20 Perfect Shots From Oscar Winning Movies

By Jack Pooley / February 25, 2017

2. The Graduate - The Sound Of Silence

The final scene in Mike Nichols' incredible dramedy has been the source of much debate and discussion over the last 50 years.

After Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) helps Elaine (Katharine Ross) flee from her wedding, the pair sit on the back of a bus in a brief moment of elation, before their facial expressions become more stern, implying anxiety and uncertainty about what the future holds.

Sure, the use of Simon and Garfunkel definitely doesn't hurt here, but there are few things more visually compelling than the human face, and seeing the pair realise the difficulty of adulthood has a lingering, haunting quality that holds long after the shot concludes.