History Main / AcousticLicense

* Hilariously subverted in ''Film/Shazam2019''. During the last fight between Shazam and [[BigBad Doctor Sivana]], the latter starts proclaiming how he'll never be defeated, but Shazam can't hear what he's saying [[RealityEnsues because they're several feet apart and flying in the middle of the city]]. He even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] their situation.

* This is incredibly common in movies and shows featuring characters who meet up at a dance club or strip joint. It's usually impossible to have any conversation below a shout because the bass is turned up to an organ-thumping level in these establishments, but in films and TV, characters can converse at any volume, down to a conspiratorial ''sotto voce'', without a single "'''WHAT?!'''" between them.
** ''Film/{{Freejack}}'' has a scene where the hero is overheard talking by a camera crew from across the floor of a nightclub pounding with music.
** [[TropesAreNotBad For practical purposes when filming the movie]], there were a few scenes in ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' where the main characters had to be dubbed over by voice actors because the discotheques were too loud for the actors themselves to hear what the other was saying, let alone the recording equipment and the audience watching the film.
* ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'' has a famous aversion during the Sermon on the Mount.
-->'''Audience member:''' ... did he say "Blessed are the cheesemakers"?

* ''Film/FullMetalJacket'' The scene in the helicopter where the gunner is getting interviewed while firing his gun. Aircraft have headsets and microphones, but there aren't many examples where they USE them as intended, instead they act as though they're protective in nature (IE gun range earmuffs) rather than communication devices - instead electing to raise their voice or shout over the DIN.

* ''Film/TheTwoTowers''. When Saruman is addressing his army of ten thousand Uruk-hai, his voice appears to be [[AWizardDidIt magnified by magical means]]. However in the extended version of ''Film/ReturnOfTheKing'' Saruman speaks to the protagonists from the top of Orthanc and no similar effect is used (online cartoon spoof site ''Sev Trek'' suggested that he was using his pointy wizard's hat as a megaphone). Justified as Suruman is literally a wizard and amplifying your voice at will is shown to be a wizard ability and is used at other points in the films.

This is an AcceptableBreakFromReality, as the audience needs to understand what's being said most of the time. Also, realistic repetition of sentences that weren't heard the first time would only constitute {{Padding}}.

This is an AcceptableBreakFromReality, as the audience needs to understand what's being said most of the time. And realistic repetition of sentences that weren't heard the first time would only constitute {{Padding}}.

This is an AcceptableBreakFromReality, as the audience needs to be able to hear what the characters are saying in order to understand the plot, and it would be tedious for a character to repeat what they said because they weren't heard the first time.

* Hilariously subverted in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2''. After [[BigBad Lord Shen]] has shot Po with a cannon, he sails his ships to open sea in order to conquer all of China. Then he sees Po atop a roof far away. Po stands heroically and then starts giving an inspiring speech... [[RealityEnsues except no one can hear him]]. After a few confused "What?"'s, Shen gives up trying to understand Po and just orders his troops to fire.

In fiction, when conversations are taking place, they will sometimes benefit from a strange, localized phenomenon of crystal clear acoustics. It doesn't matter if they consist of several paragraphs of SesquipedalianLoquaciousness, the words will be heard without any trouble by both target and audience, even in the midst of [[CoolestClubEver a crowded nightclub dance floor]] being buzzed by a 747. A particularly handy feature for TheQuietOne, but also for action heroes making sure the villain hears their cool PreMortemOneLiner despite them both dangling from a speeding helicopter.

* Averted [[http://www.paranatural.net/comic/chapter-4-page-51 in this]] ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}} comic. It's hard to understand someone when they're speaking with their back to you.

* ''Film/TheTwoTowers''. When Saruman is addressing his army of ten thousand Uruk-hai, his voice appears to be [[AWizardDidIt magnified by magical means]]. However in the extended version of ''Film/ReturnOfTheKing'' Saruman speaks to the protagonists from the top of Orthanc and no similar effect is used (online cartoon spoof site ''Sev Trek'' suggested that he was using his pointy wizard's hat as a megaphone).

* ''Film/{{Freejack}}'' has a scene where the hero is overheard talking by a camera crew from across the floor of a nightclub pounding with music.

* [[TropesAreNotBad For practical purposes when filming the movie]], there were a few scenes in ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' where the main characters had to be dubbed over by voice actors because the discotheques were too loud for the actors themselves to hear what the other was saying, let alone the recording equipment and the audience watching the film.
* Going off the above-mentioned discotheque example, this device is incredibly common in movies and shows featuring characters who meet up at a dance club or strip joint. It's usually impossible to have any conversation below shouting level because the bass is turned up so organ-thumpingly high in these establishments, but in films and TV, characters can converse at any volume, down to a conspiratorial ''sotto voce'', without a single "'''WHAT?!'''" between them.

