The Godfather – a classic filled with incredible scenes
List compiled by Eddie on 29/04/2016
Rocky running up the steps, fists pumping as he reaches the pinnacle, ET and Elliot flying across the moon, William Wallace rallying his troops into battle, Wayne and Garth singing along to Queen, there’s an abundance of cinematic moments that live long in people’s memories and since the dawn of cinema as we know and love classic scenes have made films into the beloved entities people see them as today.
Picking just 10 classic movie scenes is a hard task and no doubt personnel in many ways as some films strike a chord with each individual viewer but that’s the power of cinema, the ability to connect with us all on different levels.
These 10 scenes below are all standout picks in their own right and while in no way showcase the be all and end all of classic cinema moments; all provide evidence as to why cinema is such a loved art form.
Happy reading and happy watching.
BEWARE – possible spoilers ahead
10. Friday Night Lights (2004) – Coach Gaines Half-time Speech
A heartfelt and poignantly impassioned speech that showcases cinemas power to move with mere words, Billy Bob Thornton’s Coach Gaines speech delivered to his team during the half time break of a championship game is great stuff. Within cinema history there’s been many a memorable speech but this one delivered in Peter Berg’s terrific sports film stands amongst the best.
9. Interstellar (2014) – Docking the Ship
Watched in context this heart pounding moment in Christopher Nolan’s Sci-Fi epic is exceptional stuff. The perfect blend of Hans Zimmer’s excellent score and visual spectacle that surrounds it creates one of modern cinemas most tension riddled extended scenes.
8. The Goonies (1985) – Introduction to the Gang
Now this is how you both start a film and introduce your audience to the characters within it! Wasting no time at all getting down to business, director Richard Donnor starts out his 80’s adventure classic in thrilling fashion with a jailbreak, a police chase and around that an introduction to a rag tag bunch of kids and teenagers who are about to take the journey of their lives.
7. There Will Be Blood (2007) – Oil Explosion
A telling moment in not only oil baron Daniel Plainview’s life as an oil man but in the audience’s as they watch along, this speaker shattering oil rig disaster is beautifully captured, white knuckled in its intensity and highly memorable in a film that made a huge dent upon release in 2007.
6. The Dark Knight (2008) – The Joker Meets Harvey Dent in Hospital
Showing off not only Heath Ledger’s stunning skills as the Joker but director Christopher Nolan’s ability to blast audience’s away with mind blowing spectacle, this scene showcases abundantly why The Dark Knight is so highly regarded as one of the true all round masterpieces of cinematic history.
5. Children of Men (2006) – In the Heat of the Battle
While much of this classic Sci-Fi takes place in more intimate spaces, Children of Men’s one take run through a bullet infested battle zone is one of the singular most thrilling battle scenes ever captured on camera. As Clive Owen’s Theo scrambles across the terrain we as viewers feel like not offsiders watching from afar but feel very much as though we to are running for our very lives.
4. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) – Intro to Bag End
In what may seem like a strange and low key scene to pick from Peter Jackson’s stunning trilogy of films, this beautifully constructed intro to Bag End (aka the land of the hobbits) gave us our first taste for the world Jackson and his team had so wondrously created for us and set the tone for the glorious things to come.
3. The Godfather (1972) – Baptism Scene
Any number of singular scenes from Francis Ford Coppola’s crime masterpiece could make a list like this but this fantastically juxtaposed combination of new life and the taking of lives is a masterful achievement. Showcasing the lengths Don Corleone will go to keep his family at the top of the food chain, this is stunning stuff, especially for the day in which was delivered.
2. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Luke Skywalker v Darth Vader
A scene that needs to real explanation, this classic set piece is now a part of movie lore not only for the lightsaber skills on display from our Jedi Luke Skywalker and from the dark lord himself Darth Vader but for its huge story revelations that at the time shocked audiences the world over.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – Mozart’s Sull’aria Plays Over the Speakers
Moving, uplifting and memorable, this particular scene in which Tim Robbin’s wrongly incarcerated Andy Dufrain decides to liven the mood of the prison yard by locking himself in the wardens office and playing music that makes inmates forget where they are, for ever a brief moment, is the stuff movie magic is made from. You’d find it hard pressed to not sit back with a smile on your face as this scene transpires and this is the perfect examination of why The Shawshank Redemption is rated so highly by cinema lovers the world over.
