We all love a good movie. One that puts a smile on our faces, stimulates our brains, and even delivers a little daily inspiration. But when watching films, nothing is sweeter than the added bonus of an unexpected (yet very welcome) song and dance number, despite the fact that the film in question isn't really of the musical-genre variety. The following are the best examples of cinematic and musical spontaneity (please note that some of the videos in the links aren't of the best quality, but since they were the best I could find, any complaints from you will be automatically thrown in my "I Don't Care'" file).
20. "Anything Goes"- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
After the jaw-droppingly iconic opener from 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, it'd be tough for Steven Spielberg to top when he came around to doing the India-bound prequel, The Temple of Doom. Of course, even though he couldn't come close to the sheer excitement of the intrepid archaeologist's escape from booby traps and a giant boulder, he did manage to create a brilliantly-choreographed, Bubsy Berkeley-inspired opening credits scene featuring nightclub singer Willie Scott (Spielberg's future wife Kate Capshaw) singing, in Chinese, the 1930's hit "Anything Goes" in a crime lord's club (named "Club Obi-Wan", in fact).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L5UY3oVJBY
19. "Ninja Rap"- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
I don't care what you say. This was making the list, by hell or high water. The very scene may well have permanently impacted the lives of millions of kids (mine included) from the early '90s, quite possibly for the better. Just click the link and inhale the Vanilla.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEUaE2pUR_U
18. "All You Need is Love"- Love Actually
There's nothing like a little Beatles to brighten up an already beautiful day, and for new newlyweds Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet (Keira Knightley), having just kissed at the altar, the lovebirds are pleasantly surprised by an impromptu rendition of the Fab Four's classic by the church choir, orchestra, and several instrumentalists popping out of the congregation.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8616065499336167042&ei=psKaS_z8OoSwqQK8t7DmDA&q=love+actually+all+you+need+is+love&hl=en&client=safari#
17. "You Never Can Tell"- Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-winning indie classic probably had no more iconic moment than the '50s-style dance contest featuring wild child mob wife Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) and her hitman date Vincent Vega (John Travolta), set at the fictional 1950's-esque restaurant Jack Rabbit Slim's. Partnering up for a twist dance-off to Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell", the two heat up the dance floor with their decidedly retro (yet still very cool) dance moves, including the infamous "Batusi" made popular on the old 1960's "Batman" television series.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik-RsDGPI5Y
16. "Stuck in the Middle with You"- Reservoir Dogs
In Quentin Tarantino's debut film, we see the aftermath of a jewel heist gone wrong, and while most of the thugs are around the city, trying to figure out what the hell happened, a kidnapped cop (Kirk Baltz) is left alone with psychopathic hitman Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen). What follows is a highly disturbing and shocking landmark scene in the gangster genre, set to the hip sounds of Stealer's Wheel's one-hit wonder "Stuck in the Middle with You".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTqecGbdCc (WARNING: Graphic video)
15. "Waltz of the Flowers"- Caddyshack
Even though the Bushwood Country Club only allots fifteen minutes for the unkempt, raucous caddies to inhabit the swimming pool, that's more than enough time for them to cause complete mayhem. Beginning one of the funniest sequences in movie history is this random, utterly ridiculous synchronized-swimming ballet set to "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEJICxdi6nE
14. "Dueling Banjos"- Deliverance
What seemed like a simple men's-weekend-out in Appalachia turned into something very, very different, and setting the creepy, ominous tone for John Boorman's highly disturbing Deliverance was the terrific bluegrass banjo battle between city slicker Drew (Ronny Cox) and local inbred teenager Lonnie (Billy Redden).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8
13. "Stayin' Alive"- Saturday Night Fever
All it took were a low-angle camera tracking shot, leather shoes, a cocky swagger, and the Bee Gees to instantly turn John Travolta into a true household name, cementing his status in Hollywood... with just the opening credits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpCx87orOA&feature=related
12. "Tequila"- Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
At the mercy of dozens of surly bikers in a middle-of-nowhere dive bar, manchild Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) attempts to curry their favor by dancing (rather awkwardly yet assertively) in lift shoes to The Champs' "Tequila" in Tim Burton's surreal classic Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure. It's now highly difficult to listen to the song without imagining a skinny little man in a gray suit dancing in front of a bunch of rowdy biker dudes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BodXwAYeTfM
11. "Johnny B. Goode"- Back to the Future
Having been thrown back in time to 1955, '80s-based time traveler Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) has just successfully saved his parent's future marriage at their high school's prom night. Having replaced the house band's injured guitarist, Marty begins playing Chuck Berry's (future) classic "Johnny B. Goode" to the delight of the teenagers, but gets a little too carried away by breaking out wildly anachronistic heavy-metal guitar riffs and sliding across the stage on his knees, much to the mass confusion of the young baby boomer audience.
