Line #19 Film/TheBananaSplitsMovie


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/p17090364_v_v8_aa.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''This is nothing like the show.'']]
3
4	->''Tra-la-la! Tra-la-la-la! Tra-la-la! Tra-la-la-la!''
5
6	''The Banana Splits Movie'' is a MadeForTVMovie based on the 1960s series ''Series/TheBananaSplits'', making a GenreShift from comedy to horror. It was released digitally on August 13, 2019, on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 27, 2019, and premiered on Creator/{{Syfy}} October 12, 2019.
7
8	A boy named Harley and his family (brother Austin, mother Beth, and father Mitch) attend a taping of The Banana Splits TV show, which is supposed to be a fun-filled birthday for young Harley and business as usual for Rebecca, the producer of the series. But things take an unexpected turn -- and the body count quickly rises. Can Harley, his mom, and their new pals safely escape?
9
10	The trailer can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R1-ZZTcTBY here.]]
11	----
12	!!This film contains examples of the following tropes:
13	* ActionMom: Beth takes this role to protect her children.
14	* ActionDressRip: Beth takes off her white sweater when it gets caught on a tree branch, sporting her [[TankTopTomboy red tank-top]] as she [[ActionMom goes to save Austin from Bingo]].
15	* AdaptationalVillainy: Needless to say, the 1968 versions of Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snorky would never, ever, ever, ever, ''ever'' do ''any'' of the horrifying things their 2019 movie counterparts did. [[spoiler:Although Snorky escapes this as the TokenGoodTeammate.]]
16	* AdvertisedExtra: [[spoiler: Despite being the Split who's the most predominant on the cover, Bingo has the least amount of screen time -- most of the killing is done by Fleegle and Drooper, and Snorky gets a small subplot. Bingo only does two things by himself during the events of the film and is damaged after the second one, only showing up for the climax of the film to fight Snorky.]]
17	* AerosolFlamethrower: [[spoiler:Drooper uses an aerosol can and Andy's dropped and lit cigar to do this to Jonathan.]]
18	* AIIsACrapshoot: Due to errors in their programming, the Banana Splits take the phrase "The show must go on" a little too seriously...
19	* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler: Andy's fate when Drooper and Fleegle perform the "banana split" on him.]]
20	* AndShowItToYou: [[spoiler:During the Snorky vs. Bingo fight, Bingo reaches into Snorky's chest and rips out a piece of machinery. While not a literal heart, it's blatantly heart-shaped, is leaking fluid, and a heartbeat sound effect plays as it gets torn out.]]
21	* AscendedFanboy: Harley is a fan of the InUniverse Banana Splits show, and he gets to see them live for his birthday.
22	* AssholeVictim: Stevie, Mitch and Andy. In fact, most of the people whose deaths we see are justified by them being total dicks ([[spoiler:Thadd being the most notable exception]]).
23	* AudibleSharpness: Harley's extendable wand makes this sound whenever it extends. [[spoiler:It's actually sharp enough to impale straight through Drooper's head during the final battle!]]
24	* BagOfKidnapping: Bingo uses this method to capture Parker.
25	* BigBadDuumvirate: Fleegle and Drooper, as they do way more than Bingo and Snorky.
26	* BigDamnHeroes: Twice. [[spoiler:The first time, Bingo snatches Austin from above while he and Beth are in his jungle, only for Beth to race to the top of the rafters just in time to save her son by grabbing Bingo and shoving him over the railing, making him plummet to the ground below. The second time in the final battle, only Drooper is left standing, but he gets the upper hand over both Austin and Beth. Harley returns, throwing Beth the extendible wand he received earlier. Stabbing it through Drooper's head is enough to finally bring him down.]]
27	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The children are saved, Austin and Paige are starting a relationship, and the Banana Splits have been destroyed. However, much of the main cast have been killed [[AssholeVictim (though admittedly, some really had it coming)]] and poor Poppy has been driven insane from the traumatic events that happened, she then drives off with the remains of the Banana Splits [[NotQuiteDead who all may not be out of commission after all.]]]]
