History Main / CloserThanTheyAppear

* In the 2008 short film ''Film/TheGerman'', a British fighter pilot [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII in a dogfight]] glances [[RealityIsUnrealistic in his fighter's rear-view mirror]] and spots a German fighter moments before [[AntagonistTitle the German]] fires his guns and blasts the mirror off with a near-miss. The mirror lacks the warning text, but having a machine gun bullet knock the mirror off is as about as close as one can get.

* Parodied in The ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' episode Operation A.R.C.T.I.C., where the mirror on a vehicle says "Missiles in mirror may be closer than they appear".

Compare DangerTakesABackseat. For a more metaphorical use of rear-view mirrors, see PastInTheRearViewMirror.

* Music/MeatLoaf inverts the phrase as "Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are," describing [[PastInTheRearViewMirror old memories]] that are nonetheless very vivid. Despite RuleOfDrama it still doesn't sit right.

* ''Film/JurassicPark1993'' (pictured above) is the TropeCodifier with the iconic shot of the ''T. rex'' pursuing the jeep. Rexy actually does briefly catch up to the jeep before running out of steam and falling behind.

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/JurassicPark https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/T-rex2.jpg]]]]

* ''Film/JurassicPark'' (pictured above) is the TropeCodifier with the iconic shot of the ''T. rex'' pursuing the jeep. Rexy actually does briefly catch up to the jeep before running out of steam and falling behind.

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'', where the mirror on a vehicle says "Missiles in mirror may be closer than they appear''.
** Parodied in another episode where in a mirror said "Seriously, you don't wanna know how big this object really is!"

%%** ''Film/JurassicPark'' (pictured above) is the TropeCodifier.

** Parodied in another episode wherein a mirror said "You don't wanna know how close this is".

An interesting note: some examples of this trope (including the TropeCodifier) show this message on the driver's side mirror. In RealLife, it only ever appears on the ''passenger'' side mirror. In the USA and Canada, the driver's side mirror is required to be flat, so putting the warning message there would be inappropriate. In Europe, the driver's side mirror may also be convex, but the ''warning'' is not required. See Wiki/TheOtherWiki [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_mirror#Planar.2C_convex.2C_aspheric for even more detail.]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''WebAnimation/SuperMarioBrosZ'': In the second episode of the reboot series, when Wario and Waluigi stole one of the Chaos Emeralds and are driving away on their car to sell it for profit, they notice Luigi and Yoshi chasing after them at full speed in the car mirror. The mirror states "OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE AFTER YOUR TREASURE!".

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]
* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' parodies this, using the meek Rex's reflection in the mirror of a toy car. (It also puts it on the passenger side, correcting JP's error.)

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

* ''Franchise/JurassicPark'' films:
** ''Film/JurassicPark'' (pictured above) is the TropeCodifier.
** ''Film/JurassicWorld'' gives the trope an encore appearance.

* Music/MeatLoaf inverts the phrase as "Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are," describing [[PastInTheRearViewMirror old memories]] that are nonetheless very vivid.
** Despite {{Rule Of Drama}} it still doesn't sit right.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Seen in a ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' cartoon: The rear-view mirror is entirely filled with an eyeball magnified hugely.

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Bill Kirchenbauer has a bit about this:
--> "We've all seen that message, right? 'Objects in this mirror are a lot closer than they appear.' BUILD THE MIRROR SO THE THINGS LOOK LIKE WHERE THEY ARE!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* [[http://www.project-apollo.net/mos/mos354.html As per trope]] in ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience''.
* Played with in a strip of ''ComicStrip/ThePerryBibleFellowship''.
[[/folder]]

* Seen in a ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'' cartoon: The rear-view mirror shows the passenger's eye magnified hugely.

Rear-view mirrors sometimes come with a warning: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."[[note]]These mirrors are convex, so they provide a wider field of view at the price of making the images of objects smaller, and therefore apparently farther away.[[/note]] This is not reassuring to the character who looks into the rear-view mirror [[Film/JurassicPark and sees a]] ''T. rex'' [[Film/JurassicPark running after his car]]. Especially if said ''T. rex'' appears to be disturbingly close as it is.

[[folder: Film ]]

** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' parodies this, using the meek Rex's reflection in the mirror of a toy car. (It also puts it on the passenger side, correcting JP's error.)
* Discussed in ''Film/AceVentura''. A thief is trashing Ace's car after Ace recovers a stolen puppy, prompting Ace to shout "Warning! Assholes are closer than they appear!" The thief, not happy about it, [[BatterUp takes a baseball bat to Ace's rearview mirror]].
* ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'': In what may be a nod to the ''Jurassic Park'' scene, Decepticon 'Dreads' are viewed to be in hot pursuit in the (passenger!) side mirror of Autobot Dino (Mirage) (he's the red Ferrari).