http://www.tu.tv/videos/michael-j-fox-johnny-b-goode-_1
10. "The Inquisition"- History of the World: Part One
Seeing as how comedy legend Mel Brooks helped craft my sense of humor, it was only natural that one of his movies (two, actually) popped up on this list, the first being the lavish and gloriously un-P.C. Broadway-style number from his time-hopping farce History of the World: Part One. Now most Catholics would agree that the Spanish Inquisition was NOT one of the proudest moments in their history, but only Mr. Brooks could mine comedy gold from such circumstances, where Grand Inquisitor Torquemada (Brooks) prepares to either convert or torture captive Jews, but in the sunny, toe-tapping spirit of Bubsy Berkeley and Esther Williams. Grand anarchy at its best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5McSEU48Y8
9. "Jai Ho"- Slumdog Millionaire
He won the millions, and he found his girl. Now how does Indian street urchin Jamal (Dev Patel) celebrate? Why, a Bollywood-style dance number, of course! Finishing off Danny Boyle's grand, Oscar-winning rags-to-riches drama is the spectacular Bollywood-inspired dance by the film's lead actors and dozens of extras, set to A.R. Rahman's "Jai Ho".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki2GtVDOw8o
8. "Tiny Dancer"- Almost Famous
In Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama Almost Famous, we witness early-'70s teen William Miller (Patrick Fugit) touring with fictitious rock band Stillwater as part of a freelance journalism piece on the band. While coasting down the highway with the band and various groupies in the tour bus, the silence is broken by the group spontaneously singing along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer". A sweet, memorable moment from a terrific movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qn3tel9FWU
7. "Puttin' on the Ritz"- Young Frankenstein
Third-generation scientist Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "FRAHNK-en-SCHTEEN") has recently followed his famous grandfather's footsteps by creating a cobbled-together Monster. But in an attempt to allay the townspeople's fears, Frederick (Gene Wilder) sets out to prove how much of a "man about town" his Creature is, by setting up a top hat and cane act to Irving Berlin's "Puttin' on the Ritz". A classic scene from a classic Mel Brooks film, made all the funnier by the Creature's (Peter Boyle) slurred, screeching attempts at singing ("Pudditondarizzzzzzz!!!").
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ-aRwEbp5I
6. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life"- Monty Python's Life of Brian
After being crucified by mistake and having been abandoned by his craggy mother (Terry Jones) and his revolutionary friends, biblical-era Brian (Graham Chapman) is clearly depressed at the prospect at dying slowly on the cross. But fellow crucificee Mr. Cheeky (Eric Idle) cheerfully informs him there's always reason to look on the bright side of life, prompting a highly optimistic and upbeat musical number amongst countless other crucifixion victims, in this epilogue to Monty Python's extremely irreverent religious satire Life of Brian. The pull-away shot of a group of doomed crucified people singing their hearts out and whistling makes it all the more ridiculously funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
5. "Old Time Rock and Roll"- Risky Business
Left at home while his parents are away, Joel (a very young Tom Cruise) is given newfound freedom, breaking into his folks' liquor cabinets, turning on the stereo at full blast, and dancing across his living room wearing only a pink dress shirt and underwear to Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll". A scene that has been endlessly parodied and referenced in the intervening years, and quite possibly the scene that put Cruise on the map.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilaUVGjMkJo
4. "You Make My Dreams"- (500) Days of Summer
In the brilliant, postmodern "anti-romance" (500) Days of Summer, we witness greeting card writer Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) attempt to win the heart of the adorable and iconoclastic Summer (Zooey Deschanel). One night, the two finally consummate their relationship, after which the the following morning, a triumphant Tom dances down Los Angeles, with seemingly the entire city celebrating with him, to Hall and Oates' "You Make My Dreams". A terrific and sublime moment, it perfectly encapsulates Tom's joyous state of mind, capped by his seeing Han Solo in lieu of his own reflection. Now who WOULDN'T want to feel like Han Solo?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tJoIaXZ0rw
3. "Shout"- National Lampoon's Animal House
I dare you to find five people who can't associate The Isley Brothers' "Shout" with the greatest gross-out college comedy of all time. I dare you. This scene not only repopularized college toga parties, but even sparked the real-life career of Otis Day and the Knights, whose then-fictional band was created specifically for the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RrAadYcbrE
2. "Twist and Shout"- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Playing hooky from high school and bring along his girlfriend (Mia Sara) and best friend (Alan Ruck), there seems to be no thing that cool high school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) can't sweet-talk or charm his way into. That includes sneaking onto a float during Chicago's Von Steuben Day parade, and lip-synching to Wayne Newton's "Danke Schoen" (much to the impressed bewilderment of his friends), after which he sends the Windy City into a frenzy with The Beatles' "Twist and Shout". Though the late, great John Hughes has made many great, immortal movies, no scene could sum up the spirit of his films better than this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUrOMB-iBLk&feature=related
1. "Bohemian Rhapsody"- Wayne's World
Finally, this list could NEVER be complete without the inclusion of the opening credits sequence of the legendary Queen's magnum opus "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the now-classic Mike Myers comedy Wayne's World, where public access hosts and party boys Wayne (Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) cruise down Aurora, IL with their three rocker buddies in Wayne's car, banging their head's to a cassette tape recording of "Rhapsody". Sheer bliss ensues, largely owing to the fact that "Rhapsody" is without a doubt the greatest song EVER, and Wayne's World merely cemented the song's immortality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9umpJj3D4d8
And just for shits and giggles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLqsdPUfnno. Just TRY not to laugh your ass off in sheer embarrassment and pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment