Friday, February 29, 2008

A few Memorable movie quotes

Listing a few quotes from some of my favourite movies...please add to the list in your comments.....

From the movie The Prestige (2006),
Cutter: Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige"."
This is the opening and closing line of the movie....delivered by Michael Caine who I believe has amongst the finest voices in Hollywood.

Alfred Borden: Are you watching closely?
The climax between Angier and Borden is mind boggling...both in terms of acting and unfolding of the plot.

Nikola Tesla: Have you considered the cost of such a machine?
Robert Angier: Price is not an object.
Nikola Tesla: Yes, but have you considered the *cost*?

Sarah: Alfred I can't live like this!
Alfred Borden: Well, what do you want from me?
Sarah: I want... I want you to be honest with me. No tricks, no lies, no secrets. [pause]
Sarah: Do you... do you love me?
Alfred Borden: Not today. No.
I didnt quite understand this line till the end...and when the meaning hits you, it hits you hard!!!

From the movie V for Vendetta (2005),
Evey Hammond: Who are you?
V: Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.
Evey Hammond: Well I can see that.
V: Of course you can. I'm not questioning your powers of observation I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
Evey Hammond: Oh. Right.
V: But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.
V: VoilĂ ! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. [carves V into poster on wall]
V: The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. [giggles]
V: Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
Some of these words I am sure dont even figure in the GRE word list....it took me many dictionary references to 'finally fully follow' the lines.

V: Tell me Evey, do you know what day it is?
Evey Hammond: Um, November the 4th.
V: [midnight church bells ring] Not anymore. Remember, remember the 5th of November. The gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.
Impecable dialogue delivery from Hugo Weaving.

From the Matrix Trilogy (1999 onwards),
With layers of meaning, metaphor, and symbolism in every scene, it's pretty difficult to distill the trilogy down to simple, punchy one-liners. Every one of the 3 movies needs to be watched and dialogues listened to with careful attention to detail to distil the hidden meanings behind the movie...Can put in but a few lines in here...

Morpheus: What are you waiting for? You're faster than this. Don't think you are, know you are. Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me.
This line has inspired me to no end...marks the start of the transition from Mr. Anderson to Neo...says that the will of the heart is more powerful than the will of the mind.

Neo: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?
Morpheus: No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to
When Neo becomes the One, you understand what the line means.....the world is but a 'Matrix'

The Architect: Hello, Neo.
Neo: Who are you?
The Architect: I am the Architect. I created the Matrix. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.
Neo: Why am I here?
The Architect: Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden assiduously avoided, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably, here.
Neo: You haven't answered my question.
The Architect: Quite right. Interesting. That was quicker than the others.
This is probably the most critical scene in the movie. Everything that's come before in the 1st Matrix and half of Matrix reloaded is put into question by what the Architect says, and everything yet to come in Revolutions will be influenced by his message.

The Architect: Humph. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness.
Again.. talk of underlying faith and the will of the heart

Morpheus: All of our lives, we have fought this war. Tonight I believe we can end it. Tonight is not an accident. There are no accidents. We have not come here by chance. I do not believe in chance. When I see three objectives, three captains, three ships. I do not see coincidence, I see providence. I see purpose. I believe it our fate to be here. It is our destiny. I believe this night holds for each and every one of us, the very meaning of our lives.
Delivered by Laurence Fishburne (he was absolutely meant for the role) to the three captains and their crew in Matrix Reloaded in their mission to help Neo enter the Matrix Source.

Morpheus: This is a war and we are soldiers. Death can come for us at any time, in any place. [Scene switch to the Vigilant under attack]. Now consider the alternative. What if I am right? What if the prophecy is true? What if tomorrow the war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?


From the God Father,
I am going to make him an offer he cannot refuse.
Behind every great fortune lies a great gamble.
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.


From 300 (2006)
Messenger: Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king.
King Leonidas: [to himself: thinking] "Earth and water"? [Leonidas unsheathes and points his sword at the Messenger's throat]
Messenger: Madman! You're a madman!
King Leonidas: Earth and water? You'll find plenty of both down there.
Messenger: No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!
King Leonidas: You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city steps. You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I've chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same!
Messenger: This is blasphemy! This is madness!
King Leonidas: Madness...? THIS... IS... SPARTA! [Kicks the messenger down the well]
Ah...the arrogance, valour and courage of a Spartan is legendary

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great selection, Vish. My fave is from Apocalypse Now -

Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that?
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end...

Vishy said...

I just saw the movie yesterday...actually just found it to be OK...martin sheen was fantastic...but the movie length of 3+ hours was simply too much :)

Parag said...

hey vishy, good choice...Matrix is full of amazing lines...in amazing voices i would add hugo weaving