BO.com top 100 movie lines of all time: May the force be with you, number 1

[4815162342]

If I had thought of it, I would've nominated "Coffee is for closers!" and "Fuck you! That's my name". And "A, B, C. Always be closing."Well shit, I should've thought of GLENGARRY.

Coffee is for closers was nominated in the original pool. Edited February 14, 2014 by 4815162342

[Shawn Robbins]

But there's so many of them. I think Casablanca is very well represented.

 

Exactly. I think its lines deserve recognition, but not necessarily at the top. The younger generation definitely ignores the classics, but on the flip side of that coin, a lot of lines stick around just because we're told they have to. Embrace the old and the new, I say.

Edited February 14, 2014 by ShawnMR

[Dementeleus]

Or... maybe the older generation overrates them.

 

 

[baumer]

Coffee is for closers was on my list of 100.

 

And yes, lines from the past are great and they have their place, but there are a lot of iconic lines from films in the last 10 years.  I personally think Casablanca has too many on this list but that's why the committee was chosen the way it was.  Everything from Argo to Wizard of Oz was considered, nominated and voted on.  I think this is a very good representation of the best lines of all time.

Edited February 14, 2014 by winter baumer

[Dementeleus]

Coffee is for closers was on my list of 100.

 

And yes, lines from the past are great and they have their place, but there are a lot of iconic lines from films in the last 10 years.  I personally think Casablanca has too many on this list but that's why the committee was chose the way it was.  Everything from Argo to Wizard of Oz was considered, nominated and voted on.  I think this is a very good representation of the best lines of all time.

 

I just realized I should've nominated THE ARTIST for one of the 100 greatest lines.

[baumer]

30 If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88mph, you're gonna see some real serious shit.  Back to the Future 1985

 

Gary:  Hey Dan, what movie you want to go see today?  

Dan:  How about we go see Rambo again?

Gary:  Love that movie, but we've seen it five times.

Dan:  True, but it's awesome.

Gary:  Yea, but let's see something else.  I only have enough money from my paper route to see maybe one more movie and then buy the new Thompson Twins album.  

Dan:  Ok,well see saw Goonies on the weekend...

Gary:  What about that western with Danny Glover and Kris Kristopherson?

Dan:  Uh no.  I don't like westerns.

Gary:  Brewster's Millions?

Dan:  Nope, saw it with Andrew.  How about Code of Silence?

Gary:  Nope, it's rated R

Dan:  Damn!

Gary:  How about Spielberg's other film, Back to the Future?

Dan:  Naaa, that sounds stupid.  How do you go BACK to the FUTURE?

Gary:  I don't know, but it's got the  Family Ties guy and when has Spielberg ever steered us wrong?

Dan:  I don't know man, he only produced this, he didn't direct it.

Gary:  Same with Goonies though.

Dan:  Siiiigh...all right, fine, but this better be good.

Gary:  It's summer, it's air conditioned theater, it's Spielberg and science fiction.  How can it be bad?

Dan:  Fine, then after let's go to Tecumseh Mall.  You can get Thompson Twins, I want to get the new Hot Wheels car that just came out too.

Gary:  Yea man.....

 

Edited February 14, 2014 by winter baumer

[baumer]

29 I am serious and don't call me Shirley Airplane! 1980

 

Written by the ZAZ boys (Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker) Airplane was one of the first spoof films.  It made fun of films like Airport 77.  It took a very serious group of films and completely blew it up and poked merciless fun at them.  Before Leslie Nielsen played Dr. Rumack, he was known for his serious work in TV shows like Kojak, Ironside and Columbo.  But once he met the ZAZ boys, his career took off and he made a fortune in their films.  Airplane was filled witty dialogue and astute observations but none as smart and as funny as when, with a deadpan look and a tone filled with equanimity, Nielsen says the famous line.  Future comedy giants like The Farelly Bros and Seth McFarlane have mentioned Airplane! as a huge influence.  It even won the WGA award for best comedy written directly for the screen.  We have clearance Clarence.  Roger Roger. What's our vector Victor?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A5t5_O8hdA

[Jake Gittes]

Fuck, I'm kicking myself for not originally thinking of Glengarry all that much. 

 

"Who ever told you that you could work with MEN?"

Edited February 14, 2014 by Jake Gittes

[The Stingray]

Or... maybe the older generation overrates them.

 

That's the double truth, Ruth!

 

I think some of those oldies are "classics" just because they're old. I think a line like, "There's a legend around here. About a killer buried... but not dead." is a much better line than a lot of them oldies. It's eerie, it's mysterious, and basically the essence of a spooky campfire story. But it never stood a chance 'cause it's from Friday the 13th.

