fear of heights theme

also known as: acrophobia

A character exhibits an extreme or irrational fear of heights.

Examples

In "Vertigo" (1958), detective John Ferguson is left hanging from a gutter watching a colleague tumble to his death, after a perilous rooftop pursuit. The experience leaves him with such an extreme fear of heights that he can no longer continue in his job.

14 total · 1 choice · 13 minor

StoryLevelMotivation
movie: Vertigo (1958) choice John's acrophobia was central to the story
ahp7x21 minor In his sketch, Alfred Hitchcock professed to suffer from acrophobia.
columbo1971e1x06 minor Columbo was visibly nervous as the aerial tram motored its way up to the mountaintop.
columbo1971e8x02 minor Columbo's body language in the elevated directors' chair belied the fact that he asserted he wasn't afraid of heights.
ftt1982e2x04 minor Jack has absolutely no fear of heights, we heard say and saw demonstrated.
movie: Death Game (1996) minor Becca alerted Jack and Hawk of her fear of heights shortly before falling into a pool of acid.
movie: Meteor Apocalypse (2010) minor David confessed to being afraid of heights while he and Lynn were on a building rooftop.
movie: Pretty Woman (1990) minor Vivian mused aloud as to why Edward would elect to sit in the opera house balcony, given his fear of acrophobia.
movie: Return from Witch Mountain (1978) minor Sickle initially refused Dr. Gannon's order to scale up the side of a building on the ground that he was acrophobic.
movie: Runaway (1984) minor Jack confessed to Karen that he'd been afraid of heights his entire life.