Usually deployed in any movie which involves a character placing or retrieving something in the trunk (boot, if you're using British English) of a car. POV will usually be from within the trunk looking up at the character opening it.
Popularised by
Quentin Tarantino who has a Trunk Shot in all of his films.
See
Punk in the Trunk for one of the ways this shot can be used.
Notable films that feature this trope:
Also found in:
- Supernatural — the Winchesters keep their weapons in the trunk, and so represents their "family business." The last shot of the pilot is a dramatic trunk shot with the trunk slamming shut serving as a cut to black. Also an example of Book Ends, as season 2 ends with the exact same shot, and line ("Let's get to work.").
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia uses this trope in "Paddy's Pub: The Worst Bar in Philadelphia" Given the context, it may be an additional shout-out to Tartatino's films in general
- Life on Mars: Gene Hunt does this to Sam Tyler at least once.
- Pilot episode of The Streets of San Francisco (1972) contains one near the end of an episode, when Stone, Keller and Malone find a chest with victim's belongings.
