Saturday, March 5, 2016

Top 10 Great Scenes in Bad Movies

Truly great scenes in otherwise bad movies are difficult to find. Much harder than the inverse (a list of which I’ll be posting shortly). If a movie is bad, it’s typically just bad. But below, I’ve come up with a few examples of when bad films showed great promise, if ever so fleetingly. Please note that I’m not using this list to focus solely on performances (i.e., great performances in bad movies), but rather entire sequences. Remember to share your favorite scenes from bad movies as well!

Honorable Mention
School Daze (1988)
“Wake up!”
To be clear, Spike’s Lee second film, School Daze, is not a bad movie. It simply has the misfortune of being stuck between one of the finest debut films by an American filmmaker (She’s Gotta Have It) and one of the finest films ever made (Do the Right Thing). Point being, School Daze doesn’t come close to measuring up to Lee’s best work. That is, however, until the film’s final sequence (and, more specifically, it’s final line). I’ve discussed School Daze’s “Wake up!” conclusion on this site before (like in my favorite fourth wall breaks list), but it deserves repeat discussion. In three short minutes, Lee courageously encapsulates the intention of his film, and demands that we wake the fuck up about race in America. 

10. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Shark Out of Water
It’s the Scream method of surprise: establish your main character (who is played by your film’s only notable star), and kill them off when no one suspects it. If you saw Deep Blue Sea in the theater, you’ll never forget how shocked everyone was when this happened, and how hard everyone laughed after.

9. Alexander (2004)
The Battle of the Hydaspes
Oliver’s Stone’s Alexander is such a slog, but its recreation of The Battle of the Hydaspes is masterful. It’s the sequence that lets brilliant cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, flex his skills, which is mainly why the scene is such a success. The slow motion, the grainy film stock, the fish-eye lenses, the desaturated color (soon replaced with overblown, high contrast reds). It’s the only part of Alexander worth remembering.

8. Escape from L.A. (1996)
Basketball Death Challenge
Escape from L.A.’s most iconic scene has Kurt Russell and Peter Fonda riding what is perhaps the most cheaply rendered digital wave in the history of film. But the film’s best scene is the basketball showdown. Russell’s Snake Plissken has to make 10 points on a full sized court. Problem is, he has 10 seconds between shots, and each shot has to be made on the opposite basket as the one before. It’s an amusing sequence that has fun playing with double tension (if Plissken misses a shot, he dies… but he’s also on the government’s clock for another main objective). And apparently, Russell made all the shots himself.

7. Mission to Mars (2000)
Meteor Shower

Roger Ebert said it best. In his dissenting review of Brian De Palma’s Mission to Mars, Ebert quoted Howard Hawks’ definition of what makes a good movie: “Three great scenes. No bad scenes.” Mission to Mars nearly gets there with the first part, including a mesmerizing set piece in which a spaceship runs into a few small meteors, the result of which is slowly, horrifying fatal. It is arguably the last truly great Brian De Palma sequence De Palma has put on screen.

6. Watchmen (2009)
The Times They Are A-Changin
Watchmen is two hours and 42 minutes long, and its ingenious opening credit sequence, in which history is rewritten thanks to decades of help from the titular superheroes, is the only part worth mentioning.

5. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
Duel of the Fates
In terms of staging, composition, and tension (not to mention that music), this is still my favorite fight in the Star Wars saga.

4. Zach and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Guilty as Charged
Justin Long’s brief turn in Zach and Miri Make a Porno is one of the best scene stealing cameos of recent memory. The movie as a whole is a wash, but there is no end to my enjoyment of Long’s performance as a Los Angeles gay porn actor (with the best voice of all time), crashing his boyfriend’s high school reunion. Simply perfection.

