Scenes that make the movie

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Craig M

I’ve been thinking about this idea for a post. Ten memorable scenes from some of my favourite movies of all time, or simply great moments that make a particular movie going experience stick in my head. This may become a continuing series as I recall other great moments…but for now, here are ten stand out moments from great movies: Minor spoilers.

Akira

Teddy bears & hallucinations.

As a telepathic Kaneda post-brush with an infected child of the Akira experiment, recovers in hospital, he begins to experience terrifying hallucinations where teddy bears and toys comes to life as his powers start to manifest in horrifying ways. One of the defining moments of this complex and ground-breaking Anime.

An America Werewolf In London

Stick to the road

Two back packers after stumbling into local watering hole The Slaughtered Lamb are ushered back out into the night, with simply the warning of ‘stay on the road, keep clear of the moores’ – which they subsequently ignore and are soon stalked by a blood thirsty werewolf in John Landis’ still superb 1984 horror classic.

Blue Velvet

In Dreams

Amateur detective Kyle MacLachlan gets a little too close to nut-job mobster Dennis Hopper who takes him for a visit to his cross-dressing neighbourhood friend Dean Stockwell, who lip-syncs to Roy Orbinson’s timeless classic in possibly one of David Lynch’s most freaky and brilliant scenes.

Boogie Nights

Disco montage

As former nobody Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) rises to infamy in the seventies porn movie industry, we are treated to this fabulous disco montage, cut seamlessly with various shots of Dirk ‘in action’ or receiving awards and culminating in a wonderfully choreographed dance number with fellow stars Reed Rothchild (John C Reilly) and Roller-girl (Heather Graham).

Eyes Wide Shut

The secret sex party

Only in a Stanley Kubrick movie can a high society sex orgy come across as creepy and surreal. The master film maker in probably his most misunderstood work, presents the viewer with a secret society that Tom Cruise manages to sneak inside of and witness the debauchery of most-likely high profile dignitaries with various high class call girls. All to a haunting, incredibly eerie score.

Goodfellas

Paranoia, drugs and guns

In the final act of the movie an increasingly paranoid Ray Liotta, struggles to juggle family responsibilities with fencing guns for Robert DeNiro and avoiding what he thinks is an FBI helicopter during the day from hell. Expertly edited for maximum tension and intensity by the grand master Martin Scorsese.

Monsters Inc.

A chase through the doors

After discovering the main villain’s evil scheme, Billy Crystal’s motor-mouthed Mike and John Goodman’s lovable Sully are chased by Steve Buscemi’s dastardly Randall into the inner workings of the Monsters Inc. facility and through a plethora of doors into the human world. Exciting, inventive and visually stunning.

Pulp Fiction

Jack Rabbit Slims

In a mob movie with pop-culture quoting wise guys and a soundtrack to die for, who’d have thought one of the best scenes would be a night out between John Travolta’s mob hitman and gangsters-mol Uma Thurman? Culminating in the world famous Twist Contest. Sharp dialogue, a highly memorable setting, and an after-math that segway’s into probably the other best scene in this movie.

Saving Private Ryan

Omaha Beach Landing

After visiting the final resting place of hundreds of soldiers, an elderly veteran recalls his experience with tears in his eyes – switch to the shocking beach onslaught in Omaha in 1944 as thousands of troops fight against impossible odds. A stunning opening to one of the greatest WWII movies ever made, with star (Tom Hanks) and director (Steven Spielberg) on blistering form.

Trainspotting

Clubbing to Blondie.

Taking a break from ripping people off and doing drugs, Ewan McGregor’s Renton finds himself on a night out with friends, hitting the clubs and listening to Heaven 17 and Blondie (or Sleeper doing a marvellous version of Atomic), where he meets Diane (Kelly MacDonald) and leads to a montage of sex, alcohol and pulse-pounding music in Danny Boyle’s break-out gem.

Do you agree with my list? Have favourite scenes of your own? Leave your comments below or link to your own lists…

A few thoughts on Twin Peaks

Posted on April 11, 2010 by Craig M

Well, I have been checking out this show recently after having purchased the definitive gold box set, containing the complete seasons 1 & 2. To the under-initiated, this is the story of high school sweetheart Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) who is found dead, washed up on the riverside, wrapped in plastic. It’s an event that shocks the small community of Twin Peaks, a seemingly normal town that hides many dark secrets and a wealth of characters with plenty to hide. Step in F.B.I. agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) whose goal is to uncover the seedy goings on and find the killer.

As this show is twenty years old, I was very much expecting it to look dated, and was pleasantly surprised to find it holds up quite well. The characters are imaginative and unique and some of the casting is spot on, with a brilliantly dead-pan Kyle Maclachlan as well as worthy turns from the likes of Ray Wise, Lara Flynn Boyle and Madchen Amick, not to mention a seriously sexy Sherilyn Fenn.

Created by oddball surrealist David Lynch collaborating with Mark Frost, this at times bizarre show was a huge hit in the 1990’s, sparking an international cult following that exists to this day. Re-watching it now, I feel that in between the ‘Lynch’ moments of surreal oddness, the show can feel somewhat melodrama and overly emotional, and the acting can feel very forced and camp – but perhaps that was intentional. Angelo Badalamenti’s timeless score though still has a wondrously moving power to it that has lost none of its appeal over the years, and the moments of dream-sequences, freaky behaviour and the disturbing character of Bob remain very chilling – possibly more than any show before or since. I feel somewhat surprised that this took off at all though, as Lynch is an acquired taste at times and some of his imagery can be very upsetting – but then again, with the quality of the script and the effectiveness of the inital premise – perhaps it’s not quite so hard to understand why the show struck a cord. Sadly though I also feel that the dwindling viewing figures for season two, leading to the shows cancellation had more to do with the limited appeal of David Lynch’s surreal style than any real failing with the show as a whole.

But if like me you ‘get’ Lynch, then this is a treat, as it has enough broad appeal to suck you in, and is bonkers enough to satisfy if you’ve seen the likes of Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway. Just a shame the show didn’t continue for a few more seasons.

For more information on David Lynch and some recommendations of his work, check out my write up I did on him a while back, which amongst other things, has links to other sites that cover his career as a whole…

David Lynch: a retrospective

The TV show from another place

Posted on March 29, 2010 by Craig M

Look what came into my possession today…

Arguably the most iconic TV series of all time, loved by many, loathed by many… but for me it was typical genius by director David Lynch, who in my opinion is a true original in the business. As a fan of his movies, especially Mulholland Drive, Lost Highway and Blue Velvet, re-visiting this classic show has been a long time coming … and I’m very much looking forward to it.

I also plan to pick up the movie spin-off ‘Fire, Walk With Me’ at a later stage, which I think compliments the series well, and is surpringly even more bonkers.