Scenes From a Roof
5 Iconic Rooftop Movie Scenes
Whoever said roofs weren’t important clearly hasn’t been watching any good films. Okay, I’m not entirely sure anyone has ever said that, but let’s be honest: some of the most iconic scenes in movie history take place on roofs. And no, I’m not talking about every superhero movie ever made (seriously, I think there’s a rooftop scene in all of them). There are too many to count, so here’s five important scenes from films that should stand the test of time.
- The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert — Let It Be
The Beatles’ rooftop concert may be the most iconic thing ever to happen on a roof. Not only was it their last concert together, they also did it without any notice and were forced to shut it down after 42 minutes of rocking. About half of the concert was put into the the 1970 documentary Let It Be, which is now pretty hard to get your hands on (unless you want a bootlegged copy). The documentary provides insight to The Beatles’ breakup; John Lennon and Paul McCartney were fighting, Yoko was in the mix and nobody seemed to be happy. The concert, though, showed how easy it is to get lost in the music and forget any trouble that was plaguing the group. Those instances where John and Paul would smile at each other…that’s heartbreaking stuff.
- “I Am A Golden God” rooftop scene — Almost Famous
This is probably the most famous scene in one of the most famous (partly) fictional music biopics ever made. Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous is a retelling of his own childhood: the story of a 16-year-old rock journalist that lies about his age to Rolling Stone to get a job touring with one of the hottest bands in the country. In this case, that band is the fictional Stillwater (modeled after rock powerhouses Led Zeppelin and the like), and the man on the roof that you see is lead singer Russell Hammond. In this scene, Hammond has gone on a bad trip, climbed on the roof of a high-schooler’s house (where the party is taking place), and is basically singing his predestined requiem to the audience. He declares that he is a “golden God” before he states his “last words” and jumps off the house into the pool. This scene is based off of Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant’s “golden God”declaration over Sunset Strip from the balcony of the Riot House in Los Angeles. Keep on rockin’, Russell.
- Rooftop Dancing/The Final Scene — Empire Records
I couldn’t find a great picture of the rooftop scene, so here’s a video. Most people might not classify 1995′s Empire Records as an “iconic” film. Most people probably haven’t even seen Empire Records. However, the film has developed a cult following and really sets a standard for the 90′s “misguided youth melodramedy” genre (see: teen film, though slightly darker than the norm). The entire film takes place during the course of one day, and about 95 percent of the filming is at Empire Records, which is the record store where the cast works. From “Rex Manning day” to Gwar music videos — from spontaneous store-wide singalongs to an impromptu fundraiser concert, the concept of music being the glue that keeps everything together just oozes from this film’s core. Through the ups and downs of young adult drama, this group of friends unites after a long day of tribulation to dance away their cares on their store’s rooftop. It’s a bit cheesy, a bit odd in terms of continuity, but most importantly: it’s beautiful.
- Chimney Sweep Choreography — Mary Poppins
Julie Andrews can do no wrong. Would you believe that 1964′s Mary Poppins was her first “real” movie role? She is dazzling as the stern, yet quirky nanny that brightens the lives of everyone around her with interesting magic and a lovely singing voice. But this scene is less about Julie Andrews (though she does play a role), and more about co-star Dick Van Dyke and his group of lovable chimney sweeps. Who knew chimney sweeps could double as professional dancers? Thanks to Marc Breaux, who also choreographed The Sound of Music (Andrews’s next film), this has to be one of the greatest dance scenes in film history. These chimney sweeps dance from roof to roof performing complicated gymnastic-like moves, all while singing the delightfully catchy “Step In Time.” And they never miss a beat. No other time in history did chimney sweeping seem so fun and cool.
- Roof Tarring & Beer Drinking — The Shawshank Redemption
Finally, a film with a great rooftop scene that isn’t about music! Granted, one of the best scenes in The Shawshank Redemption is music-related, but that’s a story for a different day. According to IMDB, The Shawshank Redemption is the highest user-rated film of all-time, barely edging out The Godfather. There’s a reason people love this film, and a lot of it has to do with the acting chops of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman (who don’t appear in the above picture at all, oddly enough). Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a quiet, former accountant that has newly arrived to Shawshank Prison. Freeman plays “Red” Redding — the inmate that knows how to get things. After a work-order to tar the roof of one of the prison buildings comes up, Red does what he can to get his group of inmate-friends the job. Anything to get out of laundry duty.
While on the roof, Dufresne overhears the head prison guard talk about being gypped out of inheritance money. Instead of brushing it off, Andy boldly walks over to the guard to explain how he can keep all of the money. Of course, the hard-nosed guard thinks he’s just messing around and, in one of the more intense moments of the film, dangles Andy off the ledge of the roof and makes him explain everything to him. While his life is literally in the hands of the guard, Andy asks for a consolation: beer for his men. “I think a man working outdoors feels more like a man if he can have a bottle of suds. That’s only my opinion.”
The guard obliges, and the next time we see the inmates on the roof, beer is being passed around and no work is getting done. However, Andy doesn’t drink a single drop. An iconic scene that Red narrates perfectly: “We sat and drank with the sun on our shoulders and felt like free men. Hell, we could have been tarring the roof of one of our own houses. We were the lords of all creation. As for Andy — he spent that break hunkered in the shade, a strange little smile on his face, watching us drink his beer.”
Trust and hope — two things that embody what this movie and prison-life are all about.
