Posted on 12/12/2005 7:57:17 AM PST by pissant
Everyone knows by now that Pissant is not an expert, like MaximusofTexas, when it comes to movie reviews. The main problem of course is that Pissant has generally avoided anything that Hollywood has produced in the last 20 years. Fortuantely, most of the cinematic classics were made well before this self-imposed boycott started. So now, I will list the definitive "most powerful moments".
They may be sad, scary, heartwarming, patriotic, etc.
Top 7 Most Powerful Moments in Cinema History
7. The Deerhunter- Russian Roulette POW scene --The actors in the Deerhunter, particularly DeNiro and Cristopher Walken make it seem incredibly real. The intensity of that scene as POWs being forced to play Russian roulette and the subsequent escape is one for the ages.
6. Outlaw Josie Wales - Snoose on the Dead guy's head -- After a gunfight where Josie (Clint Eastwood) and his sidekick end up killing the bad guys, his young companion frets that they should at least bury the dead out of respect. Instead, Clint hocks a mouthful of tobacco juice onto a cadaver's forehead, and flatly states that "the buzzards gotta eat too"
5. Casablanca- Rick says goodbye -- Thinking that she would be staying with Rick (Humphrey Bogart) as her husband Lazlo gets on the plane to America, Bogie gives Ilsa (Ingrid) the bad news. The strength to be able to give up her love in the cause of patriotism is amazing.
4. Exorcist- The head spin -- If you grew up Catholic, you believe in the devil. And that's what makes the Exorcist SO real (plus it was based on a true story). If the head spin scene did not creep you out, nothing will.
3. The Unbearable Lightness of Being- Girls playing -- I know, not everyone's cup of tea. But seeing Thomas' wife (Juliette Binoche) meet his mistress (Lena Olin) and the two have a playful, flirtatious rendevous.....well it's powerful to me. It helps that both are very gorgeous!!
2. Patton- "the speech to the Third Army" -- This movie is near perfect all the way through, but is most powerful just listening to George C. Scott recite the (somewhat sanitized) speech to the troops. Hollywood is incapable anymore of treating our Generals and Soldiers as the heroes that they are.
1. It's a Wonderful Life - George sees the light -- The angel Clarence's hard work finally pays off. George Bailey realizes how important he is to his family, community and to God, and has a tearful reunion with his family. It chokes me up, no matter how many times I see it. Merry Christmas!
And the wedding scene in the movie is one of the most boring ever. It dragged the whole movie down.
Good post . . . Ping to #299 and 300.
Another very powerful scene -- in a decent movie that became a great one due to the haunting, riveting musical scores. The scene you describe is one of the best combinations of action and music I've ever seen in a movie.
Pretty good observation, AC.
I love the bg music. I also like Rocky's music.
"No, no, no....a Rrrrroman."
Guawd! Fwo that man to the gwound!"
"To the grround sir?"
I also agree with those above who believe Val Kilmer's best work was as Doc Holliday...the scene with Johnnie RIngo where Johnny shows off his gun twirling and then Doc follows it up not with a gun, but with the tin cup in his hand is priceless...
Lieb Faterland, magst ruhig sein [Dear land of ours, no fear be thine]
Lieb Faterland, magst ruhig sein [Dear land of ours, no fear be thine]
Test steht und treu die Wacht, Die Wacht am Rhein [The watch stands true, the watch on the Rhine]
Rick and Laszlo emerge from the office, looking down at the patrons with dead-pan, detestable expressions. Laszlo passes by a table (where Ilsa sits) and strides over to the orchestra. He defies the Germans by ordering the band to play the French anthem La Marseillaise. Responding to a nod of approval from Rick, the uncertain conductor leads them in playing a rousing, triumphant rendition of the French national anthem.
In a memorable, melodramatic duel of anthems sung in opposition, the Germans are drowned out by the Free French audience as the accelerated rhythmic editing increases the scene's intensity as it builds toward its climax. Everyone at the cafe pours their hearts into the singing of the song, except for two individuals - Rick and Ilsa. In two closeups, she gazes at Victor in a state of awe, fear and prideful admiration, forgetting to sing. Yvonne, who has been sitting at the bar with her German officer, shouts: "Vive la France!" at its stirring conclusion amidst wild applause.
With the inspiration of Laszlo's bold, patriotic, revolutionary act and Rick's consenting order, Major Strasser is thoroughly embarrassed and considers both a dangerous threat. Outraged, he promptly instructs Renault to punish the cafe's patrons and close down Rick's place before storming out, on the convenient grounds that people are having "much too good a time." Rick protests to French gendarmes, but to no effect. Reluctantly, Renault closes the saloon, hypocritically blaming it on illegal gambling:
Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here.
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Renault: Oh. Thank you very much. Everybody out at once.
Renault is handed his gambling winnings by the croupier as he finishes his pronouncements.
The scene where James Garner holds the notebook open and we get to see the page inside that reveals to us that his wife wrote the book....absolutely floored me.
I wept like a child in great heart racking sobs. I swear. I'm 47 years old, 6' 5' tall and 240 lbs. and I was reduced to tears.
I will never forget that scene.
Every time I see it, I pick up on a couple of additional nuances -- and now I'm convinced it's the best movie ever made.
One of the most interesting characters is Nick -- the bartender at Martini's who owns the bar in the "other" world where George was never born. Most of the scenes in that world focus on how much worse things are when Potter runs the entire town, but he's the one person in the "other" world whose personal character and morals are noticeably worse than they are in real life. I don't know what made me think about that, but I couldn't help notice that the last time I saw the movie.
Great soundtrack. I remember how popular that music was when the first Rocky movie came out.
LOL, that was good.
I love that scene.
"Never said I couldn't use one. Said I never had a use for one."
re: #4 "How'd you like to make $14 the hard way?"
"And how are we today sir?"
"Better."
"Better, sir?"
"Better get a bucket, I'm gonna throw up."
The quote was from the battle of Sterling, not Falkirk.
Michael Mann has always had an ear for good scores and soundtracks
"To the grround sir?"
Yes, stwike him centwurian! Vewy bwuskwy!
I must say that even after seeing Life of Brian 3 or 4 times, I still crack up during that scene when he says...
"He has a wife, you know. Do you know what she's called?"
And the centurians are thinking to themselves "Oh dear God no!!!! Don't tell us!!!"
"....Incontinentia........... Incontinentia Buttox!"
Daniel Lanois....I looked it up on IMDB
I should have known that though
Lanois is very ry cooderish but more symphonic
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