Magic satchel
Encyclopedia
Magic satchel is a term often used in reference to computer role-playing games. It refers to the use of a character's inventory
in the game, which can often contain more items (or items of too large a size) than is physically possible for the character to carry without any visible means to hold or transport them.
A similar concept is hammerspace, the term used to describe the seemingly invisible place from which fictional characters, such as cartoon characters, pull out very large objects, such as mallet
s. Technically the term hammerspace is not used to refer to a magic satchel itself, but rather the area or pocket of space that a magic satchel utilizes; a magic satchel is like a door to hammerspace.
The "bag of holding
" is a similar concept in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons
. The clown car
, in which many clown
s clamber out of a tiny automobile, is another similar example in the circus
.
The concept is sufficiently common in fantasy
fiction that it is parodied by the character The Luggage in the Discworld
series.
, Pwyll
is given a magic satchel by the goddess Rhiannon
; this satchel can never be filled except by a man putting his body into it. This trick is used to save Rhiannon from an unwanted Otherworld
suitor.
Other magic satchel-like objects include, possibly, the bag in Samuel Beckett
's play Happy Days
(1960).
Doraemon
(1969), from its eponymous manga, features a cat-like robot with a magical pocket or bag from which he produces many miraculous gadgets, medicines, and tools from the future. The pocket is called yōjigen-pocket (lit. fourth-dimensional pocket).
A well-known recent usage comes in the Harry Potter
series by J.K. Rowling, which included a Ford Anglia
car that can seat more than ten people; a tent with multiple floors; a chest that contains six compartments; and a straightforward magic satchel which includes an entire library of books.
represented by one byte
, two bytes, or four bytes, respectively.
In addition, in many games, none of the objects in the satchel have any weight: One can carry an armory's worth of swords, several dozen suits of armor, scores of healing items, a small fortune in the local currency, and even a vehicle without any strain whatsoever. The PC game Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
makes a joke about this phenomenon. This rule is not universal: a few games enforce weight or size restrictions, and many have items that require a certain minimum level of strength
, though this is typically the amount of strength required to wield the item rather than that required to carry it alone. In some games, a character's inventory is limited, and the weight of a character's inventory imposes limitations, such as how far they can run before needing to rest. In some situations where a magic satchel has a limited capacity, the player can obtain an additional or improved magic satchel as an upgrade.
Their presence in other fiction is less common. Examples include:
text adventures such as Zork
and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, many video games have made extensive use of magic satchels or similar devices to hold the player's inventory. Items can be stored in containers, clothing, with companions, or nowhere in particular. Some games allow unlimited storage, others allow a limited inventory that may require players to discard certain items in order to make room for others. Occasionally the unlimited inventory is used as the basis for a joke, for example when a particularly large or awkward item is placed in it.
A large number of First-person shooter
games allow the player to carry an enormous amount of weaponry with no negative effects (such as reduced speed). RPG
s are especially known to have players carrying around outrageous numbers of items and/or extremely large items, such as a house, bicycle, or even other party members (e.g. Final Fantasy
, The Legend of Zelda
). On occasion, the gameplay is changed so that players can become encumbered, being able to only carry a set amount of weight and possibly move slower as more items are carried. If a limit, which may depend on certain attributes, is reached, they can no longer carry any more and may be unable to move (e.g. Elder Scrolls, RuneScape
).
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
in the game, which can often contain more items (or items of too large a size) than is physically possible for the character to carry without any visible means to hold or transport them.
A similar concept is hammerspace, the term used to describe the seemingly invisible place from which fictional characters, such as cartoon characters, pull out very large objects, such as mallet
Mallet
A mallet is a kind of hammer, usually of rubber,or sometimes wood smaller than a maul or beetle and usually with a relatively large head.-Tools:Tool mallets come in different types, the most common of which are:...
s. Technically the term hammerspace is not used to refer to a magic satchel itself, but rather the area or pocket of space that a magic satchel utilizes; a magic satchel is like a door to hammerspace.
The "bag of holding
Bag of holding
A bag of holding is a fictional magical item in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, capable of containing objects larger than its own size. Since its introduction, it has appeared in other roleplaying games and media.-Description:...
