Best movie montage?

[Jim H]

A movie montage is generally one of two things.

A sequence in a film with a variety of brief shots about a single idea, often set to music. E.G., the scene where a character is learning to dance in Footloose, set to "Let's Hear it for the Boy", or Bill Murray getting rejected over and over (and eventually slapped over and over) in Groundhog Day.

OR it can be a montage of shots produced for other reasons. For instance, the shots of various films by a single studio they have on DVDs for advertising purposes.



I really like Rocky's training montage (set to "Gonna Fly Now"). One of my favorites.

I also liked one advertising bit, which is on my Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey DVD. It's a bunch of shots from 80s movies, set to "Kids in America". Thought they did a great job with it, but it probably helps I'm sucker for 80s pop culture.

I know there are a lot of these things, so let's hear some good ones.

[syxxpac]

The two montages during the last act of The Usual Suspects. A brilliant blend of visual and auditory elements that made the story hit you that much harder in the end.

[Jim H]

Originally posted by syxxpac
The two montages during the last act of The Usual Suspects. A brilliant blend of visual and auditory elements that made the story hit you that much harder in the end.

Oooooh. Good one!

I liked the opening montage of Amelie. A lot of cool stuff going on.

[syxxpac]

I forgot to mention the beginning of Freddy Vs. Jason, where Mr. Krueger gives us the rundown on all things Elm Street.

Pretty slick.

[Buck Turgidson]

Not sure if they're classic examples, like a lot of the ones the Eisenstein pioneered (the cavalcade of images set to stirring music), but I would nominate the one from Citizen Kane where the table between him and his wife lengthens over the first few years of their marriage and 5-6 years pass in as many minutes.

And also the whole sequence at the end of The Godfather, where Michael rolls up all his competition in one grand gesture of violence, intercut with him lying to the Priest at the baby's Baptism ("Do you remounce Satan and all his works?")

Powerful stuff.

[ANavissi500]

Without a doubt, the my favorite montage comes from The Rules of Attraction - Victor's trip to Europe.

[SykkBoy]

The Rock Appreciation montage in School Of Rock set to a kickass Ramones song

The drug dealing "hiphop" montage in Requiem For A Dream

Sara Goldfarb's speed cleaning montage in Requeim For A Dream

[Squid Vicious]

The first "homework assignment" montage from Fight Club where they have to start a fight with a total stranger

The drug dealing "hip-hop" montage in Requiem for a Dream

The "baptism massacre" in The Godfather

The "Layla" montage in Goodfellas

The montage at the end of The Usual Suspects

The montage in Seven where Somerset is at the library intercut with Mills at home

[trouble]

Originally posted by ANavissi500
Without a doubt, the my favorite montage comes from The Rules of Attraction - Victor's trip to Europe.


This was the first one that came to mind for me!! Every time I watch it, Im just as fascinated as the first time.

[bigred760]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
And also the whole sequence at the end of The Godfather, where Michael rolls up all his competition in one grand gesture of violence, intercut with him lying to the Priest at the baby's Baptism ("Do you renounce Satan and all his works?")


I agree. It's my favorite scene in all of movies.

[Hannibal21]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
Not sure if they're classic examples, like a lot of the ones the Eisenstein pioneered (the cavalcade of images set to stirring music), but I would nominate the one from Citizen Kane where the table between him and his wife lengthens over the first few years of their marriage and 5-6 years pass in as many minutes.

Damn! I was about to mention this one. I agree completely.

[A.J. Hakari]

The montage of examples worldwide violence in BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE; never fails to make me tear up. :(

[Antonio]

The "Wise Up" sing-along in MAGNOLIA.

[bankholdup]

Baptism/Murder in The Godfather

One of the 5 greatest movie scenes of all-time.

[distorto25]

The "Wheel of Fortune" montage in L.A. Confidential.

[Jim H]

The montage of the destruction of civilization in Dawn of the Dead, set to The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash is a great one.

[GoldenGhost]

Originally posted by bankholdup
Baptism/Murder in The Godfather

One of the 5 greatest movie scenes of all-time.

Ditto.

and

Ditto.

[Greenaway]

Originally posted by Buck Turgidson
Not sure if they're classic examples, like a lot of the ones the Eisenstein pioneered (the cavalcade of images set to stirring music), but I would nominate the one from Citizen Kane where the table between him and his wife lengthens over the first few years of their marriage and 5-6 years pass in as many minutes.

And also the whole sequence at the end of The Godfather, where Michael rolls up all his competition in one grand gesture of violence, intercut with him lying to the Priest at the baby's Baptism ("Do you remounce Satan and all his works?")

Powerful stuff.

That Citizen Kane montage is brilliant.

[The 8 Ball]

He Quiwu and his father playing with a video camera - Fallen Angels

[bluesbrother965]

My favorite five montages, no order:

1. In Goodfellas, where "Layla" plays as we are shown various dead bodies.

2. In The Godfather, during the baptism.

3. In Dr. Strangelove, multiple nuclear explosions to "We'll Meet Again".

4. At the end of The Usual Suspects.

5. I think it's "The Sounds Of Silence" that plays during Benjamin's affair with Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate.

[Seth_Gecko]

I always enjoy movies that have the big twist ending and show what really happened using a montage, ie Fight Club, Angel Heart.

[one_crow_sorrow]

Baptism/massacre in The Godfather
Montage of Pete Townshend smashing guitars in The Kids Are Alright