Line #32 Main/ReelTorture


1	->'''Nostalgia Critic:''' And in the remotest parts of Southeast Asia, it is still considered the number one preferred form of execution.
2	-> '''[[Film/TheKentuckyFriedMovie Dr. Klahn]]:''' Show him ''Film/BatmanAndRobin!''
3	-> '''Captive CIA Agent:''' NO! NO PLEASE, ANYTHING BUT THAT!
4	-->-- '''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic''', review of ''Film/BatmanAndRobin''
5
6	This trope relates to a method of torture in which somebody is ForcedToWatch a movie, TV show, video recording or photo reel (the latter is [[BoringVacationSlideshow especially common]]) that they find terrible.
7
8	What makes this scene different from TheLudovicoTechnique is that the former is done as a form of {{Brainwashing}} while Reel Torture is just about torturing or punishing a character without the intent of brainwashing them. This trope is usually PlayedForLaughs but sometimes can be used seriously.
9
10	Used repeatedly in [[MidReviewSketchShow Mid-Review Sketch Shows]], the CausticCritic in question often treating or comparing the movie/comic/video game/etc. as being similar to a torture device and will [[ComicalOverreacting comedically overreact]] to it as though it were physically painful to them.
11
12	Subtrope of CoolAndUnusualPunishment. Related to ForcedToWatch and SuckinessIsPainful. If the film the victim is made to watch is a real life film, this trope may also be a form of TakeThat. If the reel is a person's vacation trip, then it may be an example of a BoringVacationSlideshow.
13	----
14	!!Examples:
15
16	[[foldercontrol]]
17
18	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
19	* ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'': In the Assassination Island arc, the class forces Koro-Sensei to watch a recording of him reading adult magazines. They do this in hopes of demoralizing him so that their planned assassination attempt will be easier.
20	* ''Manga/BananaFish'': When Ash is arrested for murder, one of the cops forces him to watch one of the child pornography videos filmed of Ash when he was younger.
21	[[/folder]]
22
23	[[folder:Comic Books]]
24	* ''ComicBook/ThePunisher'': "In The Blood" has Jigsaw capture Frank and try to break him by showing the vigilante footage of Jigsaw having sex with Frank's wife who has apparently come BackFromTheDead. [[spoiler:It's actually a hitwoman who was surgically modified to look like her]].
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
28	* ''[[ComicStrip/FoxTrot FoxTrot]]'': The kids sometimes play "television roulette," where one person rapidly clicks the remote until told to stop, and whatever program it lands on the viewer is forced to watch it all the way to the end. Landing on an infomercial or a John Tesh concert is treated as an especially grueling torture.
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Fan Works]]
32	* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12287647/6/Mortal-Kombat-XL-Character-Banter Mortal Kombat XL Character Banter]]'' Snafu the Great: Chapter 6 features intro dialogues for [[Franchise/NinjaGaiden Ryu Hayabusa]]. One of these dialogues has him telling [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Johnny Cage]] that the latter's critically panned movie ''Ninja Mime'' is used as a method of interrogation in Ryu's village.
33	* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6334530/1/Haywire Haywire]]'': As part of Albedo's CoolAndUnusualPunishment, he is forced to watch all of the favorite shows of Bubbles, Dee Dee, Sarah and Numbuh 3, which are naturally very cutesy and meant for younger girls. This is on top of being forced into a tea party where the girls shove all manner of sweet treats and tea down his throat, having his nails done and being forced to endure all their stuffed animals.
34	[[/folder]]
35
36	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
37	* ''Film/AddamsFamilyValues'': The second film has Wednesday, Pugsley and another boy refuse to take part in the summer camp play. As punishment, the camp counselors lock them in an isolation cabin and make them watch various films such as ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'' and ''[[Film/{{Annie1982}} Annie]]'', which they can't stand.
38	[[/folder]]
39
40	[[folder:Literature]]
41	* ''Literature/AdrianMole'': In ''Wilderness Years'', Adrian imagines torturing Pandora's middle-aged lover Cavendish by showing him a video of Pandora marrying Adrian.
42	* ''Literature/CaptainUnderpants'': In one of their comics, George and Harold have gerbils being driven into homicidal maniacs because they were being forced to listen to Music/{{Cher}}. In the Spanish prints, Cher was replaced by Music/JulioIglesias.
43	-->'''Captain Underpants:''' This would make anybody turn evil.