" is a similar concept in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. The clown car
Clown car
A clown car is a prop in a circus clown routine. A common example of such a routine involves an implausibly large number of clowns emerging from a very small car, to humorous effect. The first performance of this routine was in the Cole Brothers Circus during the 1950s.The clown car is a...
, in which many clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
s clamber out of a tiny automobile, is another similar example in the circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
.
The concept is sufficiently common in fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
fiction that it is parodied by the character The Luggage in the Discworld
Discworld
Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
series.
Origin
The concept of a magic satchel was alluded to many years before role-playing or computer and video games. For instance, in the medieval Welsh epic Y MabinogiMabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
, Pwyll
Pwyll
Pwyll Pen Annwn is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology and literature, the lord of Dyfed, husband of Rhiannon and father of the hero Pryderi...
is given a magic satchel by the goddess Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology, mother to the Demetian hero Pryderi and wife to Pwyll . She is probably a reflex of the Celtic Great Queen goddess Rigantona and may also be associated with the horse goddess Epona.She appears in both the first and third branches of the Mabinogi...
; this satchel can never be filled except by a man putting his body into it. This trick is used to save Rhiannon from an unwanted Otherworld
Otherworld
Otherworld, or the Celtic Otherworld, is a concept in Celtic mythology that refers to the home of the deities or spirits, or a realm of the dead.Otherworld may also refer to:In film and television:...
suitor.
Other magic satchel-like objects include, possibly, the bag in Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's play Happy Days
Happy Days (play)
Happy Days is a play in two acts, written in English, by Samuel Beckett. He began the play on 8 October 1960 and it was completed on 14 May 1961. Beckett finished the translation into French by November 1962 but amended the title...
(1960).
Doraemon
Doraemon
is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F. Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise...
(1969), from its eponymous manga, features a cat-like robot with a magical pocket or bag from which he produces many miraculous gadgets, medicines, and tools from the future. The pocket is called yōjigen-pocket (lit. fourth-dimensional pocket).
A well-known recent usage comes in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series by J.K. Rowling, which included a Ford Anglia
Ford Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
car that can seat more than ten people; a tent with multiple floors; a chest that contains six compartments; and a straightforward magic satchel which includes an entire library of books.
Characteristics in video games
Typically, a magic satchel can carry almost any number of different items or money. Many computer games have either a limit of 255 units, 65,535 units, or 4,294,967,295 units, the maximum values for an unsigned integerInteger (computer science)
In computer science, an integer is a datum of integral data type, a data type which represents some finite subset of the mathematical integers. Integral data types may be of different sizes and may or may not be allowed to contain negative values....
represented by one byte
Byte
The byte is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer...
, two bytes, or four bytes, respectively.
In addition, in many games, none of the objects in the satchel have any weight: One can carry an armory's worth of swords, several dozen suits of armor, scores of healing items, a small fortune in the local currency, and even a vehicle without any strain whatsoever. The PC game Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge is an adventure game developed and published by LucasArts in 1991. It was the second game of the Monkey Island series, following The Secret of Monkey Island, and the sixth LucasArts game to use the SCUMM engine. It was the first game to use the iMUSE sound...
makes a joke about this phenomenon. This rule is not universal: a few games enforce weight or size restrictions, and many have items that require a certain minimum level of strength
Attribute (role-playing games)
An attribute is a piece of data that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice...
, though this is typically the amount of strength required to wield the item rather than that required to carry it alone. In some games, a character's inventory is limited, and the weight of a character's inventory imposes limitations, such as how far they can run before needing to rest. In some situations where a magic satchel has a limited capacity, the player can obtain an additional or improved magic satchel as an upgrade.
