Amazing Moments By Spielberg

[A24 4,339]

I think Spielberg is capable of bringing amazing 'moments', even in his films that I don't like.

Here are some of those amazing moments:

Saving Private Ryan: The two long war scenes.

Saving Private Ryan: The knive scene where the German soldier gently kills his opponent.

Munich: The scene where the terrorists force their way into the Olympic athlete's quarters.

A.I.: During the hide and seek game, the camera finds the boy robot sitting behind the rippled glass door.

Catch Me If You Can: Leo watches his father who is dancing with his mother. This scene tells so much about how Leo looks up to his father without the use of words.

Minority Report: Ok, I can't find any. You got me.

Jurassic Park: Ok, I can't find any. You got me.

Schindler's List: Schindler in the cafe observing and schmoozing with the Nazis.

Empire Of The Sun: Jim in and around his abandoned parental house riding his bike and surviving on liquor chocolates.

Empire Of The Sun: Caddilac Of The Skies.

Alex

[fommes 153]

Minority Report: Ok, I can't find any. You got me.

Where would you like me to start?

One of the best moments is definitely when Cruise has 'Agatha' over the shoulder, and they face opposite ways.

[Neimoidian 14]

Minority Report: Ok, I can't find any. You got me.

Where would you like me to start?

One of the best moments is definitely when Cruise has 'Agatha' over the shoulder, and they face opposite ways.

Yes!

I'd also bring up the scene in which Harold (I believe it was his name) learns that his wife cheats him (when we see his reflection in the mirror -a trick often present in Spielberg's movies, but this one has the biggest impact on me) or the one in which Anderton confronts Leo Crow...

From Jurassic Park I would first and foremost mention the scene in which we see the dinosaurs in full glory for the first time. I cannot imagine how it could not amaze.

[Lurker 5]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: When Roy and Gillian get out of the car and see Devils Tower, though that owes a lot to John Williams.

Neil

[publicist 4,643]

'JAWS': tons of 'em! (if i had to choose one it would be Brody's last stand, when the shark suddenly appears under the crow's nest, always gave me a chill)

'1941': when Belushi flies through the Main Street and all hell breaks loose; the Dance Sequence

'Raiders of the Lost Ark': The first 5 minutes.

'E. T.': obviously the Bycicle Chase

'Temple of Doom': the Underground Chaos Sequence, the The Thugee Ceremony

'Empire of the Sun': ditto Alex

'Schindler's List': when Schindler chooses his secretary, most of the Goeth Scenes

'Saving Private Ryan': ditto Alex

'Munich': the bomb under the bed

[Morlock 11]

Catch Me If You Can: The Miami Airport sequence. I also can't think of a more memorable use of a pop song by Spielberg.

Jaws: "Give Us a hug" "Why?" "Because I need it". Beautiful dialogue in a uniquely touching scene.

War of The Worlds: Man looks down at the fallen gun after the confrontation around Ray's car. I got goosebumps seeing that for the first time. Too bad Spielberg followed it up by showing us what happened next.

[A24 4,339]

most of the Goeth Scenes

True, like the scene where Amon Goeth practices in front of the mirror: "I forgive you".

[JoeinAR 1,949]

In Temple of Doom the scene in Indy's bedroom where you see the shadows fighting, absolutely brilliant cinematography, Slocombe and Spielberg in perfect sinc.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The basement scene in War Of The Worlds.

[Neimoidian 14]

The basement scene in War Of The Worlds.

That one never worked for me. Perhaps if they didn't show the aliens... I don't know...

While I don't like WotW, I could easily name some great scenes/shots: e.g. burning train shot, attack on the car (unlike Morlock, I don't mind that they showed what happened next, it made the scene stronger to me), confrontation with Ogilvy and Roy seeing the "red fields"...

[Quintus 5,399]

Jurassic Park: Ok, I can't find any. You got me.

Jurassic Park: The now clichéd rear view mirror impact vibration scene. Dennis stealing the embryos is a marvel of editing and atmosphere too, making the film a thriller in the truest sense.

The Lost World: The cracking glass sequence.

The baseball game on Neverland...

...

[A24 4,339]

The basement scene in War Of The Worlds.

