# Best scenery chewings in cinematic history **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418 "2008-06-18T23:51:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/1 "2008-06-18T23:51:07Z")
Pacino, for example, has had some doozies ( **Scarface** , **And Justice for All** ). Heck I just saw Nicholas Cage go on a hilarious rant in **National Treasure II** , tho I won’t be nominating him for the top award. Links to videos of scenes optional but appreciated. Here’s another Pacino, from [Glengarry Glen Ross](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HURJNd0J4U). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/2 "2008-06-19T00:28:24Z")
Oooh, when it comes to Pacino’s scenery-chewing, the **Devil’s Advocate** [finale](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGR4SFOimlk&feature=related) is a true guilty pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/3 "2008-06-19T00:59:54Z")
John Lithgow in _The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension_. ([cite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYR1fGSK4U0)) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/4 "2008-06-19T01:01:06Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] Oooh, when it comes to Pacino’s scenery-chewing, the **Devil’s Advocate** [finale](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGR4SFOimlk&feature=related) is a true guilty pleasure. [/QUOTE] Damn, this is so true. It’s what I came in to post, actually. First thing to pop into my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/5 "2008-06-19T01:33:07Z")
Peter Ustinov in all of _Quo Vadis_. My favorite part (which doesn’t seem to be on YouTube) is when he gets the news of Petronius’s suicide. [These clips](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0SUJqsLvo) gives you an excellent example. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/6 "2008-06-19T01:58:22Z")
Does Nicholas Cage in the horrible Wicker Man remake count? or do I just have to pick one special scenery-chewing scene? also, a real question: Is “scenery-chewing” always bad acting? Is it defined as over the top? ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/7 "2008-06-19T02:02:15Z")
Well if it is over the top and hamming it up, we are looking for, R Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket probably has a shot. Obligatory YouTube link (like you don´t have it book marked anyway) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFNeBRc7W7s) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/8 "2008-06-19T02:28:03Z")
For me, “chewing up the scenery” means “over the top.” Unfortunately, “over the top” often is a result of bad acting, but when it’s not, it’s wonderful! ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/9 "2008-06-19T03:23:31Z")
Warren Beatty in [_Bugsy_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101516/), specifically the scene of him in the jail. Can’t find a YouTube link, but it was some histrionic acting. And Annette Bening sitting there calmly waiting for the tirade to subside makes it even better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/10 "2008-06-19T03:55:16Z")
DeNiro in _Cape Fear._ **Way** over the top! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/11 "2008-06-19T04:16:21Z")
Are we counting Jack Nicholson in The Shining? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/12 "2008-06-19T04:16:52Z")
While Pacino is a true master of scene mastication, my true favorite is Alec Baldwin’s famous monologue in _Malice_. [Do I have a God complex?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqeC3BPYTmE) ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/13 "2008-06-19T09:47:20Z")
Rod Steiger and James Woods leave no scenery unchewed in the otherwise execrable Sylvester Stallone/Sharon Stone vehicle **The Specialist** , but I’m going to have to give it to Steiger on points for his Cuban accent: “Chew fin’ heemp an’ chew breeng heemp to me.” ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/14 "2008-06-19T10:20:39Z")
[Jeremy Irons in Dungeons & Dragons](http://youtube.com/watch?v=OFTqvcQJtzQ) was pretty entertaining to watch. It was pretty much the only positive thing in the movie, though. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/15 "2008-06-19T10:26:05Z")
I think the poster child example is Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan in Flash Gordon. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/16 "2008-06-19T10:53:50Z")
Bette Davis in _Dark Victory_. When Judith finally declares **I think I’ll have a large order of prognosis negative!** it concludes one of the greatest scenery meals of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/17 "2008-06-19T11:00:49Z")
Brian Blessed is my all-time favorite. The man lives on an all-scenery diet. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/18 "2008-06-19T12:09:58Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Brian Blessed is my all-time favorite. The man lives on an all-scenery diet. [/QUOTE] My favourite Brian Blessed scenery-chewing moment is from his role as Augustus in the TV series “I, Clavdivs”… **IS THERE A MAN IN ROME WHO _HAS NOT_ SLEPT WITH MY DAUGHTER?!?!?!?!** Although he also gets a really moving and extremely understated moment with Augustus’ death… Just my 2 eurocent! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/19 "2008-06-19T12:13:13Z")
The ultimate prop-mastication film…_Mommy Dearest_. Faye Dunaway in a FEAST of epic proportions. ---
**Author:** ![TripleTee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@TripleTee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleTee)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418/20 "2008-06-19T12:17:00Z")
“YOU MANIACS!!! YOU BLEW IT UP!!! DAMN YOU!!! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!!!” I love that movie. And he leaves no scenery unchewed. It is all thoroughly chewed, then swallowed, partially digested, regurgitated, and then chewed again, like a cow chewing his cud. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-scenery-chewings-in-cinematic-history/453418.md?page=2)