What's your favourite scene in a movie?

retro:electro

Doesn't have to be your favourite movie as such, just a scene that really stood out or one that has stayed with you.

I think mine would be the night vision scene in The Silence of the Lambs; it was just palpable. I remember watching it as a kid and still to this day it gives me goosebumps. I also like the scene in American History X where Ed Norton's character comes out of the shower, looks in the mirror and covers the swastika on his chest; very poignant scene.

What's yours?

cloud493

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCXR6o7h2Y4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIsFg3FSpEQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXXrXyvNtcg

krudler

Too many to mention, but to play along..

The scene in Jaws (which has plenty of my favourite scenes) where the two dopey fishermen stick a chunk of meat on a hook and let the tide take it out, the shark takes the bait and winds up dragging the pier into the water and one of the guys is hanging onto it.
It's a genius moment where the fisherman starts heading back to shore and we see the pier just head out to sea..until it starts to turn around and come straight towards him. "Take my word for it Charlie, don't look back!" The way the music swells as the broken piece of pier, still obviously attached to one very pissed off shark is amazing, and there's not a glimpse of the animal to be seen.

Macavity.

Baked.noodle

Arghus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3yon2GyoiM

Very hard to pick an individual scene over the course of my entire film watching life but this is up there. Two great actors going toe to toe. Great tension,twists and turns and a killer punchline. Not safe for the easily offended.

krudler

Can people talk about why the scenes are their favourite? instead of this just being endless youtube clips and lists. Pity seeing threads with a chance for discussion getting closed when they fall into lists and movie titles with no context.

retro:electro

krudler wrote: »

Can people talk about why the scenes are their favourite? instead of this just being endless youtube clips and lists. Pity seeing threads with a chance for discussion getting closed when they fall into lists and movie titles with no context.

Yes this is exactly what I wanted; a discussion on why it's their favourite rather than the YouTube clip, I should have been more clear. I've been rewatching a lot of 90's thriller movies recently, that era was just awesome, so many great movie scenes. They sure don't make them like they used to.

Adamantium

Watch closely and you can see how the images are cherographed to the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4tVH7BPb-Q

Zascar

I love this movie - the book is brilliant as well. So many great scenes but this one is always good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cISYzA36-ZY

Alex Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross as posted above is fantastic, here's another similar one. Anyone that works in sales will know these very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zakyg3thfY

'The Watch' scene in Pulp Fiction,

A cameo for Christopher Walken explaining the history of the watch but how he tells it is brilliant!

e_e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD8hbg67u5c

Funny, sad, beautiful and ridiculous at the same time.

e_e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWR5v3jWogc

Actually this is my favorite scene from any Korine film. For a good few reasons:

1. Herzog as a catholic priest, genius casting.
2. The wonderful music.
3. The dialog with the pilot, going from humorous to heartbreaking.
4. The beautiful cinematography.
5. The amazingly surreal turn it takes in the last 2 minutes.

fruvai

Dunno if this counts as it's not really a traditional length scene

One that really sticks out (because I watched it yesterday ) is the restaurant scene in Jacques Tati's Playtime. I think the scene lasts close to an hour and it's probably the best thing he ever did (or anyone ever did). I love the dynamics of it where it keeps building and building till it reaches an apotheosis and then begins to gradually fade. He uses the movement of music and people to achieve it and it just feels so fulfilling (hope I don't sound mawkish :pac:). It's stuffed full of endlessly creative little jokes,running gags and social commentary - it has a real feel good,life affirming appeal to it which also acts as an antidote to the oppressive sterility of modernity featured in the first hour.

e_e

fruvai wrote: »

Dunno if this counts as it's not really a traditional length scene

One that really sticks out (because I watched it yesterday ) is the restaurant scene in Jacques Tati's Playtime. I think the scene lasts close to an hour and it's probably the best thing he ever did (or anyone ever did). I love the dynamics of it where it keeps building and building till it reaches an apotheosis and then begins to gradually fade. He uses the movement of music and people to achieve it and it just feels so fulfilling (hope I don't sound mawkish :pac:). It's stuffed full of endlessly creative little jokes,running gags and social commentary - it has a real feel good,life affirming appeal to it which also acts as an antidote to the oppressive sterility of modernity featured in the first hour.

