A woman tied to a railway track.

[MonkeyFunk]

We all know that the woman tied to a railway track is a really old movie cliche, right? But how many movies have actually used it seriously? I mean, it may only have been one movie, but seems like more because of the amount of parodies. Come to think of it, it may even have started as a parody. Where on Earth did it come from?

Another thing - what started the idea of villains having top hats and rwirly moustaches?

[TheEvilClown]

There is only one answer to this question. And it all started with Dudley Do-right cartoon.

[Bradley316]

We all know that the woman tied to a railway track is a really old movie cliche, right? But how many movies have actually used it seriously? I mean, it may only have been one movie, but seems like more because of the amount of parodies. Come to think of it, it may even have started as a parody. Where on Earth did it come from?

Ah! Now this is a subject of which I am very familiar. I know a lot about this.

The first known instance in which a woman is tied to railroad tracks in film came from a 1914 twenty part movie serial known as The Perils of Pauline. An actress known as Pearl White played Pauline Marvin. And no, this was not a parody at all. Today, it is highly silly, but at the time in 1914, this was one of the first "cliffhanger" movie serials and were taken quite seriously.

As for other movies, I can name several that have used this cliche. I can even name TV shows and the episode names that this device was used in if you'd like a list.

How about them apples?:D

[Michael24]

I can even name TV shows and the episode names that this device was used in if you'd like a list.

Would an episode of Disney Channel's EVEN STEVENS be on that list? I don't recall the episode title at the moment, but I could look through my tapes to find it if you'd like it. :)

[Bradley316]

Would an episode of Disney Channel's EVEN STEVENS be on that list? I don't recall the episode title at the moment, but I could look through my tapes to find it if you'd like it. :) Indeed it is!:) It happened to Tawny played by Margo Harshman.

The episode is "Louis in the Middle" from season 1, episode #6 according to my list.

[Michael24]

Yup, that's the one. (Technically, it was episode 5, but it was the sixth episode Disney Channel aired.) :)

[Conekiller]

I think we stumbled onto someone's hobby ^_^

[Rook]

at least "stay tuned" was a little different, she was tied to a hay wagon on the railroad tracks standing up.

[Rover_Wow]

And there's a Popeye short ("She Sick Sailors") where Popeye simply punches a train headed for Olive Oyl. Which he also did in one of the early B&W shorts.

[EightOh]

Indeed it is!:) It happened to Tawny played by Margo Harshman.

The episode is "Louis in the Middle" from season 1, episode #6 according to my list.And I thought I had no life! :p

[Bradley316]

Hehe! Yeah, it's kinda hard to top that!:D But luckily, I do have other hobbies...ones that aren't so specific.;)

[Silly McGooses]

There is only one answer to this question. And it all started with Dudley Do-right cartoon.
that show was a parody to those cliches

It all started in cheap late 1800s/early 1900s theater

[Squall]

It may sound cute, especially when viewed on cartoons, but if you think about it, tying someone to a railroad track -- and then having an oncoming train dismember them -- is a really grotesque crime. It would definitely be a capital crime in the U.S.!
:ack:

[Hurricane V1]

I must say, the damsel in distress tied to railroad tracks has always caught my interest. You know she's always going to be rescued. I first saw such a scene on the Avengers, with Emma Peel, when I was younger. Funny scene, because it wasn't even a real cargo train, it was more like a personal hobby train. While it's not easy for me to feel suspense in movies or tv anymore, I always feel on the edge of my seat for those scenes. Maybe because I used to play near railroad tracks.

[sun]

There was scene with railroad tracks sinking into quicksand? only saw the movie once "Blazing Saddles." (laughed so hard that I almost had an accident, it had nothing to do with the tracks though, and you had to be there, it was the first time that type of thing had been done in a film) (watch it yourself, I ain't given it away) and isn't Bugs tied down to railroad tracks in the First Yosemette Sam Toon, or he is tied up,,,the comentator says, Will this be the end of Bugs Bunny? and Bugs says, "I guess he don't know me very well."
That is the best I can do for today..."that is all folks"...Stu