# Best scene ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2002, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258 "2002-12-12T16:09:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bullwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Bullwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/41 "2002-12-13T04:40:09Z")
"Tis but a scratch! ---
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/42 "2002-12-13T04:57:50Z")
The chase scene in **The French Connection**. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/43 "2002-12-13T06:17:47Z")
AOTC. Two Jedi down, one Sith lord to go. A shadow appears in the doorway, accompanied by the barely audible “tap-tap-tap” of a cane. Cue goosebumps. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/44 "2002-12-13T06:24:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cholo \*William Munny’s revenge in Skinny’s bar in **The Unforgiven** is awesome. \*\* If I may be a nitpicking doorknow for a second, the movie is **Unforgiven**. **The Unforgiven** is a John Huston Movie starring Burt Lancaster. My favorite scene is from **Runaway Train** when Eric Roberts is talking about pulling off some robbery after they comeplete their escape and Jon Voigt has this brilliant monologue describing the fine line between civility and man’s primal desires. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/45 "2002-12-13T06:25:34Z")
In " The Terminator": Terminator is checking out Sara Connor’s adress book in the safety of his rented hotel room. Flies crawl on his pale skin…the small pump which circulates blood to his organic outer layer has been destroyed in the last gun battle, so his wounds aren’t healing. He sees the entry for “Mom’s cabin in the woods”, picks up a carbine, and heads out with purpose in his stride. Some dude seeing this shot-up pallored giant with a machine gun…he gets the hell out of the way, plastering himself against the wall, saying "Gawd-_DAMN!_ " ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/46 "2002-12-13T06:29:36Z")
The scene where Slim Pickens [rides the bomb down](http://www.anasylum.fsnet.co.uk/pach.htm) in Dr. Strangelove ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/47 "2002-12-13T06:43:15Z")
> [@](#): > > by yojimbo: > Mine would have to be the Denis Hopper / Christopher Walken scene from True Romance Just a few minutes ago before I read you OP, I asked my husband what he thought was the _funniest_ scene ever. The first thing out of his mouth was “…the Christopher Walken/ Dennis Hopper scene.” Primo! ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/48 "2002-12-13T06:43:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Enola Straight \* > \*\*In " The Terminator": > > Terminator is checking out Sara Connor’s adress book in the safety of his rented hotel room. Flies crawl on his pale skin…the small pump which circulates blood to his organic outer layer has been destroyed in the last gun battle, so his wounds aren’t healing. > > He sees the entry for “Mom’s cabin in the woods”, picks up a carbine, and heads out with purpose in his stride. > > Some dude seeing this shot-up pallored giant with a machine gun…he gets the hell out of the way, plastering himself against the wall, saying "Gawd-_DAMN!_ " \*\* How about another scene from the same movie. The one I’m thinking of is when the terminator, driving a station wagon, runs over a child’s toy truck. The station wagon wasn’t a cool car. The terminator doesn’t care. The toy was precious to a child. The terminator doesn’t care. It was a great scene for illustrating the absolute uncaring monster of a villian that the main characters had to defeat. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/49 "2002-12-13T06:49:42Z")
I would have to go with the survivors and their offspring topping the hill in **Schindler’s List**. For me it was the most rousing though not the best technically. Labdad, if you haven’t read Ebert’s essay on **Citizen Kane** , I think you would find it quite interesting. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/50 "2002-12-13T06:58:34Z")
**Saving Private Ryan** - The Normandy scene was so powerful, I wanted to leave the movie and hug a veteran. I think every high school kid should see that movie… maybe they won’t feel like their life sucks if they don’t get a car for their birthday. Watching those 18-year-olds on those landers get shot to pieces when the front gate dropped is one of the most sobering scenes of all time. What a waste. Those kids should have been thinking about the prom. **Reservoir Dogs** - I still crack up every time when the crew is assigned their names. “Why am I Mr. Pink?” is a classic scene! **Blazing Saddles** - I love when Slim Pickens and gang are going to Rock Ridge, and run into the toll booth. “Anybody got any dimes? Somebody’s going to have to go back and get a shitload of dimes!” ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/51 "2002-12-13T12:38:16Z")
Another vote for Christopher Walken giving the watch to the kid in **Pulp Fiction**. Brilliantly acted. Joe Pesci in **Goodfellas** : “Funny how?”. He was the scariest and most violent person in the movie, but he was also the shortest! Excellent acting, again. ---