[Shawn Robbins]

That's the double truth, Ruth!

 

I think some of those oldies are "classics" just because they're old. I think a line like, "There's a legend around here. About a killer buried... but not dead." is a much better line than a lot of them oldies. It's eerie, it's mysterious, and basically the essence of a spooky campfire story. But it never stood a chance 'cause it's from Friday the 13th.

 

And to be fair, I think half of it is in the delivery. Put a line like "Here's lookin' at you, kid" in the hands of someone other than Bogart, it might not be as memorable. Conversely, sometimes great lines aren't done justice on camera.

[baumer]

28 I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore Network 1976

 

Written by legendary Hollywood screenwriter, Paddy Chayefsky, Network won the Oscar in best original screenplay.  The film was way ahead of its time as it accurately depicts how sensationalism gets better ratings than truth.  When an anchor threatens to commit suicide on air, and then proceeds to rant on live television how much of a joke he thinks life is, the ratings for the sagging TV station sky rocket.  During one of his diatribes, Howard Beale encourages everyone to shout out of their windows that they are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore.  People follow his lead and do so.  Chayefsky stated that he drew inspiration for the script from an incident that actually happened two years prior when on live TV, a news anchor named Christine Chubbuck, in Florida, committed suicide on live TV.  The incident was shown live.

 

 

[baumer]

That's the double truth, Ruth!

 

I think some of those oldies are "classics" just because they're old. I think a line like, "There's a legend around here. About a killer buried... but not dead." is a much better line than a lot of them oldies. It's eerie, it's mysterious, and basically the essence of a spooky campfire story. But it never stood a chance 'cause it's from Friday the 13th.

 

Nicely said buddy.

 

If it were up to me and you, the top 100 would look vastly different.  I'd have Halloween and Friday the 13th in there for sure.  But there was 12 of us, so the list was done fairly.  

[Jake Gittes]

That's the double truth, Ruth!

 

I think some of those oldies are "classics" just because they're old. 

Nah. It's not like there were too few films being made in the old days. The classics are classics because they stood the test of time, and that's pretty damn hard to do when you're talking about many decades passing.

[Dementeleus]

28 I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore Network 1976

 

Written by legendary Hollywood screenwriter, Paddy Chayefsky, Network won the Oscar in best original screenplay.  The film was way ahead of its time as it accurately depicts how sensationalism gets better ratings than truth.  When an anchor threatens to commit suicide on air, and then proceeds to rant on live television how much of a joke he thinks life is, the ratings for the sagging TV station sky rocket.  During one of his diatribes, Howard Beale encourages everyone to shout out of their windows that they are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore.  People follow his lead and do so.  Chayefsky stated that he drew inspiration for the script from an incident that actually happened two years prior when on live TV, a news anchor named Christine Chubbuck, in Florida, committed suicide on live TV.  The incident was shown live.

 

 

 

Oh God, this is such a great scene! The line is iconic, but damn, if you haven't watched it (or the movie).... DO IT.

[BadAtGender]

Oh God, this is such a great scene! The line is iconic, but damn, if you haven't watched it (or the movie).... DO IT.

 

Yeah. it's probably the second best scene in the entire film. My favorite is Ned Beatty's scene, which is probably on par with Alec Baldwin's Glengarry scene for sheer acting brilliance. (Though not quite as quotable.)

[Dementeleus]

Yeah. it's probably the second best scene in the entire film. My favorite is Ned Beatty's scene, which is probably on par with Alec Baldwin's Glengarry scene for sheer acting brilliance. (Though not quite as quotable.)

 

Hahahah! Beatty's scene is totally epic, because just when you're starting to think "Is this guy for real?" he snaps out and goes "Am I getting through to you, Mr. Beale?"

 

Paddy Chayefsky, man. Fuck.

[baumer]

I just realized I should've nominated THE ARTIST for one of the 100 greatest lines.

 

[The Stingray]

Nah. It's not like there were too few films being made in the old days. The classics are classics because they stood the test of time, and that's pretty damn hard to do when you're talking about many decades passing.

 

Yeah, but some of the ones I'm championing never had the chance to become classics because they were in less-than-classic movies.

[Dementeleus]

Holy shit, we don't have any REAL GENIUS ones.

 

Motherfucker!

[baumer]

Yeah, but some of the ones I'm championing never had the chance to become classics because they were in less-than-classic movies.

 

Absolutely agree.  For example, the film Pumkinhead has one of the all time coolest lines when the swamp witch replies to Henriksen, "He already did." when he says "God-damn you."  Now that's awesome writing.