3. Hereafter (2009)
The Tsunami; Bryce’s Breakdown
Clint Eastwood’s noble but overly sentimental Hereafter actually contains two great sequences. First, the tsunami set piece that opens the film is truly horrifying. It really puts us in the perspective of What in the ever loving fuck would I do if that thing was coming toward me. Watching that clip again, I immediately break into an anxious, hot sweat.
The second, more poignant great scene in the film is Melanie’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) reaction to having a psychic (Matt Damon) contact the spirit of her dead father. That poor girl.

2. The Village (2004)
“Don’t Let Them In”
The moment Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) grabbed Ivy’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) outstretched hand and quickly moved her inside, The Village had me. James Newton Howard’s score cues up beautifully (his Oscar nomination was well earned), and Roger Deakins’ slow motion cinematography is so fitting. The film does ultimately let us down (like when it all but repeats this scene later), but for a moment, M. Night Shyamalan was delivering on his promise as a filmmaker. If only for a moment.

1. Hi Mom! (1970)
“Be Black, Baby”
Brian De Palma’s Hi Mom! isn’t much of a film. For most of its running time, I struggled to follow it, mostly because there was nothing in the film worthy of holding my attention. But the film’s extended “Be Black, Baby” sequence is one of the best, most audacious sequences I’ve ever seen on film. I wrote about this scene at great length in my Directors post on De Palma, but essentially, in just 17 short minutes, De Palma manages to examine, critique, and cry afoul to the way race is viewed and handled in America. The film was made in 1970, but it still hits just as hard today. I’ve just rewatched the embedded sequence above and thankfully, its effect is not diminished if you watch it out of the context of the entire film. However, if you do watch all of Hi Mom!, you’ll know that “Be Black, Baby” comes out of nowhere, and astonishes us with its veracity.

You May Also Like

45 comments:

  1. I haven't seen any of the movies on this list, except for the Star Wars one. Serendipitously, I was just commenting to another blogger that even though he thought Hereafter wasn't a very good movie, I thought the tsunami sequence looked cool. I'll probably watch that and skip the rest of the movie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'd like other aspects of Hereafter, I think. That other scene I mentioned is really poignant. But the movie is just too maudlin as a whole.

      Delete
  2. Hey, i like Watchmen... But anyway, still a very fun list to read and a great idea. I will never forget the first time i saw that Sam Jackson death scene from Deep Blue Sea. I was sure he was gonna come back at some point during the movie with a badass scar or something and save everyone, but it never happened. It's an absolutely terrible movie, but that scene is unforgettable.

    As for me, i would probably have to go with the climax from Double Team. It's one of Van Damme's worst movies, but that ending is fantastic. It's Jean-Claude Van Damme fighting a shirtless Mickey Rourke and a tiger at the actual Colosseum in Rome, surrounded by land mines, while Dennis Rodman is driving around them on a dirt bike trying to save a baby. And at the end when the place blows up, Van Damme, Rodman and the baby is saved from the explosion by hiding behind a Coke machine. It's a scene you have to see to believe. Absolute insanity at it's best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I mean, obviously "bad" is totally subjective, but anyway haha. I LOVE that scene from Double Team. Great call. Fucking priceless. Also love that dig that scene from Deep Blue Sea.

      Delete
    2. If I may butt in, that comment about Double Team remind me of this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unqEM2z0wYU

      Delete
  3. I ain't gonna lie, brother. I love The Village. I didn't see it until much later, after I knew what the big payoff was. It honestly doesn't bother me that much, mostly due to the mastery of tone Shyamalan pulls off nearly the entire runtime. The scene you highlight is one of the several great cinematic moments in that film. The cinematography and score obviously are perfect.

    That Watchmen sequence is cool. Probably the best part of that movie for sure. I did like that one to a point, but it sure went on for way too damn long.

    I totally forgot about that cameo in Zach and Miri. So great. Good stuff, man!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Village isn't that bad, but its final act is such a wash for me. When I saw it in the theater, I called that "twist" so early in the movie, that I couldn't have cared less in the moments leading up to the end. Still, it isn't a terrible film or anything. That Zach and Miri scene rocks doesn't it?!

