Looking for scenes depicting the inner struggle of good/evil?
May 4, 2011 10:57 AM   Subscribe

Movie/TV filter: Looking for scenes where people have a visible struggle with their conscience. Like the angel and demon popping up on a person's shoulder when faced with an ethical dilemma, but not necessarily limited to this visual depiction.

I need to pull some clips to illustrate a presentation, and I'm coming up short. Helping me narrow in on a scene would be helpful, meaning that if you could include a guess on the time when it occurs in the episode/season/movie that would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks MeFi!
posted by peripatew to Media & Arts (27 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Obviously, there's going to be SPOILERS here.

The final confrontation between Karras and the demon in the last 15 minutes of The Exorcist.
posted by Ash3000 at 11:02 AM on May 4, 2011


The relevant clip from The Exorcist.
posted by Ash3000 at 11:05 AM on May 4, 2011


Kronk in The Emperor's New Groove. Done for comic effect. About 15 minutes into the move, I think.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 11:06 AM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


The Gollum/Smeagol dialogues in the The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers might do, if you are willing to relax "people" a bit.
posted by janell at 11:10 AM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


Don Cheadle after the shootout in Boogie Nights - made even more agonizing with the context that he has money troubles and a pregnant wife at home. Note: this is an intense scene to watch.
posted by Ash3000 at 11:13 AM on May 4, 2011


Mookie deciding what to do towards the end of Do The Right Thing.
posted by Ash3000 at 11:20 AM on May 4, 2011


Can't find the clip online, but Sarah Polley at the deposition, in the last 10 minutes of The Sweet Hereafter.
posted by Ash3000 at 11:21 AM on May 4, 2011


Jerry Seinfeld's brain vs. penis chess scene.
posted by franc.o.bolos at 11:39 AM on May 4, 2011


Pulp Fiction.
posted by MrMoonPie at 11:40 AM on May 4, 2011


Wrath of Khan; the scene where Chekov and his captain are ordered to kill Kirk.
posted by chazlarson at 11:42 AM on May 4, 2011


Norman Osborne/Green Goblin in Spiderman.

Dr. Octavius/Doc Ock in Spiderman 2

Hell, I think everyone in the Spiderman films does this, usually about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through.
posted by elendil71 at 11:42 AM on May 4, 2011


There is an entire TV series about this: Herman's Head. The Wikipedia description pretty much nails the different aspects of his mind that are in conflict in each episode - Angel, Animal, Wimp, Genius, and Jealousy.
posted by whatzit at 11:46 AM on May 4, 2011


The final scene from Seven.
posted by neckro23 at 11:51 AM on May 4, 2011 [1 favorite]


You can't do this without Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
posted by nicwolff at 11:58 AM on May 4, 2011


Animal House with Pinto and the drunk girl at the toga party
posted by bunny hugger at 11:58 AM on May 4, 2011


Gollum.
posted by arco at 12:20 PM on May 4, 2011


I can't point to specific times, but there are a couple of scenes in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World that show his inner monologue/decision-making process.
posted by tacodave at 12:41 PM on May 4, 2011


Animal House.
posted by kirkaracha at 12:49 PM on May 4, 2011




Skins, a British teen show, has the angel/devil visual. Sid's flunking history and is supposed to go home and rewrite his paper after drama class.
posted by zix at 2:00 PM on May 4, 2011


I'd say the scene in Godfather I where Al Pacino is in the bathroom deciding whether or not to go through with the hit -- the way he runs his hands through his hair right before he leaves the bathroom stall is extremely powerful.
posted by caoimhe at 2:11 PM on May 4, 2011




ER, Season 2, Episode 14, "The Right Thing," Benton's last scenes.
posted by brainwane at 3:56 PM on May 4, 2011


They use this device in the TV show "Good Eats".
posted by Drasher at 5:49 PM on May 4, 2011


For Devonia: TV Tropes.
posted by Margalo Epps at 5:52 PM on May 4, 2011


The whole third act of Fight Club could qualify.
posted by WhackyparseThis at 11:57 PM on May 4, 2011


There's a south park episode with this scene and maybe a couple of others.
posted by jefftang at 8:15 AM on May 8, 2011


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