There are many reasons why I love movies. While many elements make a great film, one of the most important to me is the cinematography. I’ve talked about how great cinematography is in film, but let’s dive a little deeper and explore individual shots in a film.
A single shot in a film can define the whole film and stand out above those around it. I’ve compiled a list of thirty of my all-time favorite shots. It was hard to choose only thirty because there are so many beautiful images captured on film.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I promise to restrain myself.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
It was hard to pick only one shot from this film because there is so much beauty in it. I’ve always loved this shot with the characters about to reach The Land of Oz, though. You can feel their optimism emanating from the screen.
A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
The entire scene is full of wonder, from its set design to the beautiful score. Peter (David Niven) and his guiding angel, Conductor 71 (Marius Goring), on the escalating staircase to heaven is always a joy to watch!
Black Narcissus (1947)
All the set designs and backgrounds in this film are ahead of their time. This shot of the bell ringing near the towering edge always gets to me. I keep having to remind myself that this is a matte painting and not actually in the Himalayan wilderness.
Rope (1948)
The hardest part of picking one shot from this film is the exact frame since there are several actual cuts in the film. Rope plays out like an onstage performance. The ending shot of Rupert Cadell (Jimmy Stewart) firing a gun into the air is an effective climax, with the beautiful city lights in the distance.
The Third Man (1949)
This is one of my favorite climaxes in film. Harry Lime (Orson Welles) running away from the authorities in the sewers of Vienna. This frame always speaks to me. I love how everything is lit, from the textures of the brick walls to the outline of Lime’s silhouette.
The Searchers (1956)
This shot truly belongs on any “best shots” list ever made. I love the ambiguity of it. Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) accomplishes his mission and reunites a family. After they all go into the house, Ethan stands by himself, barely lit and with a colorful background behind him. It’s a good alternative to “riding into the sunset.” It almost seems as though Ethan is watching the sunset himself.
The Seventh Seal (1957)
A lot of these shots are the ending shots to a film, and this one always astounds me. The characters head into the afterlife, with the grim reaper leading the way while the followers perform the “dance of death.” I also love the horizon, which director Ingmar Bergman saw one day and recorded this shot spontaneously. I never mind the slight smudge in the upper left-hand corner.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Again, it was hard picking only one shot from this film. The opening sequence of “the evolution of man” is chock full of amazing cinematography. I landed on this shot of the apes going, well, ape over the appearance of the monolith. I can still hear the haunting score.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stanley Kubrick always knows how to capture an image, as he did with 2001: A Space Odyssey. This shot of The Droogs approaching a homeless man is somewhat haunting, yet mesmerizing. Their long shadows symbolize a dominating presence as if The Droogs create darkness wherever they go.
Barry Lyndon (1975)
I swear, I won’t make this list mainly about Kubrick, but it was hard to omit his other films. The opening shot of Barry Lyndon got me hooked. It looks as though it came straight from an 18th-century painting.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
You can’t go wrong with the two sunsets scene in A New Hope. It sets the mood for the scene regarding Luke Skywalker’s feelings of loneliness and depression. I’m sure at least some of you can hear John Williams’ score in the back in your minds when you are looking at this shot.
Manhattan (1979)
This shot always amazes me. I remember seeing it somewhere online and I knew that I had to see this movie. It is an absolute wonder! I read that Woody Allen had a bench put there so that he could get that shot. I hope it still exists because I’d like to have someone take a picture of me with the same framing someday.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
“The force is with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet.” This sets the stage for one of the most memorable duels in cinematic history: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. I love the framing of this shot, as well as the lighting. It gives the sense that Luke might be going down a dark path while confronting Vader.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Steven Spielberg is the man who made me love movies. From Indiana Jones to E.T., he knows how to delight an audience. This has to be one of the most iconic shots of all time. Spielberg clearly agrees since he made it the logo of his production company, Amblin. Such a beautiful shot!
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
This shot has a lot of meaning to it. It establishes the setting of that portion of the film. The kids walking in the foreground seem as if they don’t have a care in the world. It makes me want to visit New York one of these days.