28	* BloodierAndGorier: Needless to say, ''The Banana Splits Show'' was ''definitely'' not this violent.
29	* BondOneLiner: Fleegle after [[spoiler:sawing Thadd in half, says, "Ta-daaaaaaa!"]]
30	* BreakTheCutie: Happens to Poppy after [[spoiler:Thadd is murdered by Fleegle in front of her eyes.]]
31	* BullyingADragon: [[spoiler:Stevie's nasty behavior towards the Splits makes him the first person to die.]]
32	* CanonForeigner: There wasn't a character named Stevie in the original 1968 series, [[spoiler:nor was there a fifth female member of the Banana Splits, an owl named Hooty.]] Presumably, in the film's Verse, the show was enough of a LongRunner to justify having added to its cast over time.
33	* CasanovaWannabe: Within moments of meeting Paige, Austin tries to get her number, only to immediately retract it after realizing how awkward it sounded. [[spoiler:At the end of the film, he asks again and manages to get it.]]
34	* ChekhovsGun:
35	** The extendable wand Austin gives Harley for his birthday. [[spoiler:It is used to take out Drooper at the end.]]
36	** In a villainous example, [[spoiler:Rebecca complains early on about one of the prop hammers not being big enough. Drooper later kills her with that very same hammer.]]
37	** The Hooty plans and empty costume. [[spoiler: They're stolen by Poppy as she decides to reinvent herself ''as'' Hooty.]]
38	* CreateYourOwnVillain: Andy deciding to spitefully cancel the show causes the Splits to turn both against him and the rest of the production team.
39	** An example also happens with Poppy. [[spoiler: When Fleegle kills her boyfriend, she ends up switching to the side of the Splits and aids them from the shadows.]]
40	* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Almost all deaths at the hands of the Splits are particularly painful and gruesome.
41	** Stevie gets a lollipop forcibly shoved into his throat, suffocating to death.
42	** Thadd [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe gets brutally sawed in half]] by Fleegle.
43	** Jonathan gets his face burnt, then has his back ripped open by Fleegle.
44	** Andy gets nailed to the "Wheel of Endings", then [[AnArmAndALeg gets his limbs forcibly pulled off]] by the Splits.
45	* DancePartyEnding: Harley notes that every episode of the show ends with the "Rock Out" choice [[spoiler:when Andy lands on the "Banana Split" choice on the Wheel of Endings before his death]]. Also happens over the credits, with the Splits dancing to the theme song.
46	* DarkerAndEdgier: Taking a kid-friendly (if a bit weird) show and turning it into a bloody horror movie? It doesn't get darker and edgier than that.
47	* DarkReprise: A lower-pitched version of the show's theme song plays in the second half of the trailer.
48	* DrivenToVillainy: Losing their show, and being told that they're going to be ripped apart for use at a theme park, is what causes the Banana Splits to go berserk.
49	* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler:The movie ends with Poppy, having lost her marbles and fully embraced the role of Hooty, escaping in a Banana Buggy with the remains of the Banana Splits, casually running over and killing Mitch, and laughing maniacally the whole time, while Fleegle re-activates.]]
50	* EntitledBastard: Mitch genuinely expects Beth to forgive him after constantly cheating on her and being unfaithful. Unsurprisingly, Beth calls it off with him.
51	-->'''Mitch:''' [[BlatantLies I don't want to be with Kara. I want you. I love you, Beth.]]
52	-->''[[ShutUpHannibal (Beth decks Mitch to the ground)]]''
53	-->'''Beth:''' [[TranquilFury I want a divorce.]]
