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7[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SinisterLatinChanting.jpg]]
8
9->''[[AC:O Fortuna!]]\
10[[AC:Velut Luna!]]\
11[[AC:Statu variabilis...]]''
12-->-- '''Music/CarminaBurana''', [[https://youtu.be/GXFSK0ogeg4 "O Fortuna"]]
13
14[[AC:For added atmosphere, play the music from [[https://youtu.be/gfG9aJzFPd4 this video]] while reading on.]]
15
16Somewhere over the past few centuries, [[GratuitousLatin Latin became the "ominous" language]]. Maybe it's the fact that it's the language of [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire a once-mighty civilization]] that collapsed over a thousand years ago. Maybe it's because it's also the traditional language of [[ChristianityIsCatholic the Roman Catholic Church]], and thus associated with divine power, spirituality, mystery, death, and DarkAgeEurope. And from there it's only a hop, skip, and a jump to the idea of [[ReligionIsMagic magic]]. And then there's the music with which Latin is often associated -- for example, the unique sounds of the Gregorian chant -- which can sound decidedly sombre, even spooky to a modern ear. Latin choirs also have those distinctive [[MelismaticVocals "ooh", "aah", "ooo" and "-us" sounds]], ascending theatrically and descending dramatically.
17
18So whenever you hear a choir singing powerfully in Latin, especially with OrchestralBombing, it means that this is '''''epic''''' [[MundaneMadeAwesome even when it's not]]. This trope is extremely common in movie trailers and the climax of devastating final battles; Hollywood will tell you that nothing can dictate "watch this movie" or "Grand Finale and the End of the World" more than potent choir chants in a language most viewers don't know, and that ''this'' is the way to give a scene that extra bit of ominous importance.
19
20The actual meaning of the words is unimportant. They could be singing Latin nursery rhymes or reading from a Roman phone book for all we know, or even [[CanisLatinicus Dog Latin]] or complete gibberish; it's the ''sound'' that matters, but there are bonus points if the chanting is reminiscent of, or outright stolen from Carl Orff's ''Music/CarminaBurana'', [[StandardSnippet especially]] "StandardSnippet/OFortuna", [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Fortuna which is a lament about how]] YouCantFightFate. Another famous one is [[https://youtu.be/Dlr90NLDp-0 "Dies Irae",]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dies_Irae#Text whose lyrics]] are genuinely [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt ominous]]. (If for any reason, such as parodying the trope, [[http://www.4shared.com/mp3/n-jrk-3B/carl_orff_-_o_fortuna.htm 4shared]] has an mp3 download link for "O Fortuna".)
21
22If the creators are particularly clever, the chanting will include a BilingualBonus.
23
24Latin is probably the most familiar dead language due to its being the ancestor of modern Romance languages (even though English is a Germanic language, it still has a major proportion of Latin influence, primarily through French and science), and its prominence and impact on modern culture make it easy to fact-check. Nevertheless, Ancient Greek, Sanskrit, Hebrew, Arabic, and others are sometimes used to similar effect. If a work is set in Russia or the Soviet Union, expect Ominous ''Slavic'' Chanting.[[note]]Bonus points if it's in Church Slavonic, a highly archaic Slavic language, specifically developed for religious use, which stands in cultural, functional & linguistic relationship to the Orthodox Church and the Bulgarian, Serbian and Russian languages as Latin does to the Roman Catholic Church and the French and English languages respectively.[[/note]] Eastern-style chanting is also having a surge in popularity, possibly due to the increase in stories featuring conflicts between Eastern and Western worlds. Creators that went to the trouble of [[{{Conlang}} inventing their own language]] for a work will likely find a way to feature it in this manner too. There's also a chance that the music only reminds one of ominous Latin chanting, opting to use "ooh", "aah", "ooo", and the like. Indeed, the lyrics don't need to mean anything; for the majority of the audience, [[CanisLatinicus Ominous Latin-Sounding Gibberish]] works just as well. If a work is set in the Middle East, particularly set within the ruins of an ancient civilization, then expect Islamic or Hebrew chanting.
25
26Compare CherubicChoir and the OneWomanWail. Often a part of OrchestralBombing and ReligiousHorror. May involve OminousPipeOrgan. See also BlackSpeech for the ear shattering version; and CreepyChildrenSinging, where creepy songs and nursery rhymes are played in the background to add tension and fear to a scene. Often lends itself quite well to MondegreenGag. Contrast with VictoriousChorus, which has the opposite effect of this trope; and {{Cantata}}, the actual ClassicalMusic term of chorales with instrumental accompaniment. When the Latin changing explicitly causes supernatural events InUniverse, then is also LatinIsMagic.
27
28For information on the real-life history of Latin chanting, see MediaNotes/MedievalMusic. Plenty of the examples that follow have earned places on the SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic page in case you feel like listening to them.
29
30----
31
32!!Example subpages:
33[[index]]
34* OminousLatinChanting/AnimeAndManga
35* [[OminousLatinChanting/LiveActionFilms Films — Live-Action]]
36* OminousLatinChanting/LiveActionTV
37* OminousLatinChanting/{{Music}}
38* OminousLatinChanting/VideoGames
39[[/index]]
40
41!!Other examples:
42
43[[foldercontrol]]
44
45[[folder:Advertising]]
46* The overuse of "O Fortuna" -- particularly for huge, sprawling period epic war footage -- was splendidly mocked in this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv5U0W8FDDk advertisement]] for the Australian beer Carlton Draught.
