The Most Powerful Cinematic Moments (Part One)

Quite a few weeks ago Filmclub conducted a poll about the "most powerful cinematic moments" and more recently the results were made public. I'm not 100% sure about the details of the poll, if there were movies pre-selected or if people came up with their own for instance--but I do know that I wouldn't necessarily dub these moments as "most powerful". Maybe it's because I never got fully attached to E.T.

or because I've never seen Rocky (I know....shoot me later). Heck, I don't think I've even ever seen Bambi because I don't really want to put myself through such low emotional blows. Whatever it is, I just keep looking at this list and saying, "Really?"

1. ET: the Extra-Terrestrial (PG, 1982): ET says goodbye to his friends and heads home in a spaceship, leaving a rainbow trailing across the sky.

2. Toy Story 3 (U, 2010): The toys hold hands and face their fate.

3. Rocky (PG, 1976): The emotionally-charged climactic fight.

4. Bambi (U, 1942): The moment when tragedy touches the young life of Bambi in the shape of his mother's death.

5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (PG, 1969): The scene in which the besieged cowboys leap out of their bunker, all guns blazing.

6. The Wizard of Oz (U, 1939): When Dorothy opens the door of her grey house to behold a world filled with colour.

7. Battleship Potemkin (PG, 1925): The influential "Odessa steps" massacre scene.

8. Mr Smith Goes to Washington (U, 1939): The filibuster scene makes a powerful case for justice: "I'm going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause."

9. Network (15, 1976): When news anchor Howard Beale announces: "I'm as mad as hell."

10. Miracle in Milan (U, 1951): Final scene when Toto and his friends rise into the sky on brooms.

What is the definition of powerful anyways? A powerful cinematic moment can do a lot of things for the movie goer. It can make them cry, send shivers down their spine, fist punch the air, do Frank the Tank motions (sitting or standing, although for the full effect, standing is the way to go). I mean Toy Story 3 was great and all---but is it really the 2nd most powerful cinematic moment?

As we found in the Top Ten Willies experiment, and by observing the backlash at Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments, lists and poll results are completely bull shit. They are individual accounts, ranking individual picks in an arbitrary order. That is why I'm not mad at the outcome of Filmclub's poll results--I just have some of my own is all, and so will you and so will everyone else. So without further ado--here are my Top 10 Most Powerful Cinematic Moments. Which by the way, I'm NOT ranking.

1. Atticus Passes

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite films of all time. I became attached to it at a young age, renting it from the library and unmistakably crying my eyes out every time Robert Duvall slunk out of the shadows. Scout's adorably innocent and accepting voice, "Well hey Boo!" never fails to get me and those damn violins know how to get me right where it hurts. But the most powerful moment in To Kill a Mockingbird isn't this heart warming moment. It's powerful of course, but the most powerful in my opinion is after Tom Robinson is found guilty.

Atticus Finch has just argued his case perfectly. The evidence was on his side, there was no physical way that Tom could have possibly strangled Mayella Ewell. And yet--the all white jury, in the mostly racist Maycomb Alabama found Tom Robinson guilty anyways. As the courtroom shuffles out, Atticus begins packing his things. Meanwhile the entire congregation of black people in the balcony have risen. Scout, naively unaware of the importance of such an act continues to sit as the Reverand forces her to rise,

"Jean Louise. Jean Louise stand up. Your father's passing."

The music seems to be just about as tired as Atticus. It's defeated but still strong. I can never quite put into words how much this scene affects me, but it does. It always does.

2. Death Star Explosion

The final life of the Death Star is always met with the same reaction no matter how many times I've seen it. I'm nervous every time that Luke's final shots will miss and my heart races relentlessly. In those last few moments, those last agonizing thoughts that this is the only chance Luke has to hit the target--I start sweating. Like physically, I get sweaty! It's quite possibly the greatest rush I have ever received from a film. That music, the fact that Han Solo swooped in only moments before when we thought he was lost forever. And then Luke shoots, there is a beat. We wait and hold our breath and then like a glorious fireworks display, the beast is gone. In one single instant.

This is one of those moments that requires a yelp of excitement from me every time I watch it. When the films were restored with special CGI and released in the theaters---my theater broke out into a rush of excited yells and whooping in that final moment. If you want powerful---the explosion of the Death Star is your man. Fist pumping action all around.

3. Shawshank Reunion

Words aren't exactly helpful when I'm trying to describe why this scene at the very end of the Shawshank Redemption moves me. It's a feeling--a rush of happiness and emotions. Maybe it's really just my unapologetic love for Morgan Freedom or the fact that the words "hope" have so much meaning. All I know is that the reunion scene between Redd and Andy moves me to tears each and every single time. It's strange too, because all we really get to see is their movement towards each other. But we don't need to know what happens next. We know--that their lives are now open ended and free.

