History Main / HypnoPendulum

* In the ''Animation/{{Lamput}}'' episode "Hypnosis", Fat Doc sees a hypnotist use a swinging pocket watch to hypnotize someone in a TV show, and he and Slim Doc use this idea to hypnotize Lamput into doing their bidding.

* {{Inverted|Trope}} in Gordon Korman's ''[[Literature/TheHypnotists The Hypnotists]]''. A stage hypnotist appears to use a pendulum to hypnotize his subject; however, it is later revealed that it was just for show, and true hypnosis works through [[HypnoticEyes eyes]].

* {{Inverted|Trope}} in Gordon Korman's "The Hypnotists". A stage hypnotist appears to use a pendulum to hypnotize his subject; however, it is later revealed that it was just for show, and true hypnosis works through [[HypnoticEyes eyes]].

%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Please add your example in the proper place. Thanks!

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[[quoteright:350:[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pokemon_hypno.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"You are getting very sleepy... when I snap my fingers, you'll find Ash and [[GroinAttack kick him in the 'nads]]."]]
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* In one ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' cartoon, Donald goes to Ludwig Von Drake for anger issues. Ludwig tries a watch, saying "Vatch de vatch!". [[SubvertedTrope It doesn't work]], so he simply [[DropTheHammer hits Donald over the head with a mallet]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': In the special "All Growed Up", Tommy uses the fake Scorpio medallion as one on Dil to help him get to sleep.

* ''Series/FraggleRock'': Sidebottom uses one of these to hypnotize Junior into believing that he's a Fraggle.

* ''Series/FraggleRock'': Sidebottom uses one of these to hypnotize Junior into believing that he's a Fraggle.

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[[quoteright:350:[[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pokemon_hypno.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"You are getting very sleepy... when I snap my fingers, you'll find Ash and [[GroinAttack kick him in the 'nads]]."]]

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* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sng12C7MKm8 this]] commercial for Advertising/{{Trix|Rabbit}}, the Rabbit thinks being hypnotized will help him get over his obsession with Trix. The hypnotist uses a watch to put him under.

* A scene in ''Manga/StrawberryMarshmallow'' also features the girls trying hypnosis with a yen coin.
* How Jango the hypnotist from ''Manga/OnePiece'' hypnotizes his victims to make them sleep, or his allies to make them stronger. Problem is, he often hypnotizes ''himself'' as well as his targets.
* Meg is hypnotized in this manner in one episode of ''Anime/MajokkoMegChan''. To elaborate, the pervert Chou fantasizes about using a pendulum to hypnotize Meg, and later uses a cuckoo clock.

* In an episode of ''Anime/MegaManNTWarrior Axess'', Ms. Yuri hypnotizes Ms. Mari using a pair of Clackers.

* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': One of Doraemon's gadgets, as shown in "Doraemon's Time Capsule", is a wand that acts as a hypnotic pendulum that can hypnotize even artificial intelligence such as robots.

* ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]]: One of the first tricks Paula uses on targets she needs to have do her bidding but doesn't have time to fully mentally break and condition is to strap them in and have a trinket spun or waved in front of their eyes to see if they're susceptible to hypnotism.
* A ''ComicBook/BlakeAndMortimer'' story uses a folding fan opening and closing to the same effect on [[spoiler:Colonel Olrik]], to get him to relive his memories as [[spoiler:Professor Septimus' guinea pig.]]

* In ''Film/CarryOnMatron'', Dr Francis A. Goode is seen hypnotizing himself before being walked in on by his boss, Sir Bernard Cutting.

* ''Film/{{Frankenstein|1970}}'', Victor von Frankenstein does this with reflected light; playing it across the eyes of his victim while he talks in a low, hypnotic tone. He hypnotises Schutter with light reflected off a pair of forceps, and Mike with light reflected off a coin.

* ''Film/OurManFlint''. Flint hypnotizes Lloyd Cramden by using his watch, [[PlayingWithATrope but not by swinging it]]: it generates a small light moving around on its face, and Cramden becomes hypnotized watching it.

* In ''Film/TortureGarden'', Dr. Diabolo tells his customers to stare at the highly reflective shears of Atropos. He talks at them in a low, monotone and reflected light from the shears plays across their eyes; putting them into a trance.

* In ''Literature/TheDarkTower'' series, Roland hypnotizes people several times by having them focus on a bullet as he walks it back and forth across the backs of his fingers. Not exactly a pendulum, but thematically similar.

