Favorite TV and Movie Moments Featuring Doors!

Whether you are binge watching the hot new series or revisiting a favorite old show or movie, you never know what is going to stand out as the most memorable part of a scene. We have already shared our favorite moments featuring a window, and now have a list that highlights our favorite scenes with a door!  You’ll see that not all the doors are used in a traditional sense, but they are doors nonetheless.  Check out our favorites and see if you can think of any others!

1) Seinfeld’s Apartment Door

Seinfeld is arguably one of the most iconic TV series ever created.  With their interesting characters and witty screenwriting and catchy one-liners, there are moments in every show that resonate with viewers.  One thing that takes place in a good amount of Seinfeld’s episodes is Kramer’s entrance into the apartment.  There is no question he enters with a great deal of flair.  It’s surprising that Seinfeld didn’t keep the door locked more often with a neighbor like Kramer!

2) The Floating Door in Titanic

We all know how the movie ended.  The mighty Titanic hit an iceberg and disaster ensued.  The main characters in the movie, Jack and Rose (played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) were doing everything they could to survive the sinking ship.  Jack’s plan worked to some degree, as the pair made it out alive after the half of the ship they were on plummeted into the icy sea.  Rose was able to climb onto a large floating piece of wood – to which many folks thought was a piece of a large ornate door.  Jack was not able to climb on the door with Rose.  (Mythbusters and fans of the movie tried to prove it would be possible for both of them to survive on their makeshift raft.)  However, the movie called for Jack’s demise, and even though Rose promised him she’d “never let go,” she did let go of her love and was rescued.  It was a tear-jerking moment for sure!

3) The Front Stoop and Door of 227

One of NBC’s comedies in the late 80s was 227.  The show was based on a play revolving around the lives of women in a predominately black apartment building in Chicago in the 1950s.  The idea was adapted to present day Washington DC and stared Marla Gibbs and Jackee to name a few.  Both of these ladies shared witty conversation and sassy gossip on the stoop of their apartment building.  Very few shows feature the front of a building as much as this one did, so the building’s front door was definitely a part of the show.

4) Tommy Boy’s Car Door Mishap

Chris Farley starred in many comedies during his short time on earth, and one of his most memorable roles was in Tommy Boy.  Our favorite scene from the movie is when he is attempting to pump gas into the car but needs to move the car for better positioning.  However, he left the car door open and practically rips the door right off the car.  He doesn’t come clean, he doesn’t pump any gas, but manages to close the door before David Spade’s character comes back to the car.  As he opens it, the door falls off the car and to the ground.  Farley set him up good!  Any scenes with these two are comic gold, but this was tops to us!

5) The Friends Purple Door

Another show set predominately in a New York apartment building was Friends.  Viewers were able to spend time in all the Friends’ homes, but more often than not, the gang was hanging out at Monica’s apartment.  There were many classic moments in the show.  From poking Ugly Naked Guy to Chandler proposing to Monica to Ross famously shouting “WE WERE ON A BREAK!”, the apartment played a key role.  And like Seinfeld’s apartment, the front door never seemed locked!  All the friends entered freely through that famous purple door.  What made the door more memorable was not only the peephole, but the curved bronze frame around it.  You can even make a version for your own door!

6) The Door That Got Destroyed in the Shining

One of the scariest movies of all time, the image of Jack Nicholson limping toward the bathroom door wielding an axe still haunts viewers decades later.  Once he realizes his victim is locked inside the bathroom, he starts breaking it down with his ax.  Shelly Duvall screams and screams as his axe breaks down more and more of the door.  One of the most terrifying moments of the movie is when Nicholson peeks his face through the partially destroyed door and exclaims “Here’s Johnny!” Moviegoers no doubt screamed as loud as Duvall at this moment.

7) Fonzie and Any Door

They truly were Happy Days, thanks in part to a great cast of unique and fun loving characters.  One of these characters was played brilliantly by Henry Winkler.  ‘The Fonz’ as he was known, had a way with the ladies, the juke box and fixing things from cars, stuck windows and jammed doors.  With a tap of his hand, a song would play or the jammed door with miraculously open.  If only it were that easy to get things done!

8) The Door with the Screw Loose in the Breakfast Club

John Hughes was the king of the 80s movies.  One of his best and our favorites was The Breakfast Club.  The movie followed the activities of five high school students in detention at the school’s library one Saturday.  Judd Nelson’s character, John Bender, was no stranger to detention, and thoroughly enjoyed pushing the buttons of their “detention warden” and school’s Vice Principal, Richard Vernon.  Bender removed the screw from one of the heavy doors in the library to allow for more privacy for the students during their hours in detention.  Vernon was not pleased about this and exclaimed “who closed that door?”  The students naturally deny any involvement – asking who would have removed the screw or stating that sometimes, screws fall loose.  Vernon attempting to prop open the door is a great moment, and symbolic of his struggle with the students, and most likely his career!

9) Grey’s Anatomy’s Elevator Doors

We can’t think of a show that featured more scenes waiting for an elevator or in an elevator than Grey’s Anatomy.  Heated conversations and often heated love scenes took place behind those elevator doors.  There was even a critical patient trapped in the elevator with the door stuck partially open as George worked vigorously to save his life.  Another great scene behind the elevators doors was when Derek proposed to Meredith – a scene die-hard fans were waiting years for into their on-again off-again relationship.

10) Shawshank Redemption’s Locked Doors

Arguably one of the best movies of all time, one of the most poignant scenes involved two locked doors.  Andy Dufresne, played by the talented Tim Robbins, was working in the warden’s office.  His guard was using the attached bathroom when Dufresne realized he had access to a record player and some records.  He chose a beautiful opera, The Marriage of Figaro, to play on the prison’s PA system.  Before filling the building and the grounds with the beautiful music, he locked the guard in the bathroom and locked the warden’s office door as well.  He blared the music and it was beautiful to hear the sweet sounds and see the faces of all the inmates enjoy the music as well.  The guard banged on the bathroom door and the warden and his gang banged on the office door.  The warden yelled “OPEN THE DOOR!”  Dufresne disregarded his orders and turned the music up.  He knew he was bound to be punished, but didn’t care, and reveled in the fact he could bring a brief amount of joy to his fellow inmates.

From locker doors to car doors to elevator doors, there is no doubt doors can play a major role on both the large and small screen.  Doors provide a great transition in many scenes, but can add a level of humor or drama as well.  Opened or closed, floating or destroyed, we hope you enjoyed this trip down door memory lane!