47* In Britain, "O Fortuna" was used for an advert for Old Spice aftershave... and a parody of that advert many years later for Carling Black Label lager...
48* "O Fortuna" is also used by Dominoes for a commercial in which they ditch the "Pizza" part of their former name.
49* It also appears in a commercial for Rickard's Red beer, albeit with English lyrics praising the beer. Nevertheless, it's sung by an ominous red-robed choir that appears [[{{Hammerspace}} out of nowhere]] whenever someone orders the brand. A similar Rickard's commercial uses the above-mentioned "O Fortuna" from ''Carmina Burana''.
50* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbfPj00pTNY This]] National Guard ad starts off with Ominous Latin Chanting, but then switches to Ominous ''English'' Chanting. Let's just say that it doesn't have quite the same effect as Ominous Latin Chanting.
51* Used a lot in trailers. There are companies whose main occupation is to supply trailer music for certain previews. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A11IlBjePI Immediate Music's Fury Unleashed,]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlOhC1MiVTQ With an Iron Fist]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocDvZ3tfDBw Confronting the Dark Lord]] are particularly guilty of this trope. The more epic chorus and chanting, the better.
52* A disappeared channel in Latin America, Locomotion (the local precursor of Creator/{{Animax}}), used to feature epic commercials for its series, animation for grownups. An example was the one made for Evangelion. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBHZ_fN3ljo&feature=related See here.]]
53* In 1997, a TV spot for Internet Explorer 4.0 used "Confutatis" from Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart's Requiem as background music. The ad, which featured Microsoft's slogan, "Where do you want to go today?", was quickly pulled as word quickly spread of the lyrics' meaning: "When the damned are cast away and consigned to the searing flames."
54[[/folder]]
55
56[[folder:Comic Books]]
57* ''[[ComicBook/{{Tintin}} Prisoners of the Sun]]'' has a chorus of Incan women chanting in Quechuan as Tintin, Calculus and Haddock are about to be burned at the stake as HumanSacrifice.
58[[/folder]]
59
60[[folder:Fan Works]]
61* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' fanfic ''Fanfic/ThoseLackingSpines'' played this trope for laughs when the sinister [[OverusedCopycatCharacter Jeffiroth]] made his appearance to thwart our heroes, accompanied by an orchestra and choir that had appeared from nowhere and a helicopter airdropping Nobuo Uematsu to direct them both in a parody of "One-Winged Angel".
62* "O Fortuna" is the title theme to WebVideo/AMVHell 1.
63* [[InvokedTrope Invoked by name]] in [[http://forums.ffshrine.org/showthread.php?t=73899 this]] fan compilation.
64* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries''
65** The series has its own lyrics for "Ave Satani" as the Bakura Show theme song:
66-->It's The -- Bakura Show -- He Is -- Evil -- He's So Evil -- He Once Killed -- A Puppy -- It Was Cute
67** The eight episode also played it for Bakura's first major appearance, with each statement followed by chanting to emphasize how ObviouslyEvil he was.
68** "O Fortuna" was used to foretell the coming of ''[[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's]]''.
69** In episode 45 just before [[spoiler: the epic duel between Bakura and Melvin]], we get some Ominous Brooklyn Chanting, followed by some actual chanting during the credits
70* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89wySCj4mJ4 Used]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGqlEL9WQW0 to great]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-eensMhO_k&feature=related effect by]] the [[{{Doujinshi}} doujin circle]] WAVE.
71* Another ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' remix combines "[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII One Winged Angel]]" with "[[MemeticMutation Cirno's Perfect Math Class]]"... so the chorus of seemingly-ominous Japanese chanting is actually just "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U0GEmJDQvw Baka! Baka!]]" ([[TheDitz Stupid! Stupid!]])
72* Braxton Burk's Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Reorchestrated series features OminousLatinChanting in their cover of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz8oigmcr0U the Lance/Red Champion theme]].
73* Juno Songs' lyrical cover of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8afoavNUcdc King Olly's first battle theme]] from ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'' has Latin chanting for the chorus, representing the Vellumental transformations.
74-->''Terra, aqua, ignis, glacies.''[[note]]Earth, water, fire, ice.[[/note]]\
75''Invoco te in stultum complicare.''[[note]]I call on you to fold away.[[/note]]\
76''Terra, aqua, ignis, glacies.''\
77''Terra, aqua, ignis, glacies.''\
78''Schedula!''[[note]]Can translate to mean "piece of paper."[[/note]]
79[[/folder]]
80
81[[folder:Films — Animation]]
82* The soundtrack to the film ''Manga/{{Akira}}'' contains a great deal of ominous chanting, but most of it is in barely-intelligible Japanese. ''Nemure, AKIRA, nemure...'' At the end, though, in that track they actually ''do'' [[http://www.animelyrics.com/anime/akira/requiem.htm use Latin]] as well.
83* You know what goes well with chanting? ''[[{{Fictionary}} Conlang!]]'' So ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'' naturally had some ominous chanting in Atlantean. This is best seen during Kida's bonding with the Heart of Atlantis crystal, although with IndecipherableLyrics.
