Line #185 SignatureScene/LiveActionFilms


1	!!Movies/franchises with their own pages:
2
3	[[index]]
4	* ''SignatureScene/MarvelCinematicUniverse''
5	* ''SignatureScene/{{Saw}}''
6	[[/index]]
7
8	----
9	!!Individual examples:
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11	[[foldercontrol]]
12
13	[[folder:#]]
14	* ''Film/ThreeHundred'': The scene where Leonidas kicks a Persian messenger into a well in a show of patriotism became the best-known moment in the film as a result of its over-the-top presentation and Leonidas' hammy delivery of the line "[[PunctuatedForEmphasis This! Is!]] ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Sparta]]!''" The scene became a popular subject for parody, especially online, where it generated a popular YouTubePoop meme in the form of Sparta Remixes.
15	* ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'':
16	** The opening scene with the apes and the monolith. In particular, the rising crescendo of ''StandardSnippet/AlsoSprachZarathustra'' and the MatchCut between a bone tossed into the air and a 21st-century satellite have both been widely referenced.
17	** HAL's betrayal of Dave, by refusing to open the pod bay doors. HAL's "I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave" line has been widely quoted as shorthand for a robot [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters turning against its master]].
18	** HAL's "death" scene, in which he tells Dave how afraid he is, then gradually reverts to how he was when he first started up as Dave takes him apart, is highly memorable as an AlasPoorVillain moment.
19	[[/folder]]
20
21	[[folder:A to C]]
22	* ''Film/AbsenceOfMalice:'' The scene where everyone is gathered together for a legal accounting is probably better-known than anything else in the movie. This is due to Gallagher's [[TheChessmaster elaborate plan for revenge brilliantly achieving fruition,]] Megan's CharacterDevelopment, and OneSceneWonder Wells showing up.
23	* ''Film/TheAbsentMindedProfessor:'' The basketball game where the players are sailing through the air due to Professor Brainard putting flubber on their shoes is an extremely memorable and celebrated sequence.
24	* ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'': Ace pretending to talk out of his butt. The scene became so associated with Creator/JimCarrey that many feel that it's to blame for him not being nominated for an Oscar for his performance in ''Film/TheTrumanShow''.
25	* ''Film/{{Alien}}'': The chestburster reveal, which paved the way for future BodyHorror in science fiction. It's literally the only reason the movie got made (well, that and ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' had just come out, and ''Alien'' was the only sci-fi spaceship script anyone at Fox had laying on their desk). The producers thought the original script was horrible, but the chestburster scene was brilliant, and it was what got the movie greenlit.
26	* ''Film/{{Aliens}}'': The FinalBattle on the ship. Ripley finishing her character development in learning to care again and be just as strong as the marines around her. And all for the girl who she didn't regard at first. "Get away from her you BITCH!" became the iconic line of the movie, and the tense battle between 2 "mothers" became legendary in film history.
27	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/Alien3'': The Alien threatening a crying Ripley in the kitchen.
28	* ''Film/AmericanPsycho'': Patrick killing Allen with an axe, while playing and gleefully explaining the merits of Music/HueyLewisAndTheNews's "Hip To Be Square". Just the dichotomy of the horrific violence on screen to the happy go lucky music in the background, makes it one of the most disturbing scenes in all of cinema.
29	* ''Film/AnnabelleCreation:'' The scene where Linda is menaced by the spirit and attempts to scare it off with her toy gun has been called "one of the scariest moments in movie history" by some fans. A large part of what makes the scene so distinctive is how there are so many sounds of the demon approaching in the dark, getting closer and closer to Janice while still remaining offscreen.
30	* ''Film/{{Apaches}}'': Sharon's death by [[CruelAndUnusualDeath drinking pesticide]] is the most remembered death in the film, due to managing to be the hands-down most horrifying scene despite (or mayhaps ''[[NothingIsScarier because]]'' of) [[ScreamDiscretionShot nothing gruesome being]] ''[[ScreamDiscretionShot shown]]''.
31	* ''Film/ArtemisFowl'': Mulch stretching his jaw with his hands, and growling "It's feeding time" has rapidly become so on Twitter, with many accounts sharing the clip and commenting on how it seems to perfectly represent what a misfire of an adaptation the film ended up being, plus the boatloads of {{squick}}.
32	* ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'':
33	** Heather's snotty, ugly cry as she confesses/apologizes to her mother, as well as Mike and Josh's mothers, taking the blame for leading the three of them too their inevitable deaths in the middle of the Witch's cursed woods. The scene became so integral to the film, it served as the films poster.
34	** Heather and Mike encountering the offscreen Witch in her cabin, Heather walking down into the basement scream sobbing Mike's name, to find him propped up in the corner before forcibly dropping the camera, and the film cutting too black. Often ranked one of the scariest endings in film history
35	* ''Film/BloodDebts'' ends the ''instant'' the protagonist, Mark Collins, blows up the BigBad with a grenade launcher, resulting in a freeze frame explaining that Mark turned himself in to the police and is now serving a life sentence. The infamously rushed ending became the most famous thing about the movie and spawned memes in which other films end the same way.
36	* ''Film/BoneTomahawk'': It's hard to talk about the movie without someone mentioning ''[[GroinAttack that]]'' [[HalfTheManHeUsedToBe scene]], possibly a contender for the most viscerally disgusting scene ever put to film (specifically, [[NauseaFuel warning for the weak-stomached]], [[spoiler:a man is scalped and then messily ripped apart from the groin down by the troglodytes, having all his guts spill out, on-screen, while he's still alive]]). This scene is made even more horrifying by [[GoryDiscretionShot most of the violence being subdued]] up to that point.
37	* "I wish I knew how to quit you!" from ''Film/BrokebackMountain''. Parodies have ran it into the ground, but the scene itself is very emotional.
38	* ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'': [[spoiler:What is often cited as the first TwistEnding in film history, the reveal that the entire film was a delusion of the main characters, and everyone in the movie are actually patients of Caligari in a mental asylum.]]
39	* ''Film/Camille1936'': Marguerite's [[DiedInYourArmsTonight death in Armand's arms.]] A classic case of ItWasHisSled, particularly since the scene is also featured in ''Film/Annie1982''.
40	* ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'': The airport scene with Rick giving up Ilsa and letting her leave with Victor Laszlo while staying for a better cause is a scene filled with memorable lines, one of which topped the AFI's list of best movie quotes. "Here's looking at you, kid."
41	* ''Film/CaptainAmerica1990'': Captain America pretending to be sick so he can steal a car, especially the first time, is the most-referenced scene from the movie even when talking about "old Captain America films" in general, due to how hilariously unheroic it is for him.
42	* ''Film/ChariotsOfFire'': The opening scene where the athletes run in slow-motion to Vangelis' score has become so iconic that [[ParodiesOfFire it inspired many parodies]].
43	* ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick2004'': Riddick and some allies racing across the landscape of a planet with a burningly hot sun to reach the only means of escape while their enemies take the same route underground and occasionally come up to shoot at them is the most talked about set piece of the film, especially with the MeleeATrois at the end of the race.
44	* ''Film/CriesAndWhispers'': Agnes and Anna's PietaPlagiarism scene is so famous that it ended up on [[https://digitaltmuseum.se/021026479435/frimarke a Swedish stamp]] as one of the 5 most iconic movie scenes in Swedish cinema.
45	[[/folder]]
46
47	[[folder:D to G]]
48	* ''Film/TheDarkKnight'':
49	** The Joker filming his ultimatum to Gotham to get Batman to turn himself in. In a big budget movie, there's something almost brilliant in having Joker's video be filmed handheld style to deepen the intensity of the scene, featuring his cruelty, his playfulness and his almost realistic terror. Audiences hyped up over this big movie were often rendered speechless after the quiet intensity of this scene ending in the joker giving a proper EvilLaugh and cutting out the video [[NothingIsScarier before he killed the copycat]].
50	* ''Film/TheDeep1977'':
51	** As striking and suspenseful as the diving action scenes are, many fans view [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oud7EMZCu4 this fight scene]] between TheDragon and a MauveShirt buddy of Treece as the best part of the film, with several [=YouTube=] comments calling it one of the best fight scenes ever.
52	** The opening scene, both for providing the BestKnownForTheFanservice moments and for providing a quick and effective introduction to both the beauty and the dangers of diving beneath the ocean.
53	* ''Film/{{Deliverance}}'':
54	** The "Dueling Banjos" sequence has become widely known to the extent that any instance in media of banjos being played resulted in viewers making jokes about and allusions to ''Deliverance'', regardless of whether or not it was an intended ShoutOut.
55	** The scene in which Bobby is commanded to "squeal like a pig" before [[RapeAsDrama he is raped by a hillbilly]] became notorious, with references to ''Deliverance'' in other media often including BlackComedyRape jokes featuring the phrase. Even the actors got in on it: Creator/NedBeatty was hounded for the rest of his life by fans requesting him to replicate the squealing, whereas Creator/BillMcKinney outright had his personal website's domain name be "squeallikeapig.com".
56	* ''Film/TheDevilInside'' ends the ''instant'' Ben and Michael die in a car crash, resulting in a black screen informing that the case of the Rossi family is still unresolved and directing viewers to a defunct website "for more information on the ongoing investigation". This ending became the most infamous thing about the movie, ensuring that anyone who watches it will be aware of its conclusion.
57	* ''Film/DoctorSeries'':
58	** ''Film/DoctorInTheHouse1954'' has the famous "bleeding time" scene. Sir Lancelot explains the "bleeding time", then asks a distracted Simon, "You! What's the bleeding time?", to which Simon checks his watch. It was later referenced in ''Film/DoctorInDistress1963'' and Creator/JamesRobertsonJustice's biography ''James Robertson Justice: What's the Bleeding Time?''.
59	** ''Film/DoctorInClover'': The best-remembered scene in the film is Dr. Grimsdyke livening up the nurses' party with LaughingGas, thanks to a combination of Creator/JoanSims' BattleaxeNurse of a Matron breaking into hysterics and Dr. Grimsdyke's head going up Sir Lancelot's kilt.
60	* ''Film/DoctorStrangelove'': Slim Pickins falling to the ground sat astride an atomic bomb. The shocking conclusion of the movie showing the despair when people let nuclear weapons dictate how they should act. This grand shot was a final iconic showcase of the tragic absurdity the movie had all throughout.
61	* ''Film/DumbAndDumber'': Harry taking a huge dump after Lloyd slipped him laxatives. This scene [[NeverLiveItDown marred Jeff Daniels' reputation as a serious actor for years.]]
62	* ''Film/DungeonsAndDragonsHonorAmongThieves'': Breaking into Castle Neverwinter through creating an illusion spell of Edgin playing a song. While it seems to work at first, then it starts repeating its song, goes into the UncannyValley, and finally gives out a call of "BRAAAATTEEE" as the head sinks into its chest with huge eyes. A result of their sorcerer becoming distracted. The scene was hilariously shocking in a clever use of deliberate bad CGI, while also allowing serious D&D players to recognize a bad role in the middle of this campaign. A wonderful mix of clever writing, inventive special effects, and simulating a Dungeons and Dragons Game that everyone remembered afterwards.
