Behind the Scenes 2

“Show me the way to go home” Jaws (1975)
Spielberg’s thriller is a cinematic masterpiece that could easily have had multiple entries on our list this week, but in the interest of diversity we have opted for the scene that encapsulates the tension and atmosphere that Jaws embodies.The USS Indianapolis scene in which Quint relays his harrowing account of sinking in shark infested waters during WW2. Chemistry oozes between our trifecta of leading males as we gain an insight into the characters while Spielberg expertly enshrouds his audience in a cloak of darkness. Boyish bravado makes way for a mutual understanding as Quint, Hooper and Brody bond over the task at hand, with a good oul’ sea shanty thrown in for good measure. Pure Movie Gold.

“Let’s broaden our minds”: Batman (1989)
When we think of Burton’s classic we can’t help but be drawn to Jack Nicholson’s sensational turn as The Joker. Big Jack dominates proceedings in the movie as he expresses himself vibrantly throughout. The biggest and boldest of his scene’s occupies a slot in our list tonight, of course we’re talking about his art gallery DIY job. With Prince pumping on the ghetto-blaster, The Joker and co. “make art” as they modernise the classic pieces with a glarish paint job and some trendy slash marks. This scene sums up the movie as a whole, a smiling face with sinister undertones.

“Give me the keys you fucking cock sucker” The Usual Suspects (1995)
Aside from boasting the greatest climax in the silver screen’s history, The Usual Suspects also features one of the finest and most recognisable scenes ever directed. The “Line-up” from Bryan Singer’s neo-noir behemoth introduces us to everyone from Fenster to Verbal as we are given the opportunity to size up the usual suspects. As each character reads their cue card we discover exactly what type of person they each are. Never has one scene told us so much by saying so little. Superb direction, exquisite acting and a natural chemistry – film making at it’s finest.

Unfortunately MGM have removed this scene from YouTube the cocksuckers! But it’s well worth your while to check it out online or on DVD!

“You got me in a vendetta kinda mood” True Romance (1993)
Quentin Tarantino and Tony Scott will invariably attract Hollywood’s elite. But when True Romance went into production it positively bulged with tinseltown’s top brass. This ultra violent whirlwind combines romance, action and stunning dialogue as Clarence and Alabama evade the mob in their bid to offload a shit-load of their own cocaine. The scene up for nomination comes courtesy of the ice-cold Christopher Walken and the man playing the part of Clarence’s father, Denis Hopper. Walken mesmerises as the callous Vincenzo Coccotti as he interrogates Hopper in relation to his son’s whereabouts. Resigned to his morbid fate, Hopper strives to accelerate his imminent demise as he informs Coccotti that “Sicilians were spawned by niggers”. Acting of the highest quality.

“In Italian, it sounds so much nicer” Goodfellas (1990)
Arguably the greatest gangster movie of all time, Scorsese’s adaptation of Nicholas Pileggi’s non-fictional wiseguys has sufficient stellar scenes to warrant a top 5 of it’s very own. Alas, our hands are tied and we’re restricted to providing just one, probably not the one you’d come to expect. Following the murder of made man Billy Batts, Henry, Tommy and Jimmy stop by Tommy’s mother’s place to procure the essentials for dismembering and burying a dead body. Once settled round the kitchen table, De Niro, Pesci and Liotta have free rein as they act entirely ad-lib……….

Behind the Scenes

Get ready to vote people, we wanna know what you think is the coolest cut movie scene there is. Over the next couple of days we’ll put our favourites forward for your judgement, and after that we want you to decide which one gets the title. And don’t fret if you don’t see your own personal favourite on the list. Let yourself be heard and it will make the ballad box, if the people see it worthy. So to get the ball rolling, here’s my finest five.

This reminds me of a joke: Desperado (1995)
Filmed in the actual Corona Club in Acuna Mexico, This scene is one of my favourites from the Texan titan himself, Robert Rodriguez. It stars another of Hollywood’s highest rated directors, Quentin Tarantino as the “pick up guy”, Cheech Marin as the bar man, and two other gringos not worth a care. Upon having their credibility checked out by a seedy barman and his suspect friend on the phone, Quentin “pick up guy” Tarantino remembers a joke…..

Jedi Politics: Clerks (1994)
Directed by cult hero Kevin Smith, and starring Brian O’Halloran as Dante and Jeff Anderson as Randal, this scene, shot in the genuine Quick Stop that Kevin Smith himself worked in before this film sprung his name into Hollywood. It’s a debate on the political correctness of the destruction of the half finished death star by the “militant left-wing rebels” in George Lucas’ Return of the Jedi. Classic Kevin Smith dialogue at it’s very best.

Hip to be dead: American Psycho (2000)
From Christian Bale’s greatest performance to date, it’s next to impossible to choose just one scene! But for the combination of sinister humor and a funky soundtrack, the Paul Allen axe murder scene is my personal favourite. Orchestrated by Canadian born and not so known, Mary Harron, this silver screen classic allows Bale to delve into the superbly unstable and brilliantly homicidal mind of one of the greatest serial killers ever penned down, Patrick Bateman. And with that in mind, queue Huey Lewis & the news….

“You’re so fuckin’ money”: Swingers (1996)
Swingers is an essential piece of Hollywood history to anyone with any form of movie collection. It sums up the L.A “cocktail” scene of the early 90’s brilliantly. And it does so through the workings of two New Yorkers, Director Doug Liman and Writer/Actor Jon Favreau. The “money” scene is a clear fan’s favourite and the films most quoted. It’s one of Mike’s (Jon Favreau) only high points in the film. And the slick back and forth dialogue really puts you in the room. It’s believable, it’s real, it’s how we all want to sound…. “money baby”

Meet me in the lobby: The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowski Brothers action/sci-fi masterpiece was epic and groundbreaking on all fronts, but standing to the front has got to be the lobby scene with Keanu Reeves (Neo), Carie-Anne Moss (Trinity) and a whole host of unfortunate security guards. To say that Neo and Trinity merely walk in, wreck the place and make widows and orphans of enough people to occupy Limerick, you would be selling this scene brutally short. This bullet storm sequence is fluid from the start, the action is more like  a ballroom two-step than a military operation. With a dizzying use of still-cam shooting backed up by the heavy baseline from Propellerheads, your eyes are held steadfast to the screen. But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself! Larry and Andy, I salute you.

Come back tomorrow to see the Disgruntled one’s five-a-side!