Scenes that have you in awe
POSTED BY: MerryK
UPDATED: Sunday, November 30, 2008 21:34
VIEWED: 19876
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I was just watching the episode Safe again, and I got to the scene where River dances with the peasants. I realized that every time I see that scene, I am overcome with emotion because of how well done it is. This is a scene that shows what filmmaking can be. There are no lines, no special effects, nothing but acting and music...and yet so much is laden there.
First of all is the acting...Summer and Sean are so perfect here, you know exactly what they are thinking without any words. You can see Simon's worry as River is eyeing the dance with concentration, wondering if she's going to randomly break down. You see River, at first overcome with logically examining the scene, marking the steps of the dance. And then suddenly, she leaves the crazy genius part of her behind and a rush of joy floods her face as she begins to dance. Simon's face lights up, a huge grin on his face as he watches her enjoy herself for the first time in a while. We don't need to be told that River's a genius—she picks up the dance in half a minute. We don't need to be told she used to love to dance—it's obvious by the joy on her face. We don't need to be told that Simon dearly loves her—he only smiles when she's happy. And all of it is accented by the music, a simple folk tune at first, which swells with emotion as River begins to dance. And then the editing with Mal and co. in the middle of a gunfight, perfectly blended with the lighthearted dance.
In a book, this scene would have taken pages of explanation and exposition, and it would need an incredible writer to capture such strong emotion with words alone. I cannot watch this scene as if it's part of the episode...I'll always see it as a perfect piece of artwork.
And then there's that scene in the Train Job, when Serenity zooms up into camera for the first time...my jaw drops and I nearly drool every time I see that.
But I won't ramble any further. It's your turn now.
I'm not looking for favorite scenes here—I really like this scene apart from how it was filmed, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite—but for scenes that you have to admire for the craft behind it. Scenes that are so well shot, acted, and scored that you can't just see them as carrying the story along.
--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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For me, it's the scene at the end of Jaynestown when Mal and Jayne are talking inside the cargo hold.
When they have the slow acoustic version of "Hero of Canton" playing, the scene just becomes something..... perfect in my mind.
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
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Visually, the episode with the most impact for me was Out of Gas. Using different lighting/filter effects to indicate flashbacks & timeline was fantastic. I especially love the way the scene introducing Jayne was filmed. It looks so gritty you can almost smell the grease, sweat & dirt, and you can completely forget that they are standing in front of a big painted backdrop.
But my favorite scene visually in that ep is in the beginning, watching Mal fall into scene & hitting the grate, shifting to the past showing Mal introducing Zoe to the ship, and then panning back down to Mal laying on the grate again. The first time I saw him obviously fighting for his life, with the blood dripping down from the grate, filled me with so much anxiety. The perspective (camera on the ground) and the lighting (blue, coming up from the grate) make such an impact, you almost physically feel it. Every time I watch that scene I feel that same anguish, as though I haven't seen it before. Yes, I know he lives, but it was filmed so well that I fear for his life every time!
(trying to post image here - not sure if it works)
(Sorry if this is an incoherent rambling post, but my morning-loving sister woke me up at 6:30 this morning to go for a walk. I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON!!! I'm on my second cup of coffee and I'm still cranky. Thought FFF.net would cheer me up).
I'd rather be a smartass than a dumbass...
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I think the episode Objects in Space is the perfect episode for this thread. The episode on a whole just had a different, more aesthetic feel to it than the others. Not to say it's better or anything- just different, and the cinematography was part of that. That said, though the whole episode is shot beautifully, I'll narrow it down to my favorite scene. It's the scene in the very beginning, right after River's been walking through the ship and listening to thoughts, where she ends up in the cargo bay. We've been following River, and suddenly there's this shot from above, showing the floor strewn with orange leaves, as though a wind had just blown through a stand of trees in autumn. The sudden juxtaposition is both startling and breathtaking. The soft warm color of the leaves starkly contrasts with the cooler colors of the ship. Also, the appearance of something so natural as leaves catches our attention because they're so rare in the somewhat artificial and cold setting of a spaceship cruising through endless space. In addition to the beautiful image, what I love about this scene is that everything is suddenly silent. All the voices and ship machine noises stop, almost as though River had indeed stepped into a forest. In this moment, we are truly in her mind, separate from the ship and everyone else, staring at objects that 'don't mean what you think.' The scene ends abruptly when the real world of the ship comes crashing in with the crew shouting in consternation at River's possession of the branch-turned-gun. The leaves are gone and we are back on the ship, pulled back into the real world of the other characters. Every time I watch I am continually impressed with the subtlety of this scene, and the incredible attention to detail that makes it wonderful.
