Tag Archives: scene that I love

Scenes That I Love: “Greed is Good” from Wall Street

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 79th birthday to actor and producer Michael Douglas!

For today’s scene that I love, we have a scene from Oliver Stone’s 1987 film, Wall Street.  In this scene, Michael Douglas plays Gordon Gekko.  Gekko is supposed to be the film’s villain but he’s actually a lot more compelling and, at times, sympathetic than the film’s heroes.  He’s not a judgmental jerk like the union leader played by Martin Sheen.  Nor is he a snitch like his protegee, played by Charlie Sheen.  Instead, Gordon Gekko is honest about who he is.

This is the scene that won Michael Douglas an Oscar.  Watching him in this scene, it’s easy to see why Douglas’s performance supposedly inspired a lot of people to get a job working on Wall Street.  Douglas is so charismatic in this scene that he makes this movie, directed by a future supporter of Bernie Sanders, into one of the best advertisements for capitalism ever filmed.

Scene That I Love: Garrison Meets X in JFK

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is Oliver Stone’s birthday so, for all conspiracy-loving readers, here is a key scene from Stone’s 1991 film, JFK!  In this scene, Kevin Costner’s Jim Garrison meets the mysterious man known as X (played by Donald Sutherland).  X explains the conspiracy to Garrison.

This scene certainly convinced a lot of people.  Personally, I think Oswald acted alone but one cannot deny Stone’s talent as a filmmaker.

Scenes That I Love: The Alien Arrives in Robert Wise’s The Day The Earth Stood Still

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

On this date, 109 years ago, filmmaker Robert Wise was born in Winchester, Indiana.  He started his career as an editor (and was Oscar-nominated for his work on Citizen Kane) and then eventually branched out into directing.  From the mid-forties to the year 2000, Wise directed every genre of film.  He won two Oscars for Best Director, one for West Side Story and one for The Sound of Music.  He was also the first director to helm a Stark Trek film with 1979’s Stark Trek — The Motion Picture.

Today’s scene that I love comes from Wise’s 1951 masterpiece, The Day The Earth Stood Still.  In this scene, America watched as a UFO darts across the sky and eventually lands in Washington D.C.  Though it’s a simple scene, it deftly captures the wonder of the moment.

Scenes That I Love: The Puppet Scene From Deep Red

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is a special day here at the Shattered Lens as we celebrate the birthday of Dario Argento!

Now, we’ve got a lot of Argento-related stuff scheduled for October so, for today, I’m just going to share one of the best scenes from one of my favorite Argento films, 1975’s Deep Red.  This scene features what is seriously the creepiest puppet that I’ve ever seen.

Scenes That I Love: Aguirre Declares Himself To Be The Wrath of God

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In honor of Werner Herzog’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from one of his best films.  1972’s Aguirre, The Wrath of God not only established Herzog as a major filmmaker but it also showed that he was the director who could get the best out of the notoriously difficult Klaus Kinski.

In this scene, Kinski plays the mad conquistador, Aguirre.  Lost with his men in the Amazon, Aguirre establishes control over the dwindling expedition.

Scene That I Love: Greenwald Confronts Keefer in The Caine Mutiny

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s scene that I love comes from 1954’s The Caine Mutiny.

In this scene, directed by Edward Dmytryk, the Caine mutineers celebrate their acquittal when they’re confronted by their own defense attorney.  Having previously exposed Captain Queeg’s paranoia on the stand, Barney Greenwald (Jose Ferrer) has dealt with his guilty conscience by having a bit too much to drink.  He interrupts the celebration and calls out the man who he claims is the real “author of the Caine Mutiny,” the arrogant Keefer (Fred MacMurray).

This scene features Ferrer at his most vitriolic and MacMurray at his sleaziest.  Fred MacMurray was typically cast as a nice, All-American guy so it’s always interesting to see him cast as a bad guy in films like this one, The Apartment, and Double Indemnity.  MacMurray always tended to underplay his villains, playing them as self-centered cads who hid their true motives behind a façade of bland affability.  The Caine Mutiny features one of MacMurray’s best performances.

From The Caine Mutiny:

Rest in Peace, Bob Barker

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Bob Barker, a pop cultural institution if there ever was one, passed away today.  He was 99 years old.  And while he will probably be best-remembered for his long run as the host of The Price Is Right, he will also always be remembered for beating up Adam Sandler in my favorite golf film, Happy Gilmore.

Barker himself reportedly turned down the cameo when it was first offered to him but accepted it after he was assured that he would be winning the fight.

Scenes That I Love: Malone First Meets Ness In The Untouchable

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In honor of what would have been Sean Connery’s 93rd birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from the film for which Connery won an Oscar, 1987’s The Untouchables. 

In this scene, Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness first meets Sean Connery’s Jim Malone.