63	* ''Film/EncountersAtTheEndOfTheWorld'': The scene of a lone penguin making its trek towards the mountains, seemingly from it being DrivenToSuicide, is the most remembered and discussed scene from the film due to its somber tone and ambiguity. The scene has caused much speculation and discussion over the penguin’s motivations, whether it is aware of what it is doing, where it’s going, and whether or not the penguin was actually suicidal.
64	* ''Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial'': The shot where E.T. and Elliott fly in the air while seated on the bike and [[FullMoonSilhouette fly past the moon in the background]]. To the point Spielberg turned it into the VanityPlate for his company Amblin.
65	** The Special Edition cut of the film is remembered and criticized for the guns being changed into walkie-talkies during the final chase scene, with detractors feeling it removes tension from the scene.
66	* ''Film/TheExorcist'':
67	** The part when Regan's head spins 360 degrees as the rest of her body sits still is probably the most memorial part of the film and is often mimicked in other horror movies/shows/video games.
68	** The moody shot of Father Merrin standing in front of Regan's house (depicted in the film's poster) has also been referenced and parodied a lot in other media..
69	* ''Film/AFewGoodMen'': The court scene where the lawyer protagonist wants "the truth", whereupon Nicholson's character answers: "You can't handle the truth!" inspired [[YouCantHandleTheParody countless parodies]].
70	* ''Film/FinalDestination4:'' Interestingly, a ''deleted'' ActionFilmQuietDramaScene occasionally included in TV airings manages to be the scene that some fans most associate with the movie. The scene takes place after Janet's near-death experience and shows her walking across a street with her eyes closed, testing to see if Death is still after her, and wanting to get it over with quickly if he is. This is followed by a touching moment of relief after she makes it across the road. There's a sense of intensity, but also depth and frailty that really impresses a lot of people who see the scene.
71	* ''Film/{{Flashdance}}'':
72	** Two scenes that became StockParodies, Alex dropping a bucket of water on herself during "She's a Dream", and the one where she's only in a sweatshirt (it's even the movie's poster).
73	** The scenes with the film's two {{Signature Song}}s, which for further connection have Alex dancing in a black getup, practice while "Maniac" plays, and the ending audition with title track "Flashdance... What a Feeling".
74	* ''Film/Frankenstein1931'': Dr. Frankenstein bringing the creature to life in the middle of a dramatic lightning storm. Parodied, referenced, and reimagined countless different ways as possibly the quintessential act of triumph for a MadScientist in cinema.
75	* ''Film/TheGodfather'':
76	** The opening scene, where Don Vito Corleone talks with the undertaker, Amerigo Bonasera, about how friendship, respect and etiquette works in the Sicilian mob, is one of the most often referenced and parodied scenes from the films. Nine out of ten depictions of Don Corleone will also be directly based on the way he looks in this scene, dressed in a wedding suit with a rose in his lapel and with his eyes almost completely covered in shadow, and often [[RightHandCat holding a cat]].
77	** The scene where Jack Woltz awakes to find the head of his prized racehorse, Khartoum, placed in his bed while he was sleeping. [[TheScream He starts screaming as the scene switches to a shot of the exterior of his manor]]. This is perhaps the second most referenced sequence from the first film.
78	** The baptism scene, where Michael proves that he is even more cunning and ruthless than his father, by having his men eliminating all the family's enemies in one fell swoop. Through a montage of assassinations, interspliced with Michael calmly reciting the baptismal vows as he stands as Godfather at his nephew's baptism, is probably the third most referenced scene from the original.
79	* ''Film/TheGodfatherPartII'': The KissOfDeath, delivered by Michael to [[spoiler:his brother Fredo]]. "I know it was you, [[spoiler:Fredo]]. You broke my heart. ''You broke my heart!''"
80	* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'':
81	** ''Film/Godzilla1954'': Godzilla's rampage through Tokyo, what else? This is possibly the single most iconic scene in {{kaiju}} history, easily recognized even by non-fans, only comparable to King Kong's climb up the Empire State Building in terms of mainstream knowledge.
82	** ''Film/GodzillaRaidsAgain'': Godzilla and Anguirus facing off in Osaka, with the Osaka Castle between the two. This scene is iconic because it's the very first in a ''very'' long line of kaiju battles that would become standard for the franchise.
83	** ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla'': Kong attempting to stuff a tree down Godzilla's throat, both for being funny and the climax of the CoolVsAwesome confrontation between the two most iconic movie monsters.
84	** ''Film/InvasionOfAstroMonster'': Godzilla's [[HappyDance victory dance]] after he and Rodan defeat King Ghidorah on Planet X (it's actually a reference to ''Manga/OsomatsuKun''). It's one of the first truly "human" moments of Godzilla, which would become the norm for later Showa era films that were more targeted towards children.
85	** ''Film/DestroyAllMonsters'': The scene of all the kaiju gathering at the base of Mt. Fuji to fight Ghidorah, simply for being the biggest gathering of Toho's various kaiju in one place to date (even if several of them only get a few seconds of screen time).
86	** ''Film/GodzillaVsHedorah'': Say it with us now. Godzilla ''flying''. This is probably the most infamously silly scene in the whole movie, if not the whole franchise, which is really saying something because the entire movie is notoriously bizarre.