Print media
Magic satchels are too numerous to mention in comics and manga. Similarly, they are widespread in fantasy and science fiction novels and stories.Their presence in other fiction is less common. Examples include:
- In most retellings of the myth, the Greek mythological hero PerseusPerseusPerseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
is given a magic satchel from the goddess AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, in which he keeps the head of the slain MedusaMedusaIn Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
, among other items. - In Robert Heinlein's fantasy Glory RoadGlory RoadGlory Road is a fantasy novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and published in hardcover later the same year...
book, a fold box is a little black box 'about the size and shape of a portable typewriter', that can be opened again and again 'unfolding its sides and letting them down until it is the size of a small moving van'. When folded up, it does not weigh more than a few pounds, even though tons of materials may be in it. - In the Scott PilgrimScott PilgrimScott Pilgrim is a graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It consists of six digest size black-and-white volumes, released between August 2004 and July 2010, by Portland-based independent comic book publisher Oni Press. It was later republished by Fourth Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins...
series, Ramona Flowers has a round purse (referred to as a Subspace Suitcase) that is larger on the inside. The purse can store many large items, like a giant hammer, and even the protagonist at one point. - In the comic strip PeanutsPeanutsPeanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
, the doghouse owned by the Beagle, SnoopySnoopySnoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...
, is described as being much larger on the inside (where it has a pool table and cedar closet) than it appears on the outside (where it looks like a small doghouse). - Skalman in the comic strip BamseBamseBamse – Världens starkaste björn is a Swedish cartoon created by Rune Andréasson. The highly popular children's cartoon first emerged as a series of television short films as well as a weekly half page Sunday strip in 1966, before being published periodically in its own comic magazine since...
has "everything" in his carapaceCarapaceA carapace is a dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tortoises, the underside is called the plastron.-Crustaceans:In crustaceans, the...
except "locomotives, spaceships or atlantic steamboats."
In films
- A running gag in the Marx BrothersMarx BrothersThe Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
films was for Harpo MarxHarpo MarxAdolph "Harpo" Marx was an American comedian and film star. He was the second oldest of the Marx Brothers. His comic style was influenced by clown and pantomime traditions. He wore a curly reddish wig, and never spoke during performances...
's character to be carrying any given item at any given time, and to produce it at will. In the 1932 film Horse FeathersHorse FeathersHorse Feathers is a Marx Brothers film comedy. It stars the four Marx Brothers and Thelma Todd. It was written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, S. J. Perelman, and Will B. Johnstone. Kalmar and Ruby also wrote some of the original music for the film...
, for example, he produces a candleCandleA candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
burning at both ends, as well as a cup of hot coffeeCoffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
for a passing bum, and in Duck Soup, he manages to pull out a functioning blowtorch from his pocket. This gag precedes the creation of the term hammerspace. In the 1992 film Brain DonorsBrain DonorsBrain Donors is an American comedy movie released by Paramount Pictures, loosely based on the Marx Brothers comedy, A Night at the Opera...
, a remake of the Marx Brothers' A Night at the OperaA Night at the Opera (film)A Night at the Opera is a 1935 American comedy film starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx and Harpo Marx, and featuring Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Sig Ruman, and Walter Woolf King. It was the first film the Marx Brothers made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after their departure from...
, the character Jacques (an analogue of Harpo) wears a magic-satchel-like raincoat that seems to contain anything. - In the 1934 Three StoogesThree StoogesThe Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" and "Moe,...
film Men in BlackMen in Black (1934 film)Men in Black is the third short subject starring American slapstick comedy team the Three Stooges. The trio made a total of 190 shorts for Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959.-Plot:...
, the Stooges go to the storage closet to acquire modes of transportation to get them to their patients. They are seen riding a three-man bicycle, a horse, and then individual go-carts out of the closet. - In the 1964 film Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (film)Mary Poppins is a 1964 musical film starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, produced by Walt Disney, and based on the Mary Poppins books series by P. L. Travers with illustrations by Mary Shepard. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Bill Walsh and Don DaGradi, with songs by...
, Mary has a magic bag that can store any number of items regardless of shape. This also appears in the stage musicalMary Poppins (musical)Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the Disney 1964 film. The West End production opened in December 2004 and received two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre...
of the same name. - In the 1991 John Landis film OscarOscar (1991 film)Oscar is a 1991 American comedy film directed by John Landis. Based on the Claude Magnier stage play, it is can be considered a remake of the 1967 film of the same name, but the settings has been moved to the Depression era New York City and centers around a mob boss trying to go straight...
, Connie is ordered to give up his "gat" and other weapons. Through a few scenes he is systematically disarmed of a large pile of weapons that include things such as guns, knives, clubs, brass knuckles and a dynamite bomb. - In the 1994 Jim CarreyJim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
film The MaskThe Mask (film)The Mask is a 1994 American superhero comedy film based on a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. This film was directed by Chuck Russell, and produced by Dark Horse Entertainment and New Line Cinema, and originally released to movie theatres on July 29, 1994 through New Line...
