# What's the origin of this scene -- drunk guy and neon signs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 23, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199 "2010-08-23T20:40:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/1 "2010-08-23T20:40:21Z")

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There’s a scene I’ve seen imitated and parodied in numerous cartoons – most recently in an old episode of “Futurama” that I happened to watch over the weekend.

There’s a guy who is either already drunk or has a drinking problem. He’s filmed walking/staggering forward against a black background. Off to both of his sides, a series of neon signs appear and then recede into the background, all for bars, nightclubs, etc. The guy usually has a desparate look on his face.

Does anyone know the origin of this scene? It feels like it would be from a film noir from the '40s, but it certainly could be a lot more recent.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/2 "2010-08-23T20:46:22Z")

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“The Lost Weekend” with Ray Milland [The Lost Weekend - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Weekend_(film))

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**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/3 "2010-08-23T21:00:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> This movie also made famous the “character walking toward the camera as neon signs pass by” camera effect.

Awesome, thanks! I’ve never seen it (obviously).

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/4 "2010-08-23T23:08:30Z")

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[TVTropes page](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DrunkenMontage). They have lots of examples.

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/5 "2010-08-24T09:42:19Z")

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[Relevant documentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_H_sVNgvf4)

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-origin-of-this-scene-drunk-guy-and-neon-signs/551199/6 "2010-08-24T09:49:30Z")

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[Better quality version of relevant documentary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GW22sAElpE&feature=related)