Xixax Film Forum

Film Discussion => News and Theory => Topic started by: kassius on February 22, 2004, 11:29:18 PM

Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: kassius on February 22, 2004, 11:29:18 PM
You hear a lot of people talk about how movies suck because it's the same thing you've seen a million times. The same old formula. blah!

But I wanted to focus on single scenes and what movies get ripped off the MOST.

I'll go first.  I think it's "The Graduate" where we watch Benjamin running in to stop Elaine Robinson's wedding at the last second. Sure, last second wedding stops have been done before but "The Graduate" took it to a new level and now so many movies about love that shouldn't be steal it too often.  

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.geocities.com%2FHollywood%2F8200%2Fstrip.jpg&hash=4f2be79375fb4560f5871d16ec557bb494d8d3be)

Wonder what everybody else thinks? What are some other scenes that they think are abused in Hollywood????
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Weak2ndAct on February 22, 2004, 11:42:36 PM
The steadicam in Goodfellas (well, both big shots).  Now in any 'edgy' movie, where we come to a new location, we have to have a 2 minute steadicam showing the place off and having nothing of serious dramatic weight happen.  Just there for masturbatory purposes.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: pete on February 22, 2004, 11:50:20 PM
whichever movie had the scene with the terrorist holding the hero's loved one hostage, and the loved one bites the terrorist's hand to break free.  that scene is everywhere.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Sleuth on February 23, 2004, 12:11:45 AM
It's the scene where a protagonist tricks a secret antagonist into exposing himself

"How did you like [something]?"

"I liked it, but [something else]"

"I didn't mention [something else]"
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: SHAFTR on February 23, 2004, 12:25:01 AM
Odessa Steps Sequence in Battleship Potemkin..for direct ripoffs.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: picolas on February 23, 2004, 01:45:10 AM
frog rain. can i go one movie without the frog rain sequence? even pta is doing it.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Chest Rockwell on February 23, 2004, 05:02:45 AM
Scene in which the main character talks to himself in a mirror (from Raging Bull). The main rip-off ('tribute') is in Boogie Nights.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on February 23, 2004, 07:33:56 AM
Quote from: picolas;frog rain. can i go one movie without the frog rain sequence? even pta is doing it.

Even still, there will be a frog rain scene in my directorial debut - a film about a man who runs from the war only to stop her loved one from marrying an idiot who likes to talk to himself in the mirror.

Biggest rip-off ever: END CREDITS  :P
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Pubrick on February 23, 2004, 08:00:51 AM
bullet time.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: ShanghaiOrange on February 23, 2004, 08:13:01 AM
Quote from: Chest RockwellScene in which the main character talks to himself in a mirror (from Raging Bull). The main rip-off ('tribute') is in Boogie Nights.

Taxi Driver  :evil:
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: rustinglass on February 23, 2004, 08:43:53 AM
Quote from: ShanghaiOrange
Quote from: Chest RockwellScene in which the main character talks to himself in a mirror (from Raging Bull). The main rip-off ('tribute') is in Boogie Nights.

Taxi Driver  :evil:

Yeah, I was going to say that. More of a tribute or parody, not much as ripoff, but I have seen that in so many films! Even Lars von Trier says "are you talking to me? there's no one else here... you must be talking to me!" in Epidemic

Quote from: Pbullet time
Yeah, I invented that! When I tried to play Final Doom on my old IBM, the bullets were that slow. I want a million dollars!
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: abuck1220 on February 23, 2004, 08:57:02 AM
Quote from: SloyjIt's the scene where a protagonist tricks a secret antagonist into exposing himself

"How did you like [something]?"

"I liked it, but [something else]"

"I didn't mention [something else]"

that really pissed me off in minority report. i thought spielberg was better than that.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: soixante on February 23, 2004, 01:10:14 PM
I'm not sure where this cliche started, but the psycho calling the cop and/or potential victim and threatening him is getting old.  Maybe it started when Malkovich taunted Eastwood over the phone in In The Line of Fire.  The tradition continued with Robin Williams calling Pacino in Insomnia, etc.  I see this plot device in a lot of trailers for movies I never will see.  Talk about phoning it in.

One oft-imitated scene was the car chase in French Connection.  Or how about the Mexican stand-off from Reservoir Dogs (which was used in an obscure 70's movie called Report to the Commissioner).
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: SoNowThen on February 23, 2004, 01:23:58 PM
Quote from: soixanteOr how about the Mexican stand-off from Reservoir Dogs (which was used in an obscure 70's movie called Report to the Commissioner).

um, or how about The Wild Bunch (1969)?!

and besides, mexican standoffs are cool. Movies can only benefit by having them (I kinda feel the same way about the long steadicam shot, too).
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: BonBon85 on February 23, 2004, 01:42:28 PM
The Jennifer Connelly on a dock shot and the celebratory overhead shot of a character standing in the rain with his arms out.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: SoNowThen on February 23, 2004, 01:50:51 PM
Quote from: BonBon85The Jennifer Connelly on a dock shot.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/sho-sunday-ebert08.html

(2nd question from the top)
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Chest Rockwell on February 23, 2004, 05:31:15 PM
Ah man, can't believe I didn't think of Taxi Driver. I couldn't stand watching de Niro ripping off himself in Rocky and Bulwinkle.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: grand theft sparrow on February 24, 2004, 11:45:03 AM
I don't think anyone's mentioned the "faithful boyfriend/husband gets caught in seemingly compromising position with gorgeous hussy just in time for the suspicious girlfriend/wife to see" scene.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: pete on February 24, 2004, 09:01:20 PM
wait, are we talking about cinematic cliches or are we talking about a specific moment in a specific film that we can cite and reference.  'cause I whoop ass at the former, not very good at the latter.
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Ravi on February 24, 2004, 09:04:27 PM
perhaps:

(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.poster.net%2Fpulp-fiction%2Fpulp-fiction-photo-pulp-fiction-6200021.jpg&hash=e61dcfc522b8a945c9952d0ab2bbce933da382ca)
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: tpfkabi on March 02, 2004, 06:53:56 PM
i was thinking about starting a thread about all of the times the Graduate has been copied, but this seems like a good place:
the pool scene  - Rushmore
after daughter finds out, mother in corner of stairs - The Royal tenenabums
party scene - igby goes down
opening credits - jackie brown
the wedding sequence mentioned before - in one of the Wayne's Worlds

there's just five that i can think of off the top of my head
======================
2001's apes and music are parodied a lot
Title: Which scene is ripped off most often???
Post by: Pubrick on March 02, 2004, 10:10:40 PM
yeah, the better question is Which Movie is Referenced the Most?

2001, the graduate, the godfather, taxi driver, the shining, etc....

a technique or a tricky shot can't be referenced, otherwise hithcock would rule and everyone would be orson welles.