, the main character uses cartoon-like applications of hammerspace. - In the 1995 film MallratsMallratsMallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota...
, the character Silent Bob pulls items from his coat that should not fit, such as a fully inflated sex doll. - In the 1999 film The MatrixThe MatrixThe Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, the characters load a program into the Matrix-port which gives them a (potentially infinite) white room which has access to all sorts of weapons that the characters can use against the agents in the Matrix. - In the three BionicleBionicleBionicle is a line of toys by the LEGO Group marketed primarily for 5- to 16-year-olds. The line was launched on December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in Canada and the United States. "Bionicle" is a portmanteau constructed from the words "biological" and "chronicle"...
movies (2003–2005), the ToaToa (Bionicle)In the fictional Bionicle universe certain Matoran are destined to become Toa: heroic warriors of great strength and power. The Toa's duty is to protect the Matoran and maintain peace in the universe. They usually work together in teams, with each member representing an element...
frequently pull objects and tools out of nowhere, usually from their backs. - The 2006 science-fiction film UltravioletUltraviolet (film)Ultraviolet is a 2006 American science fiction action film written and directed by Kurt Wimmer and produced by Screen Gems. It stars Milla Jovovich as Violet Song and Cameron Bright as Six. It was released in North America on March 3, 2006...
has "flat-space dimensional compression technology" very much like a magic satchel. The writer/director referred to this concept as "hammerspace" in commentary about the film. - The 2010 movie based on the graphic novel Scott Pilgrim vs. The WorldScott Pilgrim vs. the WorldScott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The film is about Scott Pilgrim , a young Canadian musician, meeting the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers , an American delivery girl...
Ramona pulls a hammer out of her satchel that obviously shouldn't fit. - The 2010 animated movie Despicable MeDespicable MeDespicable Me is a 2010 American computer-animated 3D comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9, 2010 in the United States. The film features the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, and...
in which the main character Gru, pulls out numerous weapons from his coat.
On television
Many animation shows have magic satchel-like objects or characters. Many examples exist in cartoons, but are not listed here for reasons of brevity. They are rare in live-action programs, and usually produced for comic effect. Examples of magic satchels that regularly appear in live-action shows include:- Bill Smith from The Red Green ShowThe Red Green ShowThe Red Green Show is a Canadian television comedy that aired on various channels in Canada, with its ultimate home at CBC Television, and on Public Broadcasting Service stations in the United States, from 1991 until the series finale April 7, 2006 on CBC...
can produce anything he needs from his overalls. This has included chainsaws, poles, pellet guns, ladders and a loaded crossbow. - The character of Jerry on the 1990s sitcom Parker Lewis Can't LoseParker Lewis Can't LoseParker Lewis Can't Lose is an American teen sitcom that originally aired on FOX from September 1990 to June 1993. During the last season, the series sported the simpler title Parker Lewis. The series was produced by Columbia Pictures Television and was strongly influenced by the feature film Ferris...
wears a trenchcoat from which he can get any needed item, always with the sound of a velcroVelcroVelcro is the brand name of the first commercially marketed fabric hook-and-loop fastener, invented in 1948 by the Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral...
attachment ripping free. - In the Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
TV series, Time Lords are capable of engineering objects bigger on the inside than out, known as cross-dimensional engineering. The object is described as being dimensionally transcendental. Most notable of these objects is the TARDISTARDISThe TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
(a bio-mechanical, semi-sentient space and time travelling device) as well as the Doctor's own pockets (in one incarnation at least). - On Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, Oscar the GrouchOscar the GrouchOscar the Grouch is a Muppet character on the television program Sesame Street. He has a green body , has no nose , and lives in a trash can. His favorite thing in life is trash; evidence for this is the song "I Love Trash". A running theme is his compulsive hoarding of seemingly useless items...
