Greatest movie scenes.
I've seen this show before and I get annoyed whenever it is on. A friend of mine was telling me about it a few weeks ago, the show is called 20 to 1. The other week they did an episode called 20 to 1: Greatest Movie Scenes, which is the one my friend told me about.
Here is the list.
The show, usually compiles together a stupid list that annoys people and has annoying fringe or failed celebrities expressing opinions about the list. What a recipe for success.
There list once again, was annoying. So, in response I have comprised my own list.
There are spoilers here if you haven't seen these films. If you haven't though, you simply must.
20.Predator - Half a rainforest is felled by bullets.
When Blain (Jesse Ventura) is killed by the Predator and his good friend Mac sees him fall, Mac rushes in firing his own weapon to emptiness and collects his fallen friend's weapon. Mac begins to fire the mini-gun at the camouflaged Predator as it flees. Trees fall down and the predator disappears into the chaos. Then, Dutch enters the scene and joins in the shooting, no questions asked, immediately following that, a bloke named Poncho fires a grenade launcher into the already sorry looking shrubbery hoping to hit something while the rest of the team empties their clips and stare into the smoky treeless distance. Absolutely macho.
19. Highlander - The Kurgan kills Ramirez
The Kurgan somehow turns up at Macleod's 15th castle to find he is not home, only Macleod's wife and good friend Ramirez are there. Ramirez quickly steps in to defend the damsel in distress and the epic battle ensues. Lightning crashes into the walls of the tower they are climbing during the duel, the weather degenerates further along with the castle and it appears the clash of these two titans is seemingly too much for the tower to contain. Ramirez manages to wound the Kurgan in the neck but it is not enough. After this point the scene grows even darker and you can feel the glimmers of hope fading with the light, as even more of the castle falls away and Ramirez is forced further and further up the crumbling precipice. Finally Ramirez is disarmed just as they reach the peak. Kneeling there Ramirez asks for no mercy and is beheaded as the lightning crashes. Powerful stuff.
18. Ronin - Car chase, Vincent pursues Deidre and Gregor through Paris tunnels.
This scene is unbelievable. The tension just keeps on increasing as the cars weave in and out of traffic until they cross the line and go into oncoming traffic and the chase continues. The cinematography is brilliant, the pacing is great and even the actors are utterly convincing during this. When it seems things cannot get anymore hectic, the escaping Deidre and Gregor's car goes for a fall after Vincent shot their tyres out and they barely escape the explosion. Whoa.
17. The Matrix Revolutions - Dock Defense.
This scene is memorable simply for the sheer amazement it induces in anyone who watches it. Jaw dropping CGI and great direction though out the battle. The moment that the machines breach the dock and the mech army unloads on them is unforgettable. Forget the sideshow of the crawlers trying to launch homemade Rpg's at the drills, the rest is like poetry in motion. You can even forget Neo and Trinity struggling to reach the machine city. This is one of those scenes that makes you absolutely glad you saw it in the cinema.
16. The Dark Knight - The Joker captured and hanging upside down.
I had trouble picking if this or The Joker entering the underworld meeting were better. Whereas the latter mentioned scene is uber cool and nods to a similar scene involving Jack Nicholson's Joker. The scene that I went with was, for me, the payoff that one of the greatest movies I have seen was building to. Hanging upside down, The Joker says, "You just couldn't let me go could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won't kill you, because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.", chills down my spine. It nods to the comic books, it encapsulates the curse of the hero, it eludes to further adventures and most of all sums up the yin yang theme of the film. Masterful.
15. Heat - Downtown LA gun battle.
As the crooks of the film, led by Robert De Niro's Neil MacAuley, leave the bank hauling their retirement nest eggs with them, they are caught unawares by Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and his team. A hectic gun battle ensues.
This shootout is the greatest I have ever scene and was apparently a product of a lot technical input from a lot of professionals including former British SAS, real life police officers and others. It simply has to be seen to be believed.
14. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - The Tank Sequence.
