Line #27 Main/TouchOfTheMonster


1	[[quoteright:280:[[Literature/{{Specimens}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/specimens_saberhagen_cover.jpeg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:280:"[[CoversAlwaysLie Surely]] this is a book about robot tentacles and hot girls and not [[KillItWithWater wimpy alien computers]]. Surely!"]]
3
4	->''"AAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" screamed Constance, as she was swept up in the arms of the murderous monstrosity!''\
5	''"AAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" screamed the monster, as its spine cracked under the weight of the struggling blonde.''
6	-->-- ''Fanfic/Plan7Of9FromOuterSpace''
7
8	Back before VideoGames and all those newfangled, high budget horror films had completely desensitized viewers and [[NewMediaAreEvil ruined it for everybody!]] ... ''(cough)'' ... horror movies would attract audiences by doing the [[{{subtext}} visual equivalent of foreplay]] in a [[FilmPosters Film's Poster]], in this case presenting one of the following visual variations on an implied rape scene:
9
10	* '''Rape of the [[AbductionIsLove Sabine Women]]''', in which the monster [[PietaPlagiarism holds an unconscious woman in his arms]] in [[BridalCarry a manner evoking the old-fashioned custom of a groom carrying his bride over the threshold of his house]] -- or, more ominously, CradlingYourKill.
11	* '''Supine Struggling''', in which a monster crouches over or attempts to pin down a woman lying on her back while she tries to escape.
12	* '''DeathRay Vision''', involving a woman who screams and/or backs into a corner at the mere sight of the monster ''glancing'' at her.
13	* '''[[ToServeMan Playing with Its Food]]''', in which a giant monster either has obvious intent to eat a woman or is clutching her in its fist with the possible implication of [[ImAHumanitarian anthropophagy]].
14	* '''Touch of Evil''', in which the monster embraces or otherwise touches the woman in a way that would be almost innocuous if she weren't visibly disgusted and/or horrified -- though he is just as often touching her in a predatory manner. Another variant of this involves the monster ''almost'' touching the woman, to which she [[CowerPower cowers expressively]].
15	* '''From the Pages of Bettie''', which makes conspicuous use of BoundAndGagged (e.g., strapped to a MadScientist's laboratory table) and may be combined with any of the above styles.
16	* '''Calamari Surprise''', a variant of the immediately preceding item, but with tentacles as the restraining devices instead of standard bondage equipment.
17	* '''[[CradlingYourKill Angels' Envy]]''', a less commonly seen type wherein the monster gloats over or cradles a woman's ''corpse''. This variant differs from '''Rape of the Sabine Women''' in that this woman is obviously dead. Note that this variant alone displays the aftermath rather than the setup.
18	* '''[[TeensAreMonsters Children in Heat]]''', named for the song by Music/TheMisfits, depicts a consensual encounter with a monster. This one is rare because it's much less effective at inciting horror than its sibling subtropes are.
19
20	Sometimes the menacing party is a ''man'' instead of a monster, which is even more disturbing for making the undertones (or overtones, depending on your viewpoint) more obvious.
21
22	A four-way chimaera of IHaveYouNowMyPretty, MarsNeedsWomen, MonsterMisogyny, and DamselInDistress, though it may also engender {{Squick}} in those who see it. The trope was by no means limited to movie posters; [[OlderThanTelevision it started with pulp magazine covers]] and extended to comic books and video boxes, where it was a leading offense to {{Media Watchdog}}s and MoralGuardians. Of course, [[CoversAlwaysLie not all of the criticism was well-founded, since this trope was used even when monster-on-human action was not a plot point]].
23
24	This has become a DiscreditedTrope in recent years.
25
26	----
27	!Examples
28
29	[[foldercontrol]]
30
31	!!Rape of the Sabine Women
32
33	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
34	* This [[http://www.mangahere.com/manga/wolf_guy_ookami_no_monshou/v02/c009/ cover]] of ''Manga/WolfGuyWolfenCrest'' invokes this trope, but the werewolf is ''the good guy''.
35	[[/folder]]
36
37	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
38	* ''[[http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/MG/143867~Tobor-the-Great-Posters.jpg Tobor the Great]]'' goes for this variant, and the tagline assures us that yes, he has "every human emotion," except apparently shame.
39	%%* ''Film/RobotMonster''
40	* One of the ''Invaders from Mars'', on the film's poster.
41	* Often seen in Franchise/UniversalHorror films and/or publicity stills.
42	** ''Film/Dracula1931'' has the Count carrying Mina Harker in this manner in the ruined Carfax Abbey.
43	** The {{Mummy}} Kharis does this in ''Film/TheMummysHand'' and pretty much every other movie he appears in.
44	** FrankensteinsMonster does it toward the end of ''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan''.
45	** The ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'' did this, through his intentions were quite honorable; he was the last of his kind and wanted a companion. However, that didn't stop him from being highly territorial and [[FantasticRacism mistrusting humans]].
46	* ''The Crimson Cult'', featured off to the side rather than in the center.