87	** ''Film/GodzillaVsMegalon'': The sequence of Godzilla's gravity-defying dropkick is another scene which is the contender for most infamously silly scene in the entire franchise, showing how the character has strayed deep into LighterAndSofter, DenserAndWackier territory. The film itself seems to recognize how stupendous the moment is, because it plays the kick ''twice''.
88	** ''Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah'': [[TheHeroDies Godzilla's death]], which made up a large portion of the film's advertising, and is a major crux of the story's plot. Simply for the fact Toho decided to actually kill off their most popular character and actually went through with it in a well-executed manner.
89	** ''Film/Godzilla1998'': The scene where Godzilla scales the side of a skyscraper and shrieks while illuminated by lightning is one of the most iconic moments in the movie, being homaged not only by fanart of the movie (for a given value of "fan") as well as the opening of ''WesternAnimation/GodzillaTheSeries''.
90	** ''Film/GodzillaVsMegaguirus'': Godzilla's leaping body-slam attack, complete with an eye-widening OhCrap from Megaguirus, for being a randomly funny scene in a movie that otherwise takes itself relatively seriously, and is often compared to the previous dance, drop-kick, and flight in terms of silliest moment in the franchise.
91	** ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars'': Godzilla's CurbStompBattle against Zilla in Sydney. Simply for being such an obvious and high-effort TakeThatScrappy towards the notoriously disliked ''Film/Godzilla1998''.
92	** ''Film/Godzilla2014'':
93	*** The [=HALO=] jump sequence of the soldiers dropping into San Fransisco was one of the most featured scenes in the film's advertising and is often considered one of the most awe-inspiring scenes in the entire franchise due to the tremendous sense of scale and devastation.
94	*** Godzilla charging up and firing his Atomic Breath for the first time. In part due to the first American Godzilla movie's complete absence of it, the film built it up very slowly to maximize its impact to show Godzilla's SignatureMove on a budget that's never been seen before.
95	** ''Film/ShinGodzilla'': The first time Godzilla fires his Atomic Breath, for its awesome visual effects and cinematography that bring it to life on a scale of destruction unseen in previous films.
96	** ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Godzilla firing his Atomic Breath straight up into the sky as a PillarOfLight. The scene was featured extensively in advertising, and one of the most notable scenes of Godzilla's Atomic Breath used for for visual spectacle in the franchise rather than merely attacking.
97	** ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'': Kong socking Godzilla in the face during their first confrontation at sea. It's the rematch six decades in the making finally brought to life in a +100 million dollar blockbuster, and it gives the audience ''exactly'' [[JustHereForGodzilla what they came to see]] in stunning detail.
98	** ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'': The sequence with Godzilla pursuing the little tugboat out at sea has been lauded for being a unique and thrilling scene in the franchise, more akin to ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' than anything else seen prior.
99	* From ''Film/JuOn'' and its American remake ''Film/TheGrudge'', the sequence of the main character (Rika/Karen) taking a shower and Kayako's hand appearing in their hair. Its often listed among the greatest shock/horror moments in film history, the Remake even building the entire ad campaign around the moment.
100	* ''Film/TheGreatDictator'':
101	** The speech at the end of the movie, considered to be one of the greatest speeches in cinema history.
102	** Hynkel dancing with an inflatable globe is also very remembered.
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:H to K]]
106	* ''Film/HappyGilmore'': Happy's brawl with ''Series/ThePriceIsRight'' host Bob Barker, with Bob winning the fight. It won the first MTV Movie Award for "Best Fight", and many attribute this film, especially this scene, with generating a surge in popularity for TPIR.
107	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/{{Hardcore}}'': Jake watching his daughter acting in a pornographic film and screaming "TURN IT OFF" when it becomes too much to bear for him.
108	* ''Film/TheHatefulEight'': Warren describing to Smithers in graphic detail how he forced Smithers's son to walk stark naked through miles of frozen wilderness, promised to grant his dying wish for a blanket in exchange for fellating him, and after this task was done, didn't give him the blanket anyway. This is a ''very'' memorable scene in the regular cut of the movie, but even more so in the roadshow release, because it's followed immediately by the intermission.
109	* ''{{Film/Hereditary}}'': The sequence ending the first act where Peter tries to drive his anaphylactic younger sister to the hospital, only for her lean out the window for air and get abruptly decapitated by a telephone pole the car passes, followed by Peter's shocked drive home with the body and him lying awake until he hears his mother's anguished screams at the discovery in the morning. The scene upends the trajectory of the film, which had up to then seemed to be a familiar story about Charlie as a CreepyChild, and its shocking and raw emotional impact introduces the film's themes of grief and insurmountable trauma.
110	* ''Film/{{Hounddog}}'': The only scene that ever gets mentioned and made the film so notorious is the part where the little girl main character, Lewellen, played by then 12-year old Creator/DakotaFanning, is raped, due in large part to [[OvershadowedByControversy the controversy]] about making a child actress enacting a rape, so much so that the film is often just referred to as "the Dakota Fanning rape movie".
111	* ''Film/TheIncredibleJourney'': Tao, the Siamese cat, being chased by a lynx and fighting a bear to defend an injured Bodger are two of the most frequently praised parts of the film in the decades since its release.
112	* ''Film/IndependenceDay'': The aliens' destruction of {{the White House}}, which drew ''[[https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/entertainment/local/1996/07/05/audience-cheers-when-aliens-destroy/50638306007/ cheers]]'' from many audiences.