* In the 2008 short film ''Film/TheGerman'', a British fighter pilot [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII in a dogfight]] glances [[RealityIsUnrealistic in his fighter's rear-view mirror]] and spots a German fighter moments before [[AntagonistTitle the German]] fires his guns and blasts the mirror off with a near-miss. The mirror lacks the warning text, but having a machine gun bullet knock the mirror off is as about as close as one can get.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* The ''{{Series/Eureka}}'' episode "One Giant Leap" has a brief closer-than-it-appears shot of a black hole in the mirror of Carter's jeep, right before it gets destroyed. [[ChronicallyCrashedCar Again.]]

[[folder: Music ]]

* Music/TheyMightBeGiants: "She's Actual Size" averts this for the subject of the song: "Squares may look distant in a rear view mirror, but they're actual size, actual size to her."

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

[[folder: Stand Up Comedy ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* Played with in a strip of ''ComicStrip/ThePerryBibleFellowship''.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* "Objects may be less sexy than they appear" shows up on a high-tech clothes shop mirror in ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}''.

* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'', where the mirror says "Objects in mirror may be Uncle Grandpa" It MakesSenseInContext.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AngelaAnaconda'' a character reads this off when their car is being chased by a rabid parent who wants to burn ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' because it promotes witchcraft. After they realize what it means, they panic more.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'', Chase Devineaux jokes about this trope to himself as he closely pursues Carmen's vehicle from behind.
-->'''Devineaux:''' ACME agents in mirror are closer than they appear!

Rear-view mirrors sometimes come with a warning: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."[[note]]These mirrors are convex, so they provide a wider field of view at the price of making the images of objects smaller, and therefore apparently farther away.[[/note]] This is not reassuring to the character who looks into the rear-view mirror [[Film/JurassicPark and sees a]] ''[[TRexpy T. rex]]'' [[Film/JurassicPark running after his car]]. Especially if said ''T. rex'' appears to be disturbingly close as it is.

Rear-view mirrors sometimes come with a warning: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."[[note]]These mirrors are convex, so they provide a wider field of view at the price of making the images of objects smaller, and therefore apparently farther away.[[/note]] This is not reassuring to the character who looks into the rear-view mirror [[Film/JurassicPark and sees a]] ''[[TyrannosaurusRex T. rex]]'' [[Film/JurassicPark running after his car]]. Especially if said ''T. rex'' appears to be disturbingly close as it is.

* ''WesternAnimation/HerculesTheAnimatedSeries'': In "Hercules and the Gorgon]]", his shield says "Objects are closer '''then''' they appear".

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* {{Music/MeatLoaf}} inverts the phrase as "Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are," describing [[PastInTheRearViewMirror old memories]] that are nonetheless very vivid.

* {{Music/They Might Be Giants}} - "She's Actual Size" averts this for the subject of the song: "Squares may look distant in a rear view mirror, but they're actual size, actual size to her."

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

[[AC:StandUpComedy]]

[[AC: WebComics]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In "[[Disney/{{Hercules}} Hercules and the Gorgon]]", his shield says "Objects are closer '''then''' they appear".

[[caption-width-right:348:Must go faster.]]

Rear-view mirrors sometimes come with a warning: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."[[note]]These mirrors are convex, so they provide a wider field of view at the price of making the images of objects smaller, and therefore apparently farther away.[[/note]] This is not reassuring to the character who looks into the rear-view mirror [[Film/JurassicPark and sees a]] ''[[TyrannosaurusRex T. rex'' [[Film/JurassicPark running after his car]]. Especially if said ''T. rex'' appears to be disturbingly close as it is.

Rear-view mirrors sometimes come with a warning: "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear."[[note]]These mirrors are convex, so they provide a wider field of view at the price of making the images of objects smaller, and therefore apparently farther away.[[/note]] This is not reassuring to the character who looks into the rear-view mirror [[Film/JurassicPark and sees, say, a]] ''[[TyrannosaurusRex T. rex]]'' [[Film/JurassicPark running after his car]]. Especially if said ''T. rex'' appears to be disturbingly close as it is.

An interesting note: some examples of this trope (including the TropeCodifier) show this message on the driver's side mirror. In RealLife, it only ever appears on the ''passenger'' side mirror. In the USA and Canada, the driver's side mirror is required to be flat, so putting the warning message there would be inappropriate. In Europe, the driver's side mirror may also be convex, but the ''warning'' is not required. See TheOtherWiki [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wing_mirror#Planar.2C_convex.2C_aspheric for even more detail.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/AngelaAnaconda'' a character reads this off when their car is being chased by a rabid parent who wants to burn TheWizardOfOz because it promotes witchcraft. After they realize what it means, they panic more.

Compare DangerTakesABackSeat. For a more metaphorical use of rear-view mirrors, see PastInTheRearViewMirror.

* ''Film/AceVentura'': "Warning! Assholes are closer than they appear!"