Five mesmerising movie scenes that get better every time you see them
There sometimes comes a moment when you stumble upon a movie scene that just leaves a lasting impression on you. A sequence so powerful, so visually stimulating, joyful, or emotionally-rich that you find yourself searching it up on YouTube to rewatch over and over.
You’ve surely got a certain scene in your head that just leaves you mesmerised, even if it’s from a film that isn’t one of your all-time favourites. The mark of a good movie is the incorporation of a scene that completely knocks the wind out of you and leaves the hairs on your arms standing up.
An unforgettable and simply mesmerising scene has the power to make you understand what it is that makes cinema such a valuable art form, communicating so much more than you might’ve ever thought possible. They take you into another transcendent world, where the meaning of art becomes so abundantly clear.
So, from the light tunnel sequence in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the classic dance sequence in Singin’ in the Rain, here are five mesmerising movie scenes that only continue to get better the more you watch them.
Five mesmerising movie scenes that get better each time:
Dance sequence – Climax (Gaspar Noé, 2018)
Gaspar Noé’s Climax is a hard watch, led by fluid long takes that pan from character to character as morality and order break down following the consumption of some spiked sangria. The dance troupe, who are just trying to celebrate following their rehearsal, soon turn their backs on each other, encouraging brutality and even death while revealing the darkest sides of themselves.
Before the true horrors are shown, however, we witness the group perform an intoxicating dance routine to an instrumental version of ‘Supernature’ by Cerrone, which, upon multiple rewatches, only becomes more addictive to witness. Not only is it a fascinating scene, all shot in one take, but it cleverly and subtly reveals the culprit and reflects the positions of certain characters within the group.
Essentially, Noé squeezes the whole film into an abstract dance before the narrative unfolds, and it’s hard not to get swept up in the choreography, which is sensual and uninhibited.
<br>Levitation – Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1975)<br>
There are so many hauntingly beautiful scenes in Andrei Tarkovsky’s Mirror, which is a gloriously poetic collection of memories, told through a non-linear narrative. As a dying poet looks back on key moments in his life, unforgettable images, like a house on fire or a field blowing in the wind, leave an indelible imprint on the viewer, reminding us of our own core memories that will likely accompany us as we eventually pass over.
One of the most gorgeous and simply mesmerising scenes comes near the end of the film when we see Maria levitating above her bed. Shot in spectral black-and-white, it’s a stunning sequence accompanied by a voice-over.
“Don’t be surprised. It’s so simple. I love you,” she says, as her hair floats behind her and a bird flies above.
Club Silencio – Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
A pivotal part of Mulholland Drive occurs when Naomi Watts’ Betty and Laura Harring’s Rita visit Club Silencio in the middle of the night, with the latter sporting a wig to match her new friend’s blonde bob. Sitting next to each other in a darkened theatre, the pair watch a man introduce the imminent musical performance, who cryptically discusses the power of illusion.
Then, we see Rebekah Del Rio perform a Spanish version of Roy Orbison’s ‘Crying’ before collapsing. Her singing continues as the pair react viscerally, shaking and crying as they watch on, just as mesmerised as we, the audience. Illusion is the key theme here, with this scene marking a turning point as Lynch’s exploration of fantasy versus reality comes to a head. It’s an unforgettable moment that only gets more transfixing with repeated watches.
Gene Kelly singing in the rain – Singin’ in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1952)
Going back to a true cinematic classic, the most unforgettable scene in Singin’ in the Rain is iconic for a reason. As Gene Kelly sings and dances in the rain, splashing about with his umbrella, there’s a joyousness that is simply infectious, even if you’re not big on musicals. When I was a child, putting an umbrella in my hand likely caused me to start dancing like I was Kelly, twirling it in my hands and humming the song.
It’s a scene that just never gets old, and the more you watch it, the more you want to join in with the actor, who swings on lampposts and jumps into a rather obscene amount of rain. And no, there was no milk in the water, so that it appeared better on camera. It was just good lighting.
Light tunnel sequence – 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
Stanley Kubrick was an undisputed genius, and he crafted many unforgettable scenes during his time as one of cinema’s most innovative figures. However, the light tunnel sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey is truly the most mesmerising, and I’d argue that few cinematic experiences can top watching the mindbending moment on the big screen. It’s psychedelic and haunting, with intense music and droning noises playing as bright colours flash before our eyes.
Sometimes, we see the face of Kier Dullea’s David Bowman between these intense explosions of light and neon, creating a claustrophobic yet wholly immersive effect. You never forget that sequence, and with every re-watch, it only gets more hypnotic, reminding us just how ahead of his time Kubrick really was.
