History Main / OpenSesame

* Used in a skit in ''Series/SesameStreet'' itself too. Kermit in his TV news reporter outfit, is interviewing Ali Baba, who cannot remember the famous password; eventually, he leaves, and Kermit signs off to the camera, telling viewers to tune in next time when they "Open Sesame Street News"... Which accidentally opens the door. (Causing Kermit to be mugged by the Forty Thieves.)

* In ''Literature/LordOfTheRings'', the door to the mines of Moria has one of these, with the inscription, "SpeakFriendAndEnter".

** Averted in another episode where Spongebob and Patrick are trapped behind a door. Patrick takes a deep breath, throws out his arms, and says "[[SimpletonVoice Open Sesame! ... Well I'm out of ideas.]]"

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* The Anime/LupinIIIRedJacket episode "[[Recap/LupinIIIS2E19 A Safe Bet]]" has Lupin desperately trying to open a specially-made safe that contains the antidote to a poison he has been given. After trying every trick he knows, he gets so frustrated he wonders if opening it isn't something as stupid as yelling "Open Sesame!" It is.
* Featured in ''Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic'', which has most of its design roots in ArabianNights to begin with.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

-->Open Sesame! (door opens, woman enters with friend)
-->Close Sesame! (door closes, woman picks up a carrot, walks around a wall)
-->Good girl, Sesame. (gives the carrot to Sesame. Sesame is a trained mule.)

--> '''Arkeville:''' I, Dr. Arkeville, genius of science, say... OPEN SESAME!"
--> '''Starscream:''' [[SarcasmMode How original]].

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* Subverted in ''Videogames/TheStanleyParable'': at one point, you are presented with a door that has a voice receiver, and the Narrator tells you the password. However, due to Stanley being a HeroicMime (or the game not supporting voice input, whatever), ''the door cannot be opened''. The Narrator interprets your silence as mockery, and grows more agitated.

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[[caption-width-right:350:[[BlatantLies That thing must be impassable.]]]]

!Examples:

* Featured in Manga/MagiLabyrinthOfMagic, which has most of its design roots in ArabianNights to begin with.

For musical passwords, see SongsInTheKeyOfLock.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PopeyeTheSailorMeetsAliBabasFortyThieves'', Popeye pursues the Forty Thieves when they kidnap Olive and Wimpy to their cave and has some difficulty remembering the magic word he overheard them use to open the door and just smashes through. Later, when Popeye is beset with the thieves and can stands no more, he takes out his spinach can and says to it, "Open, says me!" and it magically opens.

* In ''The EnchantedForestChronicles'', a gate in the Caves of Fire and Night is protected by a spell like this; originally the key was just "open sesame" but the dragons had to keep making it more complicated. The one we hear is a rhyming couplet followed by the word "alberolingarn".

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

* In one episode of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' the door to a scientist's hidden lab is activated by tapping three light sconces, each of which emits a different tone.
* Occurrs in ''Series/{{Charmed}}'', like [[FantasyKitchenSink many other magical tropes]].

* There is an achievement in ''[[VideoGame/FableI Fable Anniversary]]'' called "Open Saysmemiddlefinger" that references this saying. It is awarded for opening every Demon Door, or giving one that's still closed the finger.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'': Want to get into the Chamber of Secrets? Then you'd better know how to speak Parseltongue!

* In one episode of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' trhe door to a scientist's hidden lab is activated by tapping three light sconces, each of which emits a different tone.

* In ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' the door to the Dungeon of Flames is opened with "Open Sesame", no matter what language it is spoken in. The dungeon is also implied to be the former cave of the forty theives.

* Played ''excessively'' straight in ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'', in the episode "The Haven": the ultra-secure, ultra-private apartments in the titular residential complex are ''so'' heavily automated that even the kitchen cabinets can't be opened or closed unless the resident tells them to. This backfires when the male lead can't even get into his own fridge when the system stops working.

The fact that it sounds an awful lot like [[OpenSaysMe "Open Says-A-Me"]] is a coincidence: the phrase is directly translated from Arabic "Iftaḥ yā Simsim", and the pun doesn't work. The use of "Sesame" ("Simsim" in Arabic) just happens to be a random word, which makes sense; [[ThePasswordIsAlwaysSwordfish why would you make the magic words to a secret chamber of riches something anyone could figure out?]]

Of course, the story [[RosebudWasHisSled is too familiar these days]] for it to be used as a password in a serious sense, making the phrase something of a DeadHorseTrope, only PlayedForLaughs.

* In ''Disney/RescuersDownUnder'', when Bernard, Bianca and Jake reach McLeach's hideout where he's keeping Cody, Bernard and Bianca start digging under the door to get in while Jake sarcastically says "Have you tried 'Open Sesame'. At that moment, McLeach opened the door and the three rodents were raised into the air on it.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PopeyeTheSailorMeetsAliBabasFortyThieves'', Popeye pursues the Forty Thieves when they kidnap Olive and Wimpy to their cave and has some difficulty remembering the magic word he overheard them use to open the door. Later, when Popeye is beset with the thieves and can stands no more, he takes out his spinach can and says to it, "Open, says me!" and it magically opens.

* Used amusingly in ''WesternAnimation/{{WALL-E}}'', when Auto prompts the captain for voice confirmation, he replies "Uhhh..." - which, of course, is accepted.

* ''{{Sneakers}}'' has a voiceprint lock that requires a specific phrase; unlike in ''Shadowrun'', it ends up being possible to beat the lock with a tape recorder.
* ''[[Film/TheBourneSeries The Bourne Ultimatum]]'' has [[TheDragon Noah Vosen]] keep all his incriminating documents in a safe with a voiceprint lock. [[IdiotBall Rather stupidly]], the phrase he uses is his own name [[spoiler:and he answers his phone in the exact same way]].
* At the end of ''TheHotRock'', Dortmunder finally gets the sought-after diamond after a bank guard was given a hypnotic suggestion. He casually utters the key words "Afghanistan banana stand" to the guard - there's some tension as the guard doesn't ''act'' hypnotized, but he does follow instructions and hands over the diamond.

* The Battle School lockers in ''EndersGame'' have voice-activated locks.

** Averted in another episode where Spongebob and Patrick are trapped behind a door. Patrick takes a deep breaththrows out his arms, and says "[[SimpletonVoice Open Sesame! ... Well I'm out of ideas.]]"