…is one or two scenes to “get” every reference to it.
Upon learning that my ladyfriend had never seen the film 2001, I once told her “It’s considered a classic by a lot of people, but all you need to see is some ape/obelisk scene in the beginning and a later scene with a haywire shipboard computer to ‘get’ every single reference to 2001 you’ll ever come across.”
It also occured to me that most ‘classic’ movies are like this. By which I define ‘classic’ as a film you stand a good chance of seeing referenced on TV or other media.
Gone With the Wind is a classic, but all you NEED to see is the “Frankly, Scarlett…” bit
Pulp Fiction is a ‘classic’, but all you NEED to see is the “Royale with Cheese” conversation and Travolta dancing. Maybe the bit with Zed.
The Birds is a classic, but all you NEED to see is the scene with all the birds sitting quietly and the bit with the telephone booth.
A Clockwork Orange is a classic, but all you NEED to see is the scene with the chair & the eye clamps.
Rebel Without A Cause is a classic, but all you need to see is either the “I’ve got the bullets!” scene or the “You’re tearing me apart!” scene.
A Streetcar named Desire is a classic, but all you need to see is the “STELLLLLAAAAH” scene.
Five Easy Pieces is a classic, but all you need to see is the diner scene, or maybe just the “between your knees” line. (I saw this not too long ago and that scene was all I really remembered from ever how long ago it was that I had seen it before.
That, I disagree with. Or, at least, 99% of the references are to the mentioned scenes. There may be a TV show out there who did a take-off of thrusting a needle through someone’s chest, but I haven’t seen it.
I thought about the “Singing in the Rain” bit mainly for the garb but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that actually “done” in another show. I guess you could say the intro just for the eyelash, bowler & cane look.
Pulp Fiction is definitely not one of these. There are oodles of references.
Casablanca is a classic, but all you NEED to see is the “as long as I have those letters of transit I’ll never be lonely” scene and the “I remember every detail - the Germans wore gray, you wore blue” scene. And possibly the final shot.
I would suggest “We’ll always have Paris.” Way over 90% of the references I hear are to that. The other 10% are “This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.” (which is the last scene, isn’t it?)
The Wild Bunch: The scene as they decide to take on the bad guys, knowing it will be their last battle. It has to include the sequence of them rounding the corner side by side.
The Godfather: “Make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
Father Goose: “Married? Goody Two-Shoes and the Filthy Beast?”