54	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Mitch's first three scenes emphasize how much of a jerk he is. First, when informed that his son Harley only has one friend, he seems genuinely surprised, showing he doesn't pay much attention to his kids' lives. Next, he finds Austin rooting through his stuff and [[HopeSpot says that if Austin needs money, he can just ask...]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk and then when Austin does ask, he laughs and says "Not a chance."]] Finally, when Beth starts to reveal to Harley that they're going to the taping, [[ItsAllAboutMe Mitch grabs the tickets and announces it himself instead,]] and when Harley thanks him, just tells him not to call him "Daddy".
55	%%* {{Expy}}: If this movie was inspired by “Five Nights at Freddy’s”, Karl seems to be one for William Afton.
56	* EyeScream: One person gets killed by having Bingo's drumsticks shoved through his eyes.
57	* FinalBoss: [[spoiler:Bingo is the final obstacle to the heroes at the end of the film, but he gets defeated by Snorky [[HeroicSacrifice at the cost of the latter's life]].]]
58	* ForcedToWatch: Poppy is forced to watch while Thadd is sawed in half. [[spoiler: The trauma from this is what eventually causes her SanitySlippage later.]]
59	* ForTheEvulz: Andy cancels the Banana Splits Show for no reason beyond it being "old and lame", despite it seemingly still being popular with audiences.
60	* FoulBallPit: The final obstacle of the Sloppy Time obstacle course. [[spoiler: Also is Rebecca's final resting place courtesy of Drooper.]]
61	* FromNobodyToNightmare: The Splits go from beloved children's entertainers to mass murderers after learning their show is going out of business.
62	* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Andy is seen puffing on a cigar to establish that he's a sleazy asshole in a position of authority.
63	* GoofyPrintUnderwear:
64	--> '''Zoe''': But [The Banana Splits] is for babies!
65	--> '''Zoe's Mother''': And suddenly ''you're'' so mature? [[NotSoAboveItAll You've got bunnies on your undies.]]
66	* GreaterScopeVillain: Karl, who created the Banana Splits who later go on a killing spree.
67	* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Fleegle does the "saw a man in half" magic trick -- with a real saw, and gory results.
68	* HarmfulToMinors: The Splits' goal is to force young children to watch horrific imagery, such as [[BurnItWithFire Stevie's corpse getting immolated]] and [[AnArmAndALeg Andy literally getting torn limb from limb]]. No wonder Beth told them to close their eyes and not watch.
69	* HateSink:
70	** Stevie is the token human of the ''Banana Splits'' television series. [[NiceCharacterMeanActor A rude, lazy, selfish alcoholic]], Stevie sexually harasses Paige and torments the animatronics with the knowledge that their show was to be cancelled before becoming the first to fall victim to their killing spree when a lollipop prop is lodged down his throat.
71	** Andy is the studio executive of Taft Studios who was indirectly responsible for the Splits' spree by canceling the show for no other reason than considering it boring, and wanting to do something "cool and edgy" -- essentially putting multiple people out of a job all on a selfish whim. He gets the worst death at the hands of the animatronics when he gets tied to the new Wheel of Endings and won the [[AnArmAndALeg "banana split"]].
72	** Mitch is the husband of Beth Williams and the father of Austin and Harley. Irritated that his wife was giving his sons more attention, he has an affair with a coworker (not to mention being smugly dismissive of Austin and joking about how Harley came within a hair's breadth of being run over), and when she finds out, [[NeverMyFault he gets all huffy and acts like the affair is all Beth's fault]]. Of course, he gets run over by Snorky's Banana Buggy. ''Twice''.
73	* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:When Bingo has the survivors cornered at the climax, Snorky comes out of nowhere to fight him and save the survivors, killing Bingo but not before Bingo pulls a AndShowItToYou.]]
74	* HiddenDepths: Early in the movie, Austin seems to be kind of a LazyBum not doing much with his life at 19. Over the course of the movie, he's shown to be very perceptive and one of the most likable characters of the film such as getting his brother backstage privileges at the show and being the angriest at Mitch's infidelity.
75	* HopeSpot:
76	** Rebecca manages to finish the Sloppy Time course alive, [[spoiler:only for Drooper to be waiting at the end with a hammer to finish her off.]]
