What do you think are some of the most spectacular scenes ever filmed in movies?

Of course, all the recent movies with their splashy special effects certainly look spectacular (last year's end-of-the-world movie "2012," for example), but I prefer those films where the special effects aren't that evident.

So I vote for the last hour of "Titanic," in which the ship goes down. I know it is effects-laden but it looks absolutely real and I actually felt like I was on the deck of the ship.

Other film sequences that I found awesome are the final attack scene in "The Alamo" (John Wayne's version), the chariot race from "Ben-Hur" and the chase scene atop Mount Rushmore in "North by Northwest."

It has got to be all of "Avatar"...I mean, that 3-D blue skin, gives me the bumps of the goose.

All the scenes with Gunnery Sgt. Hartmann are spectacular. Sound off like you got a pair !

My list: 1. 2001, A Space Odyssey (the whole movie). 2. Titanic (the sinking is so real). 3. Ben-Hur (+1, the biga race, it took 6 months, 20,000 extras and the largest set ever built - everything without a trace of CGs). 4. An American Werewolf in London (the tension before the attack in the marsh is a lesson on suspense). 5. The Sound of Music (it looks so naive today, but the scenes showing the Alps were so...cool).

I'd say 'air raid scene along a river in the Apocalypse Now movie by Oliver Stone'. I was actually there at the location with my dad to go fishing (it's a popular local fishing area especially for young boys that I once was), but we were not allowed to enter that day because the area was closed for the filming. So my father and I waited and watched how it was done. I wasn't really impressed seeing it on site (LPG bags hanging on the trees), but I got astonished when I saw the outcome in the movie. Oliver Stone actually inspired me more later in life. I make TV commercials now...;-)

I assume CGI effects don't count since they aren't "filmed."

Saving Private Ryan - Omaha beach. It sent chills up my spine hearing the bullets wiz passed.

Car chase movies- Stunt Drivers where excellent Vanishing Point,French Connection,Bullet,Dirty Harry Series,Smokey & Bandit Series and etc.

CG movies Titanic, (1) Lord of The Rings movie ( shadowflame monster ) 300,Black Hawk Down, Hurt Locker, The Abyss, Star Wars Series Old & New, Avatar 3D, i Robot,I am Legend, Terminator Series (much respect to the first one & second), X Men 3 ( Nightcrawler fighting Secret Service & Wolverine Movie (Sabertooth Wolverine fighting ninja assassin guy,)

Red dawn - " Go Wolverines !!! " I've never seen a movie that america was invaded with paratroops. What would happen if our military resources was exhausted, what would civilians do ? "Fight back!!" That was a cool movie !!!! Band In The Hand fighting drug dealers is cool.

The first 20 minutes of Private Ryan was rather interesting.

The final car chase in Blues Brothers.

Blade Runner, fight scenes in Hero, and this being Japan how about the Matrix??

The Battle of the Little Bighorn in the movie "Little Big Man".

First few minutes montage of New York in Woody Allen's "Manhattan". Makes me want to book a flight every time.

"Ran", the battle scenes were pretty awesome.

Any of those Monument Valley scenes in John Ford's "Calvary Trilogy"

Hidalgo during the desert scenes as well as the ending, the two new Batman movies with Batman Begins in the syberian mountains and different parts of the dark night, Tombstone during the horse riding scene, Dancing with Wolves, different parts of Robin Hood, usually any movie with a big budget and a good panaramic view of the outdoors backed by orchestrated music.

"Blade Runner"

Specifically, the scene where Deckard decks Roy Batty with a baseball bat, which would have knocked anyone else's head right off their shoulders, and Batty grabs the bat, throws it aside and says, "That's the spirit!"

Titanic - When the ship split in half and when it was sinking... also the nude pic drawing =D

Armageddon - The shuttle lift off

March of the Penguin - The egg hatching scene where all the birds was hurdling together

"Passion of Christ" the whipping scene.. and.. when Mary remembers how she helped her Son, to stand up when it falls down.

Basic Instinct, when Sharon Stone is being interrogated!

"Titanic... the nude pic drawing"

Actually, that scene was great, especially when they zoomed in on young Rose's eye, and when they zoomed out, it was the old Rose. The eye was exactly the same. Totally amazing!

The scene in The Glimmer Man where Steven Seagal kicks several bad guys' butts in this restaurant, and in the process, the restaurant pretty much gets trashed, then, as he's leaving, he picks up the ringing phone at the front, and says, "No, that's not going to work; we're closed for renovations. I'd say...( looks around )... 2 months."

The opening scenes in "Indiana Jones and the Temple Doom" where Indie, the young boy and the gal pal escape the bad guys using every mode of transportation possible, with the corny, low tech map shot keeping the viewer informed where the heck our heroes are in the world as they make their unbelievable escape. And I just love the cliff jumping scene in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" for its sheer beauty and of course, for its wonderful humor. Butch "Tell me why won't you jump?" Sundance: "Because I can't swim!" I crack up laughing everytime :)!

ya the intro for Saving Ryan's Privates heh. Other than that: Lord of The Rings movies, 300, Black Hawk Down, Commando, HEAT, Gladiator, Flashpoint with Donnie Yen, Sinking of Japan, Sinking of the Titanic, Independence Day, Ronin car chase through Nice or Lyon, James Bond QOS had some wicked action scenes. and last but not least Tony Yaa in Ong Bak or Tom Yum Goong. That was just friggin nice!

