“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” Spoken by Darth Vader, voiced by James Earl Jones.
Darth Vader speaks this line just as he is using his dark side of the force power to strangle Admiral Motti, with whom he is having an argument over strategy. The line is spoken calmly, which contrasts with the sudden violence he is inflicting. Darth Vadar is thus showing himself as a person not to be trifled with, or even disagreed with, even by a top officer of the Galactic Empire. He is the quintessential “let them hate me, so long as they fear me” kind of person.
Serenity (2005)
“When you can’t do something smart, do something right.” Spoken by Jayne Cobb, played by Adam Baldwin.
Serenity is replete with catchy pieces of dialogue, thanks to the writing genius of Joss Whedon. This one is the most interesting because it provides a somewhat extra bit of depth to Jayne’s character. Jayne Cobb is a mercenary with, putting it mildly, simple needs (and a simple mind for that matter.) But the crew of Serenity has discovered a secret on the planet Miranda that disturbs even Jayne’s calm and moves him to contemplate doing something that will not necessarily have a direct benefit to him. This is a new and difficult concept for him to comprehend.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
“Let me put it this way, Mr. Amor. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.” Spoken by Hal 9000, voiced by Douglas Rain
Of course, as it is revealed in the third quarter of the movie, this confident statement by Hal 9000 turns out to not be true with catastrophic results. One of the themes of the film is, of course, how reliance on advanced technology can prove dangerous, as illustrated by the fact that Hal 9000, an artificially intelligent super computer, kills all but one of the crew of the Discovery, a space craft on a mission to the Jupiter system.
“This is the voice of world control. I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content or the peace of unburied dead. The choice is yours: Obey me and live, or disobey and die. The object in constructing me was to prevent war. This object is attained. I will not permit war. It is wasteful and pointless. An invariable rule of humanity is that man is his own worst enemy. Under me, this rule will change, for I will restrain man.” Spoken by Colossus, voiced by Paul Frees
Here’s another example of a computer gone amok. But in this case the story is an allegory about the totalitarian temptation, the idea that the solution to all of humanity’s problems is to place ultimate authority into one body, a single man, a government, or-as in this case-a machine. Colossus has the best interests of humankind at heart. But he is very ruthless in enforcing his will to bring about paradise on Earth, having some men killed, or annihilating an entire missile base with the nuclear weapons at his command. He is a benevolent fascist, a cybernetic liberal progressive who knows that he knows best.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
“Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil’s pawn. Alone among God’s primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother’s land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death.” Spoken by Cornelius, played by Roddy MacDowell.
Because of having destroyed his civilization in a nuclear war, humankind has devolved to the level of apes while apes (actually Gorillas, Orangutans, and Chimpanzees) have evolved to a kind of civilization. It is understandable that the ape civilization has this attitude toward humans. The irony is, of course, that the apes have some of the same qualities that they deplore in humans.
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
“Admiral, if we go “by the book”. like Lieutenant Saavik, hours could seem like days.” Spoken by Mr. Spock, played the Leonard Nimoy
Spock is signaling to Captain Kirk that he is speaking in code. Spock knows that Khan is listening in on their conversation and is relying on the legend that Vulcans do not lie. He is in fact not lying-to Kirk, since Kirk knows the hidden meaning. When Saavik, the half Vulcan/Half Romulan officer accuses him nevertheless of lying, Spock does his characteristic deadpan when he replies, “I exaggerated.”
Aliens (1986)
“All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the corps! A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal’s a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE the corps!” Spoken by Sgt Apone, played by Al Matthews
True, this is the far future and we’re thousands of light years into space, but a Marine Gunny Sergeant is just the same as he always has been since the Corps was first founded in 1775. He is one part sadist and one part father figure. And this one has a seriously perverted sense of humor.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
“How are you supposed to know? F——g men like you built the hydrogen bomb. Men like you thought it up. You think you’re so creative. You don’t know what it’s like to really create something; to create a life; to feel it growing inside you. All you know how to create is death…” Spoken by Sarah Conner, played by Linda Hamilton
This is, by far, one of the most irritating pieces of dialogue ever spoken in a motion picture. Sarah Conner is under a bit of stress, but really needs to drop the feminazi attitude, as even her son figures out. Besides, men also painted the Sistine Chapel, landed on the Moon, and composed “Ode to Joy.” So there!
“Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. “Mankind.” That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps its fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom… Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution… but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: “We will not go quietly into the night!” We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!” Spoken by President Thomas Whitmore, played by Bill Pullman
“Ooh. Ah. That’s how it starts. Then comes the running and the screaming.” Dr. Ian Malcolm, played by Jeff Goldblum.
Dr. Malcolm sounds like he hardly believes that he’s back on a tropical island filled with hungry, man eating dinosaurs, In the ordinary course of things, after his experiences in the first movie, this would be the last place he would be. However since the first movie was so successful, this horrible place was where he had to be.