This has to be one of the most jaw dropping set pieces in the history of cinema. Some will tell you that Han Solo was the role Harrison Ford was born to play but in my mind he is never better than as the whip-cracking, puzzle-solving, face-smacking archaeologist. The music is perfect, the acting is sublime and it's just so hectic. Dr. Jones snr and Dr. Marcus Brody fight for their lives on the tank while Indiana pursues on horseback. It just keeps escalating in tension and thrills right up until the end for some truly wonderful comical payoff.
Here it is for you.
13. The Thing - Mass Blood Test.
This scene almost had me sweating when I first saw it. The movie is a true gem and it features the greatest visual effects of its time. The effects still hold up today. I have seen this scene many times and each time I do, I still get a shock when that blood sample reacts to the test. The fact that all of the test subjects are all tied together and that MacReady's flame thrower malfunctions is terrifying. Incredible. YOu can see at the end how close Kurt Russell was to being blown up himself.
Here it is for you.
12. Equilibrium - Finale
This movie is one that sneaked under the radar when it was first released and has gradually built up it's fan base thanks to Christian Bale's rising popularity and the quality of the film throughout. For me this ending is special because it takes no prisoners. Our hero is pushed too far, his equilibrium is restored and he returns to the unstoppable state he was in before he ceased the dose. When I say unstoppable, I mean un-fucking-stoppable and the film really drives the point home as Preston annihilates everyone in his way with minimal fuss. The final room is a masterpiece in itself and paints the true villain as a hypocrite before he even tells you himself. We see a Zatoichi tribute and some innovative sword slicing action and then the gun kata showdown that will make your jaw drop.
11. Seven - What's in the box?
This final confrontation with John Doe (Kevin Spacey), ranks among my favorite movie moments ever. The entire film just climbs higher and higher on a shocking staircase as it goes along. And during the set up for this scene, you know it's going to be bad except you have no idea what's going to happen. Then when the courier turns up and Somerset (Morgan Freeman) goes out to meet him and John Doe continues taunting Mills (Brad Pitt), Somerset's reaction to what's in the box, "John Doe has the upper hand.", is what really gets your mind ticking over before you know what it is. Then Somerset races to intercept Mills before he discovers what is is. Even after the reveal, there is still a small hope for Mills until John Doe makes the pregnancy reveal and you see the change in Mills. After that, you know what's going to happen.
10. Star Wars - Trench Run.
All boys and girls have seen this and know the absolute magic it is. This has to be one of the most astounding things in cinema history. At the time of it's release, nothing close to these effects was around. I still get shivers up and down my spine and I've probably seen it around thirty times now. To see the rebel fighters go down one by one and Darth Vader join the fight, just in case, holy crapola it's tense. The adrenaline levels go through the roof. With three fighters on his six and the hopes of millions on his shoulders, Luke zones out and uses the force to get the job done with an assist from Han Solo. "Great shot kid, that was one in a million."
9. Alien - Problems emerge at dinner.
This scene is absolutely classic. For the first 40 or so minutes of this film, the tension is built up. And here it is released. Everyone has seen it, most people have seen the Spaceballs send up, once again featuring John Hurt. The thing about this movie and this scene is that there wasn't much around that was like it at the time. This is Ridley Scott's best work hands down. The reactions from the other characters are perfect. The lead up work during the communal dinner is so natural that when this happens, everything about the scene just comes together and pulls your pants down.
Here it is for you.
8. Shaun of the Dead - Standoff regarding Shaun's Mum.
This scene has so much going for it. The scene that is a zombie movie staple, the one where one of the more important characters reveals they are bitten, is completely rebooted here. The typical tragic and painful scene is modified into comedy genius while still maintaining the seriousness of what's at stake. This scene has me in tears sometimes, somewhere between laughter and genuine crying. The mock Reservoir Dogs standoff and Shaun's hysterical spiel turn this into "a slice of fried gold".
