10 Scenes That Completely Defined Their Movies

It’s rare for a movie scene to capture the essence of an entire movie, but scenes which pull this off can become instantly iconic. It’s normal for these types of scenes to take place at the beginning or end of a movie, since this is typically when filmmakers deliver their heaviest blows on the themes of the story. However, it can often be more surprising and powerful for these scenes to pop up unexpectedly in the middle of a movie.

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The most impactful movie scenes can stick in the memory long after the movie is over, and they become the moments that people remember most vividly when they talk about certain movies. It makes sense that moments of explosive action or chilling horror would be the most memorable, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, a scene which makes people think is more memorable than one which merely shocks them.

10 Marion’s Death In The Shower

Psycho (1960)

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Psycho could well be Alfred Hitchcock’s best movie, partly because it showcases so much of what makes the director great. What starts out as a nervy, atmospheric thriller eventually shifts into a frantic murder mystery laden with dramatic irony. Psycho is like a combination of The Birds and Rear Window, and the scene which marks this shift has become one of the most iconic in the history of cinema.

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What starts out as a nervy, atmospheric thriller eventually shifts into a frantic murder mystery.

The shower scene is a miniature masterpiece, with Hitchcock’s stylistic quirks on full display. From the POV shots to the piercing string music to the quick cuts, it’s hard to imagine any other director of the era producing anything similar. This scene provides the turning point, when the excruciating tension is finally released. To deliver this scene relatively early on in the movie is the kind of unexpected twist that Hitchcock built his reputation on.

9 Sally Fakes An Orgasm In The Diner

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

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Many romantic comedies seem stuck in their own time, since they’re designed to speak to a specific audience and they espouse attitudes about romance, gender and sex which can swiftly become outdated. When Harry Met Sally is one rare exception which is just as funny and relevant decades later. The central question – about whether straight men and women can maintain platonic friendships – is one that many people still ponder in the 2020s.

The actor who delivers the iconic
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
line is director Rob Reiner’s mother.

When Harry Met Sally gives Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan a lot of room to develop their wonderful on-screen chemistry. Perhaps the most memorable of all their charming interactions is the diner scene, in which Sally loudly fakes an orgasm before a crowd of onlookers. Not only is it hilarious, but it perfectly encapsulates what the story is about: two friends whose relationship is undeniably laced with tension, and who continue to surprise themselves and each other.

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8 Dorothy Steps Into Oz

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

Some pundits have theorized that The Wizard of Oz has been watched by more people around the world than any other movie, and it’s gaining a resurgence with the new movie adaptation of Wicked. One reason why The Wizard of Oz is still able to delight and captivate audiences 75 years later is that it perfectly conveys its sense of wonder, and this is most succinctly captured when Dorothy takes her first steps into Oz.

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The first part of The Wizard of Oz is filmed in sepia tones, which was common for most movies at the time. When Dorothy steps into Oz, she is greeted by a Technicolor wonderland more vibrant and gorgeous than most modern movies. It’s a great way to represent the intrigue and new possibilities that Oz represents, and it has become symbolic of the way The Wizard of Oz opened up new pathways for the entire film industry. It will be interesting to see if the modern The Wizard of Oz remake can recapture this feeling, but it seems unlikely.

7 King Kong Climbs The Empire State Building

King Kong (1933)

In King Kong’s 91-year history on the big screen, the character has never topped the climactic scene of the original 1933 movie, in which Kong ascends to the summit of the Empire State Building. Not only is this scene the one that sums up the movie and the King Kong franchise, but it also stands out as the defining image of the entire monster movie genre. It’s a stark scene depicting man’s futile attempts to control and subdue nature.

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Although almost everyone knows the image of King Kong atop the Empire State Building, watching the scene back still holds a few surprises. One intelligent touch is how the music cuts out as Kong reaches the top, and his final battle is scored only by the whirring drone of the planes. King Kong is about the tension between the human world and the natural world, and humanity’s hubristic lust for power. The finale is the perfect example of these ideas, and it’s also incredibly exciting.

6 Carl & Ellie’s Life Together

Up (2009)

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Up is widely regarded as one of Pixar’s best movies, but it wouldn’t be quite as popular without its heartbreaking opening montage. Even while Carl is taking off on an exotic adventure with a couple of unwanted companions, Up shows that it’s all about his relationship with Ellie and the grief he carries in his old age. The montage of Carl and Ellie’s life together is the perfect way to show the deep meaning of their relationship without resorting to boring exposition.

Up
‘s opening montage is surprisingly touching, considering how broad it is.

