History Main / ICanSeeYou

'''Bourne:''' Shouldn't be too hard. She's standing right next to you. ''[click]''

---> '''Bourne:''' Get some rest, Pam; you look tired.

* ''Film/{{Speed}}'' has an interesting example: everyone assumes the villain is watching the drama unfold via the news stations, who have naturally put all their helicopters on the scene for the story. They assume that when they drive onto an airfield, he will be unable to follow them (airfields are restricted airspaces, so the news helicopters can't follow them there). But when he refers to woman driving the bus as "the Wildcat" in reference to the jacket she's wearing, the hero realizes the villain must have a camera somewhere ''inside the bus'' as well, which complicates things.

* ''Film/{{Speed}}'' has an interesting example, where TheHero realises that the MadBomber can see him and the driver because he calls her a "Wildcat" in relation to the shirt she is wearing.

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* Used in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF5y8nydbQg this sequel]] to the ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wgmn7gQrpY Billy Goat Caller]]'' video.
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* This is generally how the killer [[spoiler:or, as we later learn, killers]] from ''Franchise/{{Scream}}'' operates. It's first done during the opening sequence, with Casey getting calls from an ostensible "wrong number" who appears to be rather nice, but instantly turns menacing as hell with this exchange:
-->'''Caller:''' You never told me your name.
-->'''Casey:''' Why do you want to know my name?
-->'''Caller:''' Because I want to know who I'm looking at.

---> '''Casey:''' Listen, asshole -- !
---> '''Caller:''' [aggressively] ''No, YOU listen, you little bitch! You hang up on me again, I'll gut you like a fish! Understand?!'' [starts chuckling creepily] Yeah...
---> '''Casey:''' [scared] Is this some kind of joke?
---> '''Caller:''' More of a game, really. Can you handle that...''blondie''?

** In ''Film/TheBourneSupremacy'' (talking about getting Nicky to act as a contact)
--->'''Landy:''' "What if I can't find her?"
--->'''Bourne:''' "It's easy. She's standing right next to you."

---> '''Bourne:''' "Get some rest, Pam; you look tired."
*** Keep in mind, during the first scene he has a sniper rifle trained on her the whole time just in case he doesn't like what he hears. The second time is far more benevolent.
*** ''The Bourne Ultimatum'' also inverts this.
---> '''Bourne:''' "Where are you now?"
---> '''[[spoiler:Noah Vosen]]''' "I'm sitting in my office."
---> '''Bourne:''' "I doubt that."
---> '''[[spoiler:Noah Vosen]]''' "Why would you doubt that?"
---> '''Bourne:''' "If you were in your office right now we'd be having this conversation face-to-face." *click*

* The Caller in ''Film/PhoneBooth'' is pretty upfront about being able to see Stu, but Stu doesn't believe him at first:

::This goes up a notch in intensity when later the Caller asks Stu just what he thinks he's watching him with, and reveals that with the sound of a ''gun cocking''.

* In ''Series/{{Friends}}'', Monica and Chandler are at Ross' apartment across the street and can see the dog the rest of the gang is playing with. They call Phoebe.
--> '''Phoebe:''' There's no dog here.
--> '''Monica:''' Yes there is! He's black and white and shaggy and he's sitting next to Rachel and licking Rachel's hand.
--> '''Phoebe:''' Oh my god! Where are you?

* ''The Art of War'' (2000). Shaw rings up the InspectorJavert who's been chasing him, and says there's a rifle pointed at his rookie partner, who's standing next to him holding his umbrella. The cop quips, "I can live with that", but agrees to ComeAlone to meet Shaw after a silenced shot cuts the umbrella shaft in two. There's also a silent version when the heroine is trying to sneak out of a building, but the hitman is in the security room watching her, and activates an escalator just as she's about to step on it.

* [[Film/TheBourneSeries Jason Bourne]] does it to Pamela Landy, twice:
** In ''The Bourne Supremacy'' (talking about getting Nicky to act as a contact)

** in ''The Bourne Ultimatum'' (in the [[OnceMoreWithClarity scene we relive]] from ''Supremacy'')

* Played pretty straight in ''Film/FrightNight'' "I know you're there, Charley. I can see you."

