14 Movies with Unbelievable Scenes about Design
Some of cinema’s boldest and most glorious films have explored ideas and principles about design. Some in clever subtle clues and others in glaring direct details. Here are 14 flicks with unbelievable scenes about design:
1. The Seven Year Itch – The iconic “skirt scene”
Hey, when the wind is strong, there’s not much you can do to stop it!
The famous picture of Marilyn Monroe, laughing as her skirt is blown up by the blast from a subway vent. The scene, went on to become one of the most iconic moments in movie history. But a lot more went into to the scene than what’s portrayed in director Billy Wilder’s film. And its consequences rippled far beyond making young moviegoers blush.
2. Toy Story – Opening Scene
Toy Story is a treasure that ushered in another golden age of animation. In the opening scene, it’s not only the toy cowboy who comes alive – we’re watching the rebirth of an art form.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel – “our story begins with the beloved…” Scene
Wes Anderson doesn’t just make movies — he makes art. He leverages color in a unique way in his films.
Color is a storyteller. It sets the mood. It stirs our emotions. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is drenched in glorious color. We know immediately that the Grand Budapest is a place of luxury and whimsy without any further explanation.
4. Minority Report – The Gestures Interface Scene
The interesting thing about this film is that the spectacle is accompanied by great design elements. With psychics, flying cars and futuristic weapons, director Spielberg’s world is full of technology and design masterpieces. The Minority Report is especially a gold mine for User interface and interaction designers.
5. Back to the Future – “You made a time machine… out of a DeLorean?”
Many design themes appear fleetingly in the film, and some of them are clearly meant to be jokes (self-lacing shoes, really?) but they do make some great design food for thought.
6. Inception – zero-gravity fight scene
Cobb and Ariadne sit at a café, which is actually a figment of Ariadne’s dream. As they talk, huge, fireless explosions pop all around them in slow motion. Then, as the pair begins to walk, Page starts to experiment with the elastic physical world of her dream. She raises up entire streets — buildings, people, cars and all — until everything folds up into a fantastical cube of Parisian life. It is nothing short of staggering.
7. Inglourious Basterds – Pub Scene
The angles, the cutting, the perspective changes, the focusing, it’s all little pieces of a puzzle that makes Inglourious Basterds glorious. These are all elements that influence design.
8. The Matrix – Red and blue pill scene
The Matrix’ green tint are actually representations of the opposing realities. The green tint isn’t there simply for the film to look cool, it is there for a reason. It is the matrix.
The film has another reality, which is represented by the use of a muted, blue tint. This reality is the real world (that’s also debatable if you watch the subsequent sequels).
The pills are also present in clashing contrasting colors of red and blue. These color choices are selected so as to not only thematically, and symbolically represent the different, opposing worlds, but as to not confuse the audience as to what is going on, onscreen.
9. Schindler’s List – The Girl in Red (Red Regina)
Perhaps the most moving image in Steven Spielberg’s epic “Schindler’s List” is the little girl in the red coat, one of only four color images in the three-hour black and white film. She is wearing a red coat which draws the viewer to her even when she is but one of a hundred people in a wide shot.
Color is used to convey the period well, and shows the stark differences in realities for all parties. The singular use of color (the little girl in the red coat), drives home the horror of the holocaust.
10. The Godfather (1972) – The Baptism Scene
One of the most effective and disturbing juxtapositions in film. As Michael becomes the Godfather to his sister’s child, we cut between the rites of the baptism and the cold execution of all the Corleones enemies. It’s brilliant! We experience a glory of parallel action and contrast, between the baptism and gory murders.
Contrast is one of the most important principles in design, and it’s more than just light and dark color values, but includes size, color, shape and emotions. Contrast is achieved by placing opposing visual elements side by side. The juxtaposition between the two elements, particularly two objects of opposing sizes, can create a daunting mood or a mood of wonderment and sublimity.
11. Avatar – The Battle with Quaritch
Avatar is Jam-packed with visually stunning and emotionally rich scenes which leave viewers glued to the screen. James Cameron is a master of how to design a new world. The world of Pandora is displayed in its full epic glory in the final battle between Jake and Colonel Quaritch.
12. The Great Gatsby – The series of death scenes
The Great Gatsby is a full-figured, Big Top circus of lighting, drapery, glitter, drama, and architecture incorporating design, lines and symbolism in the screenplay.
13. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
From a New Hope to The Force Awakens, Star wars is filled with myriad Design Principles. With Perspective creates dynamic and visually interesting compositions, allowing certain objects to become more dominant depending on where they are placed. Lines are used to direct perspective.
Whether your design is 3D or flat, these basic design principles used in the Star Wars trilogy are tried and true. When your design is seamless and effective, the ideas that make them timeless can come through.
14. 2001: A Space Odyssey(1968) – The Great Room
Symmetry balances a design and highlights its focal object. You can create symmetry by mirroring design elements on each side of the composition and by placing focal objects in the middle of the composition.
Whereas shots with off-balanced objects will create the effect of things being confusing and out of control, a symmetrical shot lends to a mood of uniformity and orderliness, as in these scene in the Space Odyssey.
