Powerful scenes/sequences

Started by ©brad, March 05, 2003, 05:22:24 AM

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life_boy

* Frank's death: In the Bedroom.
Todd Field doesn't try to make this an 'emotional peak scene' by slowly cueing the music or by using any slow-motion, he goes against all that and only let's us hear the gun shot and the aftermath while building tension the whole time.  It's a great scene and one that I still can't quite say exactly when the shot comes.

* Quiz kid Donnie Smith in the bar: Magnolia.
There are many sequences in Magnolia that are very emotional points, but it wasn't until looking at this film way after the fact that I really "got" William H. Macy's Donnie Smith.  Until then he had just been a kind of wierd character that I didn't really understand; it was a good performance, but nothing I would write home about.  But then, I watched the film again and it was this scene that shook me more than even Mackey's bedside tears, "Wise Up", Phil's 'scene of the movie', or even the frogs.  It was somehow after seeing the movie numerous times that I caught every nuance in Macy's portayal.  The words spoken are so poetic, but I didn't doubt their sincerity because the performances were so flawless.

* Alvin and Lyle meet again: The Straight Story.
The scene is almost silent.  The emotional weight carried only in the looks of Harry Dean Stanton and Richard Farnsworth as the estranged brothers finally meet after Alvin's long journey.  The whole film was slowly building up to this, but the moment is not ruined by throwing in too much dialogue or even spoken forgiveness.  We know what they said in the looks on their faces, and that's what makes the scene so beautiful.

BonBon85

400 Blows: Carnival ride and run to the beach
Magnolia: Wise Up, Save Me and Stanley has to go to the bathroom
Amelie: End (moped ride)

oakmanc234

Powerful scenes/sequences:

D-Day invasion-SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Opening murder-SCREAM
'Stuck in the middle with you'-RESERVIOR DOGS
Opening shark attack-JAWS
Shower scene-PSYCHO
Cornfield murder-CASINO
At the dinner table-TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
'Don't go away you f***ing asshole'-MAGNOLIA
Crying problem-PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE
'Cook the man some f***ing eggs!'-ONCE WERE WARRIORS
Michael in the corner-THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
Final moments-REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
'Smile'-ROAD TO PERDITION

I could think of more but I'm feeling kind of down from thinking of all these......
'Welcome the Thunderdome, bitch'

snaporaz

the very last scene of the ice storm.

ProgWRX

Off the top of my head :

Amélie : The sequence when she is bouncing rocks on the stream while crouching on a bridge. I dont know, but the mixture of the camera work and the music on this scene just gets to me every time I see it.

Being a Cameron Crowe fanboy, there are various moments in his movies that also get to me, some might consider these cheesy but oh well :

Jerry Maguire : When Ray (the kid) hugs and kisses Jerry on the kitchen while Renee watches.

Vanilla Sky : Many scenes, but mainly when we are shown David's wake, and Sofia's reaction to seeing the things in his apartment, the memories of what could have been. Also the end sequence, when David jumps and we see the montage of images of his "life flashing before his eyes" to Sigur Ros's music.

Almost Famous : The Tiny Dancer scene (yes its cheesy but i love it) , the scene where William is about to lose his virginity, when you see the tight shot on William's eyes, and in them you can see the reflection of the girls moving around in front around him. Also, the scene where William tells Penny she was sold for $50 and a case of beer, I just love her reaction.

Too many to list...
-Carlos

children with angels

Fuckin' A on the end of The Ice Storm: I love that movie so much. Also Mikey's death sequence in that film.

Also, surely I have to say:
                                      the end of Vertigo
                                      the end of 8 1/2
                                      the end of The Sweet Hereafter
                                      the end of Buffalo 66
                                      the end of Fight Club
                                      the end of 2001
                                      the end of Before Sunrise
                                      the end of Barton Fink
                                      the end of Dancer in the Dark

...Endings are so important to how you feel about a film: they are the moments that affect you most deeply, and have the greatest potential to change you. I guess it's partly because endings in general are kind of a false construct that only appear in art, not really in life.
"Should I bring my own chains?"
"We always do..."

http://www.alternatetakes.co.uk/
http://thelesserfeat.blogspot.com/

polkablues

Quote from: children with angels
                                      the end of 8 1/2
                                      the end of The Sweet Hereafter
                                      the end of Fight Club
                                      the end of Before Sunrise
                                      the end of Barton Fink
                                      the end of Dancer in the Dark

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.

The explosion in "The End of the Affair"
The end of "Waking the Dead"
The end of "The Vanishing"
My house, my rules, my coffee

Dekadetia

For me in Dancer in the Dark, it's not even the end itself but one brief moment -- Catherine Deneuve handing the glasses to Bjork -- in which I find my emotions overwhelmed every time.

Also I would add the end of Salo, which, through a simple optical device, perpetrates a sort of attack on the audience by the director, the effect of which... well, you see it and you know.

lamas

Unforgiven - slo-mo of William Munny taking a drink after learning of Ned's death and then the shoot-out in Greely's

Star Wars Ep. II - when Yoda uses the lightsaber (you know you had chills too)

ProgWRX

yeah chills of feeling sick because Lucas had just desecrated Yoda and made him comic relief...

:evil:
-Carlos

CollinBullock

A few of my favorite scenes:

-  The end of Brazil.  What I believe is the european ending.  When it pulls back on him and he just hums and the credits go up, FUCKING BRILLIANT!

-  The opening scene of 8 1/2, is great.  A perfect summing up of the film, and Fellini's continual obsession with reality and fantasy and their push and pull.

-  The scene in Requiem For A Dream when Harry and Marion talk to each other on the bed.  The screen is split in half, and we keep going from profile shots to extreme closeups.  A great technique to add intinmacy and beauty.

-  The first scene in the art museum in Vertigo is great, because it shows how Hitchcock was completely in charge of the mood of the scene, no matter what was actually being shown.

That's all for now.
Reality is extraordinary.  Unfourtanetly, the best parts don't make good movies - Terry Gilliam

joke08

the hotel fight scene between patricia arquette and james gandolfini in True Romance - by far one of the most violent things ever, mostly because it's a nice, sweet girl.

the dinner, pass the asparagus, in American Beauty.

can i say the butt sex scene in Pulp Fiction?

the end of Usual Suspects.

the diner scene in Easy Rider

The end of Godfather I - ok, just this once you can ask me about my business...ha, lie to her mikey.

all of Memento and the end of Following.

so much more.
i've been drinking more wine lately.
it's good for you pop.
yeah, well anyway, i've been drinking more wine
(vito to michael, Godfather I)

oakmanc234

I can't believe I forgot about the Arquette/Gandolfini fight in 'True Romance'. That scene was so f***ing brutal. Horrible. This big guy bashing the heck out of this little girl before she eventually stabs/flames/shoots/beats him.

Ugh. Maybe that scene was better left forgotten...
'Welcome the Thunderdome, bitch'

Pedro

End of The Godfather Part II

KingBlackDeath

What about the scene in Requiem that makes it impossible for me to take it off my top ten because it was one of only about 5 scenes ever to make me cry: The scene when Harry comes to visit his mom and she is talking about her lonely life, etc..etc..

another of my cry scenes: Amelie in the kitchen near the end when she starts fantasizing and then cries... that's exactly how I feel about my life in relationships so far: you're too afraid so you're destined to be alone. but the ending is great and makes it all alright.

The dream sequence in "The Celebration (festen)"

The last shot/ending of "Being There"
Do you see what happens...when king black death breathes on you with his breath?