7.Scarface - The World is Yours
If you haven't seen this movie, you're missing out. It's classic. I admit that it took me a long time to get around to seeing it and I was mostly inspired by GTA Vice City. The ending is just cinematic magic. Tony Montana, the political prisoner from Cuba, completes his downward spiral and goes down in a blaze. I wouldn't really say it was a blaze of glory, mostly because he was coked up to within an inch of his life and was actually a pretty bad guy. This scene quickly goes from an emotional wreck to a train wreck. To top it all off, Al Pacino drops one of the most remembered lines in cinematic history. "Say hello to my little friend!!"
6. Platoon - The death of Elias
Even the lead up to this iconic scene is something special. The way Elias and Barnes's eyes meet and then slowly Barnes's expression changes. Just before the horror of what is about to happen completely registers on Elias's face, Barnes shoots him and moves on. It's not until after the chopper has come and collected the other survivors that we see Elias again. Bloodied and fleeing from a squad of Vietcong. Elias collapses in agony and exhaustion and in one final outburst of emotion raises his arms skyward as he finally succumbs. It's a powerful gesture to the heavens and one that has pulled many heart strings.
5. North by Northwest - Crop Duster
A brilliant film from a brilliant mind. This scene is a true testament to great directing. Cary Grant is an absolute joy to watch and in this scene he is really put to good use. He carries the scene effortlessly with no music, dialogue or much action for a good 4 minutes. The way the scene gives you so much from so little is amazing. You feel lost and out of your depth with him, and then "That plane's dust'n crops where there ain't no crops" gives you the first feeling of unease about what was only a background noise before. Then the scene turns into the thrilling show piece of it's time. This is one of my favorite films.
4. Saving Private Ryan - Beach Landing
This is the most harrowing and intense war scene I've ever watched. It set the tone for what is still, for me, the most horrifyingly engrossing depiction of war in film. The nightmare that these soldiers went through is, I'm sure, never going to be truly captured. Here we see something that must be close. The assault on the viewer is instant and shocking. This made me look at my brother gasping the first time I saw it. An important scene. This scene is the standout of the film because of it's crushing realism.
3. Empire Strikes Back - "No, I am your father."
This is where the Star Wars movies peaked. It's all downhill from here. The Star Wars saga would never again approach this level of drama. This is arguably the most remembered scene in cinematic history. I don't need to paraphrase what happens, you must have seen it.
2. Shawhank Redemption - Andy's Escape
This movie is one of the most universally well liked movies of all time and this scene is it's peak. The scene benefits from a movie that is almost entirely character driven. The beauty of it begins with the fact that Andy is unshakably likable. Why is he so likable? Because he never gives up hope, he is indefatigable. The film is basically, a long series of tests of Andy's faith, which begins even before Andy gets to prison and Andy triumphs every time. Not only that but in between these tests he is looking for ways to instill the same hope within his fellow convicts and friends. The viewer, along with Andy, never want to give up on a happy ending for him. Things are at their worst when Tommy is gunned down, which thwarted what seemed like Andy's last chance at freedom. Then a clever series of scenes makes it seem like Andy is about to kill himself. Just before the start of this scene, my mood was dread. Then it begins and we see Andy struggling through an ordeal that would break most people and pushing through it to realize what seemed like an impossible goal. Afterwords my emotion was joy. The only film that has ever drawn tears of joy out of me.
Add to all of that, the sublime narration of Morgan Freeman and a great musical score and you have yourself a scene.
1. Aliens - Ripley Confronts The Queen
This is the best movie scene in my book because it has everything. It's a quasi redo of the finale of Alien, only this time everything is turned up to 11. The gotcha scare of the first film is replaced by Bishop being ripped in half. Ripley locks herself away, like in the first film, while she regroups, she soon reappears to save the day in something more appropriate. Then Sigourney Weaver delivers the most memorable line in recent memory. Soon after, Ripley and the Queen are toe to toe. The battle of the mother's begins, which is another nod to the first film (deliberate or not). Ripley then attempts to drop the Queen into the airlock, only the Queen isn't having it and pulls her in as well. The tension reaches fever pitch just as the scene reaches it's resolution and concludes with a single word that is perhaps the biggest payoff word in cinematic history, "Mummy."(Or Mommy in American english).
