# Movies/books/songs etc. largely known because of one famous/infamous part **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 29, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198 "2016-07-29T16:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/1 "2016-07-29T16:09:26Z")
This thread is about pop culture works (could be anything that falls under the pop culture umbrella, from any era) that gained a large chuck of their success/fame/infamy from including a portion that stood out from the rest of the work, for whatever reason. Apologies if this has been done here before. Also, apologies if TV Tropes has covered this; my otherwise strong Google-fu is awful on that site. Examples: The movie _Pink Flamingos_ certainly had something for nobody, er, everybody; but would it still be well-known today if not for the scene where Divine eats dog shit? Changing gears as much as possible: would the 1812 Overture still be as popular if not for the part with cannons? Last year’s movie _The Revenant_ got a lot of headlines and decent box office; how much of that was because of the bear scene? _Deep Throat_. 'Nuff said. Others? There must be plenty… ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/2 "2016-07-29T16:19:59Z")
Maybe because I just finished reading, but **IT** by Stephen King has than infamous scene where Beverly pulls a train on the six boys to help get them out of the sewers. It was cringe-worthy reading it and I think the right decision to leave it out of the 1990 adaptation (and perhaps the remake.) I don’t think there’s anyway that translates well, and it didn’t translate in the book well either. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/3 "2016-07-29T16:25:09Z")
I think _Basic Instinct_ would qualify. Do I have to even specify the scene? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/4 "2016-07-29T16:30:06Z")
_Last Tango In Paris_ made butter better. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/5 "2016-07-29T16:32:09Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I think _Basic Instinct_ would qualify. Do I have to even specify the scene? “Are you going to arrest me for smoking?” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/6 "2016-07-29T17:04:13Z")
Rossini’s opera _William Tell._ A 4-hour opera largely famous for the “Lone Ranger” theme in the overture (in spite of the amazing tenor solos in the last act). ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/7 "2016-07-29T17:12:36Z")
Sibelius’s Finlandia. Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance Marches. I suppose the ultimate would be Beethoven’s Fifth these days, now remembered for just the first few notes. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/8 "2016-07-29T17:23:02Z")
_The Satanic Verses_ by Rushdie, known for the part when Muhammed has a revelation involving polytheistic gods and then denounces them, saying those verses came from Satan. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/9 "2016-07-29T17:35:32Z")
“When Harry Met Sally” is known for one scene in particular. “The Godfather” has so many iconic scenes and lines, but seems to be best known for one scene in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/10 "2016-07-29T17:56:54Z")
Does the Omaha Beach landing in _Saving Private Ryan_ count? The love affair between Dido and Aeneas in the _Aeneid_. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/11 "2016-07-29T18:27:27Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Sibelius’s Finlandia. Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance Marches. > > I suppose the ultimate would be Beethoven’s Fifth these days, now remembered for just the first few notes. Nah – too many people remember other parts. The ultimate would be Richard Strauss’ **Also Sprach Zarathustra** , so its opening 2 minutes. How many people know anything of the rest. (I do – I own recordings and have listened to the whole damned thing plenty of times.) As has been remarked, most people only know “Take me out to the ballgame” from the chorus, and have probably never heard the verses. Same for “Ta ra ra Boom de Ay” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/12 "2016-07-29T19:03:56Z")
_Shark Attack 3: Megladon_ is known, if it’s known at all, for one particular line. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/13 "2016-07-29T19:22:11Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I think _Basic Instinct_ would qualify. Do I have to even specify the scene? Newman (Wayne Knight) from Seinfeld was one of the onlookers. Does **Deliverance** count? That actually had two. The banjo/guitar duel, and the tender love scene out in the woods… ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/14 "2016-07-29T19:22:44Z")
Carmina Burana is mostly known for “O Fortuna”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GXFSK0ogeg4/maxresdefault.jpg "Carl Orff - O Fortuna ~ Carmina Burana") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXFSK0ogeg4) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/15 "2016-07-29T20:35:27Z")
The Jungle Book has a lot more in it than just Mowgli. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/16 "2016-07-29T21:21:49Z")
The completely execrable and forgettable movie **Brown Bunny** had one completely memorable scene. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/17 "2016-07-29T21:39:03Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > Does **Deliverance** count? That actually had two. The banjo/guitar duel, and the tender love scene out in the woods… Count? It’s a great example! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/18 "2016-07-29T21:53:30Z")
**Un Chien Andalou** - It’s only 20 minutes long, but there’s more to it than that shot of a woman’s eye… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/19 "2016-07-29T22:45:05Z")
George Melies’s _A Trip to the Moon_. Most people just know the gun being fired and the bullet in the eye of the man in the moon. There’s a lot more to it. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198/20 "2016-07-29T23:39:18Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Rossini’s opera _William Tell._ A 4-hour opera largely famous for the “Lone Ranger” theme in the overture (in spite of the amazing tenor solos in the last act). Actually, I’d argue that [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF4HT8J5iaE) is almost as famous as the Lone Ranger theme, but very few people know it also comes from William Tell. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-books-songs-etc-largely-known-because-of-one-famous-infamous-part/761198.md?page=2)