28 Classic Movie Scenes Involving Stairs

7. The Penrose Stairs - Inception (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvSD1EAlAUQ When Chris Nolan set out to make Inception, there is no doubt that this scene involving Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page was at the forefront of his mind. First of all, it encapsulates the ethos of the film; this sense that nothing in dreams can be trusted, because everything can be controlled. Second, it forms a visual metaphor of never ending twists and turns, a sense of progression without ever actually achieving anything €“ much like Cobb€™s efforts to hold onto the memory of his wife. The third reason why I think Nolan had this scene set out early on is because it is the one scene most obviously inspired by artist M.C. Escher - someone whom Nolan cites and an inspiration for the set design. Architecture plays a massive role in Inception, and is central to a lot of the character€™s journeys. Whether things involve eclipsing Parisian streets, or revolving corridors or endless staircases, there is a definite sense that surroundings are important to the world of Inception. This particular scene where Gordon-Levitt creates an endless walkway, is a nice little breather moment between the heavier action set pieces of the film but is also an excellent piece of exposition. It is a rare moment in a rather complex film, when one character gets to explain a concept to another without it feeling like it is for our benefit€ even though we know it is.

6. "Tonight You Sleep In Hell" - Highlander (1986)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ3JCFhmMjY Few films have such a cult following, but yet are so widely referenced in popular culture as Highlander. Give it a go right now; find a reason to say to someone, €œthere can be only one.€ And they will no doubt €˜get€™ what you are saying. Whether they have actually seen Highlander is a different thing, yet they are aware of it to some extent. The demise of longest-name-in-the-world-Ramirez (Sean Connery) at the hands of Victor Kruger (Clancy Brown) is a stand out moment in the film; and guess what, it takes places on some stairs. As Ramirez and Kruger go mano-a-mano up the winding stone steps of a conveniently rickety building, the walls begin to fall away. Had the set not looked so obviously made out of Styrofoam, and Kruger€™s weird punch-slash not been so obviously terrible, it would actually be quite a hard-hitting scene. The stairs serve to highlight the God-like power of these two men, as they appear to fight amongst the tempest-like storm, elevated and isolated above the world. The rotting stairs add an element of increased danger to proceedings, with both men left to either die by the sword or by plummeting to their death (which presumably wouldn€™t happen, as they are immortal). It is a rare treat to see ego-maniac Sean Connery so willingly die like a dog, and even more so when silhouetted against some classic 80€™s matte painting. Director Russell Mluchay would never again replicate the brilliance of Highlander, but in this scene he helped form a classic.

5. The Pram - The Untouchables (1987)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJpRSf4q-hI Kevin Costner is a bit of a douche. That is what we learned from watching what is arguably the most memorable moment from Brian De Palma€™s 1987 crime epic The Untouchables. As Costner€™s Eliot Ness endeavours to be helpful and assist a young mother with carrying her child€™s pram down some stairs, he suddenly lets go of it in favour of a kill. Not only that, but he then pushes the screaming mother away, stopping her from grapping the pram; and then proceeds to go about shooting the place up until it is almost too late to save the bambino. This scene is painfully dragged out over two-plus minutes in super slow-motion, as De Palma squeezes every ounce of tension possibly out of the moment. There are gunshots, bullet wounds, suspicious men in hats, dying sailors, echoing screams, and a seemingly nonplussed baby plummeting to something nasty. It is one of those classic hero moments, and is no doubt a highlight of an exceptionally well made film. The stairs provide De Palma with an opportunity to show the juggling act Ness and his men had of meeting violence with violence, whilst attempting to safeguard the public good. They are quite literally trying to protect the future of a nation. My only gripe with the scene is that I still don€™t understand why people start shooting at the pram - particularly when Ness is nowhere near it. Either Al Capone€™s men really hated babies, or they should have gone to Specsavers.