Cool Shots and Brief Sequences

[Qrazy]

Sometimes I try to think of interesting camera tricks but instead every film I've ever seen just forms an enormous cinematic mud puddle in my mind. So I thought perhaps I'd create a thread which we could devote to unique and creative shots.

Those elaborately choreographed long tracking shots pretty much go without saying, so I'm not searching for those really (although feel free to mention them I suppose), extreme visual creativity is what we're looking for. Of course sometimes this creativity, or the impact of a single shot is inextricably tied to the previous shot or two, so sequences are fair game... just not lengthy montages (Odessa steps type thing). Also unique compositions are OK but the focus here should really be on the complete shot itself rather than on single frames.

[B-side]

Sequence shot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBZsj8FPSbo) in Tarkovsky's Mirror

[B-side]

Special mention should go to 3 specific shots in Le Plaisir. First, the extended take examining the outside of the "pleasure house" in the middle segment. Second, the shot that sees the male protagonist of the third segment walk up the stairs to chase a woman, then the camera pans across to catch the two of them holding hands coming down the opposing staircase. Third...

... the shot of the woman in the third segment crashing to her death.

[Wryan]

The Thin Red Line...lots of stuff, but that one extended take where soldiers slowly--reeeeally slowly--move out of the green foliage and into frame along that creek.

[Dukefrukem]

Awesome idea for a thread.

What comes to mind;

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzB-mop6AA)

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuEd2GDvOKM)

This (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE7WijeShQM)

Does anyone know the truth behind this scene? How this ridiculously simple special effects shot, won't even cause you to think twice about it until you know HOW it was made? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t_wrtyxFp8)

[balmakboor]

From Jeanne Dielman (spoilered for obvious reasons):

How the entire climactic scene where Jeanne kills the John is played out in her vanity mirror.

[Skitch]

After millionth viewing, Hunt For Red October, when Alec takes first steps away from Sean, and the camera pans up to reveal the long row of red tanks or whatever...fucking gold. I think I'll make a MatchCut banner out of it.

[Russ]

A scene (http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index.jsp?cid=250740) from The Kid Brother, where Harold climbs a tree to say goodbye to a girl. If you only want to see the scene to which I refer, it's about two-thirds into the clip.

From IMDb: "For the scene where Harold Lloyd climbs a tree to spy on his beloved, an elevator was specially constructed to allow for the camera's rising move. This was the first time a production unit had gone to such elaborate lengths just to procure one shot."

[balmakboor]

A scene (http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index.jsp?cid=250740) from The Kid Brother, where Harold climbs a tree to say goodbye to a girl. If you only want to see the scene to which I refer, it's about two-thirds into the clip.

From IMDb: "For the scene where Harold Lloyd climbs a tree to spy on his beloved, an elevator was specially constructed to allow for the camera's rising move. This was the first time a production unit had gone to such elaborate lengths just to procure one shot."

That's awesome.

[Sxottlan]

Does anyone know the truth behind this scene? How this ridiculously simple special effects shot, won't even cause you to think twice about it until you know HOW it was made? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t_wrtyxFp8)

There's no mirror. They constructed a mirror image on the other side of the wall. Arnold and Linda Hamilton's stand-in were on the far side. A model of Arnold and Linda Hamilton were on the closer side of the mirror.

They show how they made that shot on the DVD.

[Dead & Messed Up]

There's no mirror. They constructed a mirror image on the other side of the wall. Arnold and Linda Hamilton's stand-in were on the far side. A model of Arnold and Linda Hamilton were on the closer side of the mirror.

They show how they made that shot on the DVD.

Linda's stand-in, if I'm not mistaken, is her sister, Laura Hamilton, who's also used in later scenes when the T-1000 "doubles" her.

[Boner M]

The scene in Lang's Ministry of Fear where a key character is shot through a door after exiting a darkened room; their death revealed by a bullethole in the door appearing as a speck of light on a pitch black screen, followed by that light briefly flickering as the body falls outside the room, then followed by the sound of a slumping body outside. Amazingly economic and expressive at once.

[Morris Schæffer]

In The Terminator, as the tanker truck makes its final turn to crash into Kyle and Sarah's crashed pickup truck, Cameron does this really neat truck where the camera rapidly moves away from the tanker truck rather than lumbering along with it. It really creates a sensation of an out of control object. it looks extra dangerous.

Check it out what I mean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3D03z_Gg7I&feature=related

At 1:43

But I got some of it wrong. It happens after the tanker truck has struck the pickup truck.

[Adam]

Just a completely random one - There's a really great bit in Le Cercle Rouge where the guard of a jewelry store is turning on its security system and as each light pops off there's a corresponding ding of a bell, followed by a sorta match cut (!!!) to Yves Montand flicking a cigarette lighter. Can't do it justice here, though, you've gotta see it

start watching at around the 5:00 clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhCGKjwrqsw&feature=related)

[Qrazy]

Yeah I remember really liking that bit in the film. His pensive expression as he holds the match is what carries the moment to fruition.