      Delete
  4. With the exception of Hi, Mom! and School Daze as I haven't seen either of them. I can definitely agree with the rest. Especially Watchmen which hasn't gotten any better in its repeated viewings as I right now have a bounty for Zack Snyder's nuts for cutting my woman out of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice and instead having her for a R-rated release.

    BTW, I read your tweets as I know how excited you are about the new M83. I'm sorry but I don't like the new song. It sounds like bad Supertramp.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha shit, that's hilarious.

      I'll admit, it took me a few listens to warm to "Do It, Try It" but I think I know what he's going for with this album. I think it's going to be very unconventional (like his first album), and not very epic (which is one of the reasons I love his music so much). Still, I'm counting the days until it is released and I see them live!

      Delete
  5. I love the use of Bob Dylan's song in the opening credit sequence of Watchmen, you're right it's a great scene.

    I once did a similar blogpost in which I included a fun scene from The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzH8VXlXxNE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha good call on that KFM scene. I'd love to read your post if you want to link it here!

      Delete
    2. @Alex Withrow: Annie Hall and Eternal Sunshine are controversial choices and today I disagree with myself(!) on those inclusions. Cool we both have the Watchmen intro. You’re welcome to give it a look:
      http://moviesandsongs365.blogspot.com/2010/11/you-loved-scene-but-the-rest-of-movie.html

      Delete
    3. Good stuff! Bummed to see Blue Valentine there though! One of my faves.

      Delete
  6. Pretty much every second of the Basket Case trilogy is worth seeing.
    I mean they're the worst films ever made but just... wow.

    Glad to see Watchmen here. I also liked the 'Unforgettable' scene shortly afterwards but the rest of that film was just good-looking garbage. Have you read the comic?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haven't seen the Basket Case flicks, but that's awesome that they're so bad they're good. And nope, didn't read the Watchmen comic. Not much for them books.

      Delete
  7. Great list! I haven't seen a lot of these films, but I totally agree with you on the scenes from Alexander and The Phantom Menace. One of the few things I remember about Watchmen is the opening credits scene, but I think I enjoyed it. And while I agree that the scenes you mentioned for Hereafter and The Village are their highlights, I adore both of those films so much. They're both messy and could have been written a bit better, but I just can't get enough of them. Maybe it's because of Bryce Dallas Howard haha.

    One other great scene from a bad movie that I thought of after reading this was the final scene of Aloha. After suffering through it, I did NOT expect to be so moved by that ending.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Admittedly, "bad" is a strong word to apply to The Village, and I do like Hereafter more than most. But I'm glad you like them so much!

      Aloha... wow. I haven't thought about that movie once since I saw it!

      Delete
  8. I like your picks here, didn't see Hi Mom though.

    A scene that comes to mind is the opening scene in Ghost Ship. Starting all "loveboat" like and turning real bad, real quick. I really liked that! Unfortunenately after that the movie derails into cliche-city.

    Another scene I recall is the golf scene from Will Smith in I am legend, absolutely loved that scene. After that it turns into an average zombie movie.

    Can't think of more by heart at the moment, although the shower scene from Porky's was pretty memorable I guess ;-) (not sure if that classifies a good)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ohhh that Ghost Ship opening is a great call. SLICE! Damn, I forgot all about that one. There are parts of I Am Legend that I enjoyed, including the one you mentioned. That film's alternate ending is so much better than the one they ultimately went with.

      Delete
  9. I definitely agree with Star Wars and Deep Blue Sea. I didn't hate The Watchmen, It had some terrible parts, but overall I liked it. The opening is amazing though.

    Watching that tsunami scene in Hereafter, which I never saw, all I can think of is how I liked The Impossible's better. I'm terrible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, I get what you mean. I think the makers of The Impossible were probably like, "Okay, let's make ours better than Hereafter." So I agree that the tsunami in The Impossible is more effective. Fuckin' brutal.

