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Lights, camera, revolution! Join us as we count down our picks for the most groundbreaking, influential, and culturally significant moments in cinema history! From silent films breaking into sound to jaw-dropping special effects that redefined Hollywood, these are the scenes that forever altered the art of filmmaking. Which moment do you think had the biggest impact? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most groundbreaking, influential, and our culturally significant moments
00:14from cinema.
00:18We're gonna make a fortune with this place.
00:23Number 20. Saying His Name. Dr. No.
00:26Sean Connery became an absolute superstar as James Bond.
00:30In the first entry, Dr. No, the filmmakers introduced him in a clever way.
00:34The camera doesn't show the man's face until the last possible second.
00:37Building up the character's slick reputation, the scene then gives way to one of the more memorable introductions in movie
00:42history.
00:43I admire your luck, Mr. Bond. James Bond.
00:50Connery utters the line with pure class as a cigarette hangs out of his mouth.
00:54The actor turned himself into an icon right away, laying the groundwork for a successful franchise.
00:59Looks like you're out to get me.
01:01It's an idea, at that.
01:03Many others followed him as Bond, but the successors largely looked up to the original when saying the famous phrase.
01:08Hungry I must pass the shoe.
01:10Challenger, I hope you'll forgive me, but it's most important.
01:14Number 19. Digital Image Processing.
01:17Westworld.
01:18What does an android see when it scans an environment?
01:20This and other questions were posed by the film Westworld.
01:24In an adult amusement park, visitors hang out in an Old West setting and interact with robots.
01:29Wasn't it terrific?
01:31Boy, machines are the servant of man.
01:34Wasn't that great?
01:35Joel Brenner plays the rogue gunsfighter that hunts down guests.
01:39His character chases one hero, leading to revolutionary shots of digital image processing.
01:53The pixel vision might seem ordinary by today's standards, but this all happened in the days before Star Wars and
01:59other big-budget blockbusters of the 1970s.
02:02It helped to push forward and inspire further advancements in special effects and CGI.
02:14Number 18. The Post-Credits Sequence.
02:17The Silencers.
02:18During the era of James Bond, Dean Martin starred as American agent Matt Helm.
02:22The latter character had a series of his own that included movies like The Silencers.
02:26People may not remember the film as much, but it holds an unlikely place in cinema history.
02:31There's a lot more where that came from.
02:34He features one of the first prominent post-credits sequences to tease a sequel.
02:38Helmbry appears after the main story ends, signaling the franchise will return.
02:42As the glory of love.
02:49This came many decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made it fashionable.
02:54Martin came back for three more films, showing that this idea might have helped after all.
03:01Oh my god.
03:02Number 17. First Same-Sex Kiss.
03:05Wings.
03:05In this early Oscar winner, two men train to be pilots in World War I.
03:09They both fall for a woman, but this moment centers on a kiss between the main characters.
03:21David Armstrong is close to death, as his friend Jack Powell embraces him.
03:25Powell kisses his friend, sending him off with a meaningful goodbye.
03:35There's both the context and subtext of the scene to contemplate from a modern lens.
03:40Considering the film's release year, this story beat could be considered transgressive for even existing at all.
03:45It's certainly an impactful sequence between two people with a strong bond.
03:48Whether or not it's the very first, this decision by the Wings filmmakers lives on a century later.
04:03Number 16. Wilhelm Scream.
04:05Distant Drums.
04:06Throughout film history, many sounds have permeated pop culture.
04:10The Wilhelm Scream developed a reputation as a recurring gag in various movies.
04:14It first appeared in the western Distant Drums, after an alligator chomps at a man.
04:21When you hear it, you definitely know it.
04:23The noise itself was used in tons of other projects, like the charge at Feather River, the latter of which
04:28included a character named Wilhelm.
04:34The notable Yelp lived on with a new name, with better-known franchises such as Star Wars utilizing the noise.
04:40You can call it a masterful inside joke, or just a wacky piece of cinematic lore.
04:48Number 15. Dinosaur Reveal.
04:51Jurassic Park.
04:52Steven Spielberg's dinosaur adventure wowed audiences, earned lots of money, and helped to kickstart a new generation of special effects.
05:08The director does a great job holding back the massive prehistoric creatures, before an extended reveal.
05:14As the island guests take a tour, they're introduced to a fully-formed Brachiosaurus.