's regularly sized trash can houses elephants, a swimming pool and a tennis court. The movie The Adventures of Elmo in GrouchlandThe Adventures of Elmo in GrouchlandThe Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland is the second theatrical feature-length film starring the cast of the popular U.S. children's series Sesame Street...
explores the notion that this may involve wormhole physics, since Oscar's trash can includes a doorway full of swirling colour which leads to Grouchland. - In the futuristic French-Canadian sitcom Dans une galaxie près de chez vousDans une galaxie près de chez vousDans une galaxie près de chez vous is a Quebec French language television series that aired on Canal Famille from 1998 to 2001, and a movie of the same name, released in 2004. The second movie, Dans une galaxie près de chez vous 2, has been released on April 18, 2008...
, the character of Brad Spitfire has been shown to be able to pull virtually any weapon out of nowhere (usually right out of the screen). - In the children's television show The Suite Life of Zack and CodyThe Suite Life of Zack and CodyThe Suite Life of Zack & Cody is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series premiered on Disney Channel on March 18, 2005 with 4 million viewers, making it the most successful premiere for Disney Channel in 2005. It was one of their first five shows available on the...
, Rose Moseby has a medium-sized purse from which she pulls out a baseball bat, a vacuum, a medium-sized anchor used as a key ring, a picture, and another purse. - In Highlander: The SeriesHighlander: The SeriesHighlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, the characters frequently produce large swords out of their loose long clothing from a hidden sheath that appears to completely conceal the blade yet allow for quick drawing. - All ThatAll ThatAll That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC...
had a character named Baggin' Saggin' Barry who wore over-sized pants from which he could produce any item including but not limited to former president Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
In computer and video games
Since the earliest InfocomInfocom
Infocom was a software company, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of interactive fiction. They also produced one notable business application, a relational database called Cornerstone....
text adventures such as Zork
Zork
Zork was one of the first interactive fiction computer games and an early descendant of Colossal Cave Adventure. The first version of Zork was written in 1977–1979 on a DEC PDP-10 computer by Tim Anderson, Marc Blank, Bruce Daniels, and Dave Lebling, and implemented in the MDL programming language...
and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, many video games have made extensive use of magic satchels or similar devices to hold the player's inventory. Items can be stored in containers, clothing, with companions, or nowhere in particular. Some games allow unlimited storage, others allow a limited inventory that may require players to discard certain items in order to make room for others. Occasionally the unlimited inventory is used as the basis for a joke, for example when a particularly large or awkward item is placed in it.
A large number of First-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
games allow the player to carry an enormous amount of weaponry with no negative effects (such as reduced speed). RPG
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s are especially known to have players carrying around outrageous numbers of items and/or extremely large items, such as a house, bicycle, or even other party members (e.g. Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
, The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
). On occasion, the gameplay is changed so that players can become encumbered, being able to only carry a set amount of weight and possibly move slower as more items are carried. If a limit, which may depend on certain attributes, is reached, they can no longer carry any more and may be unable to move (e.g. Elder Scrolls, RuneScape
RuneScape
RuneScape is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game released in January 2001 by Andrew and Paul Gower, and developed and published by Jagex Games Studio. It is a graphical browser game implemented on the client-side in Java, and incorporates 3D rendering...
).
In music
- In the music video "Under the Kilt" by Dr. MacDoo (Jonny JakobsenJonny JakobsenJonny Jakobsen is a Swedish-Danish Bubblegum dance/eurodance artist better known under his fictitious identity as Indian taxi driver Dr. Bombay. He began as a country singer called Johnny Moonshine, but became famous only after his metamorphosis into Dr. Bombay...
), Jakobsen is seen producing various items from under his kilt, such as a pair of roller blades and a large brick. - In a 1994 video for CoolioCoolioArtis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
's song "Fantastic Voyage", Coolio's car trunk is opened at the beach and several dozen people step out. - In the music video "Good-by Routine" by DonotsDonots-Albums:-Compilation albums:-Split albums:-Exclusive compilation tracks:-Singles:-Videography:-Music videos:-External links:***** with Truepunk.com * with Truepunk.com * with Truepunk.com...
, the band is packing everything in the room, including the furniture, into a small bag.
In Comedy
- Tommy CooperTommy CooperThomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
once had a famous act in which he produced many large items from beneath a gown, which was later shown to be the result of someone backstage passing the items through a hole in the back for comedic effect.