44	* ''Literature/TheExploitsOfEbenezum'': During a trip into the Netherhells, Wuntvor witnesses a noted dramatist getting tortured by being made to watch horrible demonic renditions of various already notoriously terrible vaudeville acts by two characters named Damsel and Dragon.
45	* ''The Literature/SnarkoutBoys and the Avocado of Death'': Wallace Nussbaum captures Uncle Flipping and attempts to torture the secret of the avocado computer out of him. How? Using old German comedies. Unfortunately for Nussbaum, it doesn't work, since Uncle Flipping happens to love those movies.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
49	* ''Series/Daybreak2019'': Turbo and Mona Lisa force their Jock underlings to watch incredibly disturbing {{Educational Short}}s in order to make them give up a traitor in their midst.
50	* ''Series/FamilyMatters'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2JqN_HDnGk&ab_channel=KenTerminatedbyDQ One episode has Steve drop by to see Laura]], only to be told by Carl that she doesn't want him to know where she is. Steve decides to "entertain" Carl by showing him a photo reel of his trip to the Wisconsin Cheese Festival. The reel barely starts before Carl breaks and not only divulges where Laura is but what she will be wearing and how long she will be there.
51	-->'''Steve''': I knew you'd crack.
52	* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'': After Shawn is caught in his attempt to sabotage the second neighborhood, The Judge threatens him with being forced to watch heartwarming videos of soldiers returning home to their dogs. [[EvilCannotStandCuteness This actually freaks out Shawn (who is basically Satan).]]
53	* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': The ExcusePlot has a bunch of mad scientists seeking out a movie so bad that they can use it to take over the world. So they force their test subject (and his robot friends) to watch a gauntlet of B-movies, observing to see which one breaks his mind. Unfortunately for them, the guinea pig keeps his sanity by making fun of the movies as he watches.
54	* ''Series/TrueDetective'': A non-humorous version. After restarting their investigation into the Yellow King murders, Cohle and Hart find a former colleague who helped the cult cover up more killings. When he refuses to help them, they show him a videotape of what his work led to: the ritual sacrifice of a young girl. The audience isn't shown the footage, but him screaming in horror is heard.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Video Games]]
58	* ''VideoGame/LiberalCrimeSquad'': One of the torture methods that could be used on hostages in earlier versions of the game was making them watch ''Bible Black''.
59	* ''VideoGame/RakenzarnTales'': If optional boss Raku is defeated in the Extra Scenario, he decides to take care of annoying foe Verzog by forcing him to watch a cheesy show with over-the-top brooding characters.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Web Animation]]
63	* ''WebAnimation/BonusStage'': The first time Joel dies and goes to hell in "Morbid", Satan gives him a choice of three punishments, two of them being a 24/7 viewing of ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' or ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2''; Joel is later forced into the ''Time Squad'' punishment.
64	* ''WebAnimation/TerribleWritingAdvice'': The ending of the video on characterization shows the CEO of Megacorp torturing the Dark Lord by making him watch ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in a later episode, where it was revealed that the Dark Lord escaped and ended up watching the whole series in his own time.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Webcomics]]
68	* ''Webcomic/ExterminatusNow'': [[http://exterminatusnow.comicgenesis.com/d/20070202.html Parodied when a captured assassin expects the protagonists to force him to watch ]]''Film/BattlefieldEarth'' or something. [[BaitAndSwitch Instead]] they threaten to castrate him with a buzzsaw.
69	* ''Webcomic/RoomiesItsWalkyJoyceAndWalky'': The Head Alien's preferred torture is forcing people to watch ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''. This is treated as horrific by all characters except Walky and Joyce, who both like the film. When CerebusSyndrome hits, this is played more seriously as the Head Alien first forces Joyce to watch porn (which warps her innocent mind) and later uses ''The Sound of Music'' to keep prisoners helpless while ''he starts mass-executing them''.
70	* ''[[{{Webcomic/Multiplex}} Multiplex]]'' has Rookie get punished for failing to do an assignment by being tied up in a theater and [[http://www.multiplexcomic.com/strip/529 forced to watch]] the trailer for the Justin Bieber film ''Never Say Never''. On repeat. He's begging for death after the third loop.
71	* ''Webcomic/TheWhiteboard'': Doc [[http://www.the-whiteboard.com/autowb389.html punishes]] Bandit for spiking his shampoo with Nair by duct-taping him to a couch and forcing him to watch Martha Stewart.