84* The opening credits of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMaskOfThePhantasm'' are accompanied by Ominous Chanting to the tune of Shirley Walker's memorable ''B:TAS'' theme. The chorus, once again, is actually chanting the last names of production team members backwards.
85* ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'' has the equally ominous, joyful (yes, you can be ominous and joyful at the same time) and awesome "Transformation." Not Latin -- accurate Inuktitut! Sang by the Bulgarian's Women's Choir, no less.
86* Darla Dimple's BattleButler Max gets an ominous chanting to accompany his wall-smashing entrance in ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance'' -- as though the red-tint, and the screaming reactions from the crew wasn't enough to show that Max is one scary dude. If you listen closely, it sounds like the chorus may be [[MundaneMadeAwesome ominously repeating what was just said]]. ''"How does the kitty-cat go?"'' And Darla herself gets some as background in "Big and Loud".
87* The 2009 animated ''WesternAnimation/FantasticMrFox'' featured a chorus in the final action scenes, chanting a ''limerick'' about the villains:
88-->'''Chorus:''' Boggis, Bunce, and Bean / One fat, one short, one lean / These horrible crooks / So different in looks / Were nonetheless equally mean.
89* The Tank Gang in ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' attempt to do this with fake Hawaiian for Nemo's initiation, but it mostly comes off as hilarious.
90-->'''Tank Gang''': SHARK BAIT, ''OOH-HA-HA!''
91* The ''Anime/GhostInTheShell1995'' films make heavy use of Ominous Japanese Chanting -- an antiquated form of Japanese, no less.
92* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'': Considering the setting, it's unsurprising that a lot of the background score is based on Old-World church music, but the Latin vocals only make an appearance when someone's about to find themselves in serious trouble. Some awesome BilingualBonus within:
93** ''Non confundar in aeternum'' [[note]]Let me not be damned for eternity[[/note]] -- [[spoiler: during Esmeralda's execution as a witch]].
94** ''Libera me Domine de morte aeterna'' [[note]]Free me, Lord, from everlasting death[[/note]]/ ''In die illa tremenda'' [[note]]On that terrible day[[/note]]/ ''Quando caeli movendi sunt'' [[note]]When the heavens shall be moved[[/note]]/ ''Caeli et terra'' [[note]]The heavens and earth[[/note]]/ ''Dum veneris judicare'' [[note]]When Thou shalt come to judge[[/note]]/ ''Saeculum per ignem'' [[note]]the world by fire[[/note]] -- during Quasimodo's breaking free of the chains.
95** ''Sit sempiterna gloria'' [[note]]May glory be eternal[[/note]]/ ''Gloria, gloria semper'' [[note]]Glory, glory forever[[/note]]/ ''Sanctus, sanctus in excelsis'' [[note]]Holy, holy, in the highest[[/note]] -- when Quasimodo climbs the cathedral and claims sanctuary for Esmeralda.
96** ''Quem patronum rogaturus'' [[note]]"To what protector shall I appeal"[[/note]]/ ''Cum vix justus sit securus?'' [[note]]"When scarcely the just man shall be secure?"[[/note]] -- when Phoebus leads the charge toward the cathedral. These lines (and the lines in the entry below) come from the well-known 13th century Gregorian chant [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fMHms5Cvsw "Dies Irae" (Day of Wrath)]].
97** ''Confutatis maledictis'' [[note]]When the accursed shall be cast down[[/note]]/ ''Flammis acribus addictis'' [[note]]Given to the searing flames[[/note]] -- when Frollo is about to fall off of Notre Dame; [[spoiler:Frollo actually quotes this line in English just before falling, too, albeit not in those exact words]].
98** More examples can be found in the lyrics to "The Bells of Notre Dame" (Latin chanting during Frollo's chase describes the "day of trembling" when "the Judge is come,") and Frollo's VillainSong, "Hellfire."
99** Very cleverly used in "Hellfire". The interlude between Quasimodo's "[[IWantSong Heaven's Light]]" and Frollo's "Hellfire" is an excerpt from ''Confiteor,'' a Latin prayer for confessions of sin. The ''Confiteor'' continues into "Hellfire", offering some intentional [[IsntItIronic irony]] in the first few lines of the song. Most notably, when Frollo tries to claim innocence for his lustful thoughts:
100-->'''Frollo:''' It's not my fault!\
101'''Choir:''' ''Mea culpa'' [[note]][It is] My fault[[/note]]\
102'''Frollo:''' I'm not to blame!\
103'''Choir:''' ''Mea culpa'' [[note]][It is] My fault[[/note]]\
104'''Frollo:''' It was that gypsy girl, that ''witch'' who sent this flame!\
105'''Choir:''' ''Mea maxima culpa'' [[note]][It is] My most grievous fault[[/note]]\
106'''Frollo''': ''It's not my fault''\
107'''Choir''': ''Mea culpa''\
108'''Frollo''': ''If in God's plan''\
109'''Choir''': ''Mea culpa''\
110'''Frollo''': ''He made the devil so much stronger than a man!''\
111'''Choir''': ''Mea maxima culpa!''
112** One of the primary "dark/ominous" motifs in the film uses the phrase ''Kyrie eleison'' [[note]]"Lord, have mercy"[[/note]] -- technically Ominous ''Greek'' Chanting, but the effect is the same. The movie practically makes this phrase into Frollo's {{leitmotif}}.
