subtle look or gesture that changes a film

[by Devol]

Not necessarily changing a film, but definitely having a profound impact, either in terms of plot or character development, or just plain emotionally powerful. Not necessarily a film you’re crazy about - just one that has a memorable, stand-out example of either a look or gesture.

- Liza Minnelli at the end of Cabaret, giving a reverse wave good-bye over her shoulder when she turned around, walking away.

- one of my top five creepiest moments in film: in Clockwork Orange, when Alex is getting his first round of Ludivico medication. He asks the nurse if the treatment will be like going to the movies. Manoman the way she looks at him - that forbidding, mordant gaze, shifting from the needle to his face, while responding: “something like that”. To me - that’s just stone cold fuckin heavy - puts up the hairs on the back of my neck…..

- at the end of Marathon Man - Dustin Hoffman forces Laurence Olivier, at gun-point, to eat a bunch of diamonds and gems. LO attempts to chomp away at his expensive mouthful, but then…….that gradual look of realisation, as he slowly stops chewing - a look that so deftly shifts from abject humiliation to scheming predation - thinking he can call out DH’s innate cowardice (to eventually overtake DH’s gun).

- in Vera Drake - as she sees the police outside her house, approaching her front door, the look of the most anguished (and infectious!) dread washes over her face, which, up until that point in the film, had been a virtually imperturbable visage of compassion and content. (again - heavy shit)

- DeNiro’s bloody-fingered “pow-pow” gesture at the end of Taxi Driver

- Pulp Fiction - that annoying sideways-peace-signs-under-the-eyes gesture that was very significant for the film on a commercial level (being the most memorable image in its ads) and a social one (all those goony-birds breaking out the move on a dance floor near you)

- when meeting Death at the end of the Seventh Seal, the gal with the long, blonde hair - her look - WHOA.

tried repeatedly to upload film examples and after a while I'm like - ok fuck this.

[TheDenizen]

- Pulp Fiction - that annoying sideways-peace-signs-under-the-eyes gesture that was very significant for the film on a commercial level (being the most memorable image in its ads) and a social one (all those goony-birds breaking out the move on a dance floor near you)

This was actually a throwback to the late 1960's dance craze, the Batusi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batusi). The dance didn't really fit in with the 50's diner motif but it was John Travolta dancing in a film so most people just went mental for it.

[Pickpocket]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmF_Phk6eIE

[afx237vi]

Third Man spoiler:

[spoiler]Alda Valli's look of resignation as she snubs Joseph Cotten... kills me.[/spoiler]

[tef]

Last scene in Taking of Pelham 123 (original).

[paulofilmo]

The only thing I can remember from The World of Apu, is the newly married couple reaching the top of a stairwell to their new home, and the bride sort of gently squashes into Apu, and sighs with all her body. They don't know each other yet, and there's nothing really to be said, but the smallest shift of weight communicates fear--and trust.

because she has to.

[Stewball]

Tom's (Joseph Gordon-Levett's) glance into the camera in the final frames of (500) Days of Summer, as the third punctuation mark following what the narrator had just said, and then the girl. All three were absolutely required. Without that critical sequence, the movie was only an 8 or a 9. The timing/editing was excruciatingly perfect.

Thanks for the topic. It helped me bring this into focus.

[Pickpocket]

holy shit can you have sex with that movie already?

[Stewball]

holy shit can you have sex with that movie already?

Yeah, I think I already did, but then there's always the pervs that just wanna watch.......and stain their pants.

[Pickpocket]

holy shit can you have sex with that movie already?

Yeah, I think I already did, but then there's always the pervs that just wanna watch.......and stain their pants.