Oh yes! Was gonna mention but couldn't figure out how the hell to describe it! :P

I laugh just thinking about some parts of it, like Hulot collapsing the celing (putting the manic jazz music to an abrupt end too), the toy plane looking sad from the heat and the ending with the drunk guy wandering off into the sunrise while a chicken (from who knows where) cuckoos. So amazing, I wouldn't hesitate to call it the greatest comedy film every made just from that hour long sequence alone.

Adamantium

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFaG2OACwtM

dark crystal

The final scene in 'Before Sunset'.

Jesse and Celine are in her apartment, having spent an afternoon reminiscing after 10 years apart. Jesse has a plane to catch back to America, where he will reluctantly continue on with his unhappy marriage. He puts on a Nina Simone CD and Celine recalls the time she saw Simone in concert and proceeds to mimic her performance. Jesse is captivated and when Celine tells Jesse he's going to miss his plane, he just smiles and says "I know". A life changing decision portrayed in two simple words.

As endings go, this one's probably my favourite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYOESxmwdw4

krudler

In the climax of Return of the Jedi. When Luke is hiding and Vader is taunting him to fight, until Luke snaps and goes mental on him with his lightsaber, pounding him into submission then lopping his arm off. It's the first time in the trilogy we see Vader in any sort of weak poisition, his remaining hand held up begging for Luke to stop, The Emperor cackling away at what Luke has become and Luke's realisation of how easy it is to stray away from the light side of The Force. The lightsaber fights in the prequels had none of this just overchoreographed fighting between people who had barely any interaction before they scrapped.

quickbeam

The Tiny Dancer scene from Almost Famous.

But not just that but the scenes leading up to it, from the band's argument over the t-shirts, to Russell and William attending the local party, Russell getting high and jumping off the roof in to the pool, and then the next morning being on a downer, being picked up by the band's bus and everybody hates everybody. Until Elton starts playing and one by one they all join in. Magical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qn3tel9FWU

Honourable mentions to the great long takes from Children of Men - the opening, the car being attacked, the birthing scene and of course the final battle.

And the blowing up of parliament in V For Vendetta.

Actually, really too many great scenes from great movies to mention.

kingtiger

Great stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTSGUfFh8og

_Kaiser_

Too many to list really, but...

Star Trek III - stealing the Enterprise (3:12 on in this clip..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9Ukm9LaWg

Loved everything about this scene.. the bond between the crew, the epic music that builds steadily throughout, the smug arrogant captain of the Excelsior being taken down a peg or two thanks to Scotty's ingenuity while the computer rambles on as the ship grinds to a halt , the Excelsior herself - gorgeous ship!


Also the opening sequence of Lord of War - had me hooked from the very beginning and remains one of my all-time favourite films:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHn1zogeyO4

Oh, and pretty much all of The Running Man (my favourite Arnie flick with Predator and Red Heat tied for 2nd), but I always loved Killian's comeback to Arnie's trademark line:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm4FEjICVog

Sam Mac

One of my favourites is the dancing on-stage scene in Little Miss Sunshine. Also love the opening of that film.

Nearuhere

krudler wrote: »

Can people talk about why the scenes are their favourite? instead of this just being endless youtube clips and lists. Pity seeing threads with a chance for discussion getting closed when they fall into lists and movie titles with no context.

I think that should be what we are talking about

snaphook

One that always stands out for me is in Lawrence of Arabia.
They have successfully crossed the Nefud desert and realise that one of the men, Gasim, has been left behind, having succumbed to fatigue and fallen unnoticed during the night.

Risking his life, Lawrence goes back under the sheer heat of the sun to rescue Gasim.

The aide, waiting for their unknown return, wakes from a slumber and stares into the distance.

The camera is framed like a canvas painting with the sky blue and the desert's yellow.
He sees a faint figure in the distance and begins to move towards it.
The 'canvas' is now a dynamic one and we slowly move forward into the canvas.
The more confident the aide becomes, the faster the pitcure moves, the more the more begins to swell, inevitably meeting Lawrence in a superb wide shot.

What I love is that there's no whizz, bang, wallop. There is no 'script' for this scene.
It's just David Lean, editor Anne Coates, composer Maurice Jarre and DP Freddie Young at the peak of their creative powers.

