Great Movie Scenes - An appreciation

[whufc]

From the movie Balls Out, let me know what you think

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAQXPaODbL8

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mKJqZM ... re=related

[Dogwatcher]

The Great Escape's motorbike chase scene, but the murder of the 50 escapees is always poignant when Big X and the the other guy start reminiscing only to realise there's a machine gun aimed at them

I watched this again with my old man the other night and questioned him non-stop (he's a bit of a WW2 buff), and even hours after it finished I couldn't help but feel f*&$ed off still.

I have a special edition DVD with about 4 documentaries on the true story behind the movie. If you are interested in the history of it I'd recommend this too you. The movie is surprisingly close to the true story in terms of how they planned and did the escape and what went wrong. One difference was that in real life the escape was in winter with snow. About 4 or so really did escape and 50 were murdered by the Gestapo. Allegedly Hitler wanted them all shot however he was talked down to a "compromise" of 50. He wanted to make an example of them to discourage future escape attempts.

Hondo, when you say surprisingly close, do you only mean "in terms of how they planned and did the escape and what went wrong", or the whole movie?
Is one of those docos you referred to the one with Christopher Reeve in it?
On the film, I love it and watch it at least twice a year.
As much as I should detest James Coburn's poor attempt at an Aussie accent, it doesn't detract from the film such is its quality.
The author of the original book on which the movie is based is Paul Brickhill - an Aussie - who also wrote The Dam Busters and Reach For The Sky: The Douglas Bader Story, both of which were also turned into classic films.
Brickhill was involved in preparations for the escape.
Of further interest is that Stalug Luft III, where the breakout occurred, was the scene of another famous escape involving a wooden vaulting horse (also committed to celuloid) which was carried out into the exercise yards for fitness each day but in fact carried a number of tunnelers.
Might stop now, before I start looking like too much of a nerd....

[Dogwatcher]

The Usual Suspects has that great scene where the detective, I think it's Chas Palminteri, pieces together Verbal Kint's story and realises he's been duped.

In The Untouchables there are two scenes which are fantastic pieces of cinematography. The first is the iconic scene involving the gun fight in the train station and the baby basinet bouncing down the stairs. The other is the scene where Sean Connery's character dies in a classic shoot out.

Ferris Bueller has the street parade scene.

Trainspotting has the baby crawling on the roof scene when Renton is coming down. That's a real eye opener in terms of a junkie going cold turkey or going through rehab.

In Pulp Fiction you can't go past the scene where Travolta has to stab Thurman with a horse sized needle full of adrenalin. Is that the scene in which Oprah Winfrey stormed out at the premiere?

The Godfather has the closing door scene. No matter how much you are shown in this secretive world by this film, you know you are never going to see everything.

Reservoir Dogs has the ear scene.

[Hondo]

@ DW

Yes, one has Christopher Reed in it

I went to see the Great Escape at the old Hindmarsh Square cinemas when they re-released it about 6 years ago. So I can say I have even seen it on the big screen!

James Coburn's aussie accent is laughable if you listen too closely to it. That plus the cliched pay-out he gets about chasing kangaroos or words to that affect. In the pretend fight they put Coburn says in a terrible cockney style accent ..... "wot you doin with my coat mate".

The method the germans used to catch Big X of wishing them good luck in english was apparently used in the real escape to catch one of them. One of the major deviations from truth for the sake of the film was the steve McQueen character. He and the motorcycle escape were complete fiction.

[White Line Fever]

The Great Escape's motorbike chase scene, but the murder of the 50 escapees is always poignant when Big X and the the other guy start reminiscing only to realise there's a machine gun aimed at them

I watched this again with my old man the other night and questioned him non-stop (he's a bit of a WW2 buff), and even hours after it finished I couldn't help but feel f*&$ed off still.

I have a special edition DVD with about 4 documentaries on the true story behind the movie. If you are interested in the history of it I'd recommend this too you. The movie is surprisingly close to the true story in terms of how they planned and did the escape and what went wrong. One difference was that in real life the escape was in winter with snow. About 4 or so really did escape and 50 were murdered by the Gestapo. Allegedly Hitler wanted them all shot however he was talked down to a "compromise" of 50. He wanted to make an example of them to discourage future escape attempts.

Hondo, when you say surprisingly close, do you only mean "in terms of how they planned and did the escape and what went wrong", or the whole movie?
Is one of those docos you referred to the one with Christopher Reeve in it?
On the film, I love it and watch it at least twice a year.
As much as I should detest James Coburn's poor attempt at an Aussie accent, it doesn't detract from the film such is its quality.
The author of the original book on which the movie is based is Paul Brickhill - an Aussie - who also wrote The Dam Busters and Reach For The Sky: The Douglas Bader Story, both of which were also turned into classic films.
Brickhill was involved in preparations for the escape.
Of further interest is that Stalug Luft III, where the breakout occurred, was the scene of another famous escape involving a wooden vaulting horse (also committed to celuloid) which was carried out into the exercise yards for fitness each day but in fact carried a number of tunnelers.
Might stop now, before I start looking like too much of a nerd....

Too late...

[Dogwatcher]

@ DW

Yes, one has Christopher Reed in it

Why do you say "surprisingly" close?

I went to see the Great Escape at the old Hindmarsh Square cinemas when they re-released it about 6 years ago. So I can say I have even seen it on the big screen!

James Coburn's aussie accent is laughable if you listen too closely to it. That plus the cliched pay-out he gets about chasing kangaroos or words to that affect. In the pretend fight they put Coburn says in a terrible cockney style accent ..... "wot you doin with my coat mate".

The method the germans used to catch the escapees out of wishing them good luck in english was apparently used in the real escape to catch on of them. One of the major deviations from truth for the sake of the film was the steve McQueen character. He and the motorcycle escape were complete fiction.

I used surprisingly close as you did. I've read some articles regarding the movie which have suggested that there were more inaccuracies than just the McQueen bike ride. I'd rather think that it was all real. Keep the myth alive.

If I'd known they were playing it at the cinemas again, I definitely would've been down for that one!

[Dogwatcher]

Thinks WLF

[White Line Fever]

Mel Gibson is a bit out of favour these days but his 2006 film "Apocalypto" demonstrates his power as a director. My favourite scene is when the very young oracle girl confronts the Mayan warriors

"You fear me? So you should. All you who are vile. Would you like to know how you will die? The sacred time is near. Beware the blackness of day. Beware the man who brings the jaguar. Behold him reborn from mud and earth. For the one he takes you to will cancel the sky, and scratch out the earth. Scratch you out. And end your world. He's with us now. Day will be like night. And the man jaguar will lead you to your end"

Yes this movie is right up there for me.

Not wanting to spoil it...

But the end when the dudes drop their spears and the camera angle revolves around.

Makes you realise that even how feral and backward they were, their was a more destructive force out there.... US

[JK]

The other is the scene where Sean Connery's character dies in a classic shoot out.

Isn't that just like a wop? Brings a knife to a gun fight.

[Dogwatcher]

That's the one. Classic.

[Magpiespower]

So many great scenes in The Untouchables. Easily Brian De Palma's best film. Then again, he was working off a David Mamet script. Ennio Morricone outdoes himself with the score, too.

Love the scene between Malone and Ness in the church...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOvH-7lcjb0&NR=1

You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. THAT'S the Chicago way! And that's how you get Capone...