If you have your own list. Let me know.
Here is the list.
The show, usually compiles together a stupid list that annoys people and has annoying fringe or failed celebrities expressing opinions about the list. What a recipe for success.
There list once again, was annoying. So, in response I have comprised my own list.
There are spoilers here if you haven't seen these films. If you haven't though, you simply must.
20.Predator - Half a rainforest is felled by bullets.
When Blain (Jesse Ventura) is killed by the Predator and his good friend Mac sees him fall, Mac rushes in firing his own weapon to emptiness and collects his fallen friend's weapon. Mac begins to fire the mini-gun at the camouflaged Predator as it flees. Trees fall down and the predator disappears into the chaos. Then, Dutch enters the scene and joins in the shooting, no questions asked, immediately following that, a bloke named Poncho fires a grenade launcher into the already sorry looking shrubbery hoping to hit something while the rest of the team empties their clips and stare into the smoky treeless distance. Absolutely macho.
19. Highlander - The Kurgan kills Ramirez
The Kurgan somehow turns up at Macleod's 15th castle to find he is not home, only Macleod's wife and good friend Ramirez are there. Ramirez quickly steps in to defend the damsel in distress and the epic battle ensues. Lightning crashes into the walls of the tower they are climbing during the duel, the weather degenerates further along with the castle and it appears the clash of these two titans is seemingly too much for the tower to contain. Ramirez manages to wound the Kurgan in the neck but it is not enough. After this point the scene grows even darker and you can feel the glimmers of hope fading with the light, as even more of the castle falls away and Ramirez is forced further and further up the crumbling precipice. Finally Ramirez is disarmed just as they reach the peak. Kneeling there Ramirez asks for no mercy and is beheaded as the lightning crashes. Powerful stuff.
18. Ronin - Car chase, Vincent pursues Deidre and Gregor through Paris tunnels.
This scene is unbelievable. The tension just keeps on increasing as the cars weave in and out of traffic until they cross the line and go into oncoming traffic and the chase continues. The cinematography is brilliant, the pacing is great and even the actors are utterly convincing during this. When it seems things cannot get anymore hectic, the escaping Deidre and Gregor's car goes for a fall after Vincent shot their tyres out and they barely escape the explosion. Whoa.
17. The Matrix Revolutions - Dock Defense.
This scene is memorable simply for the sheer amazement it induces in anyone who watches it. Jaw dropping CGI and great direction though out the battle. The moment that the machines breach the dock and the mech army unloads on them is unforgettable. Forget the sideshow of the crawlers trying to launch homemade Rpg's at the drills, the rest is like poetry in motion. You can even forget Neo and Trinity struggling to reach the machine city. This is one of those scenes that makes you absolutely glad you saw it in the cinema.
16. The Dark Knight - The Joker captured and hanging upside down.
I had trouble picking if this or The Joker entering the underworld meeting were better. Whereas the latter mentioned scene is uber cool and nods to a similar scene involving Jack Nicholson's Joker. The scene that I went with was, for me, the payoff that one of the greatest movies I have seen was building to. Hanging upside down, The Joker says, "You just couldn't let me go could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won't kill you, because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.", chills down my spine. It nods to the comic books, it encapsulates the curse of the hero, it eludes to further adventures and most of all sums up the yin yang theme of the film. Masterful.
15. Heat - Downtown LA gun battle.
As the crooks of the film, led by Robert De Niro's Neil MacAuley, leave the bank hauling their retirement nest eggs with them, they are caught unawares by Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and his team. A hectic gun battle ensues.
This shootout is the greatest I have ever scene and was apparently a product of a lot technical input from a lot of professionals including former British SAS, real life police officers and others. It simply has to be seen to be believed.
14. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - The Tank Sequence.
