Some years ago Yesterday by P. McCartney was ranked as the most played (and most overplayed) song ever on radio. What would be it’s filmatic equivalents? They can be from television or movies or news or anything in between. I am speaking specific footage, though, and not general- i.e. Zapruder film (which I’ll give a pass to because of it’s historical significance) but not Law & Order (unless it’s a particular episode that always seems to be on).
My votes:
SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, FRIED GREEN TOMATOES and STEEL MAGNOLIAS- one of these movies is on cable at all times by, I believe, a Congressional Act.
Ed Ames throwing the tomahawk on The Tonight Show- it was hilarious the first 894 times it was shown. Now it needs to go on vacation and just chill for a few years.
The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima or perhaps the footage of JFK Jr saluting his father’s coffin. I’m also trying to think of something more internationally relevant.
Politically speaking (from my US perspective), I’d have to put:2. Kennedy’s inauguration speech (With the “ask not what your country can do for you…” audio),
3. Nixon boarding a helicopter at the White House on the day of his resignation and
4. JFK Jr stepping out & saluting at his Dad’s funeral and Nixon climbing into the helicopterbetween the Zapruder Clip (#1), the Reagan assassination attempt (#5) & the RFK assassination (#6).
The Apollo Rocket leaving the launch pad
That clip with the stage of the rocket disengaging and burning up in the atmosphere
Sticking that overly starched flag into the lunar surface
The Challenger disaster
It’s probably the opening title shots of whatever is the most popular long running series in China. Though the atomic explosion is iconic and often used I doubt it really gets aired more than a dozen times in any area in any year. The “20th Century Fox” symbol clip would be aired many more times in a year.