      Delete
  10. Oh I do love The Village and especially Zack and Miri! The latter had me in tears and that is such a hysterical scene and Long is just outstanding - he steals the entire movie with those 5 minutes and with how nonchalant he is but when he starts talking about mountain of gayness I just couldn't stop laughing. I freaking hate Watchmen but that is great opening. Still comparing to sucker Punch the film is almost good

    And Bryce's scene almost made Hereafter worth seeing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you appreciate that Bryce scene in Hereafter. That thing was so gutting. And Justin Long... so, so good in Zach and Miri. I mean, that voice!

      Delete
  11. I love Zack and Miri a lot, but that is definitely the best scene in the movie. The funny thing to me about that scene in Phantom Menace, is that it doesn't really work in the context of the film. It makes no sense as to what's going on, and doesn't really advance the plot all that much, except when afterwards you find a way to make sense as to what the hell happened in that movie.

    You know why that Watchmen scene works? It's because Zack Snyder is GREAT at shooting music videos, but anything longer than that and he loses complete control of any vision.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Such a good point about Watchmen. I can handle Snyder's stuff 5 minutes at a time. Anything more than that is a bust for me.

      Delete
    2. Watchmen might be an example of the medium being the message. Watchmen the graphic novel is a masterpiece. Watchmen the movie is just a mediocre movie. What Snyder failed to understand is, Watchmen is a masterpiece not because of its story, but because how its story was told. When you move it to a different medium, it becomes something else entirely, and all your left with is a rather long and convoluted murder mystery.

      Delete
    3. Interesting. Thanks for the info, I've always heard great things about the graphic novel.

      Delete
  12. That scene from Watchmen was pretty epic. That's all I've seen on this list though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, understandable. There are some clunkers up there.

      Delete
  13. I'd argue School Daze is a better film than She's Gotta Have It, just doesn't have the sheen of being Lee's debut. Either way, that's a great scene.

    I've seen 7 of your top 10 and you made some great choices. That scene from The Watchmen is moat disappointing because it opens the movie, building up all this hope and anticipation only to give us nothing.

    I would count the pod racing sequence as another great scene in the otherwise bad The Phantom Menace.

    One of my favorite great scenes in a bad movie is the Superman v. Clark Kent scene from Superman III.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The ending to School Daze is the kind of ending that makes me reevaluate the entire movie. I honestly didn't like the movie at all the first time I watched it, then that ending happened, and I "got it."

      Good call on the Superman III scene!

      Delete
  14. What an awesome idea for a list, Alex!! OMG, that Shark Out of Water scene, aka the epic demise of SLJ is such a shock yet absolutely hilarious! Duel of the Fates is definitely one of the few great things about Phantom Menace, ahah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ruth!! SLJ death by shark is so good, right? That thing will always crack me up.

      Delete
  15. Love the shark scene in Deep Blue Sea. I'd probably have that #1. I've seen several others and agree. A couple I've seen the movie, but don't specifically remember the scene. The only one I'll disagree on is the opening scene in Watchmen being the only good thing about it. It is a great scene, but I strongly disagree on the movie being bad. Strongly. It's only problem is people who hadn't read the book thought it was going to be a standard PG-13 superhero movie based on the trailer and it turned out to be a very dark noir with vigilantes that showed when it comes to "dark" Batman is a purring little kitten.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is always common ground to be found on that Deep Blue Sea scene.