@nedinjapan, rofl

1)Gunfight in Heat 2)Explosions scenes in The Hurt Locker (saw this movie yesterday, I am still in shock) 3)Highway scene in Matrix 2 4)Like many other posters here, I liked the fight Balrog VS Gandalf. 5)The most shocking and "kimochi warui" CG performance belong to Koroshya Ichi, of Takashii Miike.

In Nihon Chinbotsu, I was impressed by the scenes were Tokyo was collapsing (even though the movie was crappy IMO). Not surprisingly, I have heard this movie was a big hit in China.

cliffhanger for those majestic views,Master&Commander battle scenes with cannon balls buzzing around,Borne, the scene where he disarms the guards with very fast movements

oh and you can add Sherlock Holmes w00t

The scene of the Ten Commandments when Moses (Charlton Heston) divided the waters of the Red Sea is one of my favorites.

Also, the scene of Planet of the Apes where the astronaut (again Charlton Heston) and the mute girl reach the beach on horseback and discover the statue of Liberty half-buried in the sand, and he screams NOOOOOOOO @____@;;;.

ALSO, the scene of The Empire Strikes Back where Darth Vader tells Luke, "I am your father" >:D and Luke screams NOOOOOO! DX.

Countless movies have paid tribute to that scene with a similar "I am your father" revelation theme x.x;. Same for Planet of the Apes scene with the statue of Liberty half-buried in stuff.

@Gebeson - Apocalypse Now wasn't Oliver Stone directed. It was directed by the one and only Francis Ford Coppola.

On The buses, where Butler brakes too hard and Blakey falls off the bus platform, quality slapstick which beats any Hollywood pap.

Meg Ryan 'faking it' in "When Harry Met Sally"... "The Color Purple" when the purple flags wave, announcing her approaching children from Africa... "War of the Worlds" when the 'meteor' unscrews... "Jason and the Argonauts" when the bronze statues' head moves... "Casablanca" the 'La Marseillaise' scene ..."Independence Day" when the spaceship covers the Manhattan skies... The final scene of "It's a Wonderful Life"...

Pink Panther series ( not the new ) The piano and other objects always kills the old woman's cat or dog and other stunts..... "A Fish called Wanda" the whole movie is funny. "Planes,Trains,Automobiles" everybody sleeping in the car on a highway, the car was almost sandwiched between to tractor trailers. Lampoon Vacation Cheve Chase falls asleep driving with his family in his wooden panel station wagon. Ghostbusters- NO CG fighting Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man. Rambo 2 Bow & Arrow (Custom made Grenade Tipped arrow with fuse timer) Vs. AK-47 assault rifle. Rocky 1 He lost very funny!!!! All Jacky Chan movies and Bruce Lee movies. Arny & Danny Glover out running a mini nuclear fail safe arm device in the Predator 1&2

I'm not a fan of extreme special effects, I respect earlier films where they were being developed and seemed to involve more creativity/balance. You ppl have such good memory! Gladiator I think had balance and purpose CG wise. And the acting. Go Ridley Scott. My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

I'm inclined NOT to include films which owe their magic totally to CGI. I want them to go out into the wilderness and catch something on film. It's supposed to be an expedition, fellas!

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962, restored 1989) - the whole thing

2. Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - the escape from the camp, the scenes of the bridge, the final attack...

3. The Godfather Part 1 (1972) - the montage sequence at the end which juxtaposes a baptism with the murder of Michael's enemies

4. Chinatown (1974) - the tour de force finale where Gittes is unable to save the woman he loved.

5. In Cold Blood (1966) -- the gutwrenching robbery/murder sequences

6. The Wages of Fear (1952) - that scene where Yves Montand, driving a truck full of explosive nitro glycerin, must drive over the leg of his trapped friend or risk killing them both

I could go on...

The restaurant monologue from Scarface and the gun battle in Heat

Probably the Pandora's green landscape.

I don't think a few posters here can understand what a "spectacular scene" is. Good God. "When harry met sally"?? Predator 1 and 2?? I could go on, but it's so sad to see the points of reference for so many here..

Doesn't really count as a scene, but maybe 'Fitzcarraldo' for lugging a bloody great steam ship through the Amazon jungle then dropping it into rapids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F53yUsgVuL0

How can you guys forget the scene in Platoon where Sergeant Elias is betrayed and killed when fleeing the Viet Cong, while the rest of the platoon is e-vac on the heuy witnessing his death. And the awful but dramatic russian roulette scenes in the Deer Hunter. What a god awful war that achieved nothing but bloodshed

Police Story - the scene where Jackie Chan slid down a pole several story high and broke huge numbers of lights and sugar glass panels on his way down. No stuntman or CGI was used.

@hoserfella: 'Spectacular scene' is a relative term. You don't have a corner on it.

