Line #34 Main/ParodiesOfFire


1	->''Have you seen this movie?''\
2	''Our guess would be no''\
3	''But this famous theme song''\
4	''You probably know''\
5	''We'll show you how this song is used''\
6	''In movies and shows (all your favorite shows)''\
7	''The character's always in a race''\
8	''Running in slow-mo''
9	-->--'''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjO2SNKCIPY&list=TLPQMjEwMzIwMjDDMggePczI1Q&index=3 Straight No Chaser's Movie Medley]]'''
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11	A StockParody where a character is in a rush to get somewhere on foot and the iconic theme music from ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'' starts playing. It has become standing "running" theme music in general much like the ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'' theme song (or in Britain, the jingle from ''Series/{{Countdown}}'') has become standard "thinking" music, to the point where "this music plays while people sprint" is all that many people know about the original film. Often the scene using this trope will start to go in slow-motion when the ''Chariots'' theme begins (despite slow-motion being rather sparingly used in the original film; most often the music played during race scenes in regular speed), and sometimes the character will start to mimic Eric Liddel's long strides, loping gait, and/or head tilt as well.
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13	Not surprisingly, ''Chariots of Fire'' is the name of this piece of music [[note]]the song is called 'Titles', due to being played over the titles in the movie[[/note]]. The original was composed and performed by Music/{{Vangelis}}, who also did a lot of the music for ''Film/BladeRunner''. The use of their tune as a parody or as generic running music has become well known even among those who have never seen ''Chariots of Fire'' or even who couldn't identify it by name - see also ParodyDisplacement.
14	----
15	!!Examples
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Advertisements]]
20	* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxQwq26plNo This commercial]] for Duracell batteries features marathon runners running through New York City to the ''Chariots of Fire'' theme, with the one powered by the then-newest Duracell battery lasting the longest.
21	* The first Nike Free commercial plays this song while some men run barefoot through an environment that combines elements of the beach and a cityscape. [[spoiler:When the song pauses, the ad reveals the scene as a fantasy that one Nike Free wearer has while running through a city.]]
22	* This Ride/SixFlags [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6QEV0l8ejg commercial.]]
23	[[/folder]]
24
25	[[folder:Anime]]
26	* Used in the HalloweenEpisode of ''Anime/TimeBokan24'' when Bimajo and her minions trip Calen and Tokio and are about to reach the goal. [[spoiler: The correct answer is actually Tottori, not Shimane.]]
27	[[/folder]]
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29	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
30	* In the film ''WesternAnimation/Madagascar1'', the theme plays when Alex and Marty find each other after getting shipwrecked in Madagascar, and run towards each other in slow motion. Then Alex gets angry and starts chasing Marty... still in slow motion.
31	* Near the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'', we see Simba running across the desert on the way back to Pride Rock so he can challenge his EvilUncle Scar for the throne, with a faded closeup of his paws running in slow motion as he does so. And in ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKingOneandaHalf'', we see ''Pumbaa'' do the same thing... ...except that he is running in slow motion ''on purpose'' so that Timon would catch up with him and help Simba defeat Scar and reclaim his title as the rightful king.
32	[[/folder]]
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34	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
35	* Done in ''[[Film/AreWeThereYet Are We Done Yet?]]'', as the doctor power-walks to the family's house. There's no slow motion here since he is speedwalking and not running.
36	* ''Film/BruceAlmighty'' does this as Bruce runs in front of a line of kids and pours milk over their heads. ItMakesSenseInContext.
37	* Happens in ''Film/HappyGilmore'' during one of the slow-motion running golf swings.
38	* The live-action ''Film/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas'' has this as the Grinch participates in a potato-sack race.
39	* A version of this music plays in ''Film/MrMom'' during the company picnic which includes a short footrace with everyone wearing diving flippers. True to form the entire race is shown in slow-motion.
40	* ''Film/NationalLampoonsVacation'' uses this, as the Griswolds run toward the entrance of Wally World.
41	* ''Film/GoodBurger'' uses this when Ed and Dexter [[MundaneMadeAwesome deliver a burger]] to Shaquille O'Neal.