Arthur Beesley

Trainspotting, Spud and the bedsheet incident.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aYXkki3s6RA

Left Back on the Bench

Not a movie buff by any means but paddy considine in dead man's shoes is great. Towards the beginning when he's in the social club staring at one of the fellas and the guy says, acting the hard man "what are you staring at" to which considine replies "you, ya fcuking cnut". The way considine keeps staring, filled with rage and the other guys face just drops.

Aidric

Hard to choose one but I remember my jaw was on the floor watching the prologue to Melancholia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kP-vuOy8cU

faceman

While I can never really pick out my favourite movie, I can pick out my favourite scene. Its from The Godfather. The start of Michael's downfall.

Everything about this scene cinema mastery. The cinematography, the performances, the pacing, the imagery, its so wonderful. They really dont make it like this anymore.

Originally the studio didnt want Pacino for the role but when producers watched the rushes with this scene, they finally agreed he was the man for the job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSQqv2UuvC0

EoghanIRL

Pulp fiction diner scene .

blingrhino

ice cold in alex - throught the desert for weeks then over the brow of a dune a ship steaming down the suez canal - and then the beer scene in the bar .

The last scene in Planet of the Apes. You just couldnt see that coming, just spine tingling in every sense. Damn you, Damn you all to hell!!

Tipsy McSwagger

Another great scene in Jaws is when Chief Brody is pure paranoid on the beach looking at all these potential victims going into the water. Just when he starts to relax he spots the kid on the lilo getting attacked and the result is the famous dolly zoom shot. Spielberg said in 1982 that he wanted to do a dolly zoom for years but could never find the right moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnZ0Y4rvz6E

faceman

Ok in an effort to stir up conversation I'm going to add some thoughts about some of the choices being made. Respectfully of course!

Anyone selecting scenes from QT films, especially Pulp Fiction is wrong. Yes, wrong. QT is an awful film maker and people only pick his scenes out of a feeling that a scene is cool.

QT film scenes bring nothing aesthetic to film making.

Am I wrong? If so why?

Gmol

Ben Kingsley in the scene where he goes off on his 'no' rant in sexy beast. It's scary in its intensity, fantastic piece of acting.

EoghanIRL

faceman wrote: »

Ok in an effort to stir up conversation I'm going to add some thoughts about some of the choices being made. Respectfully of course!

Anyone selecting scenes from QT films, especially Pulp Fiction is wrong. Yes, wrong. QT is an awful film maker and people only pick his scenes out of a feeling that a scene is cool.

QT film scenes bring nothing aesthetic to film making.

Am I wrong? If so why?

The pulp fiction diner scene is actually good in my opinion . Samuel L Jackson's speech is badass . Many people would definitely consider it a classic . I would say that this particular scene is better than the rest of the movie .
Truth be told I would agree with you . I am not a huge qt fan . I don't see why people think resevoir dogs is so great . I didn't even watch Jackie Brown after what my friends told me about it .
On the other hand inglorious bastards is good . I really enjoyed the seemingly effortless switch between German , French and English . Django unchained is a good modern western . The gore is some of his films is fantastic .
Most of his movies are so messed up they have you saying holy sh1t I can't believe that just happened .

I am interested to see what your favourite scene is and why ?

Tipsy McSwagger

EoghanIRL wrote: »

The pulp fiction diner scene is actually good in my opinion . Samuel L Jackson's speech is badass . Many people would definitely consider it a classic . I would say that this particular scene is better than the rest of the movie .
Truth be told I would agree with you . I am not a huge qt fan . I don't see why people think resevoir dogs is so great . I didn't even watch Jackie Brown after what my friends told me about it .
On the other hand inglorious bastards is good . I really enjoyed the seemingly effortless switch between German , French and English . Django unchained is a good modern western . The gore is some of his films is fantastic .
Most of his movies are so messed up they have you saying holy sh1t I can't believe that just happened .

I am interested to see what your favourite scene is and why ?

Arguably Tarantino's best film.

krudler

faceman wrote: »

Ok in an effort to stir up conversation I'm going to add some thoughts about some of the choices being made. Respectfully of course!

Anyone selecting scenes from QT films, especially Pulp Fiction is wrong. Yes, wrong. QT is an awful film maker and people only pick his scenes out of a feeling that a scene is cool.