47	* The poster for ''Film/ForbiddenPlanet'' had Robbie the Robot carrying the female lead, even though Robbie wasn't a villain in this movie, and the only character carried in such a manner was "Doc" Ostrow after he received a fatal injury from an alien gizmo.
48	* In ''Film/{{Candyman}}'', Candyman carries the heroine, Helen, like this. Just to underline the sexual element, this takes place after she has agreed to 'surrender' to him, and before he lies her down on a table/bed, he slides his hook up her skirt... and kisses her.
49	* Apparently the ''Film/FireMaidensOfOuterSpace'' [[CuteMonsterGirl weren't alien enough]], since the poster shows a grotesque monster and one of the titular maidens in a Sabine Woman-style pose.
50	* ''Satan's Satellites'': human (or humanoid)-on-human...and Satan is not present in the poster.
51	* The poster for ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'' is a very early, probably [[TropeMaker Trope Making]] example of the Sabine Women one, combined with PietaPlagiarism.
52	%%* ''Film/BrideOfTheMonster''
53	* [[http://cache.io9.com/assets/images/io9/2008/06/thisislandearth-movposter.jpg One of the posters]] for ''Film/ThisIslandEarth''.
54	* ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951'' climaxes with Helen Benson uttering the words "KlaatuBaradaNikto" to the robot Gort, after which he carries her into the flying saucer. Subverted in that she's only taken there to talk to Klaatu.
55	* Poster for ''Film/{{Tarantula}}'' shows the monster carrying a screaming woman in its mouth.
56	* On the original poster for ''Film/SwampThing''.
57	* Parodied in ''Film/MonsterInTheCloset'', when it's the ''hero'' that gets carried off in this fashion.
58	* In ''Film/TheForceAwakens'', the masked Kylo Ren freezes the visibly terrified Rey in place, invades her mind, then knocks her unconscious to capture her for [[MindProbe further interrogation]]. He opts to carry her in his arms into his ship while Finn yells her name, unable to prevent the abduction.
59	* A key scene in the Film/HammerHorror film ''Film/TheEvilOfFrankenstein'' has [[FrankensteinsMonster the monster]] carrying a girl this way - though in a twist, it's because she's hurt her leg and he's actually being very helpful.
60	* Posters for the 1962 Film/HammerHorror version of ''[[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1962 The Phantom of the Opera]]'' depict the titular Phantom holding the unconscious Christine, but this is something he [[CoversAlwaysLie never does in the actual film]]. Many of the promotional materials tried to market it as a BeastAndBeauty love story, which (ironically given the [[Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera source material]]) was not the case. The Phantom does not appear to have any romantic feelings for Christine in this adaptation.
61	* ''Film/Halloween1978'' has Laurie's babysitting charge, Tommy Doyle, peering out the window and seeing Michael Myers carrying Annie's lifeless body in this fashion into the Wallace house across the street.
62	* ''Film/SlaveGirlsFromBeyondInfinity'': The robot who catches Daria on the beach brings her back to Zed's fortress in this fashion.
63	[[/folder]]
64
65	[[folder:Literature]]
66	* The page image is taken from the cover of a paperback edition of Creator/FredSaberhagen's ''Specimens''.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
70	* Spoofed in ''Series/RedDwarf''. TheCaptain is watching an old B&W B-movie showing a screaming female explorer being carried in the arms of a swamp creature. When they travel to a MirrorUniverse, the movie has the screaming swamp creature being carried off by the female explorer.
71	* Promotional photos of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serials "The Keys of Marinus" and "The Ark" - "The Keys of Marinus" showed Susan being carried off by the Voord, and "The Ark" showed Dodo carried off by the Monoid. [[CoversAlwaysLie Neither scene happens in story, even slightly]].
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Pinballs]]
75	* The backglass for Creator/{{Zaccaria}}'s ''Pinball/{{Robot}}'' shows a gigantic KillerRobot holding an unconscious woman in his right hand.
76	* ''Pinball/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'' shows the Creature carrying an unconscious Kay in his arms.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
80	* Inverted in the module ''Weirder Tales'' for ''Tales from the Floating Vagabond'', featuring a wholesome Doris Day-esque 50's American housewife carrying away a horrified robot. ''That's the plot of the module''.
81	* Basic D&D module ''Castle Caldwell'' and beyond had a lizardman carrying a woman in that manner.
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Video Games]]
85	* The cover for ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time]]'' show an unconscious Princess Peach being held in the arms of a Shroob.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Real Life]]
89	* [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/%27Destroy_this_mad_brute%27_WWI_propaganda_poster_%28US_version%29.jpg This]] UsefulNotes/WorldWarI [[WartimeCartoon propaganda poster]] depicts Germany as a [[KillerGorilla rampaging killer ape]] brandishing a club and clutching the living Statue of Liberty in its arms.
90	* This [[http://binside.typepad.com/binside_tv/images/2008/03/22/lebron_vogue.jpg Vogue cover]] featuring [=LeBron=] James imitates the famous propaganda poster.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	!!Supine Struggling
94
95	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
96	* ''[[http://urbanfantasyland.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/wasp_woman.jpg The Wasp Woman]]'' (Inverted: the monster is female, crouching over a frightened human male. The caption strongly implies that she's going to rape him.)