113	* ''Franchise/IndianaJones'':
114	** ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'':
115	*** Indiana outrunning a rolling boulder trap as he escapes from the temple. It's one of the most iconic death traps in fiction, and is often parodied in various ways.
116	*** The swordsman in Cairo performing a flourishing sword gesture and challenging Indy, which he responds to by [[CombatPragmatist shooting him the chest and moving on]]. The shooting the swordsman almost didn't make it into the film, and only happened because Harrison Ford was sick and suggested "just shoot the guy".
117	*** The opening of the Ark of the Covenant and how it melts the Nazis' faces off. The scene has been parodied many times and is a common meme.
118	** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'':
119	*** Indy and Short Round nearly being crushed by a DescendingCeiling with spikes sticking out of it, including reaching back into the room at the last moment to grab his hat. A showcase of how Indy will refuse to let the small things of himself go, and something that will be parodied many times afterwards in different situations as well by other movies.
120	*** Mola Ram ripping a man's heart out with his bare hands. This singular scene is the best encapsulation of why this film proved controversial in its time with only a PG rating. In response to complaints and the fact that there wasn't a proper middle ground between PG and R, Spielberg helped influence the creation of the PG-13 rating to better qualify what kind of movie this was in the future.
121	%%Zero Context Example*** The sequence where the characters escape the Thuggee mine in [[RollercoasterMine high-speed minecarts]].
122	** ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'': The scene near the climax in which Indy must work out which of the chalices is the real Holy Grail. It's a relatively simple puzzle, but it's made memorable in large part because of Donovan's fate after choosing the wrong one ("He chose poorly.")
123	%%Zero Context Example*** Indy crossing a room with letters carved into the floor tiles, only stepping on the ones that spell out 'Jehovah'[[labelnote:*]]Some parodies include remembering that the Latin spelling of "Jehovah" has changed over time[[/labelnote]].
124	*** Indy taking a leap of faith onto a walkway that was carved to be invisible from where he was standing. Throughout the series, he'd been a skeptical professor who nonetheless was forced into quests for the divine. Realizing he can't think his way out of this last challenge, he fully follows the notes of his father, and is rewarded for his faith. And thanks to the fantastic direction from Spielberg, we see that there was a logic to it all too. A perfect encapsulation of the journey that Indiana went on this movie, as well as a moment of true courage.
125	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers1978'': The ending scene in which the Pod Person Matthew Bennell points at Nancy while letting out the distinctive pod person shriek.
126	* ''Film/{{Jaws}}'': Chrisse's death at the very beginning, when she decides to go skinny dipping alone in the middle of the night, and is dragged around by an unseen shark, and finally while screaming, is dragged underwater, never to resurface again. The moment many have claimed scared them from ever going back into the ocean, and topped Bravo's 100 scariest movie moments.
127	* ''Film/TheJazzSinger'': Creator/AlJolson saying: "Wait a minute, you ain't heard nothing yet", which was the first line ever spoken in a sound movie.
128	* ''Franchise/JamesBond''
129	** From ''Film/DrNo'', Bond Girl Honey Ryder [[SexySurfacingShot emerging from the ocean]] in a white bikini and hunter's knife, unequivocally one of the most iconic moments in OO7 that it has been parodied and recreated, even within the franchise itself.
130	** The sensual, blatant DoubleEntendre-laden bedchamber scene between James and Tatiana, in ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'', is used during screen tests for casting the next Bond and Bond Girl.
131	** ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'', Bond strapped to a table with a high-powered laser coming towards him as he faux calmly asks "You expect me to talk?", and Goldfinger's iconic response, "No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die." Often listed in the analogs of the all time greatest film villains.
132	*** Likewise Bond discovering Jill Masteron killed from asphyxiation after being covered in gold paint, became such a startling image, Shirley Easton posed for the cover of "Life" magazine, while recreating her gold painted image.
133	%%Zero Context Example** The Wedding of James and Tracy Bond from ''Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService''.
134	%%Zero Context Example** Bond commandeering a tank and chasing the villains through the streets of St. Petersburg in ''Film/GoldenEye''.
135	** James's windsurfing down a tsunami in ''Film/DieAnotherDay'', for just how infamously bad the CGI was at the time.
136	%%Zero Context Example** Bond pulling off his own SexySurfacingShot in ''Film/{{Casino Royale\|2006}}''.
137	** Bond's [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice, after being infected with the nanobots that would jump from person to person until they kill Madeleine and his daughter, making his entire existence a threat against them]], in ''Film/NoTimeToDie''. While Daniel Craig had insisted this would be his last James Bond movie, there was a strong feeling that [[spoiler: [[LikeWouldYouReallyDoIt they would never kill James Bond at the end of the actor's run]]. And yet they did]], ending this modern bond on a [[BittersweetEnding triumphant but sober note]] as the franchise begins a new path forward after the definitive end of this version.
138	* ''Film/JurassicPark1993'': "Welcome to Jurassic Park!" Grant tears off his sunglasses in abject amazement at something he sees when the Jeep stops. He puts his hand on a distracted Ellie's head to turn it so that she can see what he sees. The scene builds in an anticipation as she ''also'' rips off her sunglasses in the same level of astonishment. What could they be looking at? Finally, the camera moves for a truly [[TheReveal grand reveal]] of an absolutely enormous brachiosaurus as the main theme begins to swell. The scene remains iconic because this is the first time the ''audience'' also sees the dinosaurs for the first time, so the intended reaction is for us to feel what Grant and Ellie are feeling at the same time. It's capped off by Malcolm's [[MemeticMutation memetic exclamation]]: "You did it! You crazy son of a bitch, you did it!"