77	** Mitch manages to find the gate attendant and begs him for help, [[spoiler:but one of the Splits decapitated him off-screen. Mitch shakes his shoulder to get his attention, and his head falls clean off.]]
78	* HostileAnimatronics: The Splits go from being people in costumes to being animatronics. Naturally, this trope comes into play.
79	* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:Beth kills Drooper by impaling him with Harley's wand.]]
80	* ImprobableInfantSurvival: [[spoiler:While the Splits never attack any children, it's pointed out that their ultimate plan (kill all the adults and chain all the children to the seats, so they can watch their show forever) will ultimately lead to their deaths via starvation or dehydration. Presumably, the Splits (being robots) didn't know that humans need food to survive. In terms of storytelling, however, the trope is played straight -- all of the children, including Harley and Zoe, survive the events of the film.]]
81	* LaughablyEvil: The Splits have turned to psychotic killers, but it's near impossible not to get a chuckle out of their antics, especially in the rather ridiculous ways they murder their victims.
82	-->'''Fleegle:''' Silly Stevie, smoking's bad for your health!
83	* LaughingMad: [[spoiler:Poppy at the end, as she drives away with the remains of the Banana Splits, clad in the Hooty costume.]]
84	* LightmareFuel: While the horror is played straight, the ridiculousness of the premise itself and dashes of BlackComedy make for a movie that's as genuinely scary as it is twistedly funny. [[spoiler:Most of the sympathetic characters also survive, including all the children.]]
85	* LongRunner: The show has apparently been running for nearly 40 years in the universe of the movie.
86	* LoveMakesYouCrazy: [[spoiler:Poppy goes slightly insane after Thadd dies, though the only people she kills are the resident assholes (the Splits' creator, Carl, and the adulterer, Mitch).]]
87	* MythologyGag:
88	** The Banana Splits tape their show at Taft Studios. Creator/HannaBarbera was owned by Taft Broadcasting of Ohio for many years, including during the time they made the original show. (And yes, they were the same Taft as UsefulNotes/WilliamHowardTaft.)
89	** Fleegle having a magic show is a reference to the Great Fleegali segments from the original series, where he and Snorky would perform magic acts while Bingo and Drooper watched.
90	* NeckLift: Fleegle does this to Rebecca as she's forced to do the "Sloppy Time course", and Drooper does this to Beth as she tries to fight them.
91	* NiceCharacterMeanActor: Stevie is a nice and friendly character on the show (if a little creepy, due to being a grown man playing what seems to be a child character), but behind the scenes, he's a complete jerk, as well as an alcoholic. [[spoiler:His awful behavior makes him the first person to die when the Banana Splits go haywire.]]
92	* NiceGuy:
93	** Austin is a pretty good big brother to Harley. He gets him a brand new wand for his birthday after his old one broke and later asks Paige if she can pull some strings to let Harley come backstage after the show. Aside from that, he is very devoted to his mother and willingly stands up to Mitch on her behalf.
94	** Thadd is a loving boyfriend to Poppy and happily proposes to her. [[spoiler:Too bad he ends up getting viciously butchered by Fleegle -- in front of his fianceé, no less!]]
95	* OffWithHisHead: The gate attendant gets his head lopped off by one of the Banana Splits.
96	* OneDimensionalThinking: Mitch is chased by one of the Banana Buggies early on. Despite being next to a waist-high wall that the car wouldn't possibly be able to get over, he never tries to climb up to get away, not that it would have made much of a difference, as seen when he reaches the security guard.
97	* PeripheryDemographic: InUniverse, Thadd and Poppy are huge fans of the Banana Splits show, and end up being the only adults in the audience who aren't accompanied by their kids.
98	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}. [[spoiler:While Snorky was never a bad guy (aside from running over Mitch, though he likely never intended to kill him, as Mitch makes it out slightly injured but still mobile), his decision to betray the Splits in favor of the humans costs him his own life.]]
