99. The opening chords of "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears herald one of the best opening scenes in any film. Camera swoops around Middlesex playground and introduces us to all the characters in the film. This is why I like Donnie Darko, it's not the weird plot or the clever script, it's the excellent direction - and this scene leaves me with a lump in my throat every time I see it.
― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:07 (twenty-one years ago)
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:15 (twenty-one years ago)
― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:19 (twenty-one years ago)
― Bidfurd, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:23 (twenty-one years ago)
― pete b. (pete b.), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― robster (robster), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Tag (Tag), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)
― lukey (Lukey G), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)
127. Pulling away from Sam to the view of the torture chamber [silo] in Brazil
3.1415926: The pivotal moment in Japanese Story
― (I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and) Whittle Away My Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:53 (twenty-one years ago)
― zappi (joni), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)
― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 09:58 (twenty-one years ago)
― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:03 (twenty-one years ago)
! This is exactly the scene that came to mind when I read the thread title!
― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)
88. Pi - Max Cohen's talking to Lenny Mayer in the cafe and Lenny tells him about how everything is spirals, and it cuts to a shot of smoke spiralling out of Lenny's mouth, and milk spiralling in a cup of coffee. Lovely bit of filming.
OK so I'm a crappy indie filmhead.
― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:46 (twenty-one years ago)
86. Also, Hildy's (I think that's her name?) walk through the newsroom during the opening of His Girl Friday--she's sassy, cosmopolitan, also wearing a great suit, totally in charge, and speaking in fast-news-gal style with the witty banter.
― sgs (sgs), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 11:06 (twenty-one years ago)
daveb you are so 100% OTM!! have you ever sliced garlic without thinking of this scene?
― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)
― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)
― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:35 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:35 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)
85. The egg scene in Tampopo.
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ste (Fuzzy), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)
― Kingfish of Burma (Kingfish), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)
Gets me every damn time...
― mzui, Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:21 (twenty-one years ago)
talking and laughing--kind of sweet and intimate,then all hell breaks loose
― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)
and wooderson does that slo mo point to someone off screen. perfect.
79. gregory's girl. the moment the camera pulls back as they're lying down dancing, and it's just giggling and waving arms and sunset.
― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― Tag (Tag), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)
― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)
― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)
Me, too, especially if "What Is Life" is on the radio. The one single thing that always sticks out to me about this sequence is
74. How Henry Hill's wide-eyed peeking around the kitchen door is edited to repeat itself twice.
― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)
72. Maggie cheung walking down the stairs in "In The Mood for Love" in one of her sexy high-necked dresses past Tony Leung without acknowledging him as he turns around and watches her go down to the noodle bar.
71. Donnie Darko sitting in the theater asking "why do you wear that stupid rabbit suit?" and Frank replying "why do you wear that stupid man suit?"
― webcrack (music=crack), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)
― cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:32 (twenty-one years ago)
― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)
― cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:42 (twenty-one years ago)
― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Thursday, 24 June 2004 06:45 (twenty-one years ago)
2001 - Bone goes up, spaceship comes down...
― mzui, Thursday, 24 June 2004 08:04 (twenty-one years ago)
― robster (robster), Thursday, 24 June 2004 08:35 (twenty-one years ago)
― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Thursday, 24 June 2004 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)
― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 24 June 2004 11:06 (twenty-one years ago)
― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Thursday, 24 June 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)
29. Audrey Hepburn on a ladder in the bookshop wearing a pinafore dress in Funny Face.
28. Sitting on the table with a birthday cake at the end of Sixteen Candles.
(And of course I second or third or fourth Goodfellas.)
― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 24 June 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)
26. The house decorated with posters from a travel agent in It's A Wonderful Life.
― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)
― robster (robster), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Thursday, 24 June 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)
24. my best fiend - the last shot with the butterfly
― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 24 June 2004 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 24 June 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 25 June 2004 06:24 (twenty-one years ago)
41. Two-Lane Blacktop: They're at this cafe, Dennis "the Mechanic" Wilson and James "the Driver" Taylor with the little tramp that they hooked up with on their journey across the American landscape The existential hotrodders don't really give a fuck but they're truly hurt when she takes off with one of Apollo's sons on his two-wheeled horse that has a name. Monte Hellmann at his best.
40. Teen Wolf: Self-explanatory I hope. A teenage werewolf that likes hoops and his party dude best buddy have a big truck they call the Wolfmobile and a wereworlf is doing backflips on the top of it in small-town Nebraska to the tune of "Surfin' USA." Rad.
23. Gleaming the Cube: When Christian Slater and Max Perlich hook up with the Bones Brigade to save the day, but Tony Hawk is a pizza delivery boy for Pizza Hut with a little red truck. The scene is when the Pizza Hut truck and the Bones Brigade appear over the hill and descend Wild Bunch-style to thwart the villain as Christian Slater (the greatest all-around skater of all-time who isn't even sponsored) pursues him. I really don't know why that's a great scene, but it contains Powell, Pizza, and Perlich so how can it possibly not be awesome.