This has to be one of the most jaw dropping set pieces in the history of cinema. Some will tell you that Han Solo was the role Harrison Ford was born to play but in my mind he is never better than as the whip-cracking, puzzle-solving, face-smacking archaeologist. The music is perfect, the acting is sublime and it's just so hectic. Dr. Jones snr and Dr. Marcus Brody fight for their lives on the tank while Indiana pursues on horseback. It just keeps escalating in tension and thrills right up until the end for some truly wonderful comical payoff.
Here it is for you.
13. The Thing - Mass Blood Test.
This scene almost had me sweating when I first saw it. The movie is a true gem and it features the greatest visual effects of its time. The effects still hold up today. I have seen this scene many times and each time I do, I still get a shock when that blood sample reacts to the test. The fact that all of the test subjects are all tied together and that MacReady's flame thrower malfunctions is terrifying. Incredible. YOu can see at the end how close Kurt Russell was to being blown up himself.
Here it is for you.
12. Equilibrium - Finale
This movie is one that sneaked under the radar when it was first released and has gradually built up it's fan base thanks to Christian Bale's rising popularity and the quality of the film throughout. For me this ending is special because it takes no prisoners. Our hero is pushed too far, his equilibrium is restored and he returns to the unstoppable state he was in before he ceased the dose. When I say unstoppable, I mean un-fucking-stoppable and the film really drives the point home as Preston annihilates everyone in his way with minimal fuss. The final room is a masterpiece in itself and paints the true villain as a hypocrite before he even tells you himself. We see a Zatoichi tribute and some innovative sword slicing action and then the gun kata showdown that will make your jaw drop.
11. Seven - What's in the box?
This final confrontation with John Doe (Kevin Spacey), ranks among my favorite movie moments ever. The entire film just climbs higher and higher on a shocking staircase as it goes along. And during the set up for this scene, you know it's going to be bad except you have no idea what's going to happen. Then when the courier turns up and Somerset (Morgan Freeman) goes out to meet him and John Doe continues taunting Mills (Brad Pitt), Somerset's reaction to what's in the box, "John Doe has the upper hand.", is what really gets your mind ticking over before you know what it is. Then Somerset races to intercept Mills before he discovers what is is. Even after the reveal, there is still a small hope for Mills until John Doe makes the pregnancy reveal and you see the change in Mills. After that, you know what's going to happen.
10. Star Wars - Trench Run.
All boys and girls have seen this and know the absolute magic it is. This has to be one of the most astounding things in cinema history. At the time of it's release, nothing close to these effects was around. I still get shivers up and down my spine and I've probably seen it around thirty times now. To see the rebel fighters go down one by one and Darth Vader join the fight, just in case, holy crapola it's tense. The adrenaline levels go through the roof. With three fighters on his six and the hopes of millions on his shoulders, Luke zones out and uses the force to get the job done with an assist from Han Solo. "Great shot kid, that was one in a million."
9. Alien - Problems emerge at dinner.
This scene is absolutely classic. For the first 40 or so minutes of this film, the tension is built up. And here it is released. Everyone has seen it, most people have seen the Spaceballs send up, once again featuring John Hurt. The thing about this movie and this scene is that there wasn't much around that was like it at the time. This is Ridley Scott's best work hands down. The reactions from the other characters are perfect. The lead up work during the communal dinner is so natural that when this happens, everything about the scene just comes together and pulls your pants down.
Here it is for you.
8. Shaun of the Dead - Standoff regarding Shaun's Mum.
This scene has so much going for it. The scene that is a zombie movie staple, the one where one of the more important characters reveals they are bitten, is completely rebooted here. The typical tragic and painful scene is modified into comedy genius while still maintaining the seriousness of what's at stake. This scene has me in tears sometimes, somewhere between laughter and genuine crying. The mock Reservoir Dogs standoff and Shaun's hysterical spiel turn this into "a slice of fried gold".
