Top 10 Iconic Shots in American Cinema

One single frame can establish a legacy. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 iconic shots in American cinema.

For this list, we’re focusing on American releases only and choosing those individual shots – NOT scenes – that would basically be poster-worthy moments and that have become part of Hollywood history.

Brian De Palma’s film adaptation of the TV series of the same name features Tom Cruise as a spy who’s desperately attempting to protect a coveted list of fellow secret agents. Audiences gasped as Ethan Hunt infiltrated CIA headquarters and plunged to the bottom of a vault after literally receiving too much slack. The distressed Hunt extended all four limbs only inches from the ground, thus creating a moment for the ages. The shot demanded attention for the “Mission: Impossible” franchise and established Cruise as a true action star.

What do you get with a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet gazing across the ocean to the sounds of “My Heart Will Go On?” Movie magic. James Cameron’s blockbuster touched our hearts when star-crossed lovers Jack and Rose boarded the ill-fated ship and dreamed of a life they would never live. The oceanic love affair slowly gained steam during the 3-hour film and the magnificent rail shot truly brought viewers onboard the Titanic. The iconic shot quickly found its way into modern society and one will likely spot friends and couples attempting to recreate the moment on any boat or ferry today. Jack and Rose forever.

Robert De Niro may’ve been king of the movies after “The Godfather Part II”; however, it was his performance as a mentally unstable cabbie that truly shocked the world. In Martin Scorsese’s classic, Travis Bickle embarks on a psychological ride with the hopes of protecting a young prostitute played by Jodie Foster. The end result produced one of the most frightening shots in movie history and established De Niro as a bonafide A-lister. Sweet dreams.

Marilyn Monroe was already an established Hollywood star when director Billy Wilder propelled her fame to a new level with “The Seven Year Itch.” Following several encounters with a married man who has become increasingly curious about other women, the blonde bombshell emerges from a movie theater. With just a little subway breeze, Monroe’s character enraptured her male counterpart along with the entire world. The shot instantly became an integral component of popular culture and preserved Marilyn Monroe as forever young, especially after her untimely death.

There is nothing more beautiful than Mother Nature and a majestic lion. Disney gently tugged on the heartstrings of all ages when Simba, a future leader of his animal kingdom, was raised and presented as the next King by Rafiki. Audiences didn’t only identify with the plight of the young cub, but the meaningful moment soon became a landmark shot in animation and helped attract a new generation of Disney fans. Let the Circle of Life consume you.

Oliver Stone was the first Hollywood director and war vet to document his Vietnam experiences on film, and he cast future star Willem Dafoe to play the turbulent Sergeant Elias. After being shot and left for dead by a comrade, the character emerges from the jungle and attempts an unlikely yet impassioned escape as his fellow American soldiers watch from the sky. Oliver Stone instructed Dafoe to convey a Native American spirit entering the body, and this resulted in one of the most harrowing depictions of war ever seen on the big screen.

Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, changed the rules of cinema with a single horrific shower scene. Janet Leigh stars as an unfortunate guest of the Bates Motel named Marion Crane. The actress simultaneously exuded sexuality and shock as Hitchcock led audiences to believe they witnessed something that simply wasn’t there. The drain shot closes out the masterful manipulation and created a new standard for suspense.

Vito Corleone epitomizes the essence of “knowledge is power.” Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster epic is widely considered one of the best films ever made and brilliantly constructs “The Godfather”’s aura before Don Vito ever appears on screen. And so the first image of Marlon Brando became an instant classic and inspired a new wave of actors seeking to imitate the impossible. The establishing shot of Vito Corleone also became the defining moment of Brando’s prolific career.

With a simple, well-known phrase and devilish smile, Jack Nicholson etched his face into our collective memory as the recovering alcoholic Jack Torrance. In this psychological horror, the troubled writer relocates his family to the spacious Overlook Hotel, but soon a mysterious energy begins to infiltrate his crumbling psyche. A swinging of an axe and the chilling score paved the way for Stanley Kubrick’s illustrious shot, and Nicholson’s seething delivery of “Here’s Johnny!” extends far beyond the final frame into movie memorabilia and impressions.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Fist Pump
“The Breakfast Club” (1985)
- Don Lockwood and the Streetlight
“Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
- Forrest Gump and the Bench
“Forrest Gump” (1994)
- The Apology from Up-close
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
- Honey Ryder’s Bikini
“Dr. No” (1962)
- Neo vs. Agent Smith in the Subway
“The Matrix” (1999)

The beauty of Steven Spielberg’s extraterrestrial shot lies in the exuberance of youth and the great unknown; a worldwide recognition of the moon and the distance that separates one world from another. In other words, a kid with an alien on his bike is pretty cool. Audiences became enamored with the story of young Henry Thomas and his extraterrestrial friend, who only wanted to find a way home. The celebrated shot symbolizes the potential of life itself and the journeys we experience through movies. In “E.T.,” the director combined his old-school sensibilities with a visionary eye for the future and proved that anything is possible with a little imagination.

So, did we get it right? What is your favorite iconic shot in American cinema? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.