* ''The Art of War'' (2000). Shaw rings up the InspectorJavert who's been chasing him, and says there's a rifle pointed at his rookie partner, who's standing next to him holding his umbrella. The cop quips, "I can live with that", but agrees to ComeAlone to meet Shaw after a silenced shot cuts the umbrella shaft in two.

* A favourite MindScrew tactic of MackBolan. TheMafia would hear Bolan was in town and start mobbing up to take him out, only for the boss or TheDragon to get a phone call [[TheHunterBecomesTheHunted from the man he was supposedly hunting]]. In the middle of the conversation Bolan would reveal [[OhCrap he's actually watching them through the sights of a high-powered sniper rifle]]. Usually this conversation would be terminated by Bolan shooting the receiver out of his hand or some other display of marksmanship, rather than actually killing the man he was talking to, as he knew it would rattle the mafioso's {{mooks}} more to show he was so confident he could kill their boss any time he wanted to.

* ''The Art of War'' (2000). Shaw rings up the cop who's been chasing him, and says there's a rifle pointed at his rookie partner, who's standing next to him holding his umbrella. The cop quips, "I can live with that", but agrees to ComeAlone to meet Shaw after a silenced shot cuts the umbrella shaft in two.

* ''Film/ThePeacemaker''. The protagonists are watching a live satellite feed of a long line of trucks at the Iranian border, [[NeedleInAStackOfNeedles one of which]] contains RenegadeRussian Kodorof with a [[EmptyQuiver stolen nuclear warhead]]. Lt. Colonel [=DeVoe=] rings up Kodorof's sat phone and gloats over how there's a smart bomb coming down on his head right now, causing Kodorof to pull his truck out of the line and give away his position.

Goes up a notch in intensity when later the Caller asks Stu just what he thinks he's watching him with, and reveals that with the sound of a ''gun cocking''.

* Knives Chau does this to Scott in ''ScottPilgrim''.

* As a spoof of ''Scream'', the killer in ''ScaryMovie'' plays and subverts this. After making the threatening phone call, he claims that he can see the hot blonde he'd calling. He's actually reading a porn magazine. It gets worse when he issues the threat, "I want to see what your insides look like!". Her response? Telling him to turn to page 54 of the same magazine.

* [[WhenAStrangerCalls "Why haven't you checked the children?"]]

* PlayedForLaughs in ''DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'': Dirk manages to completely throw Richard off-guard by phoning him when - [[ItMakesSenseInContext for what seem to be perfectly sensible reasons]] - he's broken into his girlfriend's flat and berating him for not having proper equipment, answering the phone, admitting his name and finally - after persuading him to look out the window - standing where he can be photographed.
* A favourite MindScrew tactic of MackBolan. TheMafia would hear Bolan was in town and start mobbing up to take him out, only for the boss or TheDragon to get a phone call [[TheHunterBecomesTheHunted from the man he was supposedly hunting]]. In the middle of the conversation Bolan would reveal [[OhCrap he's actually watching them through the sights of a high-powered sniper rifle]]. Usually this conversation would be terminated by Bolan shooting the receiver out of his hand or some other display of marksmanship, rather than actually killing the man he was talking to, as he knew it would rattle the mafioso's {{mook}}s more to show he was so confident he could kill their boss any time he wanted to.

* In the series ''{{Psych}}'', Detective Juliet O'Hara receives a call from Shawn Spencer. He makes a comment that tips her off to the fact that he can see her. Somewhat subverted. See YouCanSeeMe?

* In ''{{Friends}}'', Monica and Chandler are at Ross' apartment across the street and can see the dog the rest of the gang is playing with. They call Phoebe.

* In an episode of ''{{NCIS}}'', Abby's [[StalkerWithACrush stalker]] calls her at the office. As she tries to [[PhoneTraceRace trace the call]], the stalker suggests she use a different tracing technique. It takes her a few seconds to realize that that means he's watching through the window.

* On AllMyChildren, as Adam's stalker calls his wife Gloria, he tells her "I'm so close I could reach out and touch you". In a subversion, he isn't--Adam has set the whole thing up to test Gloria's fidelity and has told the man what to say to frighten her into thinking this is an example of this trope.