139	%%Zero Context Example** The kitchen scene: Tim and Lex are trapped in a close-quarters game of cat-and-mouse with a pack of highly intelligent, [[ItCanThink communicative and cooperative]] raptors who are slowly but surely hunting the kids down.
140	* ''Film/JurassicWorld'': Even though the movie was...divisive amongst some audience groups, everyone agreed that the best scene of the entire movie was the dinosaur fight at the end. As the movie had saved using a Tyrannosaurus Rex until the kids had the idea for "more teeth". Completing Claire's transition from mere hesitant executive to ActionSurvivor. And giving a magnificent team up as T-Rex and Raptor fights the Indominus Rex with several iconic shots as they rampage around the main guest area. Culminating in the Mosasaur leaping out of the water to drag the indominus to its watery grave. A thrilling climax that is far more memorable that most of the scenes before it, reestablishing that with all man's hubris in creating cool new dinosaurs, nature always finds a way to win.
141	* ''Film/JustBeforeDawn'': The rope bridge attack is bound to come up when you look for information about this movie, due to being one of the most effectively creepy moments of the film and having a secondary character struggle impressively hard to survive and use the remains of the bridge to climb to safety.
142	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/KillBillVol1'': The Bride massacring the Crazy 88s while wearing a yellow jumpsuit reminiscent of Creator/BruceLee.
143	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/KillBillVol2'': The Bride BreakingTheFourthWall, giving the audience a quick recap of [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge the first movie]], and announcing she's driving towards her main target, and that she is going to "Kill Bill."
144	* ''Film/KingKong1933'': Kong fighting a T-Rex on the island and, of course, climbing on top of the Empire State Building battling airplanes. This final scene has become so famous that it is a StockParody: the KingKongClimb.
145	* The Church fight in ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService'', thanks to Galahad's badass fighting skills and the film's excellent usage of Music/LynyrdSkynyrd's "Free Bird".
146	* ''Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle'': Eggsy having to slip a tracker into a woman's nether regions, complete with an all-CG depiction of the interior of her vagina. The scene raised controversy as to whether or not Creator/MatthewVaughn had gone too far with the franchise's signature off-color humor.
147	[[/folder]]
148
149	[[folder:L to P]]
150	* ''Film/LabyrinthOfEvil'' became famous in the fanedit community for Padme surviving and later being seen holding a newborn Leia on Alderaan. This scene revolutionized the fanedit community, and created a broken base between those who prefer the canon fate of Padme and those who want her SparedByTheAdaptation.
151	* ''Film/LoveActually'':
152	** Mark visiting Juliet with cue cards and boombox. Eventually became a MemeticMutation.
153	** Karen's breakdown after she realized that Harry cheated on her with Mia. It's often considered one of the most heartbreaking scenes in movie history because of how shaking is her calm and later StepfordSmiler attitude.
154	* ''Film/MacAndMe'': Eric rolling off a cliff into a lake, popularized by Creator/PaulRudd showing the clip every chance he got while appearing on one of Creator/ConanOBrien's shows.
155	* ''Film/TheMatrix''
156	** Morpheus offering Neo a choice between the blue pill, which will allow him to live in blissful ignorance in the Matrix, or the red pill, which will show him the truth. Not only is it a key moment in the story with memorable dialogue, but it's also frequently used as an allegory of various sorts.
157	** The lobby shootout, in which Neo and Trinity take down a squad of armed guards in a slow-motion shootout, is considered the action highlight of the movie.
158	** Neo bending over backward in order to dodge an Agent's bullets, and avoiding all but two of them, is one of the most recognizable shots in the film. It illustrates our BulletTime page, as it is the overall TropeCodifier. Also famous enough to be the subject of several parodies, with one especially hilarious one in ''Film/KungPowEnterTheFist''.
159	* ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded''
160	** Neo fighting dozens of Smith copies in the park after his meeting with the Oracle is an intense action sequence that's considered the action highlight of the film.
161	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/{{M3GAN}}'': [=M3GAN=] dancing in the hallway, right before she kills someone.
162	* ''Film/MenInBlackII'': Serleena devouring a mugger alive with little effort. In part because of [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment how sudden and out of left field it is]], and because it features Lara Flynn Boyle in high heels and lingerie, and the way it plays out feeling like it was deliberately trying to lean into kink territory. A lot of people remember the movie most for this scene in particular, if nothing else.
163	* ''Film/MidnightCowboy'': The alleged ThrowItIn where Rizzo is almost hit by a taxi as he and Joe Buck cross the street and shouts "I'm walkin' here!" while banging on the taxi's hood. It's become a StockParody for New York scenes (or just for characters with [[BrooklynRage a New York attitude]]) in other media.
164	* ''Film/TheMilitaryPolicemanAndTheDismemberedBeauty'': The murder scene near the end, which is notable for traumatizing a young Creator/ShigesatoItoi and serving as the inspiration for [[VideoGame/EarthBound1994 Giygas]].
165	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/ModernTimes'': The Tramp going through a machine, tightening some bolts once the gears stop.
166	* ''Film/MiracleAtMidnight'': The Nazis launching their raid on Rosh Hashanah and finding most of their Jewish targets already gone into hiding is one of the more iconic bits of the film.
167	* ''Film/MurphysWar'': Murphy taking off in the repaired plane, gradually mastering the controls, and then going on a bombing run against the sub is one of the most talked about parts of the movie.
168	* ''Film/NapoleonDynamite'': Napoleon dancing on stage to "[[Music/{{Jamiroquai}} Canned Heat]]" has inspired countless gifs.
