Movie Moments

I saw this idea first on Katie's blog, then Dianna's. It's time I followed suit. I will go through all the DVDs on my shelf (in order), sharing with you my favorite moment or scene of each one to give you a taste of superior film quality, my own idiosyncrasies and my abnormal organizational system. You would think that, as a library student, I would keep my own shelves in alphabetical or in LC (Library of Congress) order, but I don't. My system only makes sense to me. This may be broken into several posts--it depends on how long things are getting. Here goes!

Star Wars: A New Hope

How do you dissect a classic? I first saw this one in the theater when it was re-released. I was in grade school at the time and pretty much latched on to the whole thing. The scenes in Mos Eisley are probably the best--so many different types of aliens doing very normal things. And our first meeting with Han in the cantina--priceless. Plus, now every time I watch it I hear Weird Al's "Star Wars Cantina" in my head (to the tune of "Car Wash").

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

The best sequence of events is that the hyperdrive never works, and both Han and Lando freak out about it. Even though its failure is a much bigger deal in regard to their immediate survival, both of them immediately worry more about their reputation than their lives, trying not to be blamed for the failure--"they told me they fixed it!"

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Any scene with Ewoks. I love the little furry guys! This one I had actually seen at least part of before the movies were re-released in the theater because we had taped it when it was on television, and we used to have a plastic plate with Ewoks on it. I wonder if this had anything to do with my current obsession with bears?

LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring

Again, classic. All the best humor comes any time Pippin opens his mouth. My favorite moment is probably from the extended edition (my copy has both theatrical and extended). After Frodo has been stabbed by the Nazgul, they are briefly camped under the stone trolls from The Hobbit. In the extended edition Sam actually gets to say something about it and try to distract Frodo from the pain by talking about the trolls "from Mr. Bilbo's story." It gives the movie a sense of more immediate history as well as the larger history that is present throughout. It's not just the heroes of ages past who did great things, but more immediate persons, like Bilbo who can be examples of courage for our new heroes to look to.

LOTR: The Two Towers

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

The irony of Sam's first statement is that they actually shouldn't be where they are when he is speaking--they never set foot in Osgiliath in the book. But the sentiment is still Tolkien's original, and I concur completely!

LOTR: The Return of the King

Other than the final happy ending? I love the way they animated the green ghostly figures of the dead from the mountain pass. My favorite single moment in the whole movie is watching the crowd of them swarm over an oliphaunt and bring it down. It's in the background, and we're really supposed to be watching Aragorn right then, but my eyes are on the ghosts. They strike me as being undead Smurfs, mostly because of the size difference between them and the animal they take down. Now there's an image for you!

Firefly (TV series)

Since this is a boxed set of the whole series, I'll modify the rules and pick a favorite episode. Not that such a change really makes things that much easier. Every episode is brilliant and witty, but the one I keep coming back to is "Shindig." It's early in the series, so we're still sort of feeling out who the characters are. Mal gets to defend Inara's honor in a duel, Kaylee gets to wear a frilly pink dress and Jayne gets to surprise us by correctly using the word "pretentious." Also, Badger is in this episode. Of all the minor characters, few of which get repeat appearances, he is by far my favorite--it's a shame he only ever got to be in two episodes. But the best part of this episode? The fact that what they end up smuggling is a herd of cattle. Ah, cowboys in space...

Serenity

Not quite as good as the series, because they made it feel more "spacey" to attract a broader theater audience, which messed up the rustic, homey feel of the series. The best part is the addition of the Mr. Universe character, played by David Krumholz (Charlie from Numb3rs). He's such a wacky character. Of course, it's hard for me to see that actor without thinking of The Santa Clause, so I always expect him to walk like he's got a permanent wedgie, like Bernard the elf did.

Stargate

I picked this movie up for cheap once because I had heard good things about the series. One of the best moments is that when Daniel finally realizes that he does know the language of the people and that we have always been just prnouncing ancient Egyptian incorrectly, he is far too busy exploring the linguistic possibilities to think of telling the soldiers that he may now be able to find then a way home. Oh, academics, still needing to be reminded of the priority of survial, even on alien worlds.

Edward Scissorhands

Tim Burton has an incredible skill for making the errie benign and the normal downright creepy. His plasic suburbia is by far mor disturbing than the abandoned castle on the hill. The whole thing is tragic, but I'll choose an entertaining moment for this post. The way the ladies of the neighborhood set up their street corner gossip circle and pounce on Edward as soon as he appears is hilarious--they really do have nothing better to do than keep track of everyone else's business.