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[[quoteright:350:[[Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dyingtorch.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Must... not... [[IllTimedSneeze sneeze]]...]]
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It's dark. The person we're watching is running out of light. The match is burning down. The candle's nearly done. Their flashlight's flickering. In any case, darkness is imminent. These are scenes often played for dramatic tension. Directors use these scenes in horror movies. Other times the lack of reliable lighting might be an inconvenience for the protagonist in a slapstick comedy for whom everything goes wrong. A hasty scramble to ignite a HardToLightFire may follow.

TenSecondFlashlight is the "gameplay mechanic" version of this. Contrast with BlackoutBasement, where fading light is a level's gimmick.

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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Comedy]]
* Creator/EmoPhillips: "What I do is hard; they say the number one fear in the country is public speaking. I would have thought the number one fear would be being BuriedAlive with a severed head -- and just before your flashlight dies, its eyes open. But no, apparently, it's the public speaking thing."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
%%* Used in the horror movie ''Film/TheCave''.
* ''Film/DarknessFalls'' uses this a lot, as the villain cannot stand any sort of light.
* ''Film/DevilsPass'': The decades-old light bulbs in the bunker keep flickering on and off, and one tunnel goes completely dark just as the students enter.
* ''Film/{{Doom}}'' does this with Goat's flashlight, shortly after [[LetsSplitUpGang they split up to cover more ground]].
-->'''Goat:''' [[OhCrap This isn't happening...]]
* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': Korben Dallas needs fire to unlock part of the weapon that can take down the BigBad. He has one match.
-->'''Korben:''' Nobody breathe.
* ''Film/GhostStories2017'': As the lights go out around him, Tony's flashlight begins to flicker as well.
%%* ''Film/TheGoonies'' has such a scene. - ZCE, are you sure this is not covered under TenSecondFlashlight?
* ''Film/{{Housebound}}'': The lights frequently flicker or shut off. Subverted, when we learn this isn't caused by a ghost, but by [[spoiler:Eugene living in the walls and mooching electricity.]]
* Beni's fate in ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'' is sealed as his torch burns out, leaving him at the mercy of the flesh eating scarab beetles surrounding him.
* ''Film/ThePact'': Light fixtures and flashlights flicker and go out. The medium Stevie says that something is "taking the light."
%%* The basic premise of the movie ''Film/PitchBlack''.
%%** Doubly so for [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6t8KHa6GSs Paris' Death]]]]
* ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'': Indy and Marion are trapped in a tomb of poisonous snakes, and their torches are running out.
* ''Film/TheResurrected'', a 1991 film adaptation of ''Literature/TheCaseOfCharlesDexterWard'', recreates the scene where the hero has to navigate his way out of a MadScientistLaboratory of failed BodyHorror experiments after dropping his lamp. He's got a flashlight whose battery is on its last legs, and a pocketbook of matches. Fortunately the final match is enough to get him back to where he saw another hurricane lamp sitting on a table earlier.
%%* The movie ''Film/ShutterIsland'' shows a clip from such a scene in its trailer.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* The climax of ''Literature/HouseOfLeaves''. In an interesting twist, Navidson [[spoiler:burns a book titled]] ''[[FoundFootage House]] [[spoiler:of Leaves'']] to give him light. And in doing so, [[spoiler: he may have saved himself.]] Possibly.
* In the Klingon-centered ''Franchise/StarTrek'' novel ''Literature/TheFinalReflection'', the protagonist and two of his officers are LockedInAFreezer by a traitor. One of the officers adjusts the display on her communicator to provide enough light to see by; its battery gives out just as they make their escape.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Chernobyl}}'': Three structural engineers in radiation suits venture into the lower levels of reactor 4 to assess the damage to the cooling pumps. All three are issued flashlights powered by 12-volt carbon-zinc batteries. All three lights fail within the first minute, due to the massive radiation making the air conductive. The engineers must feel their way around the pipes and debris in total darkness and hip-deep in heavy water.
* Flickering lights are usually used to set the ominous scene in the early episodes of ''Series/Dark2017''. This is later revealed to be an indicator of time travel going on in the area.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The [[Characters/DoctorWhoWeepingAngels Weeping Angels]] have the ability to feed on power from a distance, including artificially-generated light. The fact that your only defence against them is [[CantMoveWhileBeingWatched the ability to see]] makes this absolutely terrifying.
* ''Series/ForAllMankind''. When astronaut Molly Cobb is [[DramaticSpaceDrifting cast adrift in space]], she's too far away to be seen except for her flashlight. Then her flashlight goes out after she orbits through the night side of the Earth. So the spacecraft then turns on its beacon lights, enabling Molly is able to guide them to her.
* ''Series/TheMurderGame'': During the final Killer's game, one of the contestants' flashlights fails. Possibly not intended, but played for all it's worth anyway.
* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': "By Inferno's Light". At one point the light that Garak is working with becomes temperamental, which is bad news for him because in the confined space of the access tunnel he's working in, he's barely holding off a panic attack as is (he has severe claustrophobia). When the light flickers out, the panic attack ensues, and he's out of commission for a while.
