Top 5 Movie Scenes of All Time
I feel privileged - how many people can honestly say they have cut themselves on a pair of barbeque tongs? Well i’ve done it and it hurt like… ok it didn’t really hurt, but who would’ve thought it was possible?
As amusing as web development talk is, I think its time to break it up a little with one of my other major loves - movies! And what better way to crack into this massive industry than to share my thoughts on the top 10 movie scenes of all time?
In order to retain my sanity, I dared not order this list, so IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, here we go!
Gladiator - Maximus Unveiling
Context: I think the below dialogue says it best!
Dialogue: My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.
Why it’s so cool: Superbly acted by Gladiator Rusty Crowe and Emperor Joaquin Phoenix. By this stage of the movie the audience is just itching for this kind of confrontation, little do they know (at least on first viewing!) that rusty is going to come up with such a kickass verbal spat directed at the emperor.
Trainspotting - Rent Boy spits the dummy
Context: The only non-junkie, Tommy, in this group of friends decides his junkie friends stand to gain from a nice climb up a big hill in Scotland. Fed up, Mark Rents (Rent Boy AKA Ewan McGregor) sits down and has a blast about how he hates Scotland.
Dialogue:
Tommy Doesn’t it make you proud to be Scottish?
Mark “Rent-boy” Renton It’s SHITE being Scottish! We’re the lowest of the low. The scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched miserable servile pathetic trash that was ever shat on civilization. Some people hate the English. I don’t. They’re just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers. Can’t even find a decent culture to get colonized by. We’re ruled by effete assholes. It’s a shite state of affairs to be in, Tommy, and all the fresh air in the world won’t make any fucking difference!
Why it’s so cool: This scene is great on two levels - firstly its just so funny to see a bunch of city dwelling heroin addicts being dragged along on a nature walk. Secondly the outburst by Rent Boy is totally unexpected, and extremely funny!! This is an extremely good movie and for me this is the peak of McGregor’s performance in the film.
Apocalypto - Fear Conquered
Context: After being chased around for hours on end by a gang of fierce warriors, Jaguar Paw, wounded and exhausted, has a revelation and parts completely with his own fears. This is a series of awesome scenes where Jaguar Paw seeks to even the odds between himself and his pursuers.
Dialogue: N/A
Why it’s so cool: This is such an uplifting and inspiring set of scenes!
In a sense the whole moral of the story starts to come together and a strong sense of reassurance emerges after a long period of intense suspense. The hunter becomes the hunted. Jaguar Paw uses his jungle skills to outstanding effect.
Mel Gibson; love him or hate him, you cannot deny he’s made some pretty fine movies.
Braveheart - The Speech
The Context: Mel Gibson strikes another win for me, with William Wallace’s speech in Braveheart. With a sizeable Scottish army presenting itself on the battlefield, outnumbered 4:1 by the opposing Brittish Army, a large portion of the Scottish decide its better to go home than to go into battle. Enter Scottish hero, William Wallace (Mel Gibson)… on a horse.
Dialogue:
William Wallace: Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace.
Second Soldier: William Wallace is seven feet tall!
William Wallace: Yes, I’ve heard. Kills men by the hundreds. And if HE were here, he’d consume the English with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse.
[Scottish army laughs]
William Wallace: I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my country men, here, in defiance of tyranny. You’ve come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?
Soldier:Against that? No, we’ll run, and we’ll live.
William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you’ll live… at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!
Why it’s so cool:This scene almost makes me wish I was Scottish!
Fight Club>- Meet Tyler Durden
Wow where do I even start with this movie? It is pure torture trying to pick a scene, but this one is pretty classy.
The Context: Our nameless main character played by Edward Norton, battles with his insomnia as he jets alls over the US assessing car accidents for his employer. He awakes to discover Tyler Durden sitting next to him, and the rest is history.
Dialogue:
Tyler Durden [pointing at an emergency instruction manual on a plane] You know why they put oxygen masks on planes?
Narrator: So you can breath.
Tyler Durden Oxygen gets you high. In a catastrophic emergency, you’re taking giant panicked breaths. Suddenly you become euphoric, docile. You accept your fate. It’s all right here. Emergency water landing - 600 miles an hour. Blank faces, calm as Hindu cows.
Why it’s so cool: If you have seen Fight Club, no explanation is needed. If you have not seen Fight Club, make the $2 investment at your local video store, you will not be disappointed!
Agree? Disagree? Think I have an appalling taste in film, or have made some glaringly obvious oversights? Make a comment!