That one never worked for me. Perhaps if they didn't show the aliens... I don't know...

Indeed, an odd choice.

The only scene that I somewhat like in this movie is quite early on when the dark clouds are gathering. The movie was still full of promise at that point.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

In Temple of Doom the scene in Indy's bedroom where you see the shadows fighting, absolutely brilliant cinematography, Slocombe and Spielberg in perfect sinc.

Shadows have been a visual motif in the Indy series since Raiders of the Lost Ark. I always enjoy seeing them used.

[crocodile 8,017]

The basement scene in War Of The Worlds.

That one never worked for me. Perhaps if they didn't show the aliens... I don't know...

Indeed, an odd choice.

The only scene that I somewhat like in this movie is quite early on when the dark clouds are gathering. The movie was still full of promise at that point.

I like the scene on the hill or, to be more specific, a buildup to it. When you see there is something going on the other side and all the explosions. I think that was very memorable. I also like the intersection scene, but that has more to do with effects (sonic and visual) than any tension.

Munich: The sex scene. I can't imagine how anyone could possibly think of it as a good idea. It amazes me to this day.

Karol - who still thinks Minority Report is many good and memorable scenes but not a very good whole.

[Neimoidian 14]

Munich: The sex scene. I can't imagine how anyone could possibly think of it as a good idea. It amazes me to this day.

Sex with her? That could never be a bad idea

[crocodile 8,017]

Not with wailing vocals playing at the time in your stereo.

Karol

[Neimoidian 14]

Not with wailing vocals playing at the time in your stereo.

Karol

I agree. Goldsmith's Pillow Talk would suit that much better...

[crocodile 8,017]

True, but then we would have a different kind of climax...

Karol

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Not necessarily amazing, but two visually evocative moments from War of the Worlds are the train on fire and later on, the clothing gently falling through the air. And regarding the "lack" of amazing moments from Jurassic Park, I think the kitchen scene is a pretty masterful example of suspense/horror.

[MSM 126]

Jurassic Park - The helicopter entering Isla Nublar Skies. And the scene in my sig.

[crocodile 8,017]

Not necessarily amazing, but two visually evocative moments from War of the Worlds are the train on fire and later on, the clothing gently falling through the air.

Yes, those too.

Karol

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

When E.T. revives the flowers.

[CJWilkie 0]

E.T.

The bicycle chase (as mentioned before).

Empire of the Sun

Again, as mentioned earlier, Cadillac of the Skies. That sent shivers down my spine.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

"I've found him" "Where?" "There" - totally captured the reckless adventurer that Indy is.

Jurassic Park

This being one of my favourite films ever, there are several moments to choose from. Seeing the dinosaurs for the first time; every moment with the Velociraptors; T-Rex + jeep + kids; and so on...

Saving Private Ryan

Both major battles were horrifying/amazing...and then there was the snipe-off after Vin Diesel got shot.

Schindler's List

Aaaah all of it. Fantastic.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Jurassic Park - The helicopter entering Isla Nublar Skies.

Can't believe it took that long for this to be mentioned

[Genius_Gone_Insane 5]

I remember seeing TLW's glass cracking sequence, thinking "Only effing Spielberg could put this on film!" Brilliant. And climbing back up the cliff with the crescendo is magical.

The Isla Nublar arrival is also effing perfect. That 10 minute sequence is superb, everything about it. It was not only a great movie moment, but also HISTORICALLY and SYMBOLICALLY as well. The fact that you reveal CGI -- the future of blockbuster filmmaking -- with a dinosaur of all things! That's so awesome. You could easily write an entire book on why the Isla Nublar arrival PWNS!!!!!

[Henry B 50]

hahahahahahahahahahaha

[Quintus 5,399]

I don't get it.

Or rather, I choose not to.

[Red 75]

Close Encounters: Barry's abduction and the entire ending.

[Hitch 57]

Amazing moments by Spielberg? The "End Credits" anyone?

[MSM 126]

I don't get it.

Or rather, I choose not to.

Henry is the new Stefan.

Munich: The sex scene. I can't imagine how anyone could possibly think of it as a good idea. It amazes me to this day.

Sex with her? That could never be a bad idea <_<

who is she?