* The ''Literature/{{Sorcery}}'' gamebooks have the Nap Spell, which is used together with a brass pendulum. It's capable of putting most enemies to sleep, as long as they're sentient.

* ''Literature/MollyMoon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism'': Molly Moon buys one from an antique shop, but earlier she uses her own: a spoon (while she's stirring soup) and a piece of soap on a string.
* ''Literature/{{Bunnicula}}'': Chester is implied to have been hypnotized by a clock pendulum.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' book "The Amazing Spongebobini", Spongebob tries to hypnotize Patrick into not being sick using a combination of this and HypnoticEyes. It doesn't work.
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in Gordon Korman's "The Hypnotists". A stage hypnotists appears to use a pendulum to hypnotize his subject; however, it is later revealed that it was just for show, and true hypnosis works through [[HypnoticEyes eyes]].
* In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', when Nutt attempts hypnotherapy on ''himself'', Trev puts him in a trance by swinging his tin can back and forth on a string, saying he once saw a music hall performer do this with a pocket watch.

* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Fargo Whiskers", Mr. Conklin and Mr. Boynton briefly attempt to use a watch to hypnotize Miss Brooks and suggest she stay home from school for a week. A misunderstanding made them think Miss Brooks was suffering from a nervous breakdown; they were afraid she would act weirdly in front of the visiting school inspector.
* Patrick from ''Series/TheMentalist'' has used various objects to hypnotize people: a pen, a watch, a necklace...

** When Xander gets a LiteralSplitPersonality, his meeker side thinks that his more confident side is an evil shapeshifter using a shiny coin to hypnotize people. [[SubvertedTrope Turns out Confident!Xander just found the coin at a construction site he was working at and thought it was cool.]]
** Also in "Helpless", Giles uses a crystal to hypnotise Buffy.
** Used as a BilingualBonus joke in "Touched". Willow uses a spell to hypnotize a Harbringer -- a {{mook}} for the BigBad whose [[EyelessFace eyes have been sewn shut]]. According to the shooting script Willow is saying in Turkish while casting the spell, "You are getting sleepy. Very, very sleepy. I do not have a pocket watch but then again, you do not have eyes."
* In ''Series/Vegas1978'', a lady police hypnotist tries this, but Dan Tanna's assistant is already somewhat mesmerized by her breasts.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'', "Fester Goes on a Diet", Morticia tries to use her necklace on Uncle Fester, to which he responds, "The only one who can hypnotize me is ME!"

** The villain of ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E1TheMasqueOfMandragora The Masque of Madragora]]'' uses drugged smoke and a dangling crystal to hypnotize Sarah Jane.

** PlayedForLaughs in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E4TheUltimateFoe The Ultimate Foe]]", the last episode of "The Trial of a Time Lord." The Master has a criminal named Sabalom Glitz in his grasp and is trying to hypnotize him with a pocketwatch. Glitz ''appears'' to be in a trance, but says that he's only wondering how much the pocketwatch is worth.
* ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'': In "Olympius Unbound", Jinxer uses one of these to hypnotize Captain Mitchell into giving Olympius the Aquabase's power supply.
* ''Series/{{ALF}}'': The titular character tries to hypnotize the family cat Lucky using a pocketwatch. "You are getting sleepy. You... are no longer a cat. You are a bagel."
* ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. In "Thanks for Sharing", Stark and John Crichton are trying to repair Talyn when Stark starts panicking that the LivingShip is dying. John waves a [[CowTools gadget]] back and forth in front of his face.
-->'''Crichton:''' Work...now...freak...later...Work...now...freak...later...\\
'''Stark:''' ''(following it with his single eye)'' Yes...that's it...\\

'''Stark:''' How much later? ''([[TemptingFate concussion missiles explode outside the hull]])''

[[folder:Music]]

-->''He's a hypnotist, hypnotist of ladies''\\
''Never had a pocket watch, never counted backwards.''

[[folder:Music Videos]]
* The video for Rainbow's song "Street Of Dreams" features a man being hypnotized with a pocket watch around the time the song kicks in.

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Series/FraggleRock'': Sidebottom uses one of these to hypnotize Junior into believing that he's a Fraggle.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* In ''Ravenloft II: House on Gryphon Hill'', the sequel to the original ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'', uses this instead of the more well known Tarokka reading. While the DM plays the hypnotist, the players take turns answering the questions, choosing from a list given to them by the game.
[[/folder]]

* The Psychic-type Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Hypno wields a pendulum, swinging it back and forth to perform its psychic attacks, which has led to it being considered a MemeticMolester.