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
The last few minutes of “The Usual Suspects”.
The confrontation between Ed Harris and David Morse in “The Rock” (“You’ve been given an order by a superior officer. You’ve been asked by an old friend. Now you’re being given your last chance by a man with a gun.” )
The subway engineer giving his life to save his driver in “Volcano”.
Forest Whitaker’s death scene in “Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai”
The landing of the plane on the Las Vegas strip in “Con Air”.
The death of The Octopus in “The City Of Lost Children”
Roy Batty’s death in “Bladerunner”.
Funny how many of the scenes that really stick in my mind are death scenes, huh?
There some great scenes though!
E
The phone scene in Its a Wonderful Life.
Oh man! That film, ha almost every scene.
E
Jaws “we are going to need a bigger boat” maybe that should be famous quotes.
Love the scene where they have a good old singalong!
E
Show me the way to go home……
Great list. I love this kind of stuff. Here’s a few:
Laurie trying to get back in her house in Halloween.
The opening of Suspiria.
When MacMurphy realizes Chief fooled them all in Cuckoo’s nest.
Disabling HAL in 2001.
The chase scene in Friday the 13th part 2.
The campfire scene in Knightriders.
The strip club scene in The Graduate.
The strip football game in H.O.T.S.
That’s some fab scenes right there mate.
E
In no particular order:
“Darby O’Gill & The Little People”. The climactic
Scenes with the banshee and the death coach.
Very intense scenes for a Disney Children’s movie. And while we’re on the subject:
“Pinocchio”. The donkeys of Pleasure Island. Every warning we ever got as children to avoid strangers is exemplified in that scene.
“Gunga Din”. The funeral oration for the unlikely hero—absolutely heartbreaking. While on that
Subject…
“Paths Of Glory”. That final scene in the cabaret with the soldiers catcalling the captured German girl and then utterly losing it during her song.
“Crimes & Misdemeanors”. The last 20 minutes and final juxtaposition of the closing resolution is a brilliant blend of comedy & heartbreak rarely matched in any other movies before or after.
“Boogie Nights” The montage of Dirk Digler waiting in a parking lot all alone, a limousine ride with Burt Reynolds and Rollergirl Heather Graham, and a late-night trip to the donut shop all occurring simultaneously while a lonely church bell ominously rings in the distance/–we KNOW that something very bad is about to happen in this incredibly tense scene.
“Days Of Wine & Roses”. Pick a scene: the binge in the greenhouse or the final scene between Jack Lemmon & Lee Remick.
“Total Recall” the first version— the twist!
“Casablanca” again we have our choice among many but for my tastes, it’s when the Nazis are singing one of their patriotic songs and then Laszlo gets every patron in the bar to stand up and loudly belt out the French national anthem.
“North By Northwest”. The crop duster
“Diabolique” the climax. (Note: I’m referring to the French version by Clouzot. If you have not seen it, do NOT read about it! Watch it from the beginning to the end with no expectations).
“Airplane”. Automatic Pilot!
“Big Fish” The final scene
“Invasion Of The Body Snatchers” the first version—–“and now they’re coming after YOU!
“Ben-Hur”. Jesus cures the lepers and of course
The chariot race.
Some fascinating and unique picks right there Ted.
E
The Tech-Noir scene in the original Terminator film, the way that the three main characters converge and the look that comes over Sarah’s face as she looks up and sees Kyle watching her from the bar (thinking he is coming to kill her), as the Terminator approaches her from the side (focusing the laser sight on his pistol), is probably my favourite scence in film history.
A great film filled with fantastic scenes mate, great pick.
E
Pingback: 10 Classic Movie Scenes: Jordan’s Take | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·
Mine’s gotta be THAT scene from Cinema Paradiso https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AOWWTilu6Q
great pick!
E
Pingback: Top 10 Films – Al Pacino | Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)·