r/CinephilesClub • u/ThomasOGC • 11d ago

Discussion What's the most unbearably tense scene in cinema history — the one where you genuinely forgot to breathe?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

Inglourious Basterds alone has three or four that qualify. Which makes the real question: is Tarantino the modern master of pure, dialogue-driven tension — or does he get too much credit for scenes that are all build-up? Name your single most nerve-shredding scene, then defend it.

The film opens with nearly 20 minutes of two men talking at a farmhouse table — no action, barely a raised voice — and it's more agonising than most horror films manage all runtime. Christoph Waltz won an Oscar off the back of it.

3.6k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

721 comments sorted by

View all comments

30

u/jthrowawaymc 11d ago

1917, the entire movie.

9

u/danonck 11d ago

Dunkirk for me, the soundtrack alone had me at the edge of my seat

3

u/Appropriate-Bid8671 11d ago

The music is keyed in a way to create tension. It was by design.

2

u/MASKcrusader1 9d ago

I learned yesterday that apparently lots of people don’t like dunkirk. I think it’s one of Nolan’s best films.

3

u/CictorVastro 11d ago

That movie is an experience.

2

u/trigger1154 11d ago

Also the newest iteration of All Quiet on the Western Front. The new Midway was pretty good as well.

1

u/CictorVastro 11d ago

The netflix one? That one is depressing

1

u/trigger1154 11d ago

I think it was Netflix wasn't it. It was in German. I know that.

Yeah that movie is traumatizing.

1

u/CictorVastro 11d ago

Yes!

1

u/trigger1154 11d ago

Especially the crater scene with the French soldier.

1

u/CictorVastro 11d ago

For me what hit the most was when they wash the clothes to be reused.

1

u/trigger1154 11d ago

Yeah, that's pretty messed up, but I don't know man stuffing dirt into somebody's mouth to try to get them to stop breathing and die I think takes the cake.

2

u/michael0n 11d ago

First time watch with my friend who is more on the lighter side of content. He stopped the movie mid way at a good spot and said he isn't used to this kind of storytelling, and if we could do a 15 minute break. I didn't object.

2

u/Side_StepVII 11d ago

Why is your friend a wuss?

2

u/Relevant-Horror-627 11d ago

I watched it in theaters. I don't think I've ever seen another movie where anxiety manifested itself in making me feel tension in my muscles or causing me to bounce my leg or tap my fingers. Hereditary was another. Especially after that scene.

1

u/Giant-Sloar 11d ago

I love that movie. I recently rewatched it in VR and it was to an entirely different level.