05:18The movie boldly chooses to show off a large-scale model that looks remarkably real thanks to some advancements in
05:24CGI.
05:24Welcome to Jurassic Park.
05:40Industrial light and magic created detailed and layered dinosaurs, rendering some fantastic images for the actors to actually act alongside.
05:48Spielberg and his team figured out a way to make it all look believable.
05:51They're moving in herds.
05:55They do move in herds.
05:57Number 14. Boarding up the windows slash assembling the first modern zombie film, Night of the Living Dead.
06:03Director George A. Romero and his collaborators didn't have much money, but they had enough cool ideas to bring the
06:08zombie into a new era.
06:10They're coming to get you, Barbara.
06:13Stop it. You're ignorant.
06:16They're coming for you, Barbara.
06:18Stop it. You're acting like a child.
06:21They're coming for you.
06:23Look, there comes one of them now.
06:26The filmmakers showed that you didn't need much to change a movie genre.
06:30In this plot, survivors hide out in a house and board up the entry points.
06:34This keeps the undead creatures at bay outside.
06:44Many decades later, Romero's iconography continues to influence horror projects of all kinds.
06:50The slow-walking enemies became a trope along with the need to secure a location with limited resources.
06:55As you watch Ben and Barbara try to improvise, you start to see the future of a successful series and
07:00the format for many zombie films.
07:02Members of the presidential cabinet will be joined by officials of the FBI and will join the chiefs behind closed
07:08doors.
07:09The White House spokesman, in announcing this conference, says there will be an official announcement as soon as possible following
07:15that meeting.
07:16Number 13. Fred Astaire Dances on the Ceiling, Royal Wedding.
07:20Fans of this iconic dancer could name any number of films and routines to discuss his career.
07:25If we're picking solo dances on the fantastical side, this one from Royal Wedding certainly takes the cake.
07:44Fred Astaire can seemingly defy gravity and make it look easy.
07:48Dancing up the wall and onto the ceiling, the performer reconceptualizes cinematic dances.
08:02A stare outdid himself with a little help from the unique setting.
08:05It's all a clever trick involving a revolving set.
08:08Several films and musicians have paid homage to the scene, using some elaborate production design to copy the original.
08:23Number 12. Climbing the Empire State Building, King Kong.
08:28When you think about this adventure film, you probably imagine this signature moment.
08:31The title monster climbs to the top of a New York landmark.
08:34Once he reaches the spire, King Kong fends off a squadron of planes as he clutches Andaro.
08:48The film uses this as an opportunity to mix the impressive Kong model with an awesome location.
08:54Some innovative stop-motion techniques and other early special effects bring the villain to life.
09:07In the reboots, filmmakers reprised this scene with updated technology.
09:12It's such an iconic sequence that makes the climax of every version unforgettable.
09:27Number 11. Neo Dodges Bullets, The Matrix.
09:31In what's commonly known as bullet time, Neo bends back and dodges in agents' gunshots.
09:36The scene might be the most famous sequence in a movie full of iconic ones.
09:50With a unique camera setup, the filmmakers captured the stunt with groundbreaking precision.
09:55It practically re-energized the concept of slow-motion gunfights in Hollywood.
10:03Compared to other effects and visual flourishes from the era, this one still stands out.
10:08It's also a cool way to reveal the extent of this hero's powers.
10:12All these years later, you can still copy this moment and people will know exactly what you're referencing.
10:16How did you do that?
10:17Do what?
10:18You moved like they do.
10:20I've never seen anyone move that fast.
10:23It wasn't fast enough.
10:25Number 10. Light Cycle Run, Tron.
10:28Before the 1980s, it was much harder to imagine a movie taking place in a digital world.
10:33Tron helped to change all that with cutting-edge, never-before-seen visuals.
10:38Jeff Bridges' character finds himself in a digitized space where the scenery needs to look convincing.
10:50The famous Light Cycle sequence was key, and a thrilling moment that includes fully computer-generated environments.
10:56The pain-staking process needed to build these images represented a huge step forward for modern VFX.
11:03Without scenes like this one, many of the believable worlds in current live-action and computer-animated features wouldn't exist.
11:09Come on.
11:17There's also the 2010 sequel that pays homage to the original project's look.
11:21It certainly deserves to be celebrated.
11:34Number 9.
