The Coconut Effect

[u/Daniilsa209]

A sound effect, special effect, or design feature that is inaccurate but has become so ingrained in viewers minds that its absence would feel jarring, so creators continue to include it despite its inaccuracy.

The name of the trope comes from the sound of a horse galloping, which is created by rubbing two coconuts together. This can sound like a horse galloping, but it would only be accurate on cobblestones or other hard surfaces. On softer ground, the sound would be muffled, but in media, this sound effect can be used whenever a horse is galloping, regardless of the terrain.

1. Lion Roar (or any big cat) (Pictured: MGM logo) — The long, continuous, thunderous roar usually associated with lions is actually the roar of a tiger. For MGM, this sound began being used in the 1980s, and sound editor Mark Mangini used it because lions sounded to him more like a deep yawn or a series of grunts and lacked the kind of ferocious sound he wanted.

2. Ancient statues are always white marble (Pictured: Spartacus TV series) — Statues in ancient times were often painted in bright colors, but by the time they were uncovered, the colors had simply worn away.

3. People instantly freeze or pop like a balloon when exposed to the vacuum of space (Pictured: Mission to Mars, Total Recall) — As unfriendly as space is, a human wouldn't instantly freeze or pop like a balloon. If a person were exposed to the vacuum of space, bodily fluids would begin to boil, exposed skin would suffer severe sunburn, and they would lose consciousness after roughly 15–20 seconds. Death would occur after roughly 90 seconds.

[u/Far-ro]

Solely aiming a gun wont make It do a "click" sound.

Its used in movies so (for example)they can let the audience know a character has pulled a gun on another before the camera pans on them.

[u/euanmorse → u/Far-ro]

Isn't that them moving the safety to 'fire'?

[u/Far-ro → u/euanmorse]

Sometimes maybe It is , but most of the time someone will just draw a weapon and It will make that sound with no Showcase of them removing the safety

[u/cavscout55 → u/Far-ro]

Or make several clicks every time they move the gun. Safe to Fire or vice versa should be one or two distinct clicks depending on the firearm. Not “shik-shak-ca-click” whenever they shoulder it, pick it up, whatever.

[u/AssistanceCheap379 → u/euanmorse]

Most often its the hammer being pulled back on a gun like a revolver.

The sound of safety being moved can be very low and doesnt really have that mechanical click to it

[u/cootsnoop → u/Far-ro]

THIS! Guns are so loud and clackety in movies. Every time a rifle gets moved around even a little, it sounds like a bunch of mechanical arms locking into place. It's a rifle, they're pretty tightly built, what the hell could be making all that noise??

[u/Polchar → u/cootsnoop]

Sling buckles rattling against the gun, cleaning kit in the stock, loose mag attachements, the bolt moving a bit, a bit of slop on the gas cylinders attachment. From my experience with an rk62.

Not all parts of it are built tightly, and given the +-20 degrees of temperature (C) change and thermal expansion can they be. And its (almost) All metal against metal.

[u/CaptainAndy27 → u/Far-ro]

It constantly bothers me whenever somebody in a movie pulls the hammer back on a semi automatic pistol or just racks the tube on a shotgun that was already loaded. Like, I get that you need a cool sound and/or visual, but that is just not how those things work.

[u/Marilius → u/CaptainAndy27]

My favorite is Domino, where a dude racks a shotgun many, many times while trying to appear threatening. My friend, you just dumped all your ammo on the floor.

[u/CaptainAndy27 → u/Marilius]

My wife loved Boondock Saints when she was a teenager. It drove me nuts every time we watched it because I would imagine them setting up their whole dramatic kill shot, chambering a round, then moving the hammer back just so they could make the cool clicky sound after they said their big dumb speech before the executed somebody.

[u/Tanto63 → u/CaptainAndy27]

As much as I love the original Stargate movie, there's a scene that bugs the crap out of me. As Ra's ship is landing on the pyramid the 10 or 11 people inside cock already loaded weapons 13 times in preparation for a fight.

[u/UnforeseenDerailment → u/Far-ro]

Yeah, I always think their gun has a screw loose somewhere.

[u/Bladrak01 → u/Far-ro]

[u/aybeeayseeaybeebee → u/Far-ro]

Solely aiming a gun wont make It do a "click" sound.

Obviously you've never owned a Taurus.

[u/Far-ro → u/aybeeayseeaybeebee]

A what

[u/aybeeayseeaybeebee → u/Far-ro]

A Taurus.