113** The Dies Irae itself gets play during one of the most terrifying sequences, when Frollo is tearing the city apart and burning people's houses down to try to get to Esmeralda, culminating in burning Paris down.
114** ''Quantus tremor est futurus quando iudex est venturus cuncta stricte discussurus'' [[note]]"How much tremor there will be when the Judge will come investigating everything strictly"[[/note]] -- when Quasimodo's mother is running to get away from Frollo.
115** And, appropriately to the movie, most of these lines come from the Requiem Mass. "Libera Me" comes from the poem of the same name; the latter two come from "Dies Irae", which is not so much ominous as outright terrifying. "Sit sempiterna gloria," however, is a line from Thomas Aquinus' "O Salutaris," which is a Eucharistic Adoration hymn.
116* The Pixar short film "Jack-Jack Attack" on ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' DVD makes use of "Dies Irae".
117* ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'' has a few "aah's" that are heard during scenes with the Pure Ones and sometimes with Soren. Chanting can be heard when Metalbeak tries to kill Soren.
118* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie'' satirizes this trope while playing it straight. Listen closely in the underwater sequence to find that the choir are simply chanting, "under the sea" or even "Lego." Even operatic "yo ho." In addition, during Lord Business's fight with Vitruvius at the start of the film, you can hear them sing, "See all the Lego."
119** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoBatmanMovie'' uses a similar satirical approach to its predecessor. [[spoiler:When the Joker is sent to the PhantomZone, you can actually hear the choir literally saying "The Phantom Zone".]]
120** And in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegoMovie2TheSecondPart'', [[spoiler: the choir starts singing "Ourmamageddon" when [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt the eponymous event]] occurs.]]
121* The first half of "Armageddon" in ''[[WesternAnimation/TheMindsEye The Gate to the Mind's Eye]]'' features a sinister-sounding man singing in Latin. In translation, featured in the CD booklet, he's singing about the horrors of Armageddon. Some segments of the song also feature the more traditional background chanting.
122* It is also included within Hans Zimmer's score for the wildebeest stampede and Mufasa's death scene in ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}''. For bonus points, this same score (titled "To Die For...") also includes excerpts of Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart's Requiem when Simba finds his father's body. The only thing ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lion King|1994}}'' lacks is actual Ominous Latin Chanting -- there's plenty of [[AfricanChant Zulu chanting]] but it's hardly ominous (except perhaps the Zulu which is set to the "Dies Irae").
123* The Creator/RalphBakshi cartoon version of ''WesternAnimation/TheLordOfTheRings'' strangely uses ominous gibberish with the words "Isengard" and "{{Mordor}}" peppered in, rather than actually use any Tolkien language.
124* In ''WesternAnimation/MadagascarEscape2Africa'', animals chant in Swahili/distorted English as they try to coax Melman into killing himself to appease the gods.
125* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt''
126** The chanting's in English, not Latin, but that doesn't stop the chorus in "Plagues" and their description of what God's gonna do to the Egyptians from being scary. When they say that the pestilence won't stop "until you break/until you yield," you believe it.
127-->'''Chorus:''' "I send the swarm/I send the horde!"/Thus saith the Lord!
128** The number "Playing With the Big Boys Now", starts with Ramses' priests Hotep and Hoi(Steve Martin and Martin Short)(?) chanting the names of various Egyptian deities. The chanting can be heard later in the background.
129* ''Anime/PrincessMononoke'' has Ominous Japanese Chanting in the tune "The World of the Dead", which plays when the Forest Spirit's death goop is covering everything.
130* In the trailer of the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' movie, "O Fortuna" plays as the boys see Cartman's mom on the cover of "Crack Whore Magazine."
131* An even more intense version of Mozart's "Mass in C Minor -- Kyrie" plays during the impressive storm at sea scene in ''WesternAnimation/TheTripletsOfBelleville''.
132* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', the red moon ritual features Ominous ''Cantonese'' Chanting by Mei's relatives and the shaman conducting the ritual.
133[[/folder]]
134
135[[folder:Literature]]
136* Averted in ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' where Latin chanting is (usually) a good sign and a contrast to the wailing screams of agony heard in hell.
137* In Creator/AndrzejSapkowski's ''[[Literature/HussiteTrilogy Hussite Wars]]'' series, utter polyglot nonsense was chanted by impostors-masquerading-as-exorcists, surprisingly, to quite the opposite effect. It summoned something unidentified. Which then immediately possessed the village idiot.
138* The Literature/LeftBehind book series has Ominous Hebrew and Greek Chanting, as the demon locust swarm that emerges during one of God's Trumpet Judgments chants "Abaddon" and "Apollyon" in their respective languages.
139%% * Extremely popular in the ''Literature/MortalInstruments'' series, as is GratuitousLatin generally.
140* ''Literature/TheNightMayor'' is set in a virtual reality realm based on old thriller movies. At one point, the protagonists are captured by an evil cult that chants ominously in Latin... but the audible part of the chant is just a string of everyday Latin phrases like "cave canem" and "reductio ad absurdum".
