History Main / MissionImpossibleCableDrop

* Naturally, ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' gets to pull off this trope with the accompanying [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]].

* For that matter, it's been paid homage to in every ''Film/MissionImpossibleFilmSeries'' sequel to date. It even gets lampshaded in ''Film/MissionImpossibleII'', with the BigBad predicting that Hunt will break into the building holding the MacGuffin they both want by some sort of "acrobatic insanity". ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' re-enacts the scene, but with magnets taking the place of the cable and with a spinning fan blade in place of the lasers.

-->-- ''Series/{{The Magicians|2016}}'', "Plan B"

The [[StockParodies commonly spoofed]] scene for which everyone remembers the first ''Film/{{Mission Impossible|1996}}'' film. Creator/TomCruise hacks a CIA computer while dangling horizontally from two cables in a heavily protected room. The floor is pressure and weight sensitive, to the point that [[ExaggeratedTrope even a single drop of condensation dripping off of a forgotten soft drink and onto the floor is enough to set off the alarm]]. To get into the room, he has to bypass a [[LaserHallway laser grid]] in [[AirVentPassageway a ceiling ventilation duct]].

[[folder:Films — Animation]]

[[folder:Films — Live-Action]]

* The ''Film/InspectorGadget'' [[TheFilmOfTheSeries movie]] did it, too, with a sound-sensitive alarm.
* This trope predates ''Film/MissionImpossible'', the original ''[[Film/ThePinkPanther1963 Pink Panther]]'' movie uses a variant.

* For that matter, it's been paid homage to in every ''Film/MissionImpossible'' sequel to date. It even gets lampshaded in the second movie, with the BigBad predicting that Hunt will break into the building holding the MacGuffin they both want by some sort of "acrobatic insanity". ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' re-enacts the scene, but with magnets taking the place of the cable and with a spinning fan blade in place of the lasers.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In ''ComicBook/{{Robin|Series}} plus ComicBook/{{Impulse}}'' Tim tries to acquire records from the phone company while dangling from a wire extended from a skylight and holding a flashlight in his mouth. In this case there was no pressure sensitive floor, but there was a lot of debris he was hoping not to make noise by standing on and he intended for a speedy exit using the line he was hanging from.

* In ''Film/ShootEmUp'', both Smith and one of the {{Mooks}} try this down the middle of a spiral staircase during a shootout. However, [[GoneHorriblyWrong Smith shoots the mook's rope]].

* There's a variation of this in ''Film/TheBoondockSaints'', with the protagonists falling though the ceiling accidentally, getting tangled in their rope... and killing everyone in the room as they spin about upside down.

* ''Film/{{Topkapi}}'' was the Main/UrExample, as stated above.

Sometimes a DesperateObjectCatch is thrown in for added drama. See also FastRoping.

The [[StockParodies commonly spoofed]] scene for which everyone remembers the first ''Film/{{Mission Impossible|1996}}'' film. Creator/TomCruise hacks a CIA computer while dangling horizontally from two cables in a heavily protected room. The floor is pressure and weight sensitive, to the point that [[UpToEleven even a single drop of condensation dripping off of a forgotten soft drink and onto the floor is enough to set off the alarm]]. To get into the room, he has to bypass a [[LaserHallway laser grid]] in [[AirVentPassageway a ceiling ventilation duct]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'', Woody drops from the tree he is temporarily suspended inches from the ground.

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* ''WebVideo/LouderWithCrowder'': Crowder parodied the iconic scene from ''Mission: Impossible'' on the August 10, 2018 show, showing him attempting to upload a video to Website/YouTube while hanging from a cable when it's automatically demonitized.
[[/folder]]

* Parodied in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}} 2'', when Pinocchio does this with his puppet strings, complete with ''Mission: Impossible'' music. [[spoiler: However, with all his turning and tumbling, Pinocchio gets wrapped up in his own strings and just hangs there]].

* ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'': In "Noby, the Great Illusionist", to retrieve his Beast Mask comic from Big G, Noby has Doraemon hold him by his cape when they use the Pass Loop on the roof of Big G's house so that he can dodge some bells attached to strings set up by Big G.

* Parodied in season six of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' when Andrew drops down to steal a diamond, only to have Warren and Jonathan stroll into the museum without issue. Played straight when the Scoobies break into the Mayor's office in season three. Buffy is the one lowered down on the harness to steal the MacGuffin. When the alarms go off however, the pulley jams and Angel has to jump in and save her; though Buffy [[ImprovisedWeapon uses the harness to do a flip so she can kick a henchvamp in the face]].

* In the ''Series/FatherTed'' Christmas Special, Father Todd Unctious uses one of these to attempt to steal Father Ted's Golden Cleric Award. It breaks partway through, leaving him hanging helplessly in full view of [[TheDitz Father Dougal]], who fails to notice him anyway. And afterwards Mrs. Doyle uses it to clean the windows.

* Played for laughs in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' when the boys use the [[MyLittlePanzer Mission Impossible: Breaking and Entering Spy Kit]] to steal baby cows from a cattle ranch before they're turned into veal.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In "A Streetcar Named Marge," Maggie uses the ripcord of a talking Krusty doll to descend from an air vent to steal some keys on top of a desk.

* In ``[[Film/TheSantaClause The Santa Clause 2]]``, Charlie ropes into the school gym through a skylight in order to spray-paint graffiti.

* In ''Disney/{{Tangled}}'', this is how Flynn steals the crown at the start of the film.

* ''Film/{{Topkapi}}'', as stated above.

* For that matter, it's been paid homage in every ''Film/MissionImpossible'' sequel to date. It even gets lampshaded in the second movie, with the BigBad predicting that Hunt will break into the building holding the MacGuffin they both want by some sort of "acrobatic insanity".
** ''Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol'' re-enacts the scene, but with magnets taking the place of the cable, and with a spinning fan blade in place of the lasers.