Up‘s opening montage is surprisingly touching, considering how broad it is. There are a lot of specific quirks that relate to Carl and Ellie’s personalities, but it’s supposed to be relatable, and anyone should be able to see themselves and their loved ones in the story. When Carl launches his house into the sky and starts searching for elusive creatures in South America, it’s still relatable and granted with real emotional stakes thanks to the impact of the opening.

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5 Clarice Meets Hannibal

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

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The Silence of the Lambs was one of many psychological thrillers in the 1990s, but it has stood the test of time better than most others, owing to the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. The engrossing relationship between young FBI analyst Clarice Starling and vicious serial killer Hannibal Lecter is what gives the movie most of its dramatic and thematic thrust, and this begins with their first meeting.

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Clarice’s first meeting with Hannibal acts as a microcosm of their entire relationship. He tests her while she is supposed to be asking him the questions, and he toys with her when he figures out that he has something she wants. Despite the feeling of danger, Clarice finds herself drawn to the fascinating psyche of Hannibal. This impulse drives her deeper into the Buffalo Bill investigation, and she soon finds herself in life-threatening peril when she could easily have walked away.

4 Atticus’ Closing Argument

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

Gregory Peck gives a remarkable performance as Atticus Finch in the movie adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird. His innate gravitas and emotional control are transfixing in his courtroom scenes, especially the closing argument. As Atticus delivers his final statement to the jury, director Robert Mulligan keeps his camera keenly trained on his star. There are only a couple of cuts away to show Tom Robinson and the crowd watching on, but the focus remains on Atticus.

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Atticus’ speech spells out the egregious miscarriage of justice taking place in the courtroom. From the beginning of the trial, he knows that he won’t win because the system is rigged against Tom Robinson. Atticus’ only goal is to underline his innocence in such certain terms that the jury and the crowd of people watching on can have no misgivings about their role in his death. The closing argument is his most succinct and powerful statement of all.

3 The Normandy Landing

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

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Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan has often been praised by historians and veterans for its realistic depictions of World War II. It offers a more viscerally terrifying experience than most other war movies, thanks to a precise attention to detail and Spielberg’s technical mastery. The first action scene has a particular seismic impact, as Allied forces storm the beaches at Normandy during the D-Day operations.

Throughout the D-Day sequence, as he does throughout the entire movie, Spielberg balances personal stories with the broad strokes of the conflict.

The D-Day sequence starts by focusing on the soldiers awaiting their arrival in the landing craft. As the sea tosses them around, some pray, some throw up and others stare dead ahead with steely-eyed detachment. This opening shot is just one way that Spielberg weaves the human element into such a big, chaotic scene. Throughout the D-Day sequence, as he does throughout the entire movie, Spielberg balances personal stories with the broad strokes of the conflict.

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2 Hanna And McCauley Have Some Coffee

Heat (1995)

Michael Mann’s Heat is a viscerally exciting crime drama, but the scene which best sums up the story is a quiet conversation that takes place in a diner. While Vincent Hanna is pursuing Neil McCauley, the lawman pulls the criminal over to ask if he wants to have a cup of coffee. What follows is a shockingly vulnerable conversation between two men with a lot in common who find themselves on opposite sides of the law.

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One of the big draws of Heat is the opportunity to see two of the greatest movie actors of their generation together, and the diner scene is one which shows their absorbing dynamic in full flow. It also touches on many of the movie’s biggest themes, like the detachment that comes from an obsession with work and the blurred lines between good and evil. The famous shootout and the final chase at the airport would mean a lot less without the set-up of the diner scene.

1 Anton Tosses A Coin

No Country For Old Men (2007)

No Country for Old Men is based on a novel by Cormac McCarthy, and the Coen brothers bring the writer’s work to life with some of their own stylistic touches. Javier Bardem’s Oscar-winning performance as the psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh is one of No Country for Old Men‘s biggest strengths. There are a few key scenes which illustrate his mesmerizing performance, most notably the coin toss scene.

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There are a few key scenes which illustrate Bardem’s mesmerizing performance, most notably the coin toss scene.

When Anton asks a shopkeeper to call the outcome of a coin toss, the man is unaware that he’s playing for his life, but the audience knows exactly what’s going on. Not only does this layer of dramatic irony create an excruciatingly tense exchange, but it also ties into the themes of the story. In the wild chaos of No Country for Old Men, Anton represents the oblique eyes of fate. For all the moral philosophy of No Country for Old Men, many of the characters’ lives are dictated by pure chance.

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