You must remember this

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