Perfection in the Dark
I've never asked for a perfect movie--I wonder if such a thing is even possible. But sometimes, just every once in a blue moon, a cast and crew get it exactly right for a few dozen shots in a row: an unimprovable scene. Here are twenty-five of my favorites. What are yours?
1. Hudson vs. the Aliens
2. William Miller tells Penny Lane she was lost in a bet
3. Harvey Pekar asks, "What's in a name?"
4. Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich
5. "The Bavarian Bombshell herself: Let's hear it for Lili Von Shtupp!"
6. Ralphie doesn't say "fudge"
7. Mr. Bernstein remembers the girl on the ferry
8. Edward Scissorhands carves Kim an ice angel
9. "The power of Christ compels you!"
10. Seth Brundle explains the advantages of being The Fly
11. The Iron Giant invokes the Man of Steel
12. "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
13. The T. rex road attack
14. The Bride acquires a sword from Hattori Hanzo
15. Arwen's escape from the Ringwraiths
16. "By Gad, sir, you are a character."
17. Trinity runs for the phone
18. Major Toht interrogates Marion Ravenwood
19. "Why do you think he removes their skins, Agent Starling? Thrill me with your acumen."
20. Peter Parker unmasked on a subway train
21. "The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet."
22. Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records: "I'm not asking, I'm telling with this."
23. "What is the problem with Michael Jackson?"
24. "When She Loved Me" with Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl
25. Baby Fish Mouth
P.S.: For the benefit of people like my girlfriend who aren't complete movie dorks, here's the list of references above:
1. Aliens
2. Almost Famous
3. American Splendor
4. Being John Malkovich
5. Blazing Saddles
6. A Christmas Story
7. Citizen Kane
8. Edward Scissorhands
9. The Exorcist
10. The Fly (1986)
11. The Iron Giant
12. Jaws
13. Jurassic Park
14. Kill Bill: Volume 1
15. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
16. The Maltese Falcon
17. The Matrix
18. Raiders of the Lost Ark
19. The Silence of the Lambs
20. Spider-Man 2
21. Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
22. This Is Spinal Tap
23. Three Kings
24. Toy Story 2
25. When Harry Met Sally...
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April 29th, 2010 - 01:43
Well, I’m a romantic, and my favorite romantic scene, which I always thought was PERFECT, was the final scene of You’ve Got Mail, when he takes her in his arms and kisses her. Not the lines, none of that…but the kiss. Well, it’s perfect until the dog tries to get in the middle of it all, but right up to that point…perfection. That’s all I can come up with on such short notice.
April 29th, 2010 - 04:33
Your mention of the T-Rex scene brought back memories. I was stationed in Okinawa when that movie came out on DVD. At the PX, they would play that movie over and over on the home theater displays. Whenever that scene came on, a small crowd would develop until it was over. Great stuff.
April 29th, 2010 - 15:35
First 5 minutes of UP.
April 29th, 2010 - 15:52
That T. rex scene is like the Star Destroyer that opens Star Wars, Episode IV: It was like nothing we’d ever seen before. It blew my mind. Adding to that, it was the first time there’d ever been a major release in digital sound–which, again, is like Star Wars, the first major release in Dolby stereo. It seems what we hear is just as important as what we see, and many of the scenes we’ve named are backed by incredible music or sound effects.
Ah, Scott, you must be referring to the most tear-jerking mailbox in history! Damn you, Pixar! I cried like I’d just shot Old Yeller.
April 29th, 2010 - 21:46
Alright, I’m a kung fu movie whore, so my list is biased, but I think it is worthwhile to point out the climactic battle between Jackie Chan and Benny Urquidez in Wheels on Meals. Great, smooth camera work for the time, and perhaps the best paced choreography, EVER.
Oh yeah, and the 5+ minute brawl between Rowdy “Roddy” Piper and Keith “JOIN THE MARINES” David was a pretty much the most pointless and ridiculous fight scene ever… And I treasured every minute of it.
April 29th, 2010 - 23:27
The IMDB claims the “cripple fight” in episode 67 of South Park was taken “blow by blow” from the fight in They Live. Interesting!