Get your motivate on.
December 11, 2008 7:17 PM   Subscribe

They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our Independence Day! 40 motivational movie speeches in 2 minutes.
posted by ericbop (39 comments total) 25 users marked this as a favorite
 
Amazing. I feel so inspired now, like I can go fight the enemy or something.

Brings a tear to my eye.
posted by MythMaker at 7:28 PM on December 11, 2008




Man, I'd hate to have to tell St. Crispin about this one.
posted by hifiparasol at 7:42 PM on December 11, 2008


The Mighty Ducks clip made me smile. I used to love that movie.

I was surprised it took so long for Dead Poets Society to make an appearance.
posted by lilac girl at 7:42 PM on December 11, 2008


Thank you!
posted by radiocontrolled at 7:43 PM on December 11, 2008


The best thing ever.
posted by nola at 7:54 PM on December 11, 2008


For some reason, Brad Pitt just doesn't look right in the middle of all this. Sandy Duncan seemed more manly.
posted by cimbrog at 7:57 PM on December 11, 2008


It starts clever. Then it becomes uplifting. Then, a little weird. Then totally ridiculous, which pushes it all the way through the barrier to awesome.

(I made that from bits of my prior comments.)
posted by Jilder at 8:01 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


That was great.

Too bad they left out Theoden's speech at Pelennor Fields
posted by marxchivist at 8:06 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


they had a clip from "It Just Doesn't Matter" in Meatballs! Woo!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:12 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


It starts clever. Then it becomes uplifting. Then, a little weird. Then totally ridiculous, which pushes it all the way through the barrier to awesome.

*claps...but slooooowly*
posted by ColdChef at 8:15 PM on December 11, 2008 [2 favorites]


That was really awesome. Thank you.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:18 PM on December 11, 2008


Newsies, YES!
posted by naoko at 8:40 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our Independence Day!

Worst. 'Inspirational'. Movie. Speech. Ever.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:47 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


Aw crap, Bettie Page has died.
posted by netbros at 8:49 PM on December 11, 2008


Win one for the zipper!
posted by knave at 8:54 PM on December 11, 2008 [1 favorite]


What, no Goonies?
posted by ducky l'orange at 9:01 PM on December 11, 2008


Maybe not "motivational" to the direct audience, but my favorite of this kind of speech nonetheless: You'll know what I'm talking about with the line, "You guys know who Phlio Farnsworth was?"
posted by Navelgazer at 9:18 PM on December 11, 2008


Dude, it had Goonies at the end!

Though it still should have had the actual Goonies speech.
posted by dirigibleman at 9:21 PM on December 11, 2008


I was surprised it took so long for Dead Poets Society to make an appearance.
posted by lilac girl at 10:42 PM on December 11 [+] [!]


Dead Poets Society is like a 2.5 hour motivational speech. Which is, of course, why I thought it was Shakespeare when I was 13.
posted by jb at 9:21 PM on December 11, 2008


Damn straight music from Branagh's Henry V. That was my favorite movie as a child.
posted by Faux Real at 9:21 PM on December 11, 2008


Too bad they truncated Capt. Taggart's original line. "Never give up! Never surrender!" is all the motivation I need sometimes.

Excellent post. Thanks!
posted by puritycontrol at 9:23 PM on December 11, 2008


Stand and Deliver! Hooray!
posted by epj at 9:57 PM on December 11, 2008




All it's missing is Homer Simpson ... "You want the truth? You want the truth? You can't handle the truth! Because when you stick your hand into a pile of goo that was your best friend's face, you'll know what to do! Forget it, Marge, it's Chinatown!"
posted by migurski at 12:10 AM on December 12, 2008


Save Ferris!
posted by ooga_booga at 12:53 AM on December 12, 2008


Speaking of Henry V...

Get Branagh's Henry V - it cuts out loads of the tedious stuff about leeks and it's very cinematic and fast-paced. Watch that. Watch the famous, famous speech, one line of which is in this video. You'll know it when you get to it, because it has lines you'll know, especially if you're British because Churchill used a lot of it: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..."

See how you want to kill the French? And I like the French.

Now, every time you watch a gung-ho Hollywood movie, there'll be That Scene with the noble hero standing in front of his army. And you'll think "Oh, this is the St. Crispan's Day speech from Henry V! Let's see how they do..."

Especially look for "we'll be remembered forever for this!", "we're all equal here and now!", "few of us? So much the better!" and "anyone not want to fight? Then go! I don't WANT to fight with you!"

One of my favourite and influential bits of Shakespeare.
posted by alasdair at 4:03 AM on December 12, 2008


Did this make anyone else tear up a little? Because... well, maybe I'm just a sap.
posted by cider at 4:58 AM on December 12, 2008


Okay but for some snarky flavor they should have ended it with this one.
posted by fuse theorem at 5:06 AM on December 12, 2008


Now, every time you watch a gung-ho Hollywood movie, there'll be That Scene with the noble hero standing in front of his army. And you'll think "Oh, this is the St. Crispan's Day speech from Henry V! Let's see how they do..."

It's in more than the gung-ho movies, alasdair -- I've seen it used in an episode of NORTHERN EXPOSURE.

Although my favorite reference was in an episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER -- you actually don't need to know much about the show to get the joke. Buffy makes a speech to rally the troops before they go kill the monster in one episode, and after she's done, Giles and Spike, two of the other characters have a fantastically snarky exchange about how paltry a speech it was.

SPIKE: ...Well, that was no St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?

GILES: "We few, we happy few..."

SPIKE: ...we band of buggered.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:12 AM on December 12, 2008


I must way too easily motivated. I very nearly cried at that. Stupid internet.
posted by TypographicalError at 5:28 AM on December 12, 2008


That's it! I am so motivated right now I am going to have a second cup of coffee!
posted by Mastercheddaar at 5:47 AM on December 12, 2008


Navelgazer, thanks for that. I heart Sports Night. And that goes for this post too, ericbop!
posted by foodbedgospel at 6:43 AM on December 12, 2008


This gets double favorites from me:

1. For the content and execution

2. For including a clip from Street Fighter
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 6:51 AM on December 12, 2008


EmpressCallipygos, I had forgotten that! I shall use "We band of buggered" more often. I do love Spike.

Oooh, how can I persuade my wife to buy me the next NORTHERN EXPOSURE boxset for Christmas? EmpressCallipygos, am I your sockpuppet?
posted by alasdair at 8:21 AM on December 12, 2008


i'll be damned if that doesn't say more about the sexism in hollywood and the way men communicate (through shouting and banal ideas of heroism and victory) than any academic paper i've ever seen.
posted by yonation at 8:52 AM on December 12, 2008 [1 favorite]


The grinch at the end made this clip completely awesome.
posted by JDHarper at 9:11 AM on December 12, 2008


I've been avoiding watching this since last night, but I will NOT avoid it ANY LONGER!!! I must WATCH the montage! And when the montage tries to suck me down, I will RISE UP from the ashes and fight!

er, I totally watched it. It was awesome.
posted by nosila at 9:11 AM on December 12, 2008


Any montage that works in Charlie Chaplin, Shakespeare, and Free Willy is OK by me.
posted by FelliniBlank at 11:47 AM on December 12, 2008


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