1997 Moment Ranked ‘Top Scene That Defined the ’90s’

The ’90s were full of amazing movie moments.

From Drew Barrymore’s CaseyBecker getting slaugthered in teen slasher gem Scream to Matt Damon’s Will Hunting breaking down in a therapy session for Good Will Hunting, the decade is full of scenes that defined a generation.

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WatchMojo, a ranking authority on pop culture, understood the nostalgia assignment and delivered a list of the “Top Movie Scenes That Defined the 90’s.” And it’s full of movie moments you’ll remember and quote word for word.

At No. 19, they have The Box from Se7en (1995), referring to the pivotal climax that ties David Fincher’s unforgettable seven deadly sins thriller starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey into a beautifully horrifying bow. On the off chance you haven’t seen the film (or don’t remember the shocking twist), we won’t reveal it here.

At No. 12, the list touts “Circle of Life” from The Lion King. The Disney Vault is brimming with iconic moments in the ’90s, but we have to agree that the opening musical number composed by Elton John and Hans Zimmer for the greatest Disney movie of all time deserves all the flowers. They could just roll credits and we all go home after that moving montage of African beauties gathering at Pride Rock for baby Simba‘s introduction to the world.

Topping them all is the moment Jack Dawson and his Italian bestie, Fabrizio, hang off the back of a doomed British Olympic-class ocean liner in Titanic. The two, high off a poker win that scores them tickets to America, drop their bags in their bunk then head to the bow of the ship. Jack steps up on the bars of the forecastle deck, stretches out his arms, and yells, “I’m the king of the world!” as the camera swoops above and all around him.

Titanic‘s Most Iconic Line Was Improvised

The line, improvised by Leonardo DiCaprio after director James Cameron throws him a suggestion via walkie-talkie, wasn’t in the original script. But it was the line heard round the world. Nearly 30 years later, it endures as one of the most iconic lines in cinematic history.

“Director James Cameron came up with it on-set, and despite star Leonardo DiCaprio’s reluctance, Cameron insisted,” WatchMojo writes. “But we sense no reluctance in DiCaprio’s delivery: only a young man relishing the absolute bliss and excitement of the present moment.”

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Per Today, Cameron explained the scene saying, “I was in a crane basket, and we were losing the light, and we had tried this and we had tried that and tried this line and that line, and nothing was really working, and I literally was just coming up snake eyes.

“I said, ‘All right, I got one for you. Just say, “I’m the king of the world,” and just spread your arms out wide and just be in the moment, and just love it and celebrate the moment.’ (DiCaprio) goes, ‘What?’ I said, “I’m the king of the world,” just say, “I’m the king of the world.” But you gotta sell it.’ He goes, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Just f—— sell it!'” So, he did.

Titanic Made Movie History

Titanic went on to shatter records both at the box office and at the Oscars. Earning a massive $2,264,812,968 at the worldwide box office, per IMDb, Cameron’s film dominated the 70th Academy Awards with 11 Oscar wins, including Best Picture and Director. It remained the most nominated film with 14 noms for nearly three decades, until Sinners broke the record with 16 nominations last year, Entertainment Weeklyshares.