--> ''He's never had a pocketwatch, and he's never counted backwards, but he looks like he ''has'' beaten up quite a few adventurers in his day, and it seems that you're next on his list.''

* Duster from ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER 3}}'' has one that can used to put enemies to sleep, though with a lower success rate than PSI.
* At the end of ''Nightfall Mysteries 2: Curse of the Opera'' Vincent uses a pocket watch to put the player character into a trance.
* ''VideoGame/ScienceGirls'': The player's Hypontise skill, which stuns enemies for a time, has its animation, be taking out a gold pocket watch and swinging it once.
* In ''VideoGame/AliceMadnessReturns'', Dr. Bumby practices hypnotherapy and uses a door key with a Venus symbol at the top to hypnotize his patients.
* Willy Beamish can make an impromptu one in ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfWillyBeamish'' by combining a length of chain with his Nintari's lock-up key. [[spoiler:He uses it on a Tootsweet security guard to knock him out and escape his office.]]
* In ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'', during a fight against a dinosaur, the context-sensitive buttons will give Conker a pocket watch, which he can use to hypnotize and tame the dinosaur.

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/FreedomToons'': Marianne Williamson attempts to hypnotize the other Democrats and the studio audience to vote for her.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* [[http://thinkbeforeyouthink.net/?comic=20111104-hypnotism Becky's fantasy]] in ''Webcomic/ThinkBeforeYouThink'' involves Brian swinging a pocket watch.
* In the ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' Pokemon parody arc, the Hypno anologue uses a pendulum just like the Pokemon she's based on. We see her use it to hypnotize [[http://egscomics.com/egsnp/gam-18 Justin]], as well as [[http://egscomics.com/egsnp/gam-17 herself.]]
* In ''Webcomic/TheMonsterUnderTheBed'', Shadow uses her tail for this on Tim, although to lull him to sleep rather than actually hypnotizing him.
[[/folder]]

* ''Website/SCPFoundation'': The [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/log-of-anomalous-items Log of Anomalous Items]] has an inversion: a pocket watch that induces a mild trance state in anyone looking at it only when it '''isn't''' being swung back and forth like a pendulum.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]

'''{{LetsPlay/slowbeef}}:''' I feel like ''I've'' been hypnotized watching [[SoBadItsGood this.]]\\

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode "The Refund", Gumball and Darwin hypnotize a store manager into giving them a refund on a game. They use a watch in order to do this.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'', one ImagineSpot of the titular character has a new friend of Buster hypnotizing him in this manner.

* There was a WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck cartoon where Donald goes to Ludwig Von Drake for anger issues. Ludwig tries a watch, saying "Vatch de vatch!". [[SubvertedTrope It doesn't work]], so he simply [[DropTheHammer hits Donald over the head with a mallet]].

* In a WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird cartoon, Sylvester goes to a psychiatrist to try and cure his problem chasing Tweety. Similar to the Donald Duck cartoon mentioned above, the psychiatrist first tries swinging a watch in front of his face, [[SubvertedTrope but it doesn't work]], so he instead hits Sylvester on the head with a hammer.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In "Crocker Shocker", Dr. Fancyfree hypnotizes Mr. Crocker with a pocket watch so he doesn't believe in fairies.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' has Fred trying to hypnotize Wilma using a rock on a string. He hypnotizes Barney instead.
* The ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' episode "Wade, You're Afraid" had Orson hypnotize Wade into not being afraid, by using a turnip on a string.

* ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuest'' TOS episode "Pirates from Below". Hadji hypnotizes a guard with a flashing ruby.

** In "Fed Up", Lincoln uses a quarter on a string in an attempt to hypnotize himself into believing his dad's wienerschnitzel tastes like ice cream. Unfortunately, Lola wants to try it too and ruins the hypnosis.
** In "Saved by the Spell", Zach uses a pocket watch on Lincoln to convince him to dance instead of do magic for the talent show. Lincoln isn't affected, but Meryl ends up getting hypnotized instead.