11:35The Steadicam, Bound for Glory.
11:37For this biopic about the U.S. folk singer Woody Guffrey, the filmmakers used a now-vital new piece of
11:43equipment.
11:44One scene guides audiences through an encampment with fluid motion, and is all thanks to the Steadicam, invented by Garrett
11:50Brown.
11:56Brown's technology finally allowed for camera operators to have more stable and precise movements.
12:01Putting viewers in the midst of the action, this sequence feels as if you're truly walking with Guthrie in the
12:071930s.
12:08Don't make no difference. I mean, they all work the same.
12:12Cinematographer Haskell Wexler brilliantly applied the newfound tech, taking the Oscar for his work on Bound for Glory.
12:18Other movies, such as Rocky, would also use the invention that same year, and the rest is history.
12:33Number 8.
12:35The Final Shot, The Great Train Robbery.
12:37Edwin S. Porter directed this western in 1903, and is widely held to be one of the most influential silent
12:43movies of all time.
12:53Perhaps most famously of all, however, Porter decided to conclude this landmark project with a bang.
12:59An outlaw fires a gun at the screen, breaking the fourth wall for a classic ending.
13:08Back then, it was a hugely inventive way to alter the audience's expectations.
13:12Martin Scorsese later paid tribute to the shot at the end of Goodfellas, and today, the fourth wall break is
13:18a tried and tested trope.
13:20Get to live the rest of my life like a schnook.
13:26But it was the Great Train Robbery that really put it on the map, and it was Porter's creativity that
13:31paved the way.
13:33Number 7.
13:34Slapping Back, In the Heat of the Night.
13:36For this Oscar-winning film, Sidney Poitier plays the iconic role of Virgil Tibbs.
13:41The detective finds himself investigating a crime while dealing with racism in Mississippi.
13:46When, in one scene, Tibbs confronts the plantation owner, Eric Endicott, it was a pivotal moment.
13:52Well, let us say the people who work for Mr. Colbert might reasonably regard you as the person least likely
13:57to mourn his passing.
13:58While the racist man slaps the hero, the lead character immediately puts Endicott in his place.
14:05The aftermath and the reactions combine to create a scene that's heavy with tension.
14:11Poitier gave audiences a radical look at a black character fighting back against white oppression.
14:16It's a moment that represented a new step in the civil rights movement, taking a pointed look at race relations
14:21in America.
14:22There was a time when I could have had you shot.
14:27Number 6.
14:28First Love Scene, Ecstasy.
14:30Before reaching Hollywood, Hedy Lamarr had already made a name for herself in Europe.
14:35One of her earlier films was the Scheck production, Ecstasy.
14:38Released in 1933, it contained shots that were considered extremely sexually explicit for the era.
14:49One sequence found Lamarr's character in an intimate moment with her lover, for what could reasonably be called the first
14:56sex scene to feature in a mainstream release.
15:03The overall movie was so controversial that it was censored in many countries.
15:07It might be considered tame by today's standards, but it broke boundaries in the 30s, and rewrote the rules around
15:13sex in the big screen.
15:21Number 5.
15:22The Ambush.
15:23Bonnie and Clyde.
15:25Arthur Penn directed this controversial but acclaimed film, and it was much more than just your average crime story.
15:30Starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, its tale of the real-life eponymous bank robbers takes a graphic look at
15:37violence, and at a time when that wasn't the norm.
15:47The end sequence features what are still considered to be some of the most visceral killings ever put to screen.
15:53Penn doesn't hold back, delivering a scene that still has the power to shock audiences.
16:04It's a truly gruesome finale, riddled with bullets, but it also served to dramatically influence American cinema from that point
16:11forward, all the way up to today, where movie violence is...not unusual.
16:24Number 4.
16:25Shower Scene.
16:27Psycho.
16:27Very few scenes can claim to be quite so studied as this one.
16:31In Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller, the plot goes haywire when Marion Crane takes a shower, and the result is an
16:38even more iconic chapter in cinematic violence than Bonnie and Clyde would be seven years later.
16:48Hitchcock famously kills off his leading lady in dramatic fashion, using a series of quick cuts to show her bloody
16:54fate unfolding.
16:55It broke new ground, and defied censorship rules at the same time.
17:06The shocking narrative shift so early in the movie is another reason why Psycho stood out.