169	* ''Series/OnTheBuses'' films:
170	** ''Film/OnTheBuses'' has Stan's skid test, ending with Blakey being thrown off the bus and skidding across the tarmac, which was even used in the trailer.
171	** ''Film/MutinyOnTheBuses'' has Stan's disastrous safari tour where he and Blakey get up close and personal with a lion and several monkeys. The production crew knew this would end up being a popular scene too, and prominently featured it in the poster and trailer.
172	* ''Film/PenninManathaiThottu'': The "Kalluri Vaanil" sequence, which spawned the "Benny Lava" [[MemeticMutation meme]]
173	* ''[[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1925 The Phantom of the Opera '25]]'': Christine unmasking the Phantom, revealing his skull-like face, a seminal moment in the history of makeup effects. Audience members were reported to fainting or fleeing the theater in their horror.
174	* ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes''
175	** ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968'': The TwistEnding of the film. After surviving in the midst of a seemingly alien world ruled by apes, the astronaut has found his freedom, gained a "mate" with Nova, and left the influences of the Apes. However, that's when he finds out the awful truth: The Statue of Liberty is here, meaning that this wasn't an alien world, but Earth all along in the future. Thus the punchline to this whole adventure is that man destroyed itself to make space for the apes. A tragic end to one of the great Scifi stories of the 1960's. And one which everyone remembers due to the SignatureLine that accompanies the scene.
176	** Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes: Caesar's confrontation with Dodge. Growing in solidarity with Apes, and confident of his place in the world, Caesar finally confronts his abuse. Leading to a CallBack response that carries a new weight. "Take your stinking paws off me you Damn Dirty Ape!" "[[BigNo NO!]]" This is the first time an ape speaks on screen, and it's Caesar's true transition into a revolutionary leader for the apes. It was a great way to contrast between the past and future of the franchise, and well remembered afterwards.
177	* ''Film/PlaySafe'': Jimmy being electrocuted in the "Frisbee" segment while his sister shouts his name in horror.
178	%%Zero Context Example* ''Film/PlunkettAndMacleane'': Plunkett saving Macleane from the gallows.
179	* ''Film/PulpFiction'': The entire scene in which Jules interrogates and then executes Brett. Nearly every single part of it is some sort of meme, and even many people who have never seen the movie know it and can quote it extensively due to PopCulturalOsmosis.
180	* ''Film/{{Psycho}}'': The ShowerScene, where Marion Crane gets stabbed to death by Norman Bates, is deeply ingrained in pop culture and can be easily recognized even by people who never watched the film. The brutal and surprising death of the DecoyProtagonist had a powerful impact on audiences, becoming an object of study by cinematographers and psychologists alike, on top of inspiring [[PsychoShowerMurderParody many homages and parodies]] in various other works.
181	[[/folder]]
182
183	[[folder:Q to T]]
184	* ''Film/TheRaven1963'': A fair number of genre fans who've never seen the movie and don't plan to have still heard of the climactic WizardDuel between Creator/VincentPrice and Creator/BorisKarloff.
185	* ''Film/RawDeal'': Kaminsky's EstablishingCharacterMoment where he chases his jeep after a phony motorcycle cop and catches the wily fugitive with unorthodox tactics is considered the most memorable scene of the movie by many people.
186	%%* ''Film/RikiOhTheStoryOfRicky'' has several:
187	%%Zero Context Example** The infamous scene where a man's [[YourHeadASplode head is burst open like a watermelon]] by one of the Gang of Four.
188	%%Zero Context Example** The scene in which [[spoiler:the Warden turns into a monstrous mutant and is subsequently fed into his own meatgrinder by Ricky]].
189	%%Zero Context Example** To a lesser extent, the scene in which [[spoiler:Oscar's younger brother has half his face sliced off with a straight razor.]]
190	%%Zero Context Example* From ''Film/{{Ringu}}'' and its American remake ''Film/TheRing'', Sadako/Samara's video tape, upon which the viewer receives a phone call announcing they only have "seven days" to live.
191	%%Zero Context Example** Later on her walking through the television screen after a persons "seven days" are up.
192	* ''Film/{{Rocky}}'': Rocky's TrainingMontage run through the streets of Philadelphia, particularly his running up the art museum steps, to the tune of "Gonna Fly Now".
193	* ''Film/RockyV'': Even though the film remains the most forgotten and hated installment, most viewers agree that the climactic street fight between Rocky and Tommy is one of the most memorable fight scenes in the series due to its unique nature and choreography.
194	* ''Film/RockyBalboa'': Rocky's motivational speech to his son has gone down in legend and eclipsed the actual boxing in the movie.
195	* ''Film/ASerbianFilm'': Newborn Porn. The sheer depravity of the scene is enough to make it stand out in an already ''extremely'' violent and controversial film. The scene is essentially the entire reason the film's page is locked.
196	* ''Film/{{Scream}}'': The opening sequence where Casey, played by Creator/DrewBarrymore is terrorized over the phone and eventually killed by Ghostface. Iconic for the massive fake out to the audience as Drew was easily the biggest star in the film to be dead within the first 10 minutes, and the modernizing of the slasher film, between the meta commentary on horror films as Ghostface is quizzing Casey on her knowledge of scary movies, and the fact that the killer was using a cellphone. Every film in the franchise since has tried to recapture the magic of the opening.
197	* ''Film/TheSevenYearItch'': Creator/MarilynMonroe standing above the subway vent, which subsequently lifts her skirt. It became a stock parody, the MarilynManeuver.