      Delete
  16. Great idea(s) for a list. I always go to the first 40 mins or so of Michael Bay's 'The Island' because in that time it almost felt like he was a different kind of filmmaker altogether. Interested in mystery, suspense and intrigue rather than spectacle and explosions. Then the second half happens and it's unmistakeable who's directing. A shame, great build-up for unhinged violence and dumb plot turns.
    Also I'll say the same withAri Folman's 'The Congress', that first half is spectacular especially in the scanning scene. I was ready to call it one of the best films that year, Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel knocking it out of the park with an thought provoking premise of the future of filmmaking. and then... well honestly I still don't know just what the hell happened in the second half, a cartoon mindfuck I was just waiting for the ending to salvage that first half in my mind.
    Recently I was barely able to make it through the first half of Trainwreck, but then that scene happens when she has to bare her soul truthfully in that particular speech. It comes completely out of nowhere and it never again reaches those emotional heights, it still astonishing. Schumer has some chops but she needed a different kind of movie.
    In August Osage County, I don't really want to think about that one ever, but Chris Cooper standing up to Streep is the one bright spot to take away from that piece of crap.
    Finally, I wouldn't say it's an outright terrible or awful movie, but in Deep Impact the Messiah Crew goodbyes get me every. damn. time. Is it schmaltzy and manipulative (it's a schmaltzy cheesy movie after all) yes, does it work, yes, for what ever reason. Duvall, McCormack and Eldard all absolutely sell it, to me at least.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Could not agree more about The Island. There was real promise in that first act.

      I liked Trainwreck a bit more than you, but I agree that speech was particularly great. Also agree on those scenes from AOS and Deep Impact. Still haven't seen The Congress!

      Delete
  17. ...

    Watchmen's one of my favorite movies...

    ...

    I also like The Village. I'd say it's Shyamalan's last good movie. Lady in the Water was mediocre, although it had promise. The Happening is entertaining as hell for all the wrong reasons (Whaaat? Noooo!) And then his career completely went to crap. (Whaaat? Noooo!)

    Strangely, for this particular topic I can think of a lot of films I hate, but everyone else seems to love.

    The Tree of Life: The Creation scene. The only scene that shows any focus, and my, oh my, is it awe-inspiring.

    The Wolf of Wall Street: Matthew McConaughey, being awesome.

    The Avengers: “Puny god.” Although I almost missed that line because I was already so checked out of the film, and was even making that joke to my friend just before it happened. So, this is a sort-of mention.

    Okay, here’s one that everyone else hates: Tusk. The first half of the movie is amazing. One of the best horror films in years, one of the best Kevin Smith movies ever, nearly reaching masterful levels of cinematography, tension, acting, and character building, and then goddamn Guy LaPointe or whatever his name was comes in and completely ruins the whole thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do like that Smith took a different direction with Tusk, but that movie lost me in its first few minutes. That clip of the kid cutting off his own leg is one of the worst rendered computer graphics shots I have ever seen. I was floored that it wasn't a joke. I mean... I just don't get how you can include that in a $3 million movie!

      Delete
    2. Yeah, I see what you mean about that CGI. I, too, was shocked by how bad it was. The important thing it lost us both at some point. (Did I mention Michael Parks in a walrus suit? *facepalm*)

      Seeing as how Tusk is first in a trilogy, have you seen the trailer for Yoga Hosers? Ugh. I'm all for weird, I very much prefer it, in fact, but this just looks stupid.

      Speaking of Kevin Smith, I've noticed you occasionally refer to him as a two-hit wonder, and I'm curious what the second film is? I mean, Clerks, definitely, but if I had to guess... is it Chasing Amy for you? I like Dogma myself, and, to be honest, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is good for a laugh. A really, really stupid laugh.

      Delete
    3. Admittedly, "two-bit wonder" is harsh. I think I said things like that years ago. Not my style to say shit like that anymore. I was indeed referring to Clerks and Chasing Amy. I think he peaked with Chasing Amy, but I still think Dogma is hilarious, and I like the meta parts of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Also really enjoyed Red State. Though, yeah, Yoga Hosers doesn't look like it's for me.

      Delete
    4. Hey, we're human, man. We're all growing.

      Delete
  18. I can't believe you don't love Watchmen. I really thought we had the same taste!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, it's okay to not like all the same movies. Discourse can be a positive thing.

      Delete