Morgan Freeman's speech in the end of the movie is not only one that I love, but also one that I recorded to my Itunes. Make of that what you will--but let's just say, I know exactly what to play if I need to sleep better at night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YInN9mc9vXA&feature=related

4. Killing Bill

I always get into rows with people about which is the better Kill Bill. The truth is--there is no answer. They were meant to be one film so they should be seen as one film. That answer never pleases people however so I always tell them the truth. Volume 2 is the better and more powerful part of the two parts. Volume 1 may have all the action--but Volume 2 has the soul.

Beatrix Kiddo's final confrontation with Bill is unexpectedly somber. After killing her way towards Bill, after being buried alive, after waking up from a coma--she arrives to kill Bill and finds her daughter to still be alive. Then in the final moments of Bill's life, when Beatrix takes him out boldy and quickly, Beatrix cries. Not a lot--but just enough to remind us of how much shit she went through. And she ended up here, killing someone she loves not because she necessarily wants to, but because she has to. And that my friends---is powerful.

I could watch this scene over and over again and still feel the same amount of admiration, respect and sadness for Beatrix every single time. And I love it.

5. Arise Riders of Theoden

I saw The Return of the King for the first time at a midnight showing on a school night. Maybe my tiredness was responsible for the 12 total times I cried throughout this film or maybe it really just is powerful. Sure, it's kind of unnecessarily long at points but man, it's emotionally charged. I don't usually like war scenes for the very reason that I love this scene. That was confusing I know but let me explain. Before a battle scene in a movie I get all anxious and upset. I always place myself in the position of the people that are probably going to die and I get all panicky. Here though, the riders of Theoden come to battle and it's like we can feel their stomachs plummet into their feet. They see the immense landscape of the ground literally covered with Sauron's army. The chances for survival are slim, the chance for death high.

During Theoden's speech however, I am filled with this crazy feeling of courage. Cheesy I know, but damn it, it's true. It's such a great moment that seems to fly off a lot of people's radars. There are so many elements here contributing to the emotion that all I can really do when I watch this is cry. But it's one of those proud crying moments at least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdnqZcmWk8U

Gosh that was an emotionally charged post. I think I'll need a break before uncovering anymore. So? What do you think? What are your choices for the most powerful cinematic moments?

A Bum For All Seasons: Remembering George "Buck" Flower

Yesterday while watching Escape From New York, I was surprised to see a familiar face starring back at me. Right smack dab in the middle of the nauseatingly dirty basement of the theater, was a suspicious bum pretending to be the president.

This wasn't just an ordinary suspicious bum however, this was the bum from Back to the Future.

Yes, Red the Bum always popular for napping in the heart of Hill Valley California, was also a bum in Escape From New York. This got me thinking, just who was this bum and what did he want with me?

A little research had me gasping for air in no time. Apparently George "Buck" Flower was quite the prolific bum. After scanning the list and seeing the words, "bum", "homeless man" and "drunk" appear about 40 times, it became very clear that Old Buck had played a homeless man in just about every movie that I have ever seen that involved a homeless man. The magic just kept happening---"he was in WHAT?!" How did I miss THAT?!" Unbeknownst to myself, Buck was a regular in the horror genre, filling roles that I could barely remember. And bonus--he was also a regular in the soft core porn genre, populating such roles as Manheim Jarkoff and Walter Wimpy.

Also a writer, producer, assistant director, production manager and casting director--Buck Flower remained a special part of the horror genre by having reoccurring cameos in most all of John Carpenter's films. The Drifter in They Live, Carlton in Village of the Damned and Tommy Wallace in The Fog to name a few. His long list of roles however goes even further beyond that with such roles as Mr. Wallace in Pumpkinhead, Pop in Cheerleader Camp and Sarah's stepfather in Waxwork II. I mean honestly---how did I miss this?

Unfortunately Buck died in 2004 of cancer--but that doesn't mean his memory won't continue to live on. I for one will be doing my part by fist pumping every time I spot a Buck Flower cameo. What will you do?

Incidentally, Buck was not the only bum to catch my eye in Escape From New York. The second most famous bum in the world, Hobo Jack from Pee Wee's Big Adventure

(Carmen Filpi) also makes a surprise appearance.

This however was not as surprising as realizing that Hobo Jack was also Old Man Withers from Wayne's World, the flattened messenger in Beetlejuice and the old man in the bar in The Wedding Singer. Gosh, how do I miss these things?

Escape From New York: Or, Where I Talk About My Sexual Attraction To Boba Fett

The world is full of many surprises, big and small. Why, just a few weeks ago I came home and was surprised to find a large piece of cat poop resting comfortably in my bed. Yesterday, I was surprised to find that yes, people do order hot dogs at the movie theater. And today, I was surprised to find that it was Kurt Russell's birthday seconds before I was about to watch Escape From New York for the very first time.