[Neimoidian 14]

Munich: The sex scene. I can't imagine how anyone could possibly think of it as a good idea. It amazes me to this day.

Sex with her? That could never be a bad idea <_<

who is she?

Avner's wife. Elswhere known as Ayelet Zurer, Israeli actress.

[Henry B 50]

I don't get it.

Or rather, I choose not to.

Henry is the new Stefan.

... I'm mystified!

[John Crichton 4]

A couple I don't think were mentioned (and trying to go for less obvious ones):

War of the Worlds: When Cruise's character is trying to stop his son from joining the battle, with all those munitions going off around them in the night sky.

AI: Pretty much the whole ending, but especially the final shot.

[Henry B 50]

My favorite moment from A.I. is the arrival at a submerged New York City.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I don't get it.

Or rather, I choose not to.

Henry is the new Stefan.

What is wrong with the current one?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

[John Crichton 4]

My favorite moment from A.I. is the arrival at a submerged New York City.

That's really good too, as is the arrival at Rouge City. The more I watch AI the more I like and respect it.

[Goldsmithfan 6]

The Lost World: The cracking glass sequence.

When I first saw that movie at age ten, that scene was probably the most tense thing I'd ever seen on film. Such an underrated film in my opinion.

[Romão 2,274]

The moment he said "I want John Williams to score The Sugarland Express"

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

I love the movie, and that is one of my favorite scenes: it just rips my heart out.

It's a terrible thing they do to that woman, a straight-up cold-blooded murder . . . but I want them to do it; I feel like she earned it. And yet I feel a huge rush of pity for her during the scene. Like a lot of the film, that scene provokes some very complex emotions in me.

There are so many "favorite Spielberg moments" for me that I could literally write a book about them, but one of my favorites that I have rarely heard mentioned comes in The Sugarland Express during the scene in which Lou Jean and Clovis are in the mobile home, sharing one of their final moments alone together. They can see a Wile E. Coyote cartoon playing at the drive-in across the street, and Clovis amuses Lou Jean by providing his own sound effects for the explosions and shenanigans; and then, at some point, you see the reality of their situation dawn on Clovis's face, and he becomes sickened by the violence of the cartoon, which he sees (rightly) as an intimation of his own death. What a wonderful, chilling moment. I think The Sugarland Express is a woefully underrated film.

[Jeshopk 8]

One of Spielberg's most intense moments (yes I am calling it Spielberg's moment and not Tobe Hooper's)

[Nick Parker 3,040]

The moment he said "I want John Williams to score The Sugarland Express"

How history would have changed if Steven Spielberg asked someone else....

[A24 4,339]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

Ah, now there's an interesting one. Like Hitchock before him, Spielberg seems to be more and more interested in the act of killing a person. Not just 'killing a person' but the very act itself, with all its moral and practical complications. After the knife scene in Saving Private Ryan, which I already mentioned, this scene is a continuation, a further examination on the subject.

Alex

[Jeshopk 8]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

Ah, now there's an interesting one. Like Hitchock before him, Spielberg seems to be more and more interested in the act of killing a person. Not just 'killing a person' but the very act itself, with all its moral and practical complications. After the knife scene in Saving Private Ryan, which I already mentioned, this scene is a continuation, a further examination on the subject.

Alex

Showing her cat after the killing was really creepy and sad during that scene for some reason. It must be because the cat was deemed less an animal than she was.

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

Ah, now there's an interesting one. Like Hitchock before him, Spielberg seems to be more and more interested in the act of killing a person. Not just 'killing a person' but the very act itself, with all its moral and practical complications. After the knife scene in Saving Private Ryan, which I already mentioned, this scene is a continuation, a further examination on the subject.

Alex

Showing her cat after the killing was really creepy and sad during that scene for some reason. It must be because the cat was deemed less an animal than she was.

The movie doesn't show us the cat after the killing, at least not the way you seem to be saying. After they shoot her the first couple of times, she staggers out of the room and to the cat, whom she pets for a moment before going over to a chair and collapsing into it. There, she is shot a third time, and killed. We then cut to a scene of vegetables being cut up as the assassins prepare dinner; we get no further cutaway shots of the cat, which seems to be how you're remembering it.