QT film scenes bring nothing aesthetic to film making.

Am I wrong? If so why?

It just annoys me how people automatically think Tarantino's movies are cool, because they're trying so hard to be. For me his best work is True Romance, its the Tarantino movie Tarantino didn't actually make, but the script is fantastic.

Stuff like Grindhouse were just painful "I'm such a cool film geek" circle jerks with brilliant casts. Jackie Brown seems like the least tryhard of his films. Most of his films are entertaining, I liked Inglorious Basterds for what it was and Django had some great moments, but he ranks way down on the list of directors I get excited about tbh.

faceman

EoghanIRL wrote: »

The pulp fiction diner scene is actually good in my opinion . Samuel L Jackson's speech is badass . Many people would definitely consider it a classic . I would say that this particular scene is better than the rest of the movie .
Truth be told I would agree with you . I am not a huge qt fan . I don't see why people think resevoir dogs is so great . I didn't even watch Jackie Brown after what my friends told me about it .
On the other hand inglorious bastards is good . I really enjoyed the seemingly effortless switch between German , French and English . Django unchained is a good modern western . The gore is some of his films is fantastic .
Most of his movies are so messed up they have you saying holy sh1t I can't believe that just happened .

I am interested to see what your favourite scene is and why ?

I posted my fav scene earlier in the thread.

Jackie Brown is QT's best film although I have no desire to watch it again.

Reservoir Dogs is like a serious of scenes trying to be cool and different linked together. Pulp Fiction was hell to me. It was like a huge homage to all QT's inspirations linked together like a bad book you find in the bargain bucket of an airport.

Personally I think QT is surrounded my "yes men". People who won't tell him something is awful. It's like his movies are the aggressive rant of an angst ridden teenager trying to show the jocks in school that he's cool by pretending to be cool.

Oh and the reason why Jackie Brown is his best movie is because it's the only one that features some form of character development.

takamichinoku

Unabashedly for nostalgia reasons. So sweet.

CAN'T FIND A YOUTUBE
The story about the Goy's teeth in A Serious Man. Favourite Coen brothers scene by a mile, and I ****ing love the Coen brothers.

Shame about the maybe 90% of the rest of the film. Probably picking it more due to the contrast in quality and because it's just an opening credits.


Ending of Annie Hall, big giant list etc

Lamper.sffc

I guess like so many there are too many too mention. So ill go for comedy

I had pretty much given up on comedy due to the crap Hollywood was bringing out (still does) so time for a change and i found this gem. Its a totally ridiculous movie but I love it.

Honourable mention also goes to

faceman

faceman wrote: »

I posted my fav scene earlier in the thread.

Jackie Brown is QT's best film although I have no desire to watch it again.

Reservoir Dogs is like a serious of scenes trying to be cool and different linked together. Pulp Fiction was hell to me. It was like a huge homage to all QT's inspirations linked together like a bad book you find in the bargain bucket of an airport.

Personally I think QT is surrounded my "yes men". People who won't tell him something is awful. It's like his movies are the aggressive rant of an angst ridden teenager trying to show the jocks in school that he's cool by pretending to be cool.

Oh and the reason why Jackie Brown is his best movie is because it's the only one that features some form of character development.

Think your being very harsh on QT. Not too many scenes as funny as "I'm pretty ***kin far from ok". That scene is totally outstanding and hilarious.

I see QT these days a bit like Ennio Morricone. He arranges film and scenes like Morricone does/did with music. Not all of it is original but its effective and emotive. He dropped the ball with the grind house nonsense but there is enough quality in his body work to give the man respect for his film making abilities. Django is an outstanding film stand alone, and to dismiss it is maybe bourne from a previous dislike of the director

Adamantium

krudler wrote: »

In the climax of Return of the Jedi. When Luke is hiding and Vader is taunting him to fight, until Luke snaps and goes mental on him with his lightsaber, pounding him into submission then lopping his arm off. It's the first time in the trilogy we see Vader in any sort of weak poisition, his remaining hand held up begging for Luke to stop, The Emperor cackling away at what Luke has become and Luke's realisation of how easy it is to stray away from the light side of The Force. The lightsaber fights in the prequels had none of this just overchoreographed fighting between people who had barely any interaction before they scrapped.

