# walking in slo-mo = I'm a badass **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 12, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326 "2003-06-12T14:30:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/21 "2003-06-12T23:42:52Z")
As Larry Mudd points out, slo-mo has become a form of emphasis. It’s the cinematic equivalent of boldface type. If something is shown in slo-mo, we the audience are being told it’s important. If Mr. A walks in slo-mo and Mr. B doesn’t, well then it’s clear Mr. A is cooler and/or more important than Mr. B. The interesting thing is that over the years slo-mo has gradually shifted from being a way of capturing a character’s heightened experience–once only very exciting or very memorable things were shown in slo-mo\*–to this strictly formal convention used for emphasis. There’s no reason why the characters at the beginning of Reservoir Dogs would think of walking down the street at that particular moment as a heightened experience: the slo-mo is there purely to tell the audience, “these are the main characters, and they are bad-asses.” \*One excellent earlier use of slo-mo outside the ultraviolence context is the great James Stewart/Grace Kelly kiss in Rear Window. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/22 "2003-06-13T07:25:55Z")
Slo-mo has other uses as well. Seen _Not another teen movie_, with the slo-mo entrance of the little-girl-turned-pretty girl? Larry may be on to the general principle here. FTR, I didn’t see it myself, I’ve heard of it, from a friend, that’s it, and not a real good friend but more a person you meet on the subway. I didn’t really make this post, either. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/23 "2003-06-13T12:09:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DesertDog \* > \*\*Dunno how that’s a spoiler, but I’ll play along.It was a spoof all right, but from _The Right Stuff_, the slo-mo shot of the astronauts. After all, the Scarers were heroes in Monstropolis. [Monster’s, Inc.](http://us.imdb.com/Mlinks?0198781) > > DD \*\* **Monster’s Inc** was not the first to parody the “slow-motion walk of coolness” from **The Right Stuff**. Check out the super-hero spoof movie **Mystery Men** and you’ll see that they spoof it as well and just as funny (I’m biased, I loved that movie). ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/24 "2003-06-13T13:11:17Z")
Slow motion _and_ telephoto. Let’s not forget the zoom lens. [Slightly off topic] Futurama, I think, mentioned a Baywatch movie that was groundbreaking in that it was the first movie filmed entirely in slow motion. \ [/Slightly off topic] ---
**Author:** ![Balduran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Balduran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balduran)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/25 "2003-06-13T13:18:47Z")
I’ve been referring to this technique as the “Bruckheimer slow walk”. Not that he invented it of course, but he uses it in every damn movie of his. There’s got to be a drinking game in that. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/26 "2003-06-13T14:07:41Z")
Dang man, the slo mo strut was a big thing in real life with the muscle bound set in the 70’s. i didn’t realize you were talking about a movie here at first. That’s how all those guys in high school used to walk back then ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/27 "2003-06-13T18:16:58Z")
Sheesh, you forget the penultimate slo-mo mo-fo…The Six Million Dollar Man! ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_E_Dec_Esq)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/28 "2003-06-13T19:58:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GargoyleWB \* > \*\*Sheesh, you forget the penultimate slo-mo mo-fo…The Six Million Dollar Man! \*\* Not to dis the SMDM, but I don’t think he ever did the strut. “Slo-mo mo-fo.” Good one. ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/29 "2003-06-13T20:14:37Z")
Yes, the $MDM just jogged in slow motion. Sure, he had asymetric eyebrows and a stern expression ( :dubious: ), but bad ass? If it wasn’t for the slo-mo, he’d look like he was trying to catch the school bus. My grandmother was more scary. He did have the greatest sound effects and theme music, though. If only the soundtrack to my life could compare. Instead, there are far too many bathroom noises, and I’m sure my theme music features slide whistles or mouth harps. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/30 "2003-06-13T20:25:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wumpus \* > \*_The interesting thing is that over the years slo-mo has gradually shifted from being a way of capturing a character’s heightened experience–once only very exciting or very memorable things were shown in slo-mo_–to this strictly formal convention used for emphasis. \*\* Wes Anderson still uses slo-mo for this purpose in his movies–actually, it’s a bit of a trademark of his, as he ends all his movies in slow motion. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/31 "2003-06-13T22:06:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nangleator \* > \*\*I’m sure my theme music features slide whistles or mouth harps. \*\* Well, slide whistles okay, but for mouth harps, think _Fistful of Dollars_ – how badass do you want to be? Mine’s little, squeaky violins. DD ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/32 "2003-06-14T13:53:31Z")
Really, slide whistles and mouth harps could be rather studly. Me, I get kazoos and cymbals. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/33 "2003-06-14T14:41:40Z")
Kazoos and cymbals could probably play a damn cool version of “Cobwebs and Strange” by the Who. Not quite “studly” but a step in the right direction. I’d want biwa and tabla for my theme music, but I’d be more likely to get ukuleles and cowbells. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/34 "2003-06-14T15:58:13Z")
Could it also be that slow motion in real life is associated with the surge of adreneline from the fight-or-flight response therefore indicating that this charecter is one bad mofo who is not to be messed with? ---
**Author:** ![MrSarcasticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@MrSarcasticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSarcasticus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326/35 "2003-06-14T17:19:14Z")
Blah. You’re not REALLY a badass unless you’re walking away from an _explosion_ in slo-mo. Usually one that you’ve triggered yourself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walking-in-slo-mo-im-a-badass/181326.md?page=1)