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Web Original]]
75	* ''Platform/GoAnimate'': Some of the "[[YouAreGrounded grounded]]" videos have the parents using this as a form of punishment for their children for whatever bad thing they did. These can range from shows aimed at little children (''Series/BarneyAndFriends'', ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'', and ''WesternAnimation/SuperWhy'' being popular examples) to shows aimed at older children (classic Franchise/{{Nicktoons}} like ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', and ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' being popular examples).
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Web Video]]
79	%%* In Season 2 of ''WebVideo/AnimeCrimesDivision'', Joe is brainwashed and turning into an agent of [[ANaziByAnyOtherName TOXIC]] by Nancy Prestige by subjecting him to the Binge Chamber where he is forced to watch shows that those in Prestige Television City prefer ([[CrimeFiction Crime Dramas]], {{Conspiracy Thriller}}s and other live-action American/British shows). Given that Joe is [[{{Otaku}} exclusively an anime fan]] and [[WorldOfHam the over-the-top nature of this world]], this is treated not unlike TheLudovicoTechnique.
80	%%** Hilariously enough, the audio used is from [[Creator/RocketJump Rocket Jump's]] other live-action series ''WebVideo/VideoGameHighSchool'' as a form of SelfDeprecation.
81	* ''WebVideo/TheBlockbusterBuster'': In his review of the 2003 adaptation of ''Film/TheCatInTheHat'', he says he would rather watch ''Film/TheRoom2003'' while strapped to a chair with his eyes strapped open while Creator/TommyWiseau sits next to him and gives his own personal commentary.
82	* ''WebVideo/DiamandaHagan'':
83	** While Diamanda isn't above actual torture and murder, she tends to force her fellow internet reviewers to watch bad movies as a form of torture, either anonymously or as part of a CrossOver review.
84	** A RunningGag in her videos has her swapping audio whenever a character is being tortured with SensoryAbuse with the ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' theme song.
85	* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': In his review of ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'', the Critic jokes that the movie is so bad it is used as a form of punishment in some countries.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Western Animation]]
89	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'':
90	** In "Wild Women Do", Klaus ties Steve to the bed and forces him to watch a tape of him doing hundreds of terrible celebrity impressions. After six hours of torture, Steve breaks down and starts [[LaughingMad giggling]], at which point Klaus decides to set him free. This backfires when Steve immobilizes Klaus and demands him to keep doing impressions for his amusement.
91	** In "Tearjerker", the eponymous villain produces a film called "Oscar Gold", which depicts the life of a mentally challenged, alcoholic Jewish kid and his cancer-riddled puppy during UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust. He then ties Stan to a chair and forces him to watch it, intending to have the protagonist literally cry to death.
92	** In "Poltergasm", Klaus accidentally subjects himself to this when he breaks his back while staying at a hotel, leaving him to watch the looping video on the TV's information channel with the remote just out of reach. Worse, nobody comes in to help him because he put a "DO NOT DISTURB" sign on the room door.
93	* ''WesternAnimation/BackAtTheBarnyard'': A CutawayGag has Freddy tortured by being strapped to a bench and forced to watch a movie about [[Film/HighSchoolMusical kids in high school making a musical.]]
94	* ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'': In "[[Recap/BobsBurgersS3E10MotherDaughterLaserRazor Mother Daughter Laser Razor]]", Louise and Logan are punished for their misbehavior during a mother-child bonding seminar by being locked in a room and forced to watch ''Film/FreakyFriday2003'' in loop.
95	* ''Recap/CodenameKidsNextDoorSpecialTheGrimAdventuresOfTheKND'': Mandy tortures Numbuh One into giving away Billy's location by forcing him to watch a tape of Fred Fredburger blurting out ridiculous [[NonSequitur non sequiturs]].
96	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'': One of the many punishments in Hell is [[AndIMustScream being strapped to a chair and forced to watch your worst memories on a film screen over and over again]], [[EvilIsPetty with a bag of popcorn next to them that's just out of reach]]. For Hansel and Gretel, it's the moment of their deaths when Bean killed them. [[spoiler: For Bean and Elfo, it's the moment where Bean chose to revive Dagmar instead of Elfo. The latter is [[WhatTheHellHero very pissed off at her]] when he finds out about it, with his anger lasting until the next few episodes.]]