141* In ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' the “''heroes''” choose at one point to massacre hundreds of liberal intellectuals for the crime of "Cultural Marxism". To make sure the message isn't lost, they do so wielding short swords and wearing Crusader surplices. To make ''extra'' sure, they bring in a live choir to chant "Dies Irae" while they work, and the somewhat less ominous "Non Nobis" as they leave.
142* Parodied in "Nefarious Times We Live In", a short story by Creator/WoodyAllen, where the protagonist is captured by an insane cult and witneses "a black mass in which hooded adolescent acolytes chanted the words, "Oh wow," in Latin".
143[[/folder]]
144
145[[folder:Podcasts]]
146* In a trailer for ''Podcast/TheMagnusArchives'' a mysterious voice chants ''vigilo, audio, opperior.''[[labelnote:*]]I watch, I listen, I wait.[[/labelnote]] The tape recorder picks it up when the archivist leaves it running as he momentarily leaves the room.
147[[/folder]]
148
149[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
150* Wrestling/TheUndertaker has often gotten in on the act, as many of his Pay-Per-View entrances see him preceded by torch-bearing, black-robed druids chanting in Latin. Extra points to his ''[[http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdn14_undertaker-vs-kane-at-wrestlemania Wrestlemania XIV]]'' entrance, where the druids actually entered to "O Fortuna" before Undertaker made his entrance to his usual music, a particularly-chilling rendition of Chopin's "Funeral March".
151* Wrestling/{{Raven}}'s entrance theme from his short Wrestling/{{WWE}} tenure prominently features Ominous ''Arabic'' Chanting. Raven mentioned on his website that Jim Johnston (WWE's music director, and writer/composer of about 90% of the songs used by WWE) used it to make the song sound "creepy and alien". It works beautifully.
152* Ominous Arabic chanting was featured even more prominently in Wrestling/MuhammadHassan's theme, but this time, it was post 9/11, and the music was deliberately chosen to, along with the entrance video that interspersed shots of Hassan and his manager, [[Wrestling/ShawnDaivari Daivari]], with slow pans of various American landmarks, leave the viewer with a vaguely uncomfortable feeling. All of this played directly into Hassan's character, which was an Arab-American who was sick and tired of being stereotyped as a terrorist, and lashed out at everybody, including the audience, for doing so.
153* Wrestling/{{WWE}} has even integrated ominous Latin into TheMerch -- a Wrestling/TripleH T-shirt features, among the skull-and-bones motif, the single word "Eversoris"[[note]]"Destroyer"[[/note]].
154* Wrestling/{{Mistico}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU8yMYXdRZU&list=FLXyHYBNZxmnuInnyPNEROzA&index=81&feature=plpp_video theme song]], performed by the band Era, consists of Ominous Latin Chanting, violins and a scorching guitar solo or two.
155* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t3DvX8KAiU His WWE-issue music for his entrance as]] Wrestling/SinCara has some chanting as well, but it's of a somewhat-more [[StealthPun uplifting]] nature. The DarkReprise used by CostumeCopycat [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdXBnvr3_xU Sin Cara Negra]], however, fits the bill for "Ominous".
156* On two of the occasions when he broke out the [[OneWingedAngel Demon Bodypaint]] for the [[Wrestling/WWENxT NXT live specials]], [[Wrestling/FinnBalor Finn Balor's]] entrance was preceded by a distorted recording of a low demonic voice speaking in tongues that sounds like ominous Latin.
157* The "trailer" for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmwUuAsRFRQ Boricuas Most Wanted]], ''You Know Me!!!''. It was actually used to stir up [[SpicyLatina Latin pride]].
158* Wrestling/{{Christian}}'s theme from the early 2000s, "At Last," had lyrics entirely in Latin except for the intro.
159* Wrestling/BaronCorbin's theme "I Bring the Darkness (End of Days)" opens with vocalizing that sounds like Latin chanting, as did the previous version, "New Rules."
160* The Master (a disguised Wrestling/KevinSullivan, though he threw off the robe after throwing a fireball) had Gregorian chants as his entrance music for his match with Brian Lee at Wrestling/{{SMW}}'s November 8th, 1992 show.
161[[/folder]]
162
163[[folder:Roleplay]]
164* Ominous chanting can be heard in ''Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG'' music tracks "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0P7LQwu2xY Divine Intervention]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0frMSjt1rc Eye to Eye]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIhAjFOHQtE Redemption]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZrvDcQ2h5k&list=UUOJFwFMcmgM8RTOIAyl5MtA Internal Confrontation]]", and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwf6M0bl1xA The End of All Things]]", courtesy of ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'', ''[[VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay Conker: Live & Reloaded]]'', ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'', ''[[Music/{{Nightwish|Band}} Imaginaerum]]'', ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', ''[[Music/ESPosthumus Unearthed]]'', ''[[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion Evangelion 2.0]]'', ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie'', and more.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:Sports]]
168* "O Fortuna" was used during the reveal of one of the three Super Bowl championship banners for the New England Patriots during the pre-game ceremony for the subsequent season-opener.
169[[/folder]]
170
171[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
172* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' has human magic users slowly become more and more influenced by their chosen magic discipline. In the case of WhiteMagic users, this may make them able to sing in a chorus by themselves.
173* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' uses this one, too, but in dramatically different circumstances. The Imperium of Man is a theocratic fascist state, whose official language is High Gothic, usually [[TranslationConvention rendered as Latin in the books]]. Anytime an Imperial choir strikes up, whether it be members of the [[TheChurch Ministorum]] trying to bolster the morale of the [[BadassNormal Imperial]] [[RedshirtArmy Guardsmen]] defending against an enemy onslaught, or the [[ChurchMilitant Adepta]] [[AmazonBrigade Sororitas]] singing their battle-hymn the ''Fede Imperialis'', this trope is in effect.
174[[/folder]]
175
176[[folder:Theatre]]
177* ''Theatre/TheBookOfMormon'': "Rectus! Dominus! Spookytus! Deus! Creepyus!"
178** A ShoutOut to themselves when they did it on South Park. See below.
179* Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's ''TOTEM'' has "Cum Sancto Spiritu" and "Omé Yo Kanoubé"; for that matter, much of Cirque's ''Theatre/{{KA}}'' has chanting too, albeit in [[SingingSimlish "Cirquish"]].
180* The song "All That's Known" from ''Theatre/SpringAwakening'' has an interesting variation on this. The chanting is in Latin--but it's the start of ''Literature/TheAeneid'', recited by students. As the singer is rebelling against this type of education, it's quite fitting.
181[[/folder]]
182
183[[folder:Theme Parks]]
184* In ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'' at Ride/UniversalStudios, this type of music plays as guests enter the main auditorium.
185* The music played when your boat enters the bow of the Flying Dutchman at {{Ride/Efteling}}.
186[[/folder]]
187
188[[folder:Visual Novels]]
189* ''VisualNovel/LandsOfFire'' extensively uses a soundtrack of indigenous Australian languages, with public domain tracks in Yolngu being used for suspenseful sequences.
190[[/folder]]
191
192[[folder:Web Animation]]
193* Subverted and parodied in ''WebAnimation/TheLazerCollection 5''. The {{leitmotif}} of Doctor Octogonapus's HumongousMecha sounds like this but is actually just "Oh shit! Holy shit!"
194* ''WebAnimation/MarioBrothers'' has this sort of music as much of the score, especially in battle scenes.
195* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'':
196** It has Agent Carolina's theme, which features Ominous Italian Chanting:
197--->''Morte ai nostri nemici'' (death to our enemies)\
198''Morte ai nostri nemici'' (death to our enemies)\
199''La tua guerra e persa'' (your war is lost)\
200''Non puoi distruggere'' (you can not destroy us)
201** Several of the Meta's combat themes contain the phrase "Plagam Extremam Infligere!", which is Latin for "[[ExtremeMeleeRevenge Inflicting Extreme Wounds]]", or more loosely, "Bloody Murder".
202* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5CRMD16rvk ''Do You Believe in Destiny'']] for [[spoiler: Pyrrha's fight with Cinder]], and the unnamed remix of Such Arrogance used at the beginning of the Volume 3 Finale for [[spoiler: the battle between a newly-Maiden-ized Cinder and Ozpin.]] Available [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5FAAMJo1l4 here]].
203* ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' uses "O Fortuna" to underscore a poster of ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' after Tristan predicts that [[MemeticMutation "in the future, card games will be played on motorbikes."]]
204[[/folder]]
205
206[[folder:Webcomics]]
207* [[http://www.nuklearpower.com/2005/03/19/episode-529-the-beast-in-the-cave/ This strip]] of ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' combines this trope with UnsoundEffect with hilarious results.
208* Similarly, ''Webcomic/{{Adventurers}}'' has the villain transforming into his OneWingedAngel form, and the first thing he says is, "Cue the choir."
209* ''Webcomic/{{Digger}}'': Sounds of distant ethereal [[http://www.diggercomic.com/?p=675 chanting!]] And somewhat more disgruntled ethereal [[http://www.diggercomic.com/?p=678 chanting!]]
210* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''
211** With its wide variety of music, [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=005579 was bound to get into this territory one of these days.]] Warning, minor spoilers in that link.
212** [[http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/calamity-2 This]] ''seems'' to be Ominous Latin Chanting... until you listen more closely. [[spoiler:They're just repeating [[CanisLatinicus Warhammer Of Zillyhoo]]. For the curious, the actual Latin would be ''malleum zilīhūs''.]]
213* Parodied in ''Webcomic/NotQuiteDailyComic'': when [[http://www.truefork.org/Art/comic/cindex.php?361 Malène attacks]] with Ominous English Chanting (Handel's ''Hallelujah''), Amaranthe [[http://www.truefork.org/Art/comic/cindex.php?362 strikes back]] with more devastating chanting (Händel's ''Dixit Dominus''). The Ominous Greek that settles the fight has the impact of a [[NukeEm small nuke]].
214* As with many other tropes, ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[LampshadeHanging hung a lampshade]] on this one when [[spoiler: Vaarsuvius makes a [[DealWithTheDevil Deal with the Fiends]].]] In this case, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0635.html an actual choir is seen]] singing "Bunkus! Nonsuch! Gibberos! Gobbleygoos!" just to the side of the main action. According to one of the [[spoiler:fiends]], the choir consists of dead paedophiles who are "[snipped] fresh every morning so they keep that high pitch." Because it "just isn't the same without someone chanting faux Latin in the background".
215* Also toyed with in the now-defunct ''Webcomic/RPGWorld''. As the heroes infiltrate the BigBad's headquarters for the final battle, they ride an elevator that plays "creepy chanting Latin chorus" music. The lyrics are a modified version of OneWingedAngel.
216* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' sees Ennesby program thousands of repairbots to [[https://schlockmercenary.com/2009-10-13 sing "O Fortuna" in unison]]. {{Lampshaded}} by Kevyn, [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor who urges him to pick a less-frightening song]]. Ennesby then chooses The Macarena (or the FutureImperfect version thereof). Which nets him an even BIGGER talking to....
217[[/folder]]
218
219[[folder:Web Original]]
220* The "You Are Mighty" website, currently at [=FillInTheBlank.You.Are.Mighty.Aninote.com=] (put whosever name you want to flatter in place of [=FillInTheBlank=], uses looped ominous Latin chanting in the background. Very '''loud''' ominous Latin chanting.
221[[/folder]]
222
223[[folder:Web Videos]]
224* ''WebVideo/AutoTuneTheNews'': "PREEKOTOS! FRITOS! SCHMEEKOBIEBTOS! PREEKOTOS! FRITOS! OMNIPITOS!"
225** In "Final Debate Songified" (2012): "PREEKOTOS! OMNIPITOS! ROMNEYTOS! SCHIEFFERTOS! FREETOS! OBAMATOS!"
226** In "Bad Hombres, Nasty Women" (2016): "PREEKOTOS! CHEETOS! OMNIPITOS! SCHMEEGOROS! TRUMPTOS! EECLINTONPROS!"
227* In ''WebVideo/DoomHouse'', this trope accompanies the evil doll wherever it goes or wherever it dispenses forth its horrific evil. Given that the soundtrack of ''Doom House'', and its sequel ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvbbrolCuNk Mood House]]'', is lifted directly from ''Film/TheOmen'', this makes sense.
228* The opening music for ''WebVideo/ScottTheWoz'''s "It's Awesome Baby!" episode is accompanied by chants of "Scott the Woz", as revealed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRl4xEq8oro the official upload of the track]] by composer Nick Karr.
229[[/folder]]
230
231[[folder:Western Animation]]
232* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'':
233---> Bacteria! It all began with one!\
234Bacteria! Two is what we then become!\
235Bacteria! Each of us becomes two more!\
236Bacteria! We become stronger than before!\
237Bacteria! We keep growing at this rate!\
238Bacteria! No longer shall we wait!\
239Bacteria! As our plan unfolds!\
240Bacteria! We will take over the world! (Rocky sprays the toilet bowl with disinfectant)
241** "[[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS2E8TheJob The Job]]" features ominous ''pizza topping'' chanting (because Richard gets a job delivering pizza [[spoiler:which is destroying the universe]]).
242* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': "O Fortuna" plays during a suspenseful scene in which Francine nearly walks in on Stan masturbating. Doubles as SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic.
243* ''WesternAnimation/ArgaiTheProphecy'': Both the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-ow_nhivzk opening]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uGRSOwvEP0 ending]] credits.
244* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
245** [[spoiler:The Lion Turtle's appearance]] is heralded by ominous Chinese chanting of the Pure Land Buddhist prayer mantra "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo Nianfo".]] [[spoiler: He's not a bad guy though. Just old, wise, mysterious, a bit scary, and ''very'' big.]]
246** The same chant appeared on two other occasions: once when Roku came back on the Winter Solstice to kick some Fire Nation ass, and another time when Aang fused with the Ocean Spirit to form a spectacular OneWingedAngel and kick some ''more'' Fire Nation ass.
247* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanBeyond'': In the episode "[[Recap/BatmanBeyondS2E12Babel Babel]]", Terry experiences a flashback to the death of his father. Throughout the flashback, Gregorian chant ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pange_Lingua_Gloriosi_Corporis_Mysterium the Pange Lingua]]) is interspersed with the show's usual rock background music.
248* In the ''WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog'' episode "Mega Muriel the Magnificent", ''Ode to Joy'' plays whenever Muriel, possessed by Courage's DeadpanSnarker computer, attempts a death-defying stunt in front of a crowd of spectators. Could also be an example of SoundtrackDissonance, considering ''Ode to Joy's'' melody is, for lack of better wording, joyous. On the other hand, since Muriel pulls off some [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome pretty awesome stuff]], it does fit a bit.
249* The ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' episode "Gaz, Taster of Pork" featured cues of a chorus singing "Pork! Pork! Pork!" and later, "Piggy-piggy-piggy-piggy...". Spoofed additionally with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcIbWmO75P4 "Meats of Evil"]].
250* ''WesternAnimation/LetsGoLuna'': In "Glocken Around the Clock", Leo tells the others that baby Matilda does a "terrible thing" whenever she doesn't have a glockenspiel to play with. All mentions of this "terrible thing" are accompanied by creepy Latin chanting in the background.
251* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'' features an episode centred on the REGIS Mk V, a planet-destroying GreyGoo machine voiced by Creator/MichaelDorn that is accompanied by something reminiscent of ''O Fortuna'' whenever it's on screen. Combined with its endless stream of {{Badass Boast}}ing, and the fact that Coop couldn't defeat it simply by smashing it, this type of music is very appropriate.
252* ''WesternAnimation/OnyxEquinox'' uses lyrics in Yucatec Maya and Nahuatl, sometimes to ominous effect.