The opening scene of "Saving Private Ryan."

I have another one. The Battle of Waterloo in the movie Waterloo.

Phoebe Cates on the diving board in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

@hoserfella: 'Spectacular scene' is a relative term. You don't have a corner on it

Pamelot - after seeing a lot of B movies referenced here, Id say i do..

I like when the 2 'tornados' show up the screen in Twister, and all sorts of objects flying (a cow, a truck, etc). Good story, acting, effects.

The Wizard Of Oz - All of the scenes that are in color.

The movie, "Tomorrow Never Dies", where James Bond retorts to Wei Lin's insult, "You have the right corrupt and decadent agent from a western power for a partner (paraphrased). Then the crap hit the fan.

Phoebe Cates on the diving board in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Ahaha! I like all the parts with Jeff Spicolli.

"Phoebe Cates on the diving board in Fast Times at Ridgemont High"

Dang, I forgot all about that! That is a truly spectacular scene, even if it is way too short!

That scene is probably why I think red is the best color for bikinis.

The horse race scene from "BEN HUR" starring Charlton Heston. I get a kick out of it every time i see it.

Also the ending of the original 1960ties "Planet of the apes" is filmed in a way i would label as spectacular. At least memorable.

Scarface - Home invasion at the end. Valley Girl - So when can I see you again. When Harry met Sally - Resturant scene. A Fist Full of Dollars - Aim for the Heart. American Pie - Stifflers beer drink. American Pie 2 - Super Glue for KY. American Pie 3 - Stiffler closet w/gramdma & the private parts clippers scene. A Few Good Men - Lunch scene at Gitmo & trial scene with Jack Niclohson. Full Metal Jacket - Bathroom/toilet scene. Apocalypse Now - Beach assult landing.

The naval battle in Red Cliff...

The fighting sequence in Kurasawa's Seven Samoria.

The car chases in Bullet and French Connection.

The majority of the underwater filming in "The Abyss"

The opening scenes of "How the West Was Won", as viewed in Cinerama. Family with beautiful daughters suddenly facing catastrophe on the river.

Erm, guys.... the final face-off between Rutger Hauer and Harrison Ford in Blade Runner. Or the opening panorama scene in Blade Runner.

Alternatively, the scene where Jeremy Irons plays the oboe in the middle of the Amazonas in The Mission.

Opening scene for "Patlabor: The Movie". Wish Hollywood could produce one just as good.

When Trigger leave his dolphin on the coach that blows up in The Jolly Boys outing. Classic action film.

Well, let me just include those that gave me an emotional punch (up or down)...

Shower scene in Psycho - nothing filmed before or after has as much sheer, pure impact - both visually by Hitchcock and though use of Bernard Hermann's classic screetching violins score....

Opening scene in Indiana Jones #1 - just absolute great pulp fiction film-making....

Star Wars #1 - Was "jaw dropped" though the whole film......

Citizen Kane - the "Rosebud" scene filmed off the crytal....brilliant

North by Northwest - crop spraying scene - Hitchcock at his top.....

Singing in the Rain - Donald O'Connor's "Be a Clown" dance scene - great entertainent.....

As has been said, could go on forever........

This is far from spectacular but bear with me.

Tommy Boy: mid-90's comedy starring Chris Farley and David Spade. I always loved the villan's (Rob Lowe) intro scene: A greyhound bus pulls in to town and Rob Lowe struts down the steps eating a hoagie or something like that. There's a kid still in the bus in the front seat smearing his face against the glass and making bratty faces as well as a mother entering the scene pushing a baby carriage. As the baby carriage passes by, Lowe chucks his half-finished sandwich into it with a look of smug contempt and without even turning around pounds the pane of glass in the bus that the kid was smudging his face against (basically punching the kid in the face). This happens in the space of about 10 seconds. Classic.

As for spectacular- There are a few amazing long, single shots in the movie Children of Men. The cantina scene in Star Wars. The opening shot of A Touch of Evil. From the rattling armour falling down the well (and awakening the goblins) to Gandalf's fall in Lord of the Rings. And the train dodge in Stand By Me. Oh yeah, and the blood test in John Carpenter's The Thing. Ooh! 1 more- the extended welcoming in the 80's scene in Boogie Nights which ends with William H. Macy blowing his head off. hooray!

The Player - Opening scene - 8 minutes single shot. Almost perfect.

Atonement - Similar 5 minute shot near the end.

Streets of Fire - final song - tonight is what it means to be young. Looks really hokey now, but it was ahead of it's time in 1984. Great lighting.

Citizen Kane - so many scenes that have been copied so many times since 1941.

Untouchables - Union Station stairway, with the baby carriage.

Gone with the Wind - Civil war wounded scene - Camera pulls back to reveal hundreds of wounded soldiers. Nothing special now, but it was filmed in 1939.

Rocky - the first Rocky did not suck. Running scene with the kids, and the last 7 minutes of the film. Bill Conti deserves most of the credit.

Aside from some of the great examples already given: (The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Saving Private Ryan, Sound of Music, etc.):

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Philippe Petit walking on a tightrope between the two World Trade Center towers in Man on Wire.