Those who follow my blog posts already know that I am an incurable film buff unable to resist the temptation to compile lists. Here are five of what continue to be, for me, unforgettable moments in film, listed in the order in which the films were released.

The Pawnbroker (1964): Near the conclusion when Sol Nazerman (Ron Steiger) rushes out of his pawn shop into the street after a young man who worked for him lies dead, he reacts with what (to this day) most people who saw the film insist is a blood-curdling scream. Actually, inspired by Picasso’s mural, Guernica, Steiger expressed no sound while simulating a scream. To this day, I hear it in my mind although I never heard it with my ears.

Jaws (1975): Actually, there are several memorable scenes in thisfilm but the two that remain most vivid occur. First, when Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), wearing scuba gear, inspect an abandoned boat and while peering through a port hole…. Later in the film, Brody is tossing chum from the stern of the ship owned by Sam Quint (Robert Shaw) when suddenly….

Marathon Man (1976): Babe (Dustin Hoffman) has been captured and delivered to a dentist, Szell (Laurence Olivier), who is convinced that Babe knows what Szell needs to know. How to extract the information? In process improvement, the answer is to “drill down” for it…and Szell does, without anesthesia.

Sophie’s Choice (1982): The scene occurs in a train station when a German officer requires Sophie (Meryl Streep) to make the choice to which the film’s title refers. (Details are best revealed when seeing the film.) To this day, I cannot watch this scene again.

The Patriot (2000): During the revolutionary War, British troops led by Col. William Tavington (Jason Isaacs) have rounded up the women and children in a South Carolina town and lock them into a church. Then, to “send a message” to the men who serve in the militia, Tavington orders the church to be set afire. There were screams recorded on the sound track and I still hear them.

Taking Chance (2005): Although this film was not made for television, its release bypassed theatres and was first seen on HBO. The scene that continues to haunt me develops as Marine Lt. Col. Mike Strobl (Kevin Bacon) in a rental car follows the hearse that transports the body of 19-year old Marine Lance Corportal Chance Phelps to his home town, Dubois, Wyoming, where he will be buried with full military honors. As the two vehicles proceed, a lengthy convoy of tractor trailers and other vehicles forms to escort them to their destination.

Which film scenes are most memorable for you? Please share.