Batman (1989)
I love how this shot foreshadows the legacy of Batman. The way The Batwing stays still for a few seconds with the moon backlighting it hints at the Bat-Signal. It could be because I’m a Batman fanatic, but this shot always makes me smile.
Dances with Wolves (1990)
I’m not entirely sure if visual effects played a role in this shot. Usually, I can tell if a shot uses CGI or not, but it’s still hard to tell here. Real bison appear later in the scene when the Sioux tribe gets closer to them, so maybe it’s real. One way or another, this is a truly breathtaking shot.
Schindler’s List (1993)
There is a lot of beauty in this film despite the gloomy and horrific events that occur. The girl in the red coat has long been the subject of ambiguous symbolism in film. I especially love this shot of her in the background. It is astounding in so many ways!
Forrest Gump (1994)
It was hard to pick one shot in Forrest Gump. I chose the scene near the end when Forrest walks away, only to turn back to the sound of a group of birds flying to his favorite tree. Not only does it have a beautiful sound, but it is set during a magnificent sunset. I am a sucker for those.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Perhaps it’s the introduction of Vincent and Mia together that I love about this shot. I also love how the logo of the restaurant they pull up to is visible on the windshield. It could be from a film major’s standpoint, but I often wonder what it took to get this shot right. If I ever meet Quentin Tarantino, I’ll have to ask him.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
I almost picked the moment when Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) raises his arms triumphantly in the stormy air. That is a great shot, but I feel that the ending shot to this film deserves more praise. I love the moment in general, but the beautiful blue ocean is what makes this stand out over the rest of the film. To set the proper mood, the film used drab colors before this shot. The bright ocean represents freedom.
Apollo 13 (1995)
This shot is what made me want to make this list. I love how the silhouettes celebrate the return of the astronauts. I also love the positioning of the players, with the gap off-center to show the remains of the spacecraft about to touch down on the water.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
This film has many great shots. The colors and cinematography give the feeling that the film is a dream. I especially love the eerie scene where Bill (Tom Cruise) finds himself surrounded by the other masked figures who decide that Bill is an outsider who shouldn’t be there. You just know Stanley Kubrick is a true perfectionist by how precisely the extras are placed.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
CGI is more prominent than anything in this shot, but it is so remarkable. This moment always makes my heart pound with excitement. What I love about this moment in the film is that the statues make you curious about what’s on the other side of the gate, yet they could be warning people not to pass. A truly marvelous, yet ambiguous moment.
Minority Report (2002)
Beautiful and haunting visuals make up the entirety of Minority Report. There are so many great CGI and so many remarkable set pieces in this futuristic masterpiece. Yet this simple shot of Agatha telling John to turn away, with their heads together, always speaks to me the most.
Road to Perdition (2002)
Despite the depressing mood set in Road to Perdition, there is so much to love about this film. The visuals are among the most outstanding elements. This shot, though grimly showing and foreshadowing death, is mind-blowing. It looks as if it could be a famous painting.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The scene of the oil rig catching fire always makes me cringe. I always wonder how the filmmakers captured this moment without anybody getting hurt (at least I don’t know of any serious accidents occurring in the film’s production). I also love how the spewing fire outlines the figures in the foreground.
Inception (2010)
This must be one of my favorite shots in all of cinema. The shifting gravity is mind-blowing! This shot takes place in the subconscious of someone’s mind and is not meant to represent a physical reality, so the filmmakers could have fun with it. I love films like this!
Nebraska (2013)
I read that director Alexander Payne had to fight with Paramount Pictures over this film. Payne wanted it to be in black and white, which I think worked on many levels. It brings out the bleakness in the film’s setting in the American Midwest. I love this shot of the two main characters switching seats and driving into the sunset. It was the perfect ending.
La La Land (2016)
Musicals are not usually my thing, but La La Land still amazes me. One of the things I love about it is the long takes and camera work to keep the actors and dancers in the frame. There is so much beauty in the scene where Sebastian and Mia dance with the Hollywood sunset behind them. Again, I love sunsets!
Happy watching!
