EveryoneIsASuspect. If a rumor is spread, it's a matter of days (or even hours) before the whole town gets the "news."

The Spanish saying is very older and known, but the media goes OlderThanTelevision: There're a couple of movies made in South America with this name, a Chilean one (1925) and an Argentinian one (1940).

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[[AC:Film - Live-Action]]

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-->''Small Town Big Hell, for me for you''
-->''Superstitious minds can kill the truth''

-->''Y es que nosotros nos amamos diferente, y no lo perdona la gente''[[note]]And so we love each other different, and the people do not forgive that[[/note]]
* More PlayedForLaughs, but this is pretty much the premise of Music/MirandaLambert's "Famous in a Small Town." You'll never live down ''anything'' in a small town where everyone knows your business.

[[AC:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/TheKirlianFrequency'' combines this trope with TownWithADarkSecret and BuccaneerBroadcaster. Based on the fictional town of Kirlian, close to Buenos Aires (Argentina's capital), the series tells the story of a radio station which only works at night and relates all kind of obscure events that happens in this town, that could be monsters, aliens and other paranormal stuff, a kind of modern ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt''.

* ''Series/StormOfTheCentury'': Creator/StephenKing's "novel for television." With all of the shared secrets and rumors between the people of Little Tall Island, it's amazing they didn't start killing each other BEFORE Andre Linoge comes to town to set them against each other.

* ''Series/MidsomerMurders'': It seems every village and town in Midsomer County is one of these, with murders carried out in response to the theft, adultery, embezzlement, blackmail, prior murders, etc... [[BigNameFan The Queen of England herself]] asked why people even keep living there if they're just going to get themselves killed.

** In Chile, there're various examples like ''Aquelarre'' (a rural town mostly inhabited by women thanks to [[TownWithADarkSecret a witch's curse that only can born females]]), ''Sucupira'' (a beach town with uncommon inhabitants and a [[WaterIsWomanly sea woman's tale]]), ''Oro Verde''[[note]]Green Gold[[/note]] (a town in the South of Chile in the middle of a forest with a GreenAesop) and ''Iorana'' (set in EasterIsland, focused on Rapa Nui communities).

** There's another movie with the [[NamesTheSame same name]], but it's an Argentinian movie from 1940, which is about a DisappearedDad who comes back to his hometown 10 years later to get back his wife and daughter.

* ''Manga/BoysAbyss'' takes place in a small countryside town, but it is a dreary, soul-sucking place. The residents don't take kindly to outsiders and bully them relentlessly, their biggest tourist attraction is a river where two lovers committed suicide together, and it seems like everyone is up in each other's business, as they are wary of the main character because of his mother's promiscuous background and abusive father. Everyone stuck there wants to either leave or make the most of their situation, but they get by on doing this by developing toxic, codependent relationships with each other.

This is not just famous in South America; Japan also has this phrase, but it refers not only to small towns, but to the [[CloseKnitCommunity small communities each of us formed to]] (close family/friends circle) and how our actions can affect our circles for good or worse.

Sub-Trope of SmallTowns. If this is PlayedForHorror, then it's a TownWithADarkSecret, the SisterTrope. If this happens in the United States, then the "big hell" occurs in EverytownAmerica, except if it's OnlyInMiami. Not to be confused with SmallTownRivalry, which is about ''two towns'' in conflict. See also CloseKnitCommunity, in which is also about small towns and communities, but not necessarily has to do with drama.

* ''Manga/BoysAbyss'' takes place in a small countryside town, but it is a dreary, soul sucking place. The residents don't take kindly to outsiders and bully them relentlessly, their biggest tourist attraction is a river where two lovers committed suicide together, and it seems like everyone is up in each other's business, as they are wary of the main character because of his mother's promiscuous background and abusive father. Everyone stuck there wants to either leave or make the most of their situation, but they get by on doing this my developing toxic, codependent relationships with each other.

** ''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} - Saudade'': A graphic novel about the X-Man goes to Brazil for vacation, where his motorcycle was stolen by {{Street Urchin}}s, one of them with a secret. All the story occurs inside the ''favelas'', the [[UrbanSegregation ghetto section of Brazilian cities]] full of delinquence and poverty that work as separated towns inside the cities.

* There's a Chilean SilentMovie called as "Pueblo chico, infierno grande" made in 1925, this movie occurs in a small town in Maipo zone and tells the life of a young married woman who has to bear the inhabitants' critics for hosting two young guys in her house. His husband instead passes most of the time in taberns, usually drunk.

* Commonly seen in MagicRealism works, where most of the action of the books occur in small towns. A common example is Creator/GabrielGarciaMarquez's ''Literature/ChronicleOfADeathForetold'', the story of the murder of Santiago Nasar by the Vicario twins, all the crime and their related events occured in a small town where all the villagers know each other and the rumors and sayings are known for everyone.

** Colombia also is famous for this kind of plots, having some telenovelas like ''Café con aroma de mujer''[[note]]Coffee with scent of woman[[/note]] (set in a town with coffee planctations) and ''Series/PasionDeGavilanes'' [[note]]Passion of the Sparrowhawks, [[DubNameChange also known as]] "Hidden Passion"[[/note]] (set in a hacienda/mansion and the village close to it in the countryside).

* ''Series/CoronationStreet'': Weatherfield is a fictional suburb of [[OopNorth Manchester, England]], as far away as you can get from anywhere exotic, glamorous, sunny and Spanish: but it has a serious crime rate that must make it the murder capital of Britain. Weatherfield is seething with intrigue, jealousy, secrets, etc, and is packed with nosy people who make it their business to dig out other peoples' secrets.

* ''WebAnimation/TheKirlianFrequency'' combines this trope with TownWithADarkSecret and BuccaneerBroadcaster. Based on the fictional town of Kirlian, close to Buenos Aires (Argentina's capitol), the series tells the story of a radio station which only works at night and relates all kind of obscure events that happens in this town, that could be monsters, aliens and other paranormal stuff, a kind of modern ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt''.

[[AC:Real Life]]
* This is not just famous in South America, Japan also has this phrase, but it not refers only to small towns, but to the [[CloseKnitCommunity small communities each of us formed to]] (close family/friends circle) and how our actions can affect our circles for good or worse.