17:11In an often repeated claim, this is also said to be the first scene to show a toilet being flushed.
17:17That's not quite true, but showing a toilet was a surprising rarity.
17:21All in all, it certainly changed how we saw our bathrooms.
17:31In the early 20th century, many Soviet filmmakers helped to shape the future of cinema, with plenty of experimentation and
17:39innovative editing choices.
17:41This scene, however, is remembered above any other.
17:51Director Sergei Eisenstein created the look, feel, and incredible tragedy of a violent massacre.
17:58The Odessa Steps sequence combines striking imagery with strategic cuts to create unbearable tension.
18:11Chaos takes hold, while the iconic image of the baby carriage ties the sequence together.
18:16Although Battleship Potemkin is inspired by true events, this exact scene on the stairs didn't actually happen in real life.
18:22And yet, it still holds up as one of the greatest ever depictions of bloodshed and conflict on film.
18:38Number 2. Leaving Kansas Behind. The Wizard of Oz.
18:43Imagine watching a movie in 1939 and seeing this happen.
18:48Toto? I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.
18:52Contrary to popular belief, this moment actually wasn't the first time that people had seen color on screen.
18:57But it did mark the finest use of technicolor to that point, and a true breakthrough in the industry.
19:02Dorothy and Toto exit their drab Kansas life, entering into the vibrant set of Munchkinland,
19:08for one of the most magical transitions in the history of film.
19:21Creating it was no easy feat, with the cast and crew reportedly working on some individual scenes for weeks,
19:27even months at a time.
19:28Everyone had to adjust to make the new technology work.
19:31The technicolor process, among other things, is said to have skyrocketed the studio's electricity bill
19:36to more than $4 million in today's money.
19:39But no matter how they got there, the result is nothing short of a classic.
19:44No, I know we're not in Kansas.
19:47Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
19:51Paternal Revelations.
19:52Star Wars Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back.
19:55Darth Vader lets Luke know the shocking truth in a legendary twist.
19:59Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.
20:04He told me enough.
20:08He told me you killed him.
20:10No.
20:11I am your father.
20:18No.
20:20First full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
20:24The Walt Disney team crafted an animated fairy tale that kicked off a huge legacy.
20:28Some day, my prince will come.
20:36Some day, we'll meet again.
20:40Opening Shark Attack.
20:42Jaws.
20:43The creepy camera work and John Williams' score scare people out of the water.
20:51Oh my God!
20:52Oh my God!
20:54Oh my God!
20:55Oh my God!
20:56Oh my God!
20:57Oh my God!
20:57Oh my God!
20:58Oh my God!
20:59Oh my God!
21:00Blending live action and animation.
21:02Who framed Roger Rabbit?
21:04Robert Zemeckis' film functions like an expert homage to cartoons.
21:08You don't know how hard it is being a man, looking at a woman looking the way you do.
21:14I'm not bad.
21:15I'm just drawn that way.
21:18De-aging.
21:19X-Men The Last Stand.
21:20Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen look younger thanks to some early CGI advancements.
21:24And I would expect you of all people would understand my feelings about the misuse of power.
21:29Ah, power corrupts and all that.
21:32Yes, I know, John.
21:33When are you going to stop lecturing me?
21:35When you start listening.
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22:041. You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet
22:07The Jazz Singer
22:08Up until the late 1920s, movies were largely silent affairs.
22:12The trajectory of cinema then changed with The Jazz Singer.
22:16The 1927 release includes the first instance of synchronized dialogue,
22:20with this scene featuring the lead Al Jolson addressing a crowd.
22:24You ain't heard nothing yet.
22:25Wait a minute, I tell ya.
22:27You ain't heard nothing.
22:28It's a simple line, but nothing was ever the same again.
22:31Behind the scenes, the moment was made possible by the Vitaphone system at Warner Brothers,
22:36something which co-founder Sam Warner, in particular, had pushed very hard to set up.
22:49In an eerie twist of fate, Sam died the day before the world premiere of The Jazz Singer,
22:54and so, he never saw the lasting impact that this one movie would have.
22:58The talkies had arrived.
22:59Let the stormy clouds chase
23:04Everyone from the place
23:07Come on with the rain
23:09Have a smile on my face
23:13Did we forget another important moment from film history?
23:16Let us know in the comments below.
23:18We'll see you in the comments below.
23:23We'll be back on Video
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