* In ''KappaMikey'', there is an example of this in the episode Hog Day Afternoon.
* Played for laughs in ''HomeMovies'' where [=McGuirk=] calls Erik and tries to arrange a get-together with him and all their other friends. Erik, looking for an excuse to not go to said get together, lies and says he is looking at his schedule and can't find any free dates. [=McGuirk=] then reveals that he is looking in through Eric's window and doesn't see the schedule Erik is talking about.

* This is generally how the killer [[spoiler:or, as we later learn, killers]] from ''[[Film/{{Scream 1996}} Scream]]'' operates. It's first done during the opening sequence, with Casey getting calls from an ostensible "wrong number" who appears to be rather nice, but instantly turns menacing as hell with this exchange:

* Patrick Jane plays this for laughs as one of his mind games in the fifth season episode "Cherry Picked." He and the CBI team are with a man who claimed he was sitting a house for two people who had been kidnapped, but something about his story wasn't adding up. The guy said that the kidnapper told him he would kill the hostages if he involved the police. So Jane uses his cell phone to make a call to the guy's phone, tells him to answer, and then pretends to be the kidnapper and asks him "Tell me... what are you wearing?" He then laughs and reveals that he's the one making the call.

* Happens in an episode of ''WhiteCollar'' (1x05), during a hostage negotiation.

* Amusing version on ''TheXFiles''. Scully's arrived at the address Mulder told her to visit, her phone rings, and it's Mulder complimenting her outfit. He's right behind her.
** Another episode has a recently freed criminal receiving such phone calls whenever he comes close to acting up again. Turns out the caller [[spoiler:is blind and permanently seeing through his eyes, and as such does NOT want him imprisoned again.]]
* ''BurnNotice'', the episode "Dead to Rights".
* ''Series/{{Monk}}'', where one case of this gets PlayedForLaughs. In the episode "Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert," Captain Stottlemeyer catches Randy in the act of PlayingSick to attend a big music festival. His response? Not to walk up to him and address him, but instead, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny call him on his cell phone from within earshot distance]]. HilarityEnsues as Randy tries to pass off the very loud stage music as a broken stereo, while Stottlemeyer speaks in a tone that makes clear that he isn't convinced.

** Also when he demands to know why [=McClane=] didn't answer a certain payphone when he was supposed to. McClane tells him off, only to have Gruber say "All you had do was say that there was a fat woman on the phone and that you couldn't get her to hang up", thus revealing that he's watching them, as that is in fact exactly what had happened.

*** Keep in mind, during the first scene he has a sniper rifle trained on her the whole just in case he doesn't like what he hears. The second time is far more benevolent.

* The opening scene of ''YesMan'' involves Jim Carrey's character on the phone while in a video store. He tells the caller that he is in his apartment, but is caught in the lie when it is revealed that the called is standing right outside the window of said store.
* Variant in the movie ''{{Hannibal}}'' - Clarice is trying to track Hannibal Lecter while he taunts her over the phone, and gets close enough to him for him to mess with her hair when he rides by on the carousel.

* Played pretty straight in ''FrightNight'' "I know you're there, Charley. I can see you."

* ''{{Frequency}}'' has a scene where Frank thinks that this is happening when talking to a weird guy on a shortwave radio. He tells Frank that he knows that Frank just accidentally burned the table. Actually, the weird guy [[spoiler: is Frank's son thirty years in the future and he knows about the accident because a 30 year old burn mark has just appeared on the table he is sitting at]]

* Weirdly inverted in ''LostHighway'', when Fred meets the Mysterious Man at a party, who insists he's at Fred's house. Fred calls his house, and the Mysterious Man's voice answers, even though the Man is standing right in front of him. It's a [[SurrealHorror strange movie]].

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* This trope is basically the entire premise of ''VideoGame/ISeeYou''

* In ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'', Simon makes a phone call to the FBI car after the Wall Street subway station bombing. He says he knows who is inside the car. Once we see the emergency vehicles move out to respond to Simon's bomb threat, we notice that Simon was standing on the roof of a building on that block.
** Also when he demands to know why McClane didn't answer a certain payphone when he was supposed to. McClane tells him off, only to have Gruber say "All you had do was say that there was a fat woman on the phone and that you couldn't get her to hang up", thus revealing that he's watching them, as that is in fact exactly what had happened.