97	* ''[[LovecraftOnFilm The Dunwich Horror]]'''s use may make it the most obviously sexualized example of all time. As if that weren't enough, the poster's caption all but states outright that the woman and the monster are having sex.
98	* The film trailers/posters of the 1932 film version of ''Film/MurdersInTheRueMorgue'' show part of the scene where [[KillerGorilla Erik]] crouches over Camille while she is sleeping. The film and trailer only show his shadow, though.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	!!DeathRay Vision
102
103	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
104	* ''[[http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/thisweekineducation/upload/2007/04/teen-ww.jpg I Was a Teenage Werewolf]]''
105	* ''[[http://www.moviewallpapers.net/images/wallpapers/1970/taste-the-blood-of-dracula/taste-the-blood-of-dracula-1-1024.jpg Taste the Blood of Dracula]]'' gives Christopher Lee DeathRay Vision, as well as greatly exaggerating his height.
106	* ''Film/Frankenstein1970''
107	* Parodied on the video box for ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328945/ Cheerleader Massacre]]'', where the phallic symbolism in that particular example of DeathRay Vision is so obvious that it's ridiculous.
108	* ''Film/ItConqueredTheWorld!''.
109	* Standard poster for the ''Film/ReturnOfTheFly'' shows a snarling, fanged fly monster closing on a screaming woman.
110	* ''I Married a Monster from Outer Space''
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:Web Comics]]
114	* In ''Webcomic/ImpureBlood'', [[http://www.impurebloodwebcomic.com/Pages/Chapter006/ib038.html the Circus Nocturn poster]] has a blond young woman flinching away from an Ancient, looming over her.
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	!!Playing with Its Food
118
119	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
120	* ''Film/TheDayOfTheTriffids'': probably, given the monster's proportionate size to the woman's.
121	* ''Film/AttackOfTheCrabMonsters''. That woman is going to get eaten.
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	!!Touch of Evil
125
126	[[folder:Video Games]]
127	* The [[http://www.mobygames.com/game/bigfoot_/cover-art/gameCoverId,395602/ cover]] for the Creator/{{Codemasters}} game ''VideoGame/{{Bigfoot}}'' shows [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti the titular monster]] (the protagonist!) grabbing a scared blonde girl. This doesn't show up in the game itself, in which the Bigfoot has a girlfriend of his own species.
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	!!From the Pages of Bettie
131
132	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
133	* ''Film/TheScreamingSkull'' uses this to portray the grim specter of Death haunting a woman.
134	[[/folder]]
135
136	[[folder:Print Media]]
137	* ''Weird Tales'' was and largely still is inordinately fond of all of this page's subtropes.
138	[[/folder]]
139
140	!!Calamari Surprise
141
142	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
143	* ''Monster from the Ocean Floor''
144	[[/folder]]
145
146	[[folder:Print Media]]
147	* [[http://francesca.net/images/pulps/images/(WeirdTales3382005.JPG This]] was the cover of a comparatively recent issue of ''Weird Tales''.
148	[[/folder]]
149
150	!!Angels' Envy
151	* See CradlingYourKill for examples.
152
153	!!Children in Heat
154
155	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
156	* ''[[http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51TZM9G8HJL._SL500_AA240_.jpg The Long Hair of Death]]'''s use isn't disturbing in itself, but the subtext makes the woman seem suicidal.
157	* Most posters and promotional material for ''Film/TheShapeOfWater'' show Elisa and the [[FishPeople amphibian man]] kissing or embracing.
158	* The poster for ''Film/TheReturnOfSwampThing'' depicts Abby looking quite happy about being [[BridalCarry Bridal Carried]] by Swamp Thing. It's pretty obviously designed to parody more typical uses of "monster carrying girl" imagery.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Western Animation]]
162	* In the ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' episode "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E43MaximumCapacity Maximum Capacity]]", Steven finds a novel called "Passions of Xanxor" in his dad's storage space. The cover features a gender-flipped take on this, with a GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe cradling a muscular pretty-boy in [[MultiArmedAndDangerous two of her three arms]].
163	[[/folder]]
164
165	!!Multiple[=/=]Other
166
167	[[folder:Arts]]
168	* Erotic-fantasy artist Luis Royo paints lot and lots of these, notably of the "consensual" type...
169	[[/folder]]
170
171	[[folder:Card Games]]
172	* A couple of cards in the 1962 card series ''Film/MarsAttacks'' use the Touch of Evil version, though one of the unreleased cards has a rather graphic (and very obviously sexualized) depiction of Playing with Its Food/Angels' Envy. Another unreleased card is From the Pages of Bettie-style, but with more gore than obvious bondage, and, again, obviously sexualized.
173	[[/folder]]
174
175	[[folder:Print Media]]
176	* The now-defunct ''Weird Tales'' web site contained depictions of From the Pages of Bettie (including a male example), DeathRay Vision, and a surprising amount of Children in Heat.
177	[[/folder]]

Context Main / TouchOfTheMonster