99	* RedEyesTakeWarning: After Stevie's BullyingADragon moment, Drooper's eyes glow red, showing that things are going to start going to Hell.
100	* SanitySlippage:
101	** Karl goes insane during the film, for reasons never explained. Maybe he was already insane to start off with, but still.
102	** [[spoiler: After [[ForcedToWatch Fleegle forces her to witness Thadd's murder]], Poppy completely loses it, effectively turning into one of the Splits, before killing Karl and escaping with the broken remains of the Banana Splits at the end.]]
103	* TheScrappy: In-universe, both the audience and the crew hate Stevie, which is really understandable.
104	* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Banana Splits Show'' is presented as one in the context of the film.
105	* ShutUpHannibal: After Beth's unfaithful husband, who had cheated on her with his co-workers and neglected her two sons, [[EntitledBastard begs Beth to take him back]], Beth nonchalantly decks the {{Jerkass}} and sternly claims she wants a divorce via TranquilFury.
106	* SmugSnake: Stevie when he rubs in the show's cancellation to the Splits' faces. [[BullyingADragon This doesn't end very well for him at all...]]
107	* SmurfettePrinciple: The fifth Banana Split, Hooty. Unfortunately, When the show is cancelled, she's left on the drawing board. [[spoiler: By the end of the film, Poppy is wearing what's finished of Hooty's costume, having declared herself to be the forgotten character.]]
108	* StageDad: Jonathan, whose main reason for attending the show is to get his daughter an acting job. [[spoiler:He gets killed, and his daughter chooses to quit acting in the end.]]
109	* SubvertedKidsShow: The Banana Splits show is a popular kids show InUniverse. Then the bodies start piling up...
110	* TankTopTomboy: Beth sports a red one when she becomes an ActionMom.
111	* TemptingFate: "You don't have to be scared, honey. It's just a puppet." Cue Drooper lighting Jonathan's face on fire.
112	* TokenGoodTeammate: [[spoiler: Snorky is the only animatronic that doesn't kill anybody over the course of the film, and helps Harley to escape by sneaking him a set of keys.]]
113	* TokenHuman: [[NiceCharacterMeanActor Stevie]] is the only human character of ''The Banana Splits'' set.
114	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: They don't interact much, but Beth and Poppy do qualify. The former is a TankTopTomboy who is persistent in fighting the Splits, while the latter is shown to be much perkier (at least before [[spoiler:Thadd's death]]) and sensitive.
115	* TooDumbToLive: Stevie should have known better than to belittle the Splits during their faulty programming.
116	* TranquilFury: After Mitch "apologizes" for his behavior to Beth, Beth decks him and flatly tells him she wants a divorce. She doesn't shout, but you can tell she's legitimately enraged at him.
117	* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: The routine that Jonathan has Parker do for Rebecca involves her singing a pretty risqué song. Rebecca is quick to stop it, calling the whole thing "disturbing".
118	* UnexplainedRecovery: Earlier in the film, Bingo gets thrown off a catwalk and is badly damaged (he's still clearly alive, but too broken to even walk). Later on, he returns just fine with no explanation[[note]]The mechanic responsible for building them was locked up at the time, so he couldn't have been the one to do it[[/note]]. It's possible that [[spoiler: Poppy]] had something to do with it.
119	* TheVoiceless: Like the original show, Snorky never speaks. Unlike the original show, he only makes his honking noises a few times throughout the whole movie.
120	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: InUniverse example. The survivors find the plans for an unfinished character in Karl's workshop. According to him, it was to be a female owl named Hooty. [[spoiler: These plans and Hooty's discarded costume allow Poppy to [[BecomingTheMask become Hooty]].]]
121	* WouldntHurtAChild: While the Splits do kidnap the children to force them to become their audience and kill their parents in the process, they never attack or harm the kids in any way.
122	----

Context Film / TheBananaSplitsMovie