Essential scenes from non-essential movies

[Kiwi]

There are moments in movies where you go, oh wow that's totally cool, pity about the rest of the film.

Or you really enjoy the film but a year or two later realize it's not really a keeper. Except for that one scene.
This is not to say the movie in question is no good; it just doesn't stack up against some of the all time greats.

So my definition of an essential scene from a non-essential movie is the sort of thing where you say to a friend, "Your life probably won't change if you never see the whole film. But you gotta see THIS bit!"

Herewith my initial list of essential scenes. Most of these are perfectly fine films. just not essential.

- Superman saves the aeroplane in Superman Returns
- The monster appears for the first time, eats a whole lot of people and steals the girl in The Host
- Bart skateboards naked in The Simpsons Movie
- The pod race in Star Wars - The Phantom Menace. (Don't get me started on George Lucas's betrayal of all things Star Wars. If I had a DeLorean and could go back to 1985 to make sure he stopped after Return of the Jedi...)
- There's a 1 minute long scene in 300 where the camera tracks alongside the Spartan king during battle, with the film speeding and slowing along with his sword thrusts and spear throwing. Awesome.
- Motorway chase in The Matrix Reloaded. (Really, who still cares about those sequels?)

[marcuspnw]

The Dark Knight for me. I watch the scenes with Heath Ledger and skip the rest. I have found that RiffTrax allows me to replay movies like the Twilight series, 300 or the Harry Potter series. I refuse to watch the Twilight movies without the associated RiffTrax via my IPOD. Nothing happens in those movies so why are they so popular?!!!

[Pseudonym]

I kind of feel that way about the "song scene" from a certain type of 80s movie, especially but not exclusively brat pack movies. You know the bit I mean. The song plays and everyone dances to it.

[marcuspnw]

A few more essentials:

1.) Opening action sequence in Moonraker with 007 being pushed out of the airplane.
2.) The skiing and climbing stunt work in For Your Eyes Only, another James Bond movie starring Roger Moore.
3.) First part of Cliffhanger (Stallone) when the woman climber falls.
4.) The scene in Pride & Prejudice (the movie) where Elizabeth rejects Mr. Darcy. (i.e. The Rain Scene.) IMO it truly felt like a quarrel and not two attractive people reciting dialogue loudly. And without that repetitive piano music playing in the background! It might be unfair for me to call this movie non-essential but this is my favorite part of the whole movie.
5.) 2001: A Space Odyssey where one of our ancestors picks up a bone and starts smashing other bones while the music plays. Later, the bone flies up in the air and the movie transitions to space. Then, I skip to the part with the HAL 9000 which became obviously an inspiration for Microsoft.
6.) The mountain climbing portion of The Eiger Sanction. The Alps climbing toward the end not that silly stuff with George Kennedy in Monument Valley.

[Kiwi]

For Your Eyes Only - is that the one where the parachute opens to reveal the Union Jack and the music starts at the exact same moment? My favourite Bond moment of all time.
I'd possibly dare to add to your Cliffhanger suggestion the equivalent spoof from Ace Ventura 2, in which they replace the woman with a raccoon.
I asked a friend of mine what his essential scenes were and he also suggested Pride & Prejudice. (To balance that out he proposed the sex scene in Team America.)

Pseudo, are you saying you like those 80s song scenes?

[marcuspnw]

For Your Eyes Only - is that the one where the parachute opens to reveal the Union Jack and the music starts at the exact same moment? My favourite Bond moment of all time.
I'd possibly dare to add to your Cliffhanger suggestion the equivalent spoof from Ace Ventura 2, in which they replace the woman with a raccoon.I asked a friend of mine what his essential scenes were and he also suggested Pride & Prejudice. (To balance that out he proposed the sex scene in Team America.)

No, you are thinking of "The Spy who Loved Me", the third one with Roger Moore. If you were to take a poll, that opening scene would probably be one of the top choices for THE definitive Bond moment on film. I'm afraid Team America is essential for understanding how some of us Yanks think! I am referring to the final speech....In Ace Ventura 2, the rhino bit with the tourists is my favorite!

[Pseudonym]

Pseudo, are you saying you like those 80s song scenes?

I think that pop culture would be poorer without them. Otherwise, not really.

[Matt]

I know Scott listed There Will Be Blood as one of his all-time favorite preacher movies, but I was kind of disappointed in it. I would call it non-essential.

However, the baptism scene gave me chills. The kid who plays the preacher is amazing.

[marcuspnw]

I know Scott listed There Will Be Blood as one of his all-time favorite preacher movies, but I was kind of disappointed in it. I would call it non-essential.

However, the baptism scene gave me chills. The kid who plays the preacher is amazing.

Thanks for the heads up. I think I will pass on that one Matt, I love your avatar!

[Kiwi]

Matt, I love your avatar!

Me too. What is that, tomato juice? Raspberry cordial?

[marcuspnw]

I wanted to add another scene from a movie that I've just remembered. It is from "House of Sand and Fog" and the scene is when Ben Kingsley is pleading with Allah to save his son. What a performance! The man should just be given an annual Oscar for his talent. We are not worthy, Ben, we are not worthy.

[darkumbra]

Essential movie ... Uber essential scene(s)

Zulu... Men of Harlech scene followed by the redoubt scene... Front rank fire! Second rank fire! Third rank fire! First rank fire!...