* ''Series/StrangerThings'': In "[[Recap/StrangerThingsS4E7ChapterSevenTheMassacreAtHawkinsLab The Massacre at Hawkins Lab]]", Hopper's improvised torch which he uses against the Demogorgon dies down at which point he throws the spear into the monster's mouth.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'', "Darkness Falls": Loggers accidentally release an ancient swarm of killer insects, who wrap the loggers in cocoons and drain them dry. Fortunately, the insects only attack in the dark. Unfortunately, Mulder and Scully end up trapped in the mountains with a dying light bulb and no other light source.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Series/FraggleRock'': In "[[Recap/FraggleRockS2E18TheDayTheMusicDied The Day the Music Died]]", the Fraggles enter a ForcedSleep when the Ditzies, the source of light in the underground world of Fraggle Rock, are inexplicably dying. The lantern Gobo carries keeps him awake, but when it goes out, it's all he can do to stay awake long enough to carry Wembley to the Gorgs' garden so the sunlight will wake him. The other Fraggles gather lanterns to keep them awake, but they fall asleep when the lanterns go out.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AlanWake'': Some Safe Havens break when Alan reaches them, plus he constantly has to change batteries for his flashlight.
* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', many of the game's dungeons are dark enough that a light source is required. The torches and lanterns you can use have a finite, [[TenSecondFlashlight usually short]] duration. Spells such as Light and Night Eye are available, but are also temporary unless you enchant them onto an item as a constant effect.
* ''VideoGame/{{Custodial}}'' has the titular character use his smartphone as a light source when the power goes out. It doesn't last even a full minute, and when it dies, things get even worse.
* In ''VideoGame/EscapeFromButcherBay'', [[Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick Riddick]] is usually equipped with an InfiniteFlashlight mounted on a shotgun. After he falls into the Pit, however, his flashlight's battery is damaged, and he has six minutes to run through a maze of tunnels, fighting off wailing, naked ghouls, while his only source of light gradually dims. When Riddick finally receives his [[SuperSenses eyeshine]], it's a godsend.
* The ''VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon'' series has lots of setpieces with flickering lights [[ElectromagneticGhosts when paranormal activity is involved]], including those of ''the HeadsUpDisplay itself''.
** In the Vivendi expansions for the first game, ''F.E.A.R. Extraction Point'' and ''F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate'', your headlamp will flicker along with the HUD, go out completely, and won't be usable until the supernatural setpiece ends.
** In ''F.E.A.R. 2'', the headlamp flickers at the slightest paranormal activity.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' in general makes use of dark environments and the old TenSecondFlashlight, but ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode One'' in particular features zombie-infested environments that are often pitch black; in some sections you have to use your torch to light up enemies for Alyx to attack, in others you have to make use of flares, flaming barrels and [[VideogameCrueltyPotential flaming zombies]] to try and keep the area lit so you can see attacking zombies who aren't straight in front of you. Things can get quite tense when your last light source is burning out, your torch is out of juice and you've only killed ''most'' of the zombies...
* In ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', you can turn on a flashlight to see the Flood coming, but in ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'' it'll automatically turn off after a while.
* ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrangeTrueColors'': The lantern at the mine only lasts so long until it dies and sends Alex back into the dark. Her sight adjusts soon though.
* Subtle, and played for laughs in ''VideoGame/{{MDK2}}''. It's never necessary to use Dr. Hawkins' lighter to do so, but you can activate it to provide a small amount of light around yourself. After a few seconds, it goes out and you [[ScratchDamage burn yourself]].
* The chemical glowsticks from the ''VideoGame/NancyDrew'' game ''The Curse Of Blackmoor Manor'' will fail at least twice in a game, no matter how recently you acquired or activated them.
* ''VideoGame/{{Phasmophobia}}'': Obligatory with the presence of ElectromagneticGhosts. Also, they can blow out candles.
* In ''VideoGame/APlagueTaleInnocence'', besides {{Hollywood Torch}}es, Amicia also has to deal with sticks which are burning up quickly.
* ''VideoGame/SilentHill2'': In the second half of the game, when James picks up a key, his flashlight dies completely, and examining it gives the hint that it's out of battery. Luckily, in a previous part of the game, you inevitably get a fresh battery that fits the flashlight, so you can replace it immediately. [[spoiler:After you do, it's revealed that the room you're in is now infested with [[BigCreepyCrawlies Creepers]], and the door is locked by a puzzle.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* PlayedForLaughs in the "Fight Day" episode of ''WebVideo/{{Idiotsitter}}''. Housekeeper Joy has taken Billie into a narrow passageway in the Russel mansion, and is talking to her by candlelight -- but she holds it close to her face and keeps blowing it out with her words, prompting an irritated [[PrecisionFStrike "fuck me!"]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* From the ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' episode "The Cave of Two Lovers": Aang and Katara are separated from the others. They haven't found their way out of the cave and their torch is burning down to nothing. [[spoiler:Turns out, the key to finding their way through the cave was to let their torches burn out, allowing them to see the dimly glowing crystals in the cave that marked the path.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS1E11DookuCaptured "Dooku Captured"]], Obi-Wan's lightsaber flickers and goes out entirely in the cave, which is a bit more foreboding than a regular flashlight doing the same.
[[/folder]]
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->"It is pitch black. [[VideoGame/{{Zork}} You are likely to be eaten by a grue.]]"
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