198	* ''Film/{{Splice}}'': Chances are if anyone mentions the movie, they're mentioning either the scene where [[spoiler:Clive has sex with his pseudo-daughter HumanHybrid Dren, or the scene where Dren metamorphoses into a male and ''rapes'' his mother Elsa]], both for just how [[{{Squick}} disturbing nauseating]] said scenes are (so nauseating that being forced to film the second scene made the actress involved quit acting).
199	* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
200	** ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'': The "Duel of the Fates" lightsaber duel between Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Maul, for its music, and the lightsaber choreography, which is considered among the best fights in the entire franchise.
201	** ''Film/RogueOne'': [[CurbStompBattle Darth Vader massacring several Rebel soldiers in a hallway]] -- which became one of the most acclaimed scenes in the entire ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise for its spectacle and [[OneManArmy display of his power]] to the extent that ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' recreated it in the trailer revealing Vader as a GuestFighter.
202	** ''Film/ANewHope'': The first shot of the film after the opening crawl. While the crawl helped bring audiences "up to speed", the first shot gave audiences an idea of exactly what Creator/GeorgeLucas was trying to do with this movie. As after the pulpy opening, we start over an alien world, where a spaceship flies over, and then [[MileLongShip an ENORMOUS spaceship]] flies after it, [[StandardEstablishingSpaceshipShot going and going for much longer than expected]]. Thus showing that this movie will be a pulpy story told with [[SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome high-quality special effects]]. Audiences were practically hooked from the start, and it set the groundwork for turning Star Wars into the franchise it would become.
203	** ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'': The scene where Darth Vader [[LukeIAmYourFather tells Luke that he's his father]] became the most famous moment from the film (if not the ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise as a whole) thanks to it being a shocking {{retcon}} which ended the movie on a {{cliffhanger}} that wouldn't be resolved for [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi three years]], which was a rarity in cinema at the time. The scene consequently became a widespread subject for parody in popular media over the decades, [[TropeNamers named a trope]] on this website, and is so well-known among the general public that it regularly shows up on analysts' lists of the most iconic {{plot twist}}s.
204	* ''Film/SummerSchool'': The scene where the class uses horror movie special effects to freak out a replacement teacher holds iconic status in the eyes of many genre fans.
205	* ''Film/SWAT2003'':
206	** The opening hostage standoff and its aftermath are pretty well-known for how it has both fast-paced action and deconstructs an archetypal CowboyCop moment with a series of {{Surprisingly Realistic Outcome}}s.
207	** The scene of a bunch of gang-bangers attack a police convoy to try and spring the captive Montel is familiar even to some people who haven't seen the whole movie due to how strategic and well-armed the gangbangers are and how it is a memorable part of the trailer.
208	* ''Film/SwordFish'': Creator/HalleBerry's topless scene which finally made her a star.
209	* ''Film/TheTenCommandments1956'': The parting of the Red Sea. If you know nothing else about Moses, chances are you still know this scene.
210	* ''Film/TheyThem2022'': The scene where the gang sings {{Music/Pink}}'s "Perfect" is the most famous scene in the movie.
211	* ''Film/TopGunMaverick'': [[spoiler:The enemy fifth-gen fighter]] pulling an amazing HighSpeedMissileDodge supermaneuver in the climactic dogfight. The said dogfight itself is usually the most searched & viewed clip of the film, and the said scene is ''guaranteed'' to be the most replayed part.
212	* ''Film/TheToxicAvenger'': The kid getting his head crushed by a speeding car. This scene is often cut from the movie, which has only added to its fame; the DVD actually has a large message on the front cover advertising that the scene is included.
213	* ''Film/{{Twister}}'': A cow being carried by the tornado. Helped by a memorable reaction line, "I gotta go. We got cows!"
214	[[/folder]]
215
216	[[folder:U to Z]]
217	* ''Film/VForVendetta'': Just the image of V at that desk giving his original speech. How iconic is it? [[{{Tropers/Anonymous}} It inspired an internet subculture.]]
218	* ''Film/WalledIn'': The opening scene depicts a young girl named Julie waking up to find herself trapped in a confined space just in time to realise she's about to be murdered by burial in cement.
219	* ''Film/WentTheDayWell'': The kindly postmistress attacking a Nazi with an axe is one of the movie’s most talked about moments.
220	* ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally'': Sally's very public and very loud fake orgasm, widely considered the film's funniest scene, has been parodied so often even people who have never watched it have quoted Estelle Reiner's famous punchline: "I'll have what she's having."
221	* ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'':
222	** The now iconic scene of Eddie falling in Toon Town. Why is it so iconic? It features the first, and probably only, time that the two most famous Cartoon Characters in history, WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse and WesternAnimation/BugsBunny, share a scene together.
223	** A close second is the piano duel between WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck. Being so early in the film, it's a clear blend of the 5 best parts of the movie: clever cameos, story progression through the interactions with said cameos, fantastic animation, smart use of props to make the animation convincing while in the real world, and comedy.
224	* ''Film/TheWindInTheWillows1996'': "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_TbgMUx9OA Secret of Survival]]", being an incredibly catchy VillainSong that also stands out for being a dark scene in an otherwise lighthearted film.
225	* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'': Dorothy opening the door and stepping into the Technicolor land of Oz, the scene that hooked many people on Technicolor when the film first came out.
226	* ''Film/WutheringHeights1939'': The image of Heathcliff and Cathy together on the moors, which is seen on the cover of every home media release of the film.
227	[[/folder]]

Context SignatureScene / LiveActionFilms