10 Movie Scenes That Will Give You Vertigo

This brilliantly shot scene shows Indy undertaking his third trial to prove he is worthy to enter the chamber of the Holy Grail to save his father’s life. He is required to pass a perilous test of faith, stepping off a cliff edge on to an invisible bridge.

As he finally builds up the nerve to step into the void, he lands on the path and the camera sways sideways, revealing that the path just blended in perfectly with the markings of the rock face ahead, making it appear invisible. Until he actually steps forward, the camera is positioned exactly as he would be looking at the path, as moving slightly either side would give the illusion away.

The sheer edge of the cliff, coupled with the empty, bottomless chasm below would give anyone the shakes, even without the added pressure that you need to act quickly to save your father. Harrison Ford performed the scene perfectly, first on a mock-up of the ledge and then in front of a blue screen.

The merging of his actions with a scale model of the bridge and smaller versions of his boots in front of a detailed painting of the rock face is a fantastic example of creative cinematography. Even as the path is shown, it is still very narrow and the shot from above of him running across is enough to make nervous viewers look away.