** In "Secret of My Excess", Zecora uses this on Spike when examining his greed-induced growth.
** In the short "Starlight the Hypnotist", Starlight uses a star-shaped pendent on a chain to hypnotize Twilight into curing her fear of ladybugs.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' episode "A Real Boy" Candace has Stacy hypnotize her with a pocket watch into ignoring the need to bust her brothers so that she can spend the entire afternoon relaxing with Jeremy.
* Strudel attempts to use a swinging walnut to hypnotize a squirrel into acting more like a squirrel in the episode "Call of the Squirreldog" in [[Creator/TheHub The Hub's]] ''[[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies2010 Pound Puppies]]''. It ''is'' effective... on the wrong target.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Abra-cadaver", the title villain hypnotizes Blossom with a watch. He doesn't really make her do anything; he just entrances her so he can get his revenge on her more easily.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': To inspire the company softball team, Mr. Burns brings in a hypnotist who uses a swinging watch for his MassHypnosis.

'''Team:''' That's impossible. No-one can give more than 100 percent. By definition that's the most anyone can give.
* There was [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzZCxkkLkGs an episode]] of ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'' featuring that in an attempt by Bull to hypnotize Axle. When it backfires, Axle attempts to snap Bull out of it using the same watch hanging from a fishing rod.
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had the hypnotist using a ''pen'', with the obligatory MoreHypnotizableThanHeThinks HypnoFool being [[DeanBitterman Principal Prickly]]. Hilariously, this is implied to be ''why'' he fell for it.
-->'''Prickly:''' What a goofball. Nice pen, though...
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': In the special "All Growed Up", Tommy uses the fake Scorpio medallion as one on Dil to help him get to sleep.

** One rare deconstructed case occurs when Plankton ([[ItMakesSenseInContext disguising himself as a Shrink]]) tries this on [=SpongeBob=] to "help" him with his phobia of Krabby Patties (when in reality, he's trying to hypnotize [=SpongeBob=] into divulging the secret formula). Surprisingly, [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Plankton's initial hypnotism cures [=SpongeBob=] of his phobia]] and the Status Quo returns to normal (much to Plankton's protests and misfortune).
** Done again in "[=SpongeBob=]'s Bad Habit" when Hans hypnotizes [=SpongeBob=] to try and cure his nail-biting habit.
** Not a pendulum, but in "Professor Squidward", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are entranced by the ticking arm of Squidward's metronome that they end up swinging with it and repeating "tick" over and over.

** In "Deep Dive" when Star continuously wakes up from her sleep-portaling right before she finds where the mysterious voice she hears is coming from, Janna Ordonia uses Marco's wristwatch to hypnotize her into staying asleep so they can help her find it.
** Another example is shown in the season 3 episode, "Total Eclipsa the Moon", where Star's mother, Queen Moon Butterfly, is stuck in a hole and a spider takes the opportunity to use himself as a pendulum to make the Queen drowsy and rob her of her crown.
* In the episode of ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies'' "Totally Switched", an evil shrink uses a variant of this device to swap the personalities of his patients.

[[folder:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/TheDarkTower'' series, Roland hypnotizes people several times by having them focus on a bullet as he walks it back and forth across the backs of his fingers. Not exactly a pendulum, but thematically similar.
* ''Literature/LumbanicoTheCubicPlanet'': The Great Guardian uses a tear-shaped piece of astrolita (a glowing blue mineral) on a string to hypnotize Vinca into revealing where her friends have gone to.
* The ''Literature/{{Sorcery}}'' gamebooks have the Nap Spell, which is used together with a brass pendulum. It's capable of putting most enemies to sleep, as long as they're sentient.
* In ''Literature/WaysideSchool Gets a Little Stranger'', Dr. Pickle uses a pickle-shaped pendulum to hypnotize his patients. Incidentally, his real name is Pickell.
* ''Literature/MollyMoon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism'': Molly Moon buys one from an antique shop, but earlier she uses her own: a spoon (while she's stirring soup) and a piece of soap on a string.
* ''Literature/{{Bunnicula}}'': Chester is implied to have been hypnotized by a clock pendulum.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' book "The Amazing Spongebobini", Spongebob tries to hypnotize Patrick into not being sick using a combination of this and HypnoticEyes. It doesn't work.
* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in Gordon Korman's "The Hypnotists". A stage hypnotists appears to use a pendulum to hypnotize his subject; however, it is later revealed that it was just for show, and true hypnosis works through [[HypnoticEyes eyes]].
* In ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'', when Nutt attempts hypnotherapy on ''himself'', Trev puts him in a trance by swinging his tin can back and forth on a string, saying he once saw a music hall performer do this with a pocket watch.
[[/folder]]