7.Scarface - The World is Yours
If you haven't seen this movie, you're missing out. It's classic. I admit that it took me a long time to get around to seeing it and I was mostly inspired by GTA Vice City. The ending is just cinematic magic. Tony Montana, the political prisoner from Cuba, completes his downward spiral and goes down in a blaze. I wouldn't really say it was a blaze of glory, mostly because he was coked up to within an inch of his life and was actually a pretty bad guy. This scene quickly goes from an emotional wreck to a train wreck. To top it all off, Al Pacino drops one of the most remembered lines in cinematic history. "Say hello to my little friend!!"
6. Platoon - The death of Elias
Even the lead up to this iconic scene is something special. The way Elias and Barnes's eyes meet and then slowly Barnes's expression changes. Just before the horror of what is about to happen completely registers on Elias's face, Barnes shoots him and moves on. It's not until after the chopper has come and collected the other survivors that we see Elias again. Bloodied and fleeing from a squad of Vietcong. Elias collapses in agony and exhaustion and in one final outburst of emotion raises his arms skyward as he finally succumbs. It's a powerful gesture to the heavens and one that has pulled many heart strings.
5. North by Northwest - Crop Duster
A brilliant film from a brilliant mind. This scene is a true testament to great directing. Cary Grant is an absolute joy to watch and in this scene he is really put to good use. He carries the scene effortlessly with no music, dialogue or much action for a good 4 minutes. The way the scene gives you so much from so little is amazing. You feel lost and out of your depth with him, and then "That plane's dust'n crops where there ain't no crops" gives you the first feeling of unease about what was only a background noise before. Then the scene turns into the thrilling show piece of it's time. This is one of my favorite films.
4. Saving Private Ryan - Beach Landing
This is the most harrowing and intense war scene I've ever watched. It set the tone for what is still, for me, the most horrifyingly engrossing depiction of war in film. The nightmare that these soldiers went through is, I'm sure, never going to be truly captured. Here we see something that must be close. The assault on the viewer is instant and shocking. This made me look at my brother gasping the first time I saw it. An important scene. This scene is the standout of the film because of it's crushing realism.
3. Empire Strikes Back - "No, I am your father."
This is where the Star Wars movies peaked. It's all downhill from here. The Star Wars saga would never again approach this level of drama. This is arguably the most remembered scene in cinematic history. I don't need to paraphrase what happens, you must have seen it.
2. Shawhank Redemption - Andy's Escape
This movie is one of the most universally well liked movies of all time and this scene is it's peak. The scene benefits from a movie that is almost entirely character driven. The beauty of it begins with the fact that Andy is unshakably likable. Why is he so likable? Because he never gives up hope, he is indefatigable. The film is basically, a long series of tests of Andy's faith, which begins even before Andy gets to prison and Andy triumphs every time. Not only that but in between these tests he is looking for ways to instill the same hope within his fellow convicts and friends. The viewer, along with Andy, never want to give up on a happy ending for him. Things are at their worst when Tommy is gunned down, which thwarted what seemed like Andy's last chance at freedom. Then a clever series of scenes makes it seem like Andy is about to kill himself. Just before the start of this scene, my mood was dread. Then it begins and we see Andy struggling through an ordeal that would break most people and pushing through it to realize what seemed like an impossible goal. Afterwords my emotion was joy. The only film that has ever drawn tears of joy out of me.
Add to all of that, the sublime narration of Morgan Freeman and a great musical score and you have yourself a scene.
1. Aliens - Ripley Confronts The Queen
This is the best movie scene in my book because it has everything. It's a quasi redo of the finale of Alien, only this time everything is turned up to 11. The gotcha scare of the first film is replaced by Bishop being ripped in half. Ripley locks herself away, like in the first film, while she regroups, she soon reappears to save the day in something more appropriate. Then Sigourney Weaver delivers the most memorable line in recent memory. Soon after, Ripley and the Queen are toe to toe. The battle of the mother's begins, which is another nod to the first film (deliberate or not). Ripley then attempts to drop the Queen into the airlock, only the Queen isn't having it and pulls her in as well. The tension reaches fever pitch just as the scene reaches it's resolution and concludes with a single word that is perhaps the biggest payoff word in cinematic history, "Mummy."(Or Mommy in American english).
If you have your own list. Let me know.