There is nothing finer than a movie montage. Whether it be a training montage, a falling-in-love montage or a makeover montage, the audience is going to love it.
Think about it – the movie is essentially summed up by the montage. The greatest transformations are achieved through montage. Who needs dialogue when you’ve got pictures, anyway? Just look at The Artist! No, really, look at it – it’s really good. It’s basically one giant montage.
Some might think a montage is merely a means of cutting corners; a means of cramming together information to a jazzy tune that’s bound to distract you from the fact that you’re not seeing any true character development. But I disagree.
Montages are not only fun and exciting – they reveal many scenes that would be impossible for us to see if the writer and filmmakers had to do anything as silly as building to each moment. It’s unnecessary and way less fun that way. These movies would all be hours longer if we actually had to build to each of the scenes encompassed within the montages. Sometimes you just need some instant gratification. Sometimes you need a montage. Sometimes you need a list of montages. Because lord knows I love lists. I really do.
Enjoy.
Rushmore
Wes Anderson has a lot of great montages. I chose this one. He paints a quick and excellent picture of the main character in under two minutes! And basically every club featured is one I wish to join.
Wet Hot American Summer
There is a new way. And it’s through a training montage with dancing, running, and men in crop tops.
Clueless
Tai’s makeover is brilliant. They dye her hair and reveal her midriff to the world. Di’s impatience is impeccable. Cher’s sense of control in a world of chaos is masterful. Tai is having the best time ever, bonding with her new friends who just want her to fit in. Unfortunately the internet doesn’t want to share her makeover scenes with the world, so the clip is the best it’s going to be.
Rocky
I watched all the Rocky movies in one day. It’s difficult to select the best training montage so I went with the classic original. As much as I adore Rocky IV training in Russia while the Russian is injected with crazy muscle potion, and as much as I love Rocky III and Apollo Creed cuddling in the ocean at the end of his other training sequence, I had to go classic.
Team America
It’s a montage set to a song called ‘Montage’ about montages. Amazing.
Ladybugs
A lot of people don’t seem to have the love for Ladybugs that I do. I don’t understand. You’ve got a ragtag group of scamps, Jackeé from Sister, Sister, the girl from Hocus Pocus, a boy pretending to be a girl, and Rodney Dangerfield. I love this montage – a dream sequence a teenage boy has about his dream girl. This montage also features the 2 saddest hamburgers ever and a wedding sequence where there’s a banner over the wedding party that reads ‘Our Wedding.’ Fantastic.
Marie Antoinette
Maybe it wasn’t the best movie in the world, but this montage is delicious. It makes me want to eat tiny cakes and buy shoes in my living room. And I don’t even like shoe shopping.
Up
I couldn’t watch the whole movie because Netflix broke. But I saw this part and I’m glad I did. Nothing like a montage to get people crying before the movie in really starts!
Image via screenrant.com
I miss Jonathan Brandis…
I love the Marie Antoinette one, and Clueless too <3
I also think the Whip It montage is hilarious where Ellen Paige goes from stumbling teeny skater to kick ass roller girl within two weeks – 'cos it's just THAT easy!
Ugh. That freaking Up montage. Every time I see it I cry. If I wanted to be horribly depressed I would have chosen My Sisters Keeper or Life is Beautiful. But I went with Up! And then I ask myself why I always do this. And every time I see that montage is Marie Antoinette it just makes me want to paint, it inspires me like crazy.
Surprised. – Sorry I can’t spell.
You have no idea how suprised and happy I was when you posted about Ladybugs. <3
Loved every single one of these – I can’t begin to describe my love for Up or Clueless, they’re both too perfect for words. I have to agree with the comment about Marie Antoinette though, while I felt like the film was a little dull, the montage made me incredibly hungry and prompted me to want to shop till I dropped (Which is a feeling I am not familiar with!) and thanks to this post I think I’m going to rent Ladybugs, looks like such a lovely film!
Ladybugs is the best. Ridiculous, 90s, boy posing as girl, Rodney Dangerfield, Jackee Chu-ing fun. You won’t regret the rental!
I am so glad someone else loves Ladybugs as much as I did! When it first came out on VHS I watched it 11 times in a row. I don’t know why I remember that lol.
Yes! Nobody every really knows what I’m talking about when I bring it up. I think I rented it weekly. So good!
I can remember seeing Ladybugs in theaters and then renting it almost every time we went to the video store…and the Wet Hot American Summer montage was one I used in a film class in college…can’t wait for Wet Hot American Summer 2 and the montage that I’m sure will be in it!
EVERY SINGLE TIME. That “Up” montage.
OMG! This is so cool! I totally love montages too!! and the one from the movie Up has to be one of my favorites.. It gets me every time!! and now I am crying like a baby!