Line #30 Main/EyeOpen


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Heathers}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Heathers_9178.jpg]]]]
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3	The theme song ends, or TheTeaser starts, or we return from a commercial break, or we simply change scenes. What do we see but a close-up of a character's eye?
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5	This is an Eye Open, a device sometimes used to show that a character is waking up. Of course, sometimes it's just used to show off an actor's good-looking eyes.
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7	Not to be confused with EyeAwaken, which is when a character's eyes suddenly open, but the shot doesn't open with an image of them. See also OneEyedShot and OpenTheIris.
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9	----
10	!!Examples:
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12	[[foldercontrol]]
13
14	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
15	* ''Anime/{{Canaan}}'': Canaan
16	* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'': Saber
17	** And again in ''Literature/FateZero''.
18	* In ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion The End of Evangelion]]'', after a trippy Instrumentality sequence, we're treated to a live-action close-up of an eye opening. In the movie proper that shot is as disconnected as the rest of the live-action part, but a longer live-action sequence was shot where that would've been Asuka waking up.
19	* ''Manga/ChisSweetHome'': Chi
20	[[/folder]]
21
22	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
23	* This is the very first shot of ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots'' when the titular character is introduced.
24	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', when Mei wakes up from her nightmare, it's shown using this trope. It also serves as the first indication that she has transformed into a red panda: the area around her eye has red fur.
25	[[/folder]]
26
27	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
28	* The movie ''Film/AeonFlux'' opens with the title character's eye catching a fly, a recreation of the original show's opening title.
29	* ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'' does this with Marilyn Lovell after showing her nightmare of losing Jim in space.
30	* Used in the opening [[spoiler: and closing]] of ''Film/{{Avatar}}''. [[Film/AvatarTheWayOfWater The sequel]] has it in the final scene.
31	* The opening to ''Film/BladeRunner'' centers on the Blade Runner Dave Holden's eye viewing the neon skyline of 2019 Los Angeles.
32	* The movie ''Film/CatsEye'' opens with (what else?) a close-up on one of General's eyes. Serves also as a visual TitleDrop.
33	* ''Film/{{Cube}}'': The film opens with a tight close-up of a man's eye when he wakes up to find himself in the Cube.
34	* Although the shot includes both eyes, ''Film/TheDivide'' opens with missile trails reflected on a tear-filled eye as a main character witnesses the nuclear destruction of New York.
35	* ''Film/EventHorizon'' on a close-up of William's eye.
36	* ''Film/{{Heathers}}'' has a close-up on Veronica's wide eye as she wakes from a nightmare.
37	* ''Film/{{Next\|2007}}'' does this with Nicholas Cage's eye twice, [[spoiler:once before and once after his character's long vision of a possible future]].
38	* In ''Film/ThePresidentsLastBang'', Korean CIA director Kim Jae-kyu is introduced with a tight shot of his eye while he's at the doctor. Later that evening, he will assassinate President Park Chung-hee.
39	* One of the more disturbing in movie history has to be the closeup of Marion Crane's eye in ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' after she flops over onto the bathroom floor.
40	* ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' opens with a close-up on Picard's eye as things flash back to when he was the Borg's prisoner.
41	* ''Film/{{Strike}}'' includes a title card announcing that the authorities are "searching for subversives", then cuts to a tight closeup of a spy's eye. The film is a Soviet propaganda piece set in Tsarist Russia, and the spy is hunting for subversive workers.
42	[[/folder]]
43
44	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
45	* The ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "The Big Wheel" starts with a shot of the killer's eye opening when he wakes up in the morning.
46	* ''Series/TheGoodPlace'' uses this whenever someone wakes up in the Afterlife, [[spoiler:or to show a new timeline]].
47	** The first episode begins with a close-up of Eleanor's eyes as she wakes up.
48	** During the [[spoiler:first reboot]] (last episode of season 1/first episode of season 2), we get close-ups of Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jianyu as they wake up.
49	** The last episode of season 2 features this again as [[spoiler:Eleanor is rebooted back to Earth with Michael saving her. Notably, her squint under the Arizona sun marks this quickly as a very different awakening.]]
50	* ''Series/{{House}}'' milks Creator/HughLaurie's very blue eyes for all they're worth.
51	* ''Series/{{Lost}}''. [[http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Eyes Quite a lot, in fact.]]
52	** The finale ends with [[spoiler:Jack closing his eyes in a reversal of the pilot's first scene]].
53	* The opening sequence of ''Series/{{Merlin\|2008}}'' features a close-up of Merlin's eye as it changes from blue to gold.
54	* The opening credits to ''Series/RobinHood'' had an image of a bright green eye; causing some confusion among viewers considering no one in the cast had green eyes. (According to WordOfGod, it was meant to be Robin's eye).
55	* Another backwards one in ''Series/{{Smallville}}''. During Lex's first appearance in season 3, we zoom in on his eye.
56	* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''
57	** In the episode "Mystery Spot", many times when [[GroundhogDayLoop the loop resets]], the camera is focused on Sam's eyes as "Heat of the Moment" plays in the background.
58	** Season 9 ends with a close up of Dean's eye lids popping open to reveal demon-black eyes.
59	* A first-season episode of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' does this.
60	* The pilot of ''Series/{{V 2009}}'' does a backwards one: instead of opening on Erica's eye and zooming out, we open on Erica and zoom in to her eye.
61	* Seen in the opening credits of ''Series/TheXFiles''.
62	* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E3TheDeadlyAssassin The Deadly Assassin]]" does a DreamWithinADream variant, where an extreme closeup of the Doctor's brilliant purple-blue eye flickering open is used to indicate that we've passed from the world outside while ThoseTwoGuys talk over his sleeping body to inside his {{Cyberspace}} NightmareSequence. Only within the dream-world, he is waking up. With an anaesthetic mask on his face. As a surgeon prepares to perform MeatGrinderSurgery on him. [[NightmareFuel Aaaagh.]]
63	* The ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' episode "[[Recap/SherlockS04E03TheFinalProblem The Final Problem]]" opens with a close-up on a little girl's eye opening.
64	* [[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x320552]]''Series/{{the adventures of pete and pete}}'' episode last laugh starts with Big Pete's eye opening.
65	[[/folder]]
66
67	[[folder:Video Games]]
68	* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' opens on the G-man's eye.
69	* The opening of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' focuses on Tidus' eye while he lies on his back just before some rock music kicks in and [[DoomedHometown his hometown is doomed]].
70	* At the end of the credits in ''VideoGame/SlyCooperAndTheThieviusRaccoonus'', [[spoiler:a dead [[BigBad Clockwerk]] is seen with one of his eyes lighting up again]].
71	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'': In the opening cutscene, and the next one after that.
72	* Games published by the company Virgin Interactive Entertainment from 1995-1999 feature a logo animation of an eye opening with the company logo appearing in it. [[NightmareFuel It usually scared the crap out of anyone unprepared for it]].
73	* Sega debuted a new logo animation in May 2017 as part of their "Amazing Sega" corporate image, and it's of a eye with the Sega logo inside the pupil. Feels like they couldn't find anything original and copied the Virgin logo.
74	* Twice in ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'':
75	** When Samus first descends into Norfair, Mother Brain is shown observing her progress.
76	** Upon boarding the Space Pirate Mothership, a brief cutscene is shown of a mechanical eye opening[[spoiler:, that of the [[FinalBoss Ridley Robot]].]]
77	[[/folder]]
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79	[[folder:Western Animation]]
80	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'': Every intro up until Season 11 opens with one of the main characters doing this.
81	[[/folder]]

Context Main / EyeOpen