What defines a great movie scene? Although there is no one definition, a great movie scene serves as a catalyst for reverie. While viewing a great scene, one is transported from their own familiar place or frame of mind to a new and foreign realm which they feel they are a part of. The viewer does not sit idly. Instead, he is one of the milling throng of particles right there on the screen, in suspension for what happens next. French literary and cultural critic Roland Barthes, in his personal essay Leaving the Movie Theater, relates this fascination to a sort of “hypnosis.” A great movie scene casts a spell. While one sits, ostensibly at a distance from the screen, what is occurring on the screen is simultaneously tangible, yet just out of touch.
The purpose of this website is to allow all to live, or relive, this sensation. What will, in large part, drive this site are our viewers’ insights and comments, as well as their own scene favorites. We hope you enjoy.
The Reel-Eyes Team