Hamill was great in ESB, but godly in ROTJ.
I used to think Empire was the masterpiece, but now it's this
I think it's the best of all six movies, which is a rare opinion. It's always doing interesting. I love Endor and yes the Ewoks. The best third parter besides The Last Crusade.

The look on Hamill's eyes, when they finally has Vader pinned down, embraces the dark side for a second and then has the control to say no, Hamill rejects violence and throws his lightsaber away. As a child I mistakedly when Vader lost his arm, it became Luke's, and if he kept hacking that's what would literally happen to the rest of Luke's body, he'd become Vader.

This was the first time I eventually understood what a metaphor was.

Has the best most definitive bittersweet ending to a series ever.
This might be well my favourite scene ever. Yes I love it all , the new song is what should have been there all along and the CGI inserts are great.

Those horns, rising chorus and the fireworks at sunset, when Luke rushes into Leia's arms. The looks as Luke looks away from the ghosts from generations of Jedi, forgotten by all but him, tears man, tears. It literally says the violence, the suffering is over for decades at least, the war is good as over, the Empire will soon crumble. It's epic as it comes and that's a word I hate using. It's very intimate and small scale at the same time, a local celebration.

Star Wars is, at heart, high fantasy. They killed the evil wizard, and all his henchmen ran off screaming into the woods, then everything was nice again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRvAAYjmqkE

Red5

ESB will always be my favourite movie.
But my favourite scene in Star Wars is when Luke Hands himself over in ROTJ.

That scene is unreal.

Vader: So you have accepted the truth.
Luke: I have accepted the truth you were once Anakin Skywalker my Father.
Vader: That name no longer holds any meaning for me.

So many quality lines in one scene.

Vader: The emperor will show you the ways of the force, he is your master now
Luke: Then my father is truly dead.

ROTJ has its faults (Poxy Ewoks) but that scene is the best in the series for me.

El Guapo!

The death scene of Ben Fosters character, Matt "Axe" Axelson, in Lone Survivor is a fantastic scene. It's shot perfectly imo.
I can't find a clip of it online unfortunately but the scene just stuck with me since I first watched it. Brilliant movie and I highly recommend watching it if you haven't already.



Although not from a movie, another scene I love is this one from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I know it's probably a bit cliché to even suggest this scene now but I just love it. It's incredibly powerful acting from a young Will Smith, and the fact that it was (supposedly) improvised makes it all the more powerful.

I'm sure there are plenty more scenes but that's all I can come up with off the top of my head.

krudler

When George McFly punches Biff and knocks him out in Back To The Future.

As a kid I never really realised how..rapey Biff is. It makes the ending even more bizarre when they still have him around washing their cars "Ah Biff what a character" ehhh, he did almost rape your now wife remember?

e_e

krudler wrote: »

When George McFly punches Biff and knocks him out in Back To The Future.

As a kid I never really realised how..rapey Biff is. It makes the ending even more bizarre when they still have him around washing their cars "Ah Biff what a character" ehhh, he did almost rape your now wife remember?

Am I the only one who found the scene with Biff in the car a little at odds with the tone of the rest of the film? Imagine the furor if a similar scene was in a family film today.

krudler

e_e wrote: »

Am I the only one who found the scene with Biff in the car a little at odds with the tone of the rest of the film? Imagine the furor if a similar scene was in a family film today.

No it's actually fairly unpleasant, like earlier in the movie he's getting grabby with her in the school canteen and she slaps him, but then it's full blown assault later on in it.

bellinter

"Fredo, you're nothing to me now. You're not a brother, you're not a friend. I don't wanna know you, or what you do."

This scene in the Lake House on Godfather 2 is my favourite.

The set up is brilliant. From the slow realisation from Michael throughout the rest of the film that Fredo had betrayed him to the kiss in Cuba, "I know it was you Fredo." Michael is genuinely heartbroken, as much by the betrayal itself as by the knowledge of what he has to do to avenge it. The days of "That's my family, Kay. That's not me" have well and truly disappeared.

This conversation scene is simply outstanding. Two incredible performances going toe to toe.

carti2k

Final battle in Matrix:Revolutions. Ahhh... BEAUTIFUL! Epic battle in rain. Still got Matrix VHS copy. Hope Wachowski borthers will make next Matrix movie

Shaun Plays Games

The dark knight where batman interrogates the joker