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Good points, Waltzing. That was a good scene. And you pointed out one of the "tricks" that Firefly used so well - silence. It is so rare for TV & movies to use complete absence of sound, and Firefly used it wonderfully.
I'd rather be a smartass than a dumbass...
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Oh yes, the beginning of Out of Gas is just brilliant Can't say I'm actually that fond of the rest of the episode, but Mal wounded and the first flashback are one of my favorite scenes ever.
I agree, Waltzing...Objects in Space has that moment that, if we didn't know before that River was crazy, we wouldn't need to be told afterwards.
I just remembered another one...Simon's monologue in the pilot. There's the score and the directing, as usual, and then so much more. The dialogue is great, with the repeating, distraction, stumbling—it really sounds real, and feels real when you watch it delivered. And then we don't see what he's talking about, we don't get to see the planning or the escape, but what we do see is the emotional undercurrent of what he's telling them: the gentle restraining of River, her bratty attitude, and then how she sleeps while he gently strokes her hand. Brilliant filmmaking, that you can't understand unless you've seen it.
Another one is the war scene at the beginning of the pilot (have you figured out that Serenity's one of my favorite episodes?). It's all action, all humor, and then suddenly the music changes and Mal just stands there with the perfect look on his face. It's not just horror, it's not just sadness, it's not just disbelief...it's something you understand but can't describe. The music is perfect, and the slightly slow motion, and the framing as Bendis gets shot down right next to Mal as the ships land. We don't need any other explanation for why Mal is who he his.
--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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Quote:
Originally posted by Waltzing:
I'll narrow it down to my favorite scene. It's the scene in the very beginning, right after River's been walking through the ship and listening to thoughts, where she ends up in the cargo bay. We've been following River, and suddenly there's this shot from above, showing the floor strewn with orange leaves, as though a wind had just blown through a stand of trees in autumn. The sudden juxtaposition is both startling and breathtaking. The soft warm color of the leaves starkly contrasts with the cooler colors of the ship. Also, the appearance of something so natural as leaves catches our attention because they're so rare in the somewhat artificial and cold setting of a spaceship cruising through endless space. In addition to the beautiful image, what I love about this scene is that everything is suddenly silent. All the voices and ship machine noises stop, almost as though River had indeed stepped into a forest. In this moment, we are truly in her mind, separate from the ship and everyone else, staring at objects that 'don't mean what you think.' The scene ends abruptly when the real world of the ship comes crashing in with the crew shouting in consternation at River's possession of the branch-turned-gun. The leaves are gone and we are back on the ship, pulled back into the real world of the other characters. Every time I watch I am continually impressed with the subtlety of this scene, and the incredible attention to detail that makes it wonderful.
well that was the one i'd have picked too! but i wouldn't have said it a tenth as well - lovely description/summation of that scene. great post:)
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Thanks! Glad you liked it. Hooray Firefly. 
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So many to pick from... but the one scene that always seems to exemplify what the series means to me: right before the explosion in Out of Gas, the crew is laughing and eating together. Things never go well, and at this point, life is bearable. You see the happiness in the faces of each character as Book is telling his funny story. A crew that doesn't get to laugh too often, or have occasion to smile. Its as if they need to laugh so badly, because nothing ever goes right for them. I was watching this episode for the 100th time and I had to stop during the birthday cake scene. It was much too painful knowing what is about to happen. I hate to sound so weepy about an episode I've seen so much, but the characters are so believable. I want them to find some happiness so badly. I think the last time they are all this happy is when they are playing that hoop ball game. and even then, not all the characters are exactly involved. even in our mrs reynolds, the celebratory party is somewhat sad because Book is burying people. Anyway, I am always in awe of the scene in out of gas. Sometimes I wonder is it too much to ask for a little bit of happiness in space.
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I thought of another one...the interrogation in Bushwacked. This is a scene that works on so many levels. First of all, we notice it's humor, but scenes that are only there for humor are flat, especially since the humor may not work. But we also get excellent character development that works well with the plot, and the editing along with the writing makes it a joy to watch. The scenes of Alliance feds searching the ship, and then the drawing back to reveal Simon and River—camera work that is great.
--
"My way of being polite, or however...well, it's the only way I have of showing you that I like you. Of showing respect." Simon Tam, Jaynestown
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