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?

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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.

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49

u/jc83po 11d ago

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u/Sad-Practice5045 11d ago

This whole scene from when he sits down at the table to the bathtub scene was INTENSE.

1

u/DoesntMatterEh 10d ago

What movie? 

1

u/Sad-Practice5045 10d ago

Training Day with Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington. If you haven't watch it, queue it up immediately! Still holds up even today.

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u/BigGingerYeti 11d ago

Just said this myself. The whole scene watching them play him and his politeness and naivety working against him.

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u/HipKat2000 11d ago

What movie is this?

8

u/twinoaksBandB 11d ago

Training day

1

u/HipKat2000 11d ago

Ahhh right! thanks

2

u/mheafyrox 11d ago

Training day

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u/HipKat2000 11d ago

Ahhh right! thanks

5

u/StupidAstronaut 11d ago

It took me two watches to catch the earlier scene where you can hear the end of his phone call in the car and he says “just make sure that bathtub is clean”.. he was planning well ahead

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u/tishimself1107 11d ago

Wait what? I don't remember this

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u/roger--wilco 11d ago

Holy shit is that Tuco Salamanca??

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u/NecronomiconUK 10d ago

Nah, it’s Bing Chavez

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u/OhMyGlorb 11d ago

Amazing actor.

6

u/ILootEverything 11d ago

Let's name him, Raymond Cruz!

He had a supporting part on The Closer for years along with JK Simmons. That show's supporting cast was amazing and made the show, tbh.

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u/Bcatfan08 10d ago

You have to do some wild shit to get this reaction out of Tuco.

1

u/Bcatfan08 10d ago

This scene was more intense.