The cat is a big part of the reason why the scene works so well for me. We think of cats as creatures that represent love and affection. Generally speaking, that is why humans keep pets: we use them as an outlet for our own tender feelings, and in their behavior toward us we see (some say we project onto them) affection being returned to us. We see pets as simple, innocent creatures. (By the way, that very simplicity and innocence is a part of what Avner spends the movie longing for, knowing he cannot have it until his work is done, and growing to believe as the movie progresses that his work will never be done.) So when we see this nearly-slain woman staggering toward her cat, with her only thought possibly being that she wants to touch her pet once more before she dies, we are -- probably subconsciously -- put in mind of the many, many times this woman had that cat on her lap, stroking it, talking to it, being soothed by its purrs. This is a woman who has done something terrible, who has killed a character we had come to know and like, and maybe we want to see her blood spilled in retribution; but she is also a woman who has loved, and has been loved, and even if we're only talking about a cat, we're also talking about a recognition of basic humanity, because this is a need that a lot of us share. I think this is a nice way of putting us in the shoes of that character; all of a sudden, maybe we don't want to see her killed. There's more going on in this scene than just that, but it's a good jumping-off point.

A great scene in a great movie.

[Jeshopk 8]

Killing the woman assassin in Munich.

Ah, now there's an interesting one. Like Hitchock before him, Spielberg seems to be more and more interested in the act of killing a person. Not just 'killing a person' but the very act itself, with all its moral and practical complications. After the knife scene in Saving Private Ryan, which I already mentioned, this scene is a continuation, a further examination on the subject.

Alex

Showing her cat after the killing was really creepy and sad during that scene for some reason. It must be because the cat was deemed less an animal than she was.

The movie doesn't show us the cat after the killing, at least not the way you seem to be saying. After they shoot her the first couple of times, she staggers out of the room and to the cat, whom she pets for a moment before going over to a chair and collapsing into it. There, she is shot a third time, and killed. We then cut to a scene of vegetables being cut up as the assassins prepare dinner; we get no further cutaway shots of the cat, which seems to be how you're remembering it.

The cat is a big part of the reason why the scene works so well for me. We think of cats as creatures that represent love and affection. Generally speaking, that is why humans keep pets: we use them as an outlet for our own tender feelings, and in their behavior toward us we see (some say we project onto them) affection being returned to us. We see pets as simple, innocent creatures. (By the way, that very simplicity and innocence is a part of what Avner spends the movie longing for, knowing he cannot have it until his work is done, and growing to believe as the movie progresses that his work will never be done.) So when we see this nearly-slain woman staggering toward her cat, with her only thought possibly being that she wants to touch her pet once more before she dies, we are -- probably subconsciously -- put in mind of the many, many times this woman had that cat on her lap, stroking it, talking to it, being soothed by its purrs. This is a woman who has done something terrible, who has killed a character we had come to know and like, and maybe we want to see her blood spilled in retribution; but she is also a woman who has loved, and has been loved, and even if we're only talking about a cat, we're also talking about a recognition of basic humanity, because this is a need that a lot of us share. I think this is a nice way of putting us in the shoes of that character; all of a sudden, maybe we don't want to see her killed. There's more going on in this scene than just that, but it's a good jumping-off point.

A great scene in a great movie.

I think you're right about why the cat was effective. I'd forgotten how the scene played out/when they showed the cat/how it was used, but I remembered some aspect of a cat making the scene more disturbing.

[publicist 4,643]

[

I think you're right about why the cat was effective. I'd forgotten how the scene played out/when they showed the cat/how it was used, but I remembered some aspect of a cat making the scene more disturbing.

Spielberg certainly remembered the similar scene in 'Oliver Twist' (a dog instead of a cat) and thought that what stood good 'ole David Lean in good stead couldn't do bad in his movie, either.

[Quintus 5,399]

I think people are getting a little carried away and missing the point. The killing of the female assassin in Munich is very interesting and effective, but it isn't Spielberg movie magic.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

What is, then?

In your humble opinion....

[A24 4,339]

I think people are getting a little carried away and missing the point. The killing of the female assassin in Munich is very interesting and effective, but it isn't Spielberg movie magic.

This thread isn't about movie magic. It's about amazing moments that are embedded into your brain.