**Author:** ![Granuaile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecccb3/32.png) [@Granuaile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Granuaile)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/52 "2002-12-13T14:01:56Z")
**Zulu** (1964) The “Men Of Harlech” scene. The building tension as Caine and Co. wait for the final assault, the eerie chanting of the Zulu warriors, the rich, Welsh voices of the soldiers as they sing “Men of Harlech”…I’m getting chills just thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/53 "2002-12-13T14:17:37Z")
**The Lion in Winter** (it’s an oldie, but a goodie) When Katharine Hepburn and ? (I forget the actor, but he’s playing Jeffrey) talk about being a “knowledgeable family:” “I know you know. You know I know. We know Henry knows, and Henry knows we know it. We’re a very knowledgeable family.” Another shout out for **Unbreakable**. I don’t think the movie was that good, but the cinematography was excellent. The scene I’m thinking of is right after the train wreck, Bruce Willis is safe and unharmed. The characters are speaking, but in the foreground is a nameless, faceless body on a gurney, covered with a white cloth. As the characters exchange dialog, the white cloth blooms with a few flowers of red, then the victim’s blood gradually soaks a large spot into the blameless cloth. It’s a really powerful scene about the tragedy that’s just occured and caught my attention so forcefully that the dialog is forgettable. Snicks ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/54 "2002-12-13T14:22:28Z")
Lot’s of really great scenes have come up. **SPOOFE** > [@](#): > > AOTC. > > Two Jedi down, one Sith lord to go. > > A shadow appears in the doorway, accompanied by the barely audible “tap-tap-tap” of a cane. > > Cue goosebumps. I broke out just reading that. I was a 8 year old all over again when Yoda walked in. I didn’t think it would matter to me but when he pulled the cloak back and his light saber flew into his hand I nearly had a stroke. Another great scene, actually two, from a movie that should have been much bigger than it was. _Glory_ Denzel Washington being whiped. His expression was so defiant and the tear was genius. The final scene where they knowingly marched to their almost certain death. That scene never fails to get me. Oh and **E.T** coming back to life "ET phone home Et phone home ". When I first saw this in the cinema me and about 100 other kids jumped up out of our seats and just went apeshit. I just ran around screaming YES!!! YES!!! I think I was crying aswell. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/55 "2002-12-13T14:45:04Z")
That Yoda scene in AOTC had me just just about jumping up and down. Good call, **yojimbo** , I too was a kid all over again. **Tretiak** , geat call on **Runaway Train**. That is a very powerful scene; Jon Voight really brought it home in that movie. However, my favorite scene of that movie, and on the all time list, is the final one. Jon Voight on top of that locomotive, the warden stuck inside, riding off to certain death. A nightmare for the warden, a welcome release for the convict; the eerie music, the final quote of Shakespeare… the snowstorm… That movie made me feel very, very cold. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/56 "2002-12-13T15:25:32Z")
Many wonderful scenes! _Heat_ is one of my favorite movies; the central scene in it, when the cop talks with the chief crook, is fantastic. Errol Flynn’s _Robin Hood_ has many great scenes, the best of which may be Robin’s crashing of the Earl’s dinner party. When the hero walks through the forest in _Princess Mononoke_, trailed by all the little forest spirits, I was shivering. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![IThinkNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ce73a5/32.png) [@IThinkNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IThinkNot)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/57 "2002-12-13T22:40:22Z")
Another to add: In “Armagaeddon”. I didn’t think it was a stunning movie by any means, but there was one scene that always makes me feel like crying. At the very end (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER) when Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) shuts AJ in the chute, and it goes up, and he’s just standing there, knowing he’s going to die, while AJ (Ben Affleck) is screaming at him and crying and I just feel so bad. An excellent, completely forgotten scene. My mom says when he calls his daughter (Liv Tyler) and says goodbye is the best scene, but I think my vote is the best. Man…still gets me feeling sad…☹ ---
**Author:** ![Zweistein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/54ee81/32.png) [@Zweistein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zweistein)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/58 "2002-12-13T23:16:03Z")
Ha ! Opening scene of Star Wars IV. The gigantic effect of the star cruiser chasing princess Leias’ vessel ! ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/59 "2002-12-13T23:59:14Z")
In **Independence Day** , when the President makes that speech to the pilots, “Today will be, our Independence Day!”. It was a good speech, the music crescendos just right, and at that point of the film, the viewer’s emotional investment is enough to find the scene stirring. Sure, it’s the epitome of a summer blockbuster type of film, but that scene was memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258/60 "2002-12-14T00:56:10Z")
The Ecstacy of Gold scene from the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. From where Tuco is blasted off his horse by the cannon and rolls into the graveyard, to his search for the grave with money, to the final shootout. All one scene. Just the way the scene starts is great, with Tuco rolling into the grave. Then the way he runs around the circular graveyard - I’ve never seen running convey character like that. Then the final three-way shootout, which has got to be the best shootout in the history of movies. And the characters are so good, the music is so incredible, and all the story has been building to this. It truly astounds me how good this scene is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scene-ever/142258.md?page=4)