253* ''WesternAnimation/OverTheGardenWall'' provides an interesting example with "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6vSpUT2K-o Potatus et Molassus]]," a DarkReprise of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4vryZTr6MA&t=30s Potatoes and Molasses]]" that plays in the background as [[spoiler:[[CheerfulChild Greg]] is dying]].
254* ''WesternAnimation/PinkyElmyraAndTheBrain'' has a humorous take on this with an accompanying OminousPipeOrgan music when an episode has a secret conspiracy Creator/ChristopherWalken look-alike. His appearance was preceded by chanting of an incongruous group of words, always ending in "Lactose!" I.E. "Rialto, Ontario, Gluteus Maximus, LACTOSE!".
255* In the ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' episode “Over the Top”, ''Dies Irae'' plays when Skips beats Rigby in arm wrestling and kills him.
256* A ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' parody of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' set at a fast food restaurant featured Sephiroth make his entrance with the background music being a parody of One Winged Angel but with the chorus chanting "HAMBURGER! HAMBURGER!".
257* The title theme music to ''WesternAnimation/SilverSurferTheAnimatedSeries'' has Latin-sounding singing interspersed at ominous points against the instrumental background.
258* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Spoofed in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS20E3DoubleDoubleBoyInTrouble Double, Double, Boy in Trouble]]" when Marge recalls that she [[OneDrinkWillKillTheBaby accidentally had a single drop of wine while pregnant with Bart]]. As the foetus acquires spiky hair and a devilish expression, the Background Music plays an Ominous Chant of "[[CharacterCatchphrase Ay Caramba!]]"
259* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
260** Parodied in "[[Recap/SouthParkS1E10Damien Damien]]", the son of Satan's arrival in town is accompanied by a choir of voices chanting "Rectus Dominus Cheesy Poofs" -- which is obviously supposed to be CanisLatinicus for "Ass Master, Cheesy Poofs" can actually be translated as "Straight master, Cheesy Poofs".
261** "[[Recap/SouthParkS11E5FantasticEasterSpecial Fantastic Easter Special]]", which spoofs both ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' and the Easter holiday, featured a [[CanisLatinicus pseudo-Latin]] version of "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" that memorably includes the phrase "Hippitus, Hoppitus".
262** "[[Recap/SouthParkS12E2BritneysNewLook Britney's New Look]]" had the ''characters'' chanting ominous Latin.
263* ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderMan''. Mysterio's spells are all Latin, however they are nonsense phrases when translated. They sure sound ominous though.
264* The Inquisitor from ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' has music with this.
265* ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'':
266** In "Before Ever After" as Rapunzel is running and experiencing a RapidHairGrowth, this plays in the background.
267** This is also heard in "Cassandra's Revenge" as Cassandra is reciting the Black Rock incantation.
268* In the 2003 version of ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'', the Shredder has his own self-titled (as shown on the TMNT 2003 cartoon website) music that plays whenever he appears as his fully-armored alias. It uses wordless chanting of this type at both the beginning and at the end whenever it's played, unless it's shortened for some occasions. There are also other different variations of this ominous tune, and on some occasions, this tune and some of its variations also use the Japanese samurai-inspired "yoo" sound.
269* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
270** In "[[Recap/TotalDramaNoPainNoGame No Pain, No Game]]", Eva makes a surprise return to the show. Strong as ever and incredibly angry about getting voted off in the first place, her return is accentuated by an InfernalBackground and ominous latin chanting.
271** As Wawanakwa Island sinks due to fracking in "[[Recap/TotalDramaTheFinalWreckening The Final Wreck-ening]]", water bursts out from every weak spot on the island, animals and humans alike run for safety, and ominous latin chanting sets the mood.
272* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' -- the chanting is usually saved for the more epic moments. The most recurring occurence is in "Prime Finale", notably used during Optimus Prime and Megatron's first battle, and Starscream using the Energon Harvester on a hapless Vehicon. Another, very dramatic use of chanting occurs as [[spoiler: the ''Nemesis'' prepares to fire on the Autobot base as Optimus moves to destroy the Groundbridge inside.]] This is also used in a book end as the same piece of chanting is used [[spoiler: as a reformatted Optimus prepares to destroy Darkmount's fusion cannons a few episodes later]].
273* The opening of ''WesternAnimation/{{Trese}}'' has a rather darker tune of Balluha'd Bayyauhen (an Ifugao folk song) that sets its noir themes.
274[[/folder]]
275
276[[folder:Real Life]]
277* [[http://maverlok.tumblr.com/post/166658887269/so-if-my-students-finish-a-quiztest-early-i-ask As reported]] by a Website/{{Tumblr}} user that teaches Latin:
278--> My students kept forgetting how to conjugate ''esse'', so I turned it into a rhythmic chant that I had them say over and over. The problem is that when you chant ANYTHING in Latin it sounds like you're summoning a demon, which they decided was awesome, so uh. Now I'll just be randomly walking through the hallway and hear voices chanting, "''sum es est! sumus estis sunt!''"\
279I'm 99% sure my colleagues think I've started a cult.
280[[/folder]]
281----
282->''[[TheStinger Estuans Interius, Ira Vehementi,]]\
283[[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic Estuans Interius, Ira Vehementi,]]\
284[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Sephiroth!]]''

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