From Eraserhead to Mulholland Drive, David Lynch is a master filmmaker with a firm grasp of fantasy worlds. Lynch utilizes dream sequences to flesh out psychological analysis and provides emotional depth to the story in a spirited presence.

Dream sequences are meant to be sweet, but sometimes they can be beautifully depicted nightmares. Whether it is for storytelling and/or artistic purposes, a dream scene can either enhance or diminish the film. Users of Reddit share which of cinema's dream sequences are the most spectacular.

This article contains discussions of triggering topics such as substance misuse and sexual content.

Stuck In Traffic — 8 1/2

Federico Fellini revolutionized Italian cinema and the surrealist genre with his 1963 film 8 1/2. The dramedy is gorgeous and glamorous in its story and execution. Reddit user OkDokeComputer feels that the film's first scene is "a big prototype for a lot of dream sequences after that".

The opening sequence is an instance of life imitating art, with the film's protagonist Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) being representative of Fellini. Having the film shot in black and white further captures the angst and complexities of one's dreams and subconscious.

Walking The Ceiling — Trainspotting

In the way of remarkable dream sequences, Redditor TimmothyDrake mentioned "the withdrawal/dream sequence in Trainspotting". Long before the Academy Award-winning Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle solidified his prominence with this 1996 black dramedy.

Adapted from the Irving Walsh book series, the dream sequence is seen through the eyes of Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) as a hallucination from drug withdrawal. Featuring a house dance track and a baby crawling on a ceiling, the scene is a jarring interpretation of the drawbacks and recovering substance abuse Alex.

Beauty School Dropout — Grease

Reddit user lawndoggingit likes "the one from Grease with "Beauty School Dropout". A popular 1950s' themed teen musical, Grease goes beyond the love story of Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John). The movie has hilarious side characters, with Sandy's friend Frenchy (Didi Conn) having a dream sequence of her own.

Accompanied by the other Pink Ladies and backup dancers, teen idol Frankie Avalon sings to Frenchy about how beauty school failures should lead to her and enrolling back at Rydell High. The heavenly sequence is memorable for being dazzling and inspiring.

Brad's Pool Dream — Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Reddit user bb_man94 search the dream sequence from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is one for the books. Cameron Crowe's high school dramedy is a stand-out for both his filmography and 80s teen movies.

The now iconic scene set to "Moving In Stereo" by The Cars has Brad Hamilton (Judge Reinhold) fantasizing about his sister's best friend Linda (Phoebe Cates), emerging from a pool to give him a steamy kiss. Cementing its pop culture status, the dream sequence was re-created in a season 3 episode of the hilarious animated sitcom Family Guy.

Pink Elephants On Parade — Dumbo

Some consider "Pink Elephants" from the 1941 Disney film Dumbo a scary children's movie scene, but the vibrant number is a very memorable dream sequence. Redditor SoFuLL simply says "it's awesome".

Booming horns and creepy strings perfectly complement a psychedelic fantasy. What makes this dream sequence such a trippy visual splendor is the pendulum of themes expressed, from love to death. Pink elephants would later inspire the number "Heffalumps and Woozles" in Disney's 1968 animated film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, as well as being featured in the 2019 Dumbo remake.

Nun Nightmare — Rosemary's Baby

Roman Polanski's psychological horror film Rosemary's Baby is a cinematic landmark. Adapted from Ira Levin's novel of the same title, the film follows a possessed pregnancy of a woman named Rosemary (Mia Farrow). Reddit user Trinky4 loves how the beginning dream sequence "incorporates sounds that are occurring in real life, just like real dreams do".

The dream sequence is only the catalyst for what Rosemary will endure throughout the rest of the film. Complete with nuns and Sunday school children, Polanski uses darker lighting and religious overtones to convey sinister vibes.

Rose Petal Dreams — American Beauty

Sam Mendes' Academy-Award winning American Beauty still holds up in 2022 as a solid work of art. In addition to its stellar acting performances, the film is known for Lester Burnham's (Kevin Spacey) fantasy surrounding Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari), his teenage daughter's friend. Redditor nightfan says the scene "always was my favorite".

Looking past the overall implications of the scene, the sequence is truly breathtaking. The red roses symbolize several feelings and themes. One of which is lust and temptation with a lingering notion of infatuation in the air.

Ballroom Blitz — Labyrinth

A deleted Redditor loved the "Labyrinth ball scene". Although initially panned upon its 1986 release, Jim Henson's Labyrinth has become a beloved cult classic over the years. The dream sequence is a stunning masquerade ball, which shows protagonist Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) falling in love with the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie).

A shimmering illusion with magnificent costumes and Bowie's rock music, the ball is showing how deeply Sarah is falling into the fantasy of the Labyrinth world. Luckily, she comes to her senses and shatters the facade with a spooky fallout.

Viking Bowling — The Big Lebowski

Although not as appreciated upon its release, The Big Lebowski is a pioneer of cult films. The 1998 Coen Brothers film is full of dream sequences, with one of the most famous being the Viking bowling scene with The Dude (Jeff Bridges) and Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore). Redditor epicluca thinks the number "was pretty neat".

The dream sequence has a pleasant enough start set to Kenny Roggers' "Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was in)", before evolving into a bizarre nightmare. Rogers' song, similar to Derek and the Domino's "Layla", saw a comeback after the movie was released.

Alone In Manhattan — Vanilla Sky

One of the best movies depicting the afterlife, Vanilla Sky is both a dream and a nightmare, wrapped in pathos and pain. Cameron Crowe's 2001 adaptation of the 1996 Spanish film Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes), the film's opening scene is pretty far out. Redditor jakejames loves the sequence "because of "Everything In Its Right Place".

Starting out as a regular day, David Ames (Tom Cruise) soon finds himself completely alone in Times Square, seemingly the last man in New York. Ominously set to various musical tracks, the scene is also memorable for its exact location filming.

NEXT: The 10 Most Memorable Final Shots In Film History, According To Reddit