97	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'':
98	** "The Former Life of Brian" has Dylan tying Meg up in the basement and forcing her to watch 178 hours of ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' sketches that were neither funny nor memorable.
99	** "Baby Not on Board" has Stewie forcing Cleveland and Quagmire to watch the looping [=DirecTV=] information channel. This becomes a BrickJoke when, during TheStinger, they're still watching it and are reciting the words from memory with the announcer.
100	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'': The episode "Reel Trouble" has Fred's latest obsession with home movies get him into trouble when he accidentally films a robbery in progress. When the two perpetrators come to Fred's house to steal the film, they are accidentally incapacitated by Fred's bowling ball landing on their heads. When the police arrive to arrest the crooks, they find them tied up and forced to watch Fred's home movies of Pebbles. The crooks are actually relieved to be taken away.
101	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'':
102	** In "The Chip," the Douglas family is held hostage and subjected to a Marty Ingels marathon.
103	** The climax of the short "Hot Rods From Heck!" sees Freakazoid making an AttackDrone car explode by showing it a TV playing a special of "seven hours of Tony Danza!" The car even shows a brief moment of anthropomorphism by [[AnythingButThat acting in sheer revulsion]] before going boom.
104	* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': In "The Final Joke", Joker tortures Doctor Psycho by strapping him to a chair and forcing him to watch videos of feminist rallies.
105	* ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'': The episode "Leggo My Ego" shows a flashback of how Brain was punished for [[Literature/OliverTwist asking for more porridge]] by being forced to watch old Western films ''Clockwork''-style.
106	* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'': In "You Can't Do That On Robot Chicken", the ''Bloopers'' host is chained up in a basement and still has his optimistic attitude even through being told he'll be forced to watch nonstop Movies On-demand, but once he learns that the only film he'll be watching is ''Film/ChristmasWithTheKranks'', he lets out a BigNo.
107	* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'': In "Ed Good, Rocko Bad," when stray dogs are sent to the pound, one of the tortures they are subjected to is watching reruns of ''Mervin the Happy Cat''.
108	-->'''Dog:''' Somebody neuter me!
109	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': In the episode "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E10NoFreeRidesImYourBiggestFanatic No Free Rides]]", one of the obstacles Mrs. Puff tries to go through to ditch [=SpongeBob=] after stealing his boat is "Educational Television". While the reels are never shown on-screen, it's implied to be agonizing enough for [=SpongeBob=] that it causes him to lose his grip on the boat (for the time being, at least, as the next scene shows [=SpongeBob=] appearing in place of the boat's radio to sneak up on Mrs. Puff).
110	* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'':
111	** "Who Bopped Bugs Bunny?": after Buster and Babs defeat Sappy Stanley, Bugs is revealed to have been forced to watch Stanley's old cartoons until he's an unhinged, blubbering mess. Buster and Babs snap him out of it by handing him his Schloscar award.
112	** In the cartoon, "Slaughterhouse Jive" from the episode, "Going Places", as revenge for turning them into giant sausages, Buster and his friends strap Montana Max to a chair and show him a {{Squick}}-filled informative video on how meat byproducts are made, featuring [[LetsMeetTheMeat an anthropomorphic cow named Happy who gets thrown into a meat grinder]].
113	--->'''Happy:''' "For those of you at home with weak stomachs, I suggest tuning in the Creator/DisneyChannel".
114	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': During the second season's finale, one of the punishments Duncan receives for not knowing the answers to Chef's questions is to watch a movie titled "The Miracle of Childbirth" (since horror movies don't scare him). Screaming ensues.
115	* ''WesternAnimation/YogisTreasureHunt'': One episode has Dick Dastardly torturing Yogi's friends by forcing them to watch his old "Stop the Pigeon" cartoons.
116	[[/folder]]
117
118	[[folder:Real Life]]
119	* When he was still Governor of UsefulNotes/{{California}}, Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger once jokingly threatened to subject the state legislature to a showing of ''Film/JingleAllTheWay'' unless they passed a budget. He has also claimed that he threatened to make his kids watch the ''Film/RedSonja'' movie ten times in a row if they misbehave. By his account, it apparently works since he has never had much trouble with them.
120	* It is rumored that Saddam Hussein was forced to watch ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut'', in which he was depicted as {{Satan}}'s gay lover, while he was in custody of the USMC. Ironically, Hussein was apparently a fan of the animated series.
121	[[/folder]]

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