Now, because I sort of despise St. Patrick's Day or what it has come to stand for rather, I am most definitely not opposed to replacing St. Patrick's Day with Kurt Russell day. Who's with me? Mark it on your calendars, and don't forget you do not need to wear green but you do need to walk around with no shirt on and wear an eye patch or a tool belt or something that screams The Kurt. Got it? Good.

Like many films made in the 80s, Escape From New York anticipates the moral collapse of New York City in the future. This is most likely because Manhattan at one point did in fact resemble a very scary place. Luckily for us all, it was eventually cleaned and Carrie Bradshaw was able to safely roam the streets.

Our story begins by telling us that because the crime rate has risen to 400% which is evidently very high, the island of Manhattan has become a giant maximum security prison. There are no guards, only prisoners that have separated themselves into bums, "gypsies" (black people with chandeliers on their cars) and whores. When Air Force One is hijacked, and the president escapes out of his Air Force One escape pod, the hooligans of NYC capture him and hold him hostage. The police enlist recently captured Snake Plissken (who I'm still pretty sure was a character once in Mortal Kombat) to rescue the President and bring back an important tape. He must do it within 24 hours or he will be killed.

Perhaps what is best about Escape From New York (other than Snake Plissken which goes without saying) (By the way I WILL be saying something about Snake Plissken, so don't worry) is how utterly scummy and dirty New York really is. It has such a great atmosphere about it, like how just by watching this movie you will feel like you're covered in soot and homeless man excrement. I love how there were always people scurrying around in the background like rats and how Brain lived in the New York Public Library. Most of all, I enjoy the simple fact that if Manhattan really was left to the criminals--it would in fact fall apart. Although just once I'd love to see a depiction of this where the criminals actually turn the place into a civilized land. Enjoying cigars and brandy and talking at length about the complex themes surrounding Kafka's work. Sigh. One day.

Actually, there's quite a lot to love in Escape From New York and I'm having a hard time figuring out where to begin. I guess it's noble to start with Adrienne Barbeau whose breasts look phenomenal in this.

I don't typically make notes of such things but really, how can you not notice these? They stole the scene in every scene. You know what else I like about Adrienne Barbeau and her character? She didn't fall in love with Snake Plissken. Something tells me, if this movie was made today, Adrienne Barbeau would be shooting bad guys, having huge and nice looking boobs and then joining Snake in the end for a romantic and sexy make out scene. Or in any case, Snake would be given some female costar to form a romantic bond with that's for sure. The real Maggie may be with Brain, but she is still all business. I absolutely loved the way she confronted the Duke's car with that scowl.

Man!

Which brings up another fine point--Escape From New York doesn't sugarcoat anything. Like I said, Carpenter's New York is very ugly. People die, Snake doesn't make constant action hero wisecracks, there's no real love story, the world still sucks at the end. I love that. I love that it doesn't become something that it thinks it's supposed to become. Sometimes, I wish more movies would do that. I wish they would adopt a Snake Plissken form of thought and just say fuck it and rip apart cassette tapes.

I don't think I've officially mentioned it, but Snake Plissken is without a doubt the bees knees. Kurt Russell...

Kurt Russell you guys, just has this uncanny ability to whisk away my heart. Is it his flowing locks? The way he speaks in weird, breathy and helium like tones? Is it the eye patch? His tattoo? The fact that we don't really know anything about him except for his reputation?

Because I feel comfortable with you all, I will tell you a story. When I was little, I once got very turned on by Boba Fett.

I don't know what it was. It's not like we ever saw him without his helmet or anything, but one day I was watching The Return of the Jedi and I saw Boba cozying up to some whores at Jabba's Palace and I just felt like...I needed that Boba Fett to be my boyfriend! I was probably at least 11 years old but there I was...pining after a bounty hunter whom we later find out is a clone for the fucking storm troopers (But we don't like to mention that).

Why am I telling you this? Oh right. You see, in this moment--Boba Fett's reputation preceded him. He was a bounty hunter and I had no idea what that was. I just knew that he was BAD. The same sort of thing happens with Snake Plissken. The dude has a snake tattoo encircling his belly button for Christ's sake, he's obviously a bad ass.

Virtually every criminal inside Manhattan knows his name, and knows what he's done-- that is tantalizing.

I had more to discuss but now I'm too distracted by Kurt Russell. Damn you, Goldie Hawn.

Oh and before I forget, the sad state of affairs involving the realization that Donald Pleasance was the President of the United States and not THE Donald (Sutherland) was mostly erased the moment I saw Donald Pleasance wearing that glorious blonde wig.

Plus, the way he handles that machine gun is kind of thrilling.

Man! This movie rocks. I just remembered the bridge scene.....and the saddest day of my life aka when Cabbie kicks the bucket.

I "poured one out" for him in the form of a mini Dorito on my bedroom floor. Which I'll probably eat later because I washed the floor today thank you very much.

But yes, a big YES to Escape From New York. Which I keep erroneously writing as Escape To New York which completely changes everything about the film. Also, if your life ever really stinks....remember, it could be worse.