28 Classic Movie Scenes Involving Stairs

10. "So Many Souls" - Poltergeist (1982)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN8G9Wsnb6s Tobe Hooper made two of the scariest films I remember seeing as a child. Oddly enough, neither of them are particularly gory, but both of them are pretty darn freaky. I am of course referring to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist. The latter of which came via the mind of Steven Spielberg. Being potentially the unluckiest girl in the world, Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O€™Rourke) kind of gets sucked into another dimension and then has her bedroom littered with disruptive spirits. In this highly Spielbergian scene, a gaggle of spirits ooze out of Carole Anne€™s room and filter down the living room stairs to where the rest of the family and some ghost hunters have set up some recording equipment. It is a fairly unusual scene that starts off very threatening; (that upstairs track is nail bitingly uncomfortable), and then flourishes into a bit of an anti-climax. The stairs are central to the scene, and form a sort of downhill slope for which the ghosts slither. This helps set out a law for these particular film ghosts in that they have to abide the physicality of the human realm, ergo they are able to tamper with it in return. And that is how they messed about with the freaky-assed clown toy.

9. Diamonds Are A Girl€™s Best Friend - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ll_SL3Tbs Marilyn Monroe is the original proper sex symbol. Whether it was getting her knickers blown up over a vent or sauntering along in figure hugging dresses, Monroe tended to get men€™s attention wherever she went. This magnetism was played for literal imagery in Howard Hawks€™ 50€™s romp Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. While sleeping, Monroe€™s Lorelei Lee dreams of being lavished by adoring men, and decorated with an inordinate amount of bling. It is a scene that plays out on the stage like setting of red-carpeted stairs, and a handful of male dancers; and is one of the most iconic images of Monroe€™s career. In fact, the image of Monroe in THAT pink dress and THOSE glimmering jewels on that red carpet stairs, became so famous it has been lampooned countless times. The connection between sex appeal and this scene are so strong, that even attention hound Madonna sought to attach herself to it with the music video for €˜Material Girl€™. Sadly for Madge, even in her hay-day she was no Monroe.

8. The Stairs Are Out - The Money Pit (1986)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFwBptAlvlQ If ever you have bought a €˜doer upper€™ then you can easily relate to the turmoil suffered by Walter (Tom Hanks) and Anna (Shelley Long) in The Money Pit. Amongst all the brown bath water, cowboy builders and creaking floorboards, one of the biggest mishaps experienced by Walter comes in the form a collapsing staircase. The grand feature of the house€™s entrance hall is somewhat reminiscent of the romantic flowing beauty from Gone With The Wind. But where Rhett and Scarlett€™s staircase was a statement of wealth and beauty, Walter€™s becomes a metaphor for the almost insurmountable task of turning his cash cow into something livable. This is a scene played for laughs, and it has a kind of Three Stooges quality that one might usually associate with the likes of Steve Martin. Just the sheer spectacle and €œoh crap!€-ness of the moment sears it into viewer€™s minds as one of the more memorable moments from the film. This is the sort of physical comedy that Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton would have created, and Tom Hanks channels their spirits perfectly into his performance. The scene was hilarious when we saw it 27 years ago, and it is still just as funny today - a proper belly laugh.