― Star Hustler, Friday, 25 June 2004 07:37 (twenty-one years ago)
― oops (Oops), Friday, 25 June 2004 08:02 (twenty-one years ago)
― chris (chris), Friday, 25 June 2004 08:11 (twenty-one years ago)
― Huey (Huey), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:40 (twenty-one years ago)
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:41 (twenty-one years ago)
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:44 (twenty-one years ago)
― Matt (Matt), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 25 June 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Friday, 25 June 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)
― Matt (Matt), Friday, 25 June 2004 11:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 25 June 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)
― Dan I. (Dan I.), Friday, 12 November 2004 02:27 (twenty-one years ago)
-- jaymc (jmcunnin...), June 23rd, 2004.
and the way Ruffalo nonchalantly flicks away the moth that has landed on his arm. i love this scene (and have said so before on another thread).
― jed_ (jed), Friday, 12 November 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)
The flashback scene in 8 1/2 which explains why Guido was thinking Asa Nisi Masa while the guy was trying to read his mind.
The scene in the Tin Drum where Oskar is sitting beneath the bleachers of the Nazi rally. He starts playing his drum and changes the cadence of the Nazi band, causing the whole group to descend into chaos.
The scene in Andrei Rublev where the nude pagens are running through the forest.
The scene in Wings of Desire where Nick Cave is performing.
Peter Lorre's speech at the end of Fritz Lang's M.
Jessy's song and dance number in Greaser's Palace
A dozen different scenes in Yi Yi. Take your pick.
― Jeff-PTTL (Jeff), Friday, 12 November 2004 03:44 (twenty-one years ago)
― xx, Friday, 12 November 2004 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)
12) The scene in Brother when Danila tells his coworkers he will take care of the man who accidentally walked in on the hit scene and instead spins around and shoots his coworkers instead, and then procedes to chat with the terrified man about the CD he's looking to purchase.11) The scene in Gross Pointe Blank right before the big shoot up where John Cusak explains that he's having a totally life altering experience and then it cuts to Dan Akroyd telling the other hitman that that bastard must be having a life altering experience.10) The scene in Man on the Moon when Andy Kaufmann watches himself get had by the shaman faith-healer.
― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Friday, 12 November 2004 06:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― Allyzay Science Explosion (allyzay), Friday, 12 November 2004 06:18 (twenty-one years ago)
― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 12 November 2004 06:20 (twenty-one years ago)
OH YEAH!
― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 12 November 2004 06:24 (twenty-one years ago)
11) The scene in Gross Pointe Blank right before the big shoot up where John Cusak explains that he's having a totally life altering experience and then it cuts to Dan Akroyd telling the other hitman that that bastard must be having a life altering experience. = OTM
The moment in one of the Antoine Doinel movies where Leaud sits in front of a mirror and recites his name over and over and over again to a manic, screaming climax.
― Remy (x Jeremy), Friday, 12 November 2004 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)
― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 12 November 2004 07:54 (twenty-one years ago)
6. The scene in Punch-Drunk Love where Barry and Lena are heading back from the hospital and just as they are pulling into his driveway, the Brothers' van smashes into them, spinning the car round. Cut to the car interior, with car spinning and then a trickle of blood down Lena's face. Barry leaps out, grabs his tire-iron and proceeds to beat the fuck out of their attackers. I nearly whooped when I saw this the first time.
(On a PTA tip also, the "Wise Up" singalong in Magnolia is too perfect for words as well)
― Bill A, Friday, 12 November 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)
― alex in montreal, Friday, 12 November 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)
― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Friday, 12 November 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)
― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 12 November 2004 17:51 (twenty-one years ago)
― :| (....), Friday, 12 November 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)
2. Breathless, when Belmondo and Seberg just laying around talking nonsense.
― dan138zig (Durrr Durrr Durrrrrr), Thursday, 22 April 2010 13:05 (sixteen years ago)
1. The skateboarding kids in Bertolucci's La Luna.
― Bill A, Thursday, 22 April 2010 14:44 (sixteen years ago)
0. In Chopper when his mate is repeatedly stabbing him in prison - I think my "why" might be something to do with the matter-of-factness of it all. It isn't played like the horrific attempted murder it clearly should be. Chopper is all "what are you doing mate?" "look, if you keep stabbing me you're going to kill me..."
― broad layering (onimo), Friday, 23 April 2010 10:50 (sixteen years ago)
-1. The Spanish version of "Crying" in Mulholland Drive - we're told in advance it's all "recorded sound", but it's still a shock when the singer passes out and the music carries on.
― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 23 April 2010 10:57 (sixteen years ago)
one of my fav scenes in any movie ever^
― karl...arlk...rlka...lkar..., Friday, 23 April 2010 14:17 (sixteen years ago)
And I just realised it's been mentioned already on this thread.
― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 23 April 2010 14:23 (sixteen years ago)
*spoiler warning*
I was ambushed by unexpected emotion during the "showdown" scene in Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky. Without this scene it wouldn't have been half the film it was, but this bit:
Scott: "You had no intention of learning how to drive. You had one thing in mind. To reel me in. And why? Because you have to be adored. You've got to be wanted. And you drink it in. And you leave me with a spring in your step and you go off and you fuck your boyfriend and you fuck your girlfriend. And you all drive around in that stupid, little yellow car!"
It's gold - and that actor is gold in everything I've seen him appear.
― village idiot (dog latin), Friday, 23 April 2010 14:29 (sixteen years ago)