* [[TropesAreNotBad For practical purposes when filming the movie]], there were a few scenes in ''Film/SaturdayNightFever'' where the main characters had to be dubbed over by voice actors because the discotechs were too loud for the actors themselves to hear what the other was saying, let alone the recording equipment and the audience watching the film.

* ''Film/{{Crank}}'' has a scene where Chev Chelios is [[spoiler: falling from a helicopter several miles above the city]] and calls his girlfriend to send her a heartfelt message on her machine. Both his dialogue and the recording are free of any wind noises.
** Which only makes it funnier when the sequel averts this trope by showing that Chev actually left [[RealityEnsues a minute-long recording of the wind]] on her answering machine.

* Averted in an episode of ''Series/{{Law and Order:Special Victims Unit}}''. Casey turns around and speaks in low tones during a trial to prove that a witness could not have overheard a dialogue carried on some distance away in a crowded room. Indeed, no one could hear what Casey had said in the courtroom.

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2''. After [[BigBad Lord Shen]] has shot Po with a cannon, he sails his ships to open sea in order to conquer all of China. Then he sees Po atop a roof far away. Po stands heroically and then starts giving an inspiring speech... [[RealityEnsues except no one can hear him]]. After a few confused "What?"'s, Shen gives up trying to understand Po and just orders his troops to fire.

This is an AcceptableBreakFromReality, as the audience needs to be able to hear what the characters are saying in order to understand the plot, and it would be tedious for a character to repeat what they're saying because they weren't heard cleary the first time.

* The ComicBook/NightOfTheOwls arc in DC's [[{{ComicBook/New52}} New 52]] culminated in ''Batman #11'', an excerpt of which serves as the trope image for this page. That panel isn't a fluke: all throughout a fight involving screaming jet engines, explosions, and men getting punched through brick walls, [[spoiler:Lincoln March]] keeps up a steady stream of convoluted conversation regarding his back story.

* In ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' Part 2, Marty is hiding in the back of Biff's car while Biff is driving. Marty is talking to the Doc on a walkie-talkie. At first it seems to be an example of this trope when you wonder how could Biff not hear him, he is talking so loudly. However, it turns out to be FridgeBrilliance and an aversion - we are hearing from Marty's point of view, but the car is an open top convertible and Biff would have the wind in his ears.

* In ''Film/JerryMaguire'', Dorothy is able to eavesdrop on a quiet converstion Jerry is having on an airplane while the engines are running, despite sitting in a completely different section.

* The first ''Film/MissionImpossible'' movie features a climax where hero and villain are indeed hanging off a speeding helicopter. Following just behind a TGV Bullet Train travelling hundreds of kilometers per hour. In a ''tunnel''. Given this it's probably just as well Ethan Hunt uses visual aids while shouting [[PunctuatedForEmphasis "Red Light! Green Light!"]], so that [[spoiler: Phelps]] can properly recognize things are about to get a little [[StuffBlowingUp 'splody.]]

** Averted in at least one other Star Trek novel, during which Worf and Data are riding on top of high-speed vehicles. Worf is able to hear Data, who is sitting in front of him, but Worf is unable to reply because of the sound travelling backwards at such high speeds.

* Lampshaded in Creator/HPLovecraft's ''Literature/TheDreamQuestOfUnknownKadath'', where it is mentioned that the Dreamlands have their own rules about sound and air.

* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' - Averted in the fifth episode of the first season. The gang goes out to a nightclub, and while on the dance floor no one can hear each other, except when there's momentary lulls in the music.

* In the iOS game ''VideoGame/{{Highborn}}'', the characters are often able to talk from across the map. This even gets [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] once:

** The comic might be SFW, the accompanying banner ad probably won't be.

* ''Videogame/{{Battlefield3}}'' averts this trope in some scenes, notably in ''Going Hunting'' where the first Iranian fighters are encountered. You don't hear their planes' cannons until well after you see the bullets.

-->'''Trillian:''' Wait, how are we even talking?
-->'''Enzo:''' [[BreakingTheFourthWall It's a plot device; roll with it]].

* Averted [[http://oglaf.com/moonshine/ in this]] [[Webcomic/{{Oglaf}} Oglaf]] comic (SFW, other pages not). Then played straight in the AltText regarding the tidbit of FridgeLogic.

--> '''Nanase:''' (speaking telepathically) Can ''you'' understand what he's saying?
--> '''Ellen:''' (likewise) All I can hear right now is "Whoosh."
--> '''Nanase:''' Me too.