# What/Who are the best "Chewing the Scenery" Films/Actors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359 "2017-02-09T00:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/1 "2017-02-09T00:12:04Z")
In case anyone isn’t familiar with the term, “Chewing the Scenery” is defined as: _Displaying excessive emotion or acting in an exaggerated manner while performing; to be melodramatic; to be flamboyant._ Normally this is considered to be a Bad Thing, worthy of criticism and ridicule, but on occasion there is a need for it and actors (and by this I mean good actors, not some refugee from a SyFy monster movie) use it to enhance the movie. Reason I mention it is I just watched “Buckaroo Banzai”, where John Lithgow, who has won more than a few awards for his undeniable acting ability, simply owns the movie with his _way_ over-the-top portrayal of alien-possessed Dr. Emil Lizardo (“Sealed with a curse as sharp as a knife; doomed is your soul and dammed is your life.”) The other one that come immediately to mind is Brian Blessed as the Hawk King Vultan in “Flash Gordon”. In an otherwise barely competent acting troop, Blessed not only chewed the scenery, he probably chewed the director’s chair and part of the building, but damn, he’s the only reason to watch the movie. ("Oh well, who wants to live forever? DIVE!!) So what have I missed? Again, it has to