Happy Centenary Universal - E.T. Tops Universal Poll Of Cinema-Goers' Favourite Moment Ever (PHOTOS)

The Huffington Post UK  |  By Posted: 30/04/2012 16:46 Updated: 30/04/2012 16:50

ET's trip across the moon in the basket of Elliott's bicycle to the strings of John Williams' luminous score has been named the most memorable scene ever in a century of movie-making by Universal Studios.

The film - E.T: The Extra Terrestrial to give it its proper due - which audiences first flocked to in 1982, still captures hearts, with its friendly, anxious alien keen to "Phone Home" and his earthling friend eager to help him.

In a poll commissioned by the studio giant to celebrate its centenary, film fans rated the much-copied, paraphrased but never equaled comment by Roy Scheider in Jaws when he sees an ominous shadow in the water: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

And in a testament to the powers of one Mr Steven Spielberg to entrance his audiences, third place went to Doc Brown's amazing powers with electricity, powering up a DeLorean with a bolt of lightning, and helping Michael J Fox travel Back To The Future.

And here the top ten unmissable Universal moments - what's YOUR favourite? Let us know below...

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  • 10.  Bridget Jones Diary

    10.  Bridget Jones Diary - Hugh Grant and Colin Firth fight scene - 4.1%. (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 9.     Billy Elliot

    9.     Billy Elliot - Billy Elliot dances through the streets - 4.5%. (Photo credit: Rex)

  • 8.     To Kill A Mockingbird

    8.     To Kill A Mockingbird - Gregory Peck's character Atticus Finch delivers a powerful courtroom closing argument - 4.8%. (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 7.     American Pie

    7.     American Pie - Jason Biggs experiments with apple pie - 5.3%. (Photo credit: Rex)

  • 6.     Spartacus

    6.     Spartacus - Mass 'I'm Spartacus' scene - 5.5% (Photo credit: Rex)

  • 5.     Mamma Mia The Movie!

    5.     Mamma Mia The Movie! - Meryl Streep leads the ladies through the island in singing 'Dancing Queen' - 6.4%. (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 4.     Gladiator

    4.     Gladiator - Russell Crowe delivers the 'My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius' speech - 6.7%. (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 3.     Back To The Future

    3.     Back To The Future - Lightning strikes the clock tower to power the DeLorean - 7.6%(Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 2.     Jaws

    2.     Jaws - 'You're gonna need a bigger boat' scene - 10.9% (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

  • 1.     E.T

    1.     E.T. - Elliott rides E.T. on his bike and takes off into the air past the moonlight - 19.5% (Photo credit: Universal Pictures)

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02:18 AM on 05/02/2012
"Roy Scheider in Jaws when he sees an ominous shadow in the water: 'You're gonna need a bigger boat.'"

An ominous shadow in the water?

Once again, someone writing for HuffPost is so young and so uninformed and so unwilling to do a bit of research... that the author only ends up showing he/she has never even watched the film being described.

An ominous shadow in the water....
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jacksdad41
Quant Je Puis
01:00 AM on 05/01/2012
In Blade Runner, the dying replicant Roy Batty introspectively makes the speech during a rain downpour, moments before his own death:

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. [pause] Time to die.

Dont think lines come much better than that ;-)
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vividrick
I came, I saw...I had a cup of tea!
02:04 PM on 05/01/2012
The end of Bladerunner, yes agreed jacksdad41, did you know Rutger somewhat improvised that speech & scribbled it down in a matter of seconds. Very atmospheric.

Dunno if the following are done by Universal Studios are not, but here are some of mine: In Terminator, when the cyborg emerges from the burning lorry. In Jaws, when Ben Gardiner's head emereges from the hull of the boat. Opening scene of the D-Day landings of Saving Private Ryan, Battle of Hoth scene in Return Of The Jedi, Charlie Bucket unwrapping his Wonka bar to find his golden ticket, end of Get Carter & Se7en, Pele's goal in Escape To Victory lol..blah blah...

Top two for me has to go to the 'Alien' ripping out of John Hurt's stomach...& Hannibal Lector's escape in Silence Of The Lambs.
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jacksdad41
Quant Je Puis
05:45 PM on 05/01/2012
Wow @ vividrick - can close my eyes and picture all those scenes - a fellow movie buff? Thanks for the reply and kind regards
03:56 PM on 05/01/2012
yeah that was an awesome speech, it made me cry. such a sad movie.
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jacksdad41
Quant Je Puis
05:47 PM on 05/01/2012
It was @Maria2 and so glad he boxed it off so there could not be a "bladerunner2" - a part of me says I would like to see one and another says let the movie be. Thanks for the reply ;-)