42	* Used in a trailer for ''Film/{{MarleyAndMe}}''.
43	[[/folder]]
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45	[[folder:Literature]]
46	* A rare literary example occurs in ''Literature/BloodsuckingFiends''. During the turkey-bowling event at Tom's night job, one of the bowlers imagines the theme to ''Chariots of Fire'' playing as he lines up his shot. Then it all goes wrong.
47	[[/folder]]
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49	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
50	* Neil Patrick Harris and Max Casella are involved in this in an episode of ''Series/DoogieHowserMD''
51	* ''Series/TheSmellOfReevesAndMortimer'' featured a brief sketch spoofing the film, consisting of Vic and Bob running across Scarborough beach, where Vic is overtaken by Bob, who is revealed to have asparaguses for legs.
52	* ''Series/WhosTheBoss'' plays this while Tony is in a swimming race.
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
56	* ''Series/DonkeyHodie'' used a sound-alike version in "The Breakfast Bowl", during a scene in which Donkey and Panda race each other with cereal boxes.
57	* ''Series/FraggleRock'': Gobo and Wembley run three races in "Wembley and the Great Race". During the final race, a slight rearrangement of the "Chariots of Fire'' theme is heard as we get slow-motion views of Gobo and Wembley running.
58	* ''Series/SesameStreet'' had a parody named ''Chariots of Fur'', with Grover running to the theme until he dropped from exhaustion.
59	[[/folder]]
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61	[[folder:Video Games]]
62	* ''VideoGame/{{QWOP}}'' plays the first few bars of "Chariots of Fire" when you get to running speed, or more accurately [[SomeDexterityRequired IF you get to running speed]].
63	[[/folder]]
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65	[[folder: Web Original]]
66	* During his playthrough of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', WebVideo/JesseCox encountered [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by0vOunj5Lc&t=11m20s a trio of glitched Necromorphs running in place]]. It immediately reminded him of ''Chariots of Fire'', prompting him to sing the song as he fires at them.
67	* In the ''WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier'' episode about the ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'' video game, the theme is used in background while mocking the simplistic and stiff walking animation of the player character.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Western Animation]]
71	* In the ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' episode "Dreamlighting" (which itself is a parody of ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}''), Jeanette/Ms. [=DaPest=] runs to catch a bottle of explosive rocket fuel before it hits the ground; the sequence is played in slow-motion and is accompanied by a very slight rearrangement of the ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'' theme.
72	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Lincoln Loud sadly walking down a hallway in the episode "Ties That Bind", with a transparent closeup of him superimposed over himself as he does so.
73	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981'' cartoon special "The Smurfic Games", Clumsy strains to reach the finish line at the end of the Smurfathlon while a slight rearrangement of the ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'' theme tune plays.
74	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the ''[[JustForFun/TheItchyAndScratchyShow Itchy and Scratchy]]'' cartoon shown in "Lisa's First Word" the theme can be heard while Scratchy is running during an Olympic game.
75	* Seen in the ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' episode "From Here to Maternity," as Filburt attempts to beat a stork to the O-Town Hospital, when running to the main entrance, everything then goes into slow-motion as a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong sound-alike]] of the ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'' theme plays, as Filburt manages to run ahead of the stork. But then the music stops (with RecordNeedleScratch) and the speed returns to normal when the stork catches up and swipes Filburt's glasses [[BlindWithoutEm so he can't see where he's going]].
76	[[/folder]]
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78	[[folder:Other]]
79	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwzjlmBLfrQ opening ceremony of the 2012 London]] UsefulNotes/OlympicGames included the theme being played by the London Symphony Orchestra, with Series/MrBean (Creator/RowanAtkinson) on synthesizer. As Bean gets bored of having to play the same note for the main beat, he has a fantasy of the scene, with himself in Eric Liddell's place and wins the race by taking a ride in a car[[note]]Something that notoriously ''did'' happen in the marathon at the 1904 St Louis Olympics[[/note]]. He then wakes up in confusion as the whole orchestra has stopped playing except himself as he was falling asleep.
80	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ParodiesOfFire