The title of the youtube excerpt from "Independence Day" caught my eye: "Best Movie Speech Ever!!"
Well, perhaps, if there was a sub-category for best jingoistic saber-rattling speech-making. And I don't mean to be cynical here because I can be moved by a movie speech as much as the next guy (my favourite being Jimmy Stewart's climactic filibustering speech on the floor of the Senate in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington").
But if there were a sub-category for "Best Campaign Speeches in Movie History" my vote would be for the speech given by Jessica Campbell's character, Tammy Meltzer, in the gymnasium during her campaign for Student Council President in the movie "Election".
I couldn't find a youtube clip of but imdb has a transcript of it. I hope the written word does it justice:
Tammy Metzler: [her campaign speech] Who cares about this stupid election? We all know it doesn't matter who gets elected president of Carver. Do you really think it's going to change anything around here; make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets elected. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises just so they can put it on their transcripts to get into college. So vote for me, because I don't even want to go to college, and I don't care, and as president I won't do anything. The only promise I will make is that if elected I will immediately dismantle the student government, so that none of us will ever have to sit through one of these stupid assemblies again! [Student body erupts in huge cheers] Tammy Metzler: Or don't vote for me... who cares? Don't vote at all! [more cheers]
The header of best movie speech ever is not mine. Just attached to the clip. But as an Independence Day speech, it does its job nicely. And if my kind and I were facing annihilation from outer space, I would not mind a cheesy, bombastic speech. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
2 comments:
The title of the youtube excerpt from "Independence Day" caught my eye: "Best Movie Speech Ever!!"
Well, perhaps, if there was a sub-category for best jingoistic saber-rattling speech-making. And I don't mean to be cynical here because I can be moved by a movie speech as much as the next guy (my favourite being Jimmy Stewart's climactic filibustering speech on the floor of the Senate in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington").
But if there were a sub-category for "Best Campaign Speeches in Movie History" my vote would be for the speech given by Jessica Campbell's character, Tammy Meltzer, in the gymnasium during her campaign for Student Council President in the movie "Election".
I couldn't find a youtube clip of but imdb has a transcript of it. I hope the written word does it justice:
Tammy Metzler: [her campaign speech] Who cares about this stupid election? We all know it doesn't matter who gets elected president of Carver. Do you really think it's going to change anything around here; make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets elected. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises just so they can put it on their transcripts to get into college. So vote for me, because I don't even want to go to college, and I don't care, and as president I won't do anything. The only promise I will make is that if elected I will immediately dismantle the student government, so that none of us will ever have to sit through one of these stupid assemblies again!
[Student body erupts in huge cheers]
Tammy Metzler: Or don't vote for me... who cares? Don't vote at all!
[more cheers]
The header of best movie speech ever is not mine. Just attached to the clip. But as an Independence Day speech, it does its job nicely. And if my kind and I were facing annihilation from outer space, I would not mind a cheesy, bombastic speech.
Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.
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