You must remember this

[rebness]

O hay, gorgeous new layout from that damned lovely mothergoddamn. So, anyway. We were talking about our favourite and...er, least favourite scenes in films and why. Bbs, can I share with you? Of course I can. :D

Best.Scene.Ever:

Casablanca, the Marseillaise scene.

Forget Ilsa and Rick (though I love you, bbs); to dismiss this film as nothing but a turgid romance is To Miss the Point.

In this scene, Victor (Ilsa's husband and therefore love rival) is begging Rick to sell much-needed papers for him to flee to America with Ilsa and escape Nazi persecution. Rick, full of jealousy and unable to see why Ilsa loves him, refuses to sell them. And yet, Victor forgets this to once again stand up for what is right. The Nazis are singing Der Wacht am Rhein, an Austrian nationalistic song whilst the refugees of those countries they have persecuted sit around, listless and unmoved.

Lazslo is beside himself with anger; although he should be keeping his head down, he cannot stand to see this. He demands that the band play La Marseillaise and the people, moved, inspired, stand to sing it with him, drowning out the Nazis as they do so; a deadly but brave show of defiance. Contre nous de la tyrannie - against us, tyranny.

It's heartbreaking. At the time of its making, Europe was in turmoil. France had been ravaged with bloodshed and war, refugees fleeing the country. This film was made right in the middle of the war; who knew what would happen? Would the Allies win? Would France ever stand again?

 

Many of the extras really did have tears gathering in their eyes; they were actual refugees who had fled persecution in Germany and elswhere in Europe and were overcome by the emotion of the scene - perhaps they would never see their homes again. Think about it; it's not just trite propaganda; it's real emotions, the real, raw pain of people facing down a cruel war that we can't even imagine today. It's a curious mix of cinema and true, real history.

Then of course, drunken, lascivious Louis has to come in and shut the place down because he's shocked, SHOCKED that gambling is taking place in the establishment. Brilliant, high drama followed by sharp comedy. Tell me it's not perfect.

Runners up: The kids with the paving slab in Hostel, interview with the boss in Fight Club.

 

Worst.Scene.Ever:

 
30 Days of Night: We're not scared
 

So I'm sitting in the cinema with Chris and Kelly, all three of us failing to be scared or even slightly entertained by the vampires in 30 Days of Night.

 

We have sat through several ridiculous scenes ('It's dark! We can't fly a plane at night!') and The Vampire who Looks Like a Demented Pet Shop Boys Member grabs a hapless victim by his shirt collar.

 

'Puh-please-oh God help me!' he cries.

 

A dramatic pause. Pet Shop Boys brings his face closer. Another dramatic pause. He narrows his eyes.

 

'There is no God!' whispers Kelly.

 

'There...is...no...God!' growls Pet Shop Boy dramatically.

 

You know things are going wrong when people laugh at a horror film.

 

Runners-up: The British burn churches, the heathens in The Patriot, any scene in Man on Fire

Comments

[pandorasblog]

I didn't realise (or had forgotten) that there were actual refugees involved in the making of that... I can't imagine what it must have meant to them.

30 Days of Night APPALLING movie! Dreadful! We saw it with friends on holiday and we all just spent the whole time taking the piss out of it. Every other minute (and that's me being generous) there was a profound lapse in logic. I do have the original comic and I understand that to be far better.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I think it's really easy to forget, but the sheer emotional power of that scene can reduce me to tears on good days. Bad days, whatever. :p

YES. YES! Worst film ever! None of it made sense! WHY DID HE HAVE TO DO THAT THING TO DEFEAT THEM AGAIN? Why did it copy off Blade 2?! Why do some asshats proclaim it best vampire movie ever?

Ooh, comics!

[mothergoddamn.livejournal.com]

I swear I predicted every single scene in that film!

I hope the lights don't go out!

*lights go out*

I hope the phones aren't dead!

*phones go dead*

BB, we need to see The Happening together. I CRIED WITH LAUGHTER!

I'm watching that scene now, heart breaking, powerful and possibly the greatest piece of cinematic history ever.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Oh, bb. You made that film worthwhile.

We must watch it together! And Casablanca! And everything. Except perhaps City of Angels.

[wig-maker.livejournal.com]

CITY OF ANGELS SUCKS!


Sorry, don't know what came over me there. PROBABLY THE SUCKINESS OF THAT FILM. Ahem, sorry there i go again.

[rebness.livejournal.com]

WHAT DID SHE THINK WOULD HAPPEN WHEN SHE RODE A BICYCLE WITH HER ARMS OUTSTRETCHED AND HER EYES CLOSED HUH?

[wig-maker.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY!! AND NOT JUST FOR 5 SECONDS, no... FOR 10 FREAKING MINUTES!! Oh i was so pissed at that film for mis-leading me into thinking it was good then hitting me in the face with all the bollocks it could throw.

I still like the Iris song though.

The film can burn in celluloid hell.

[mothergoddamn.livejournal.com]

The most moving part is the crying woman, who is lost, confused and hurting. Flirting with the enemy to the disgust of a fellow reveller she sits there embittered and then in the song finds hope and regains her dignity. Love it!

Heard about Madonna remaking it in Iraq?

[rebness.livejournal.com]

Such a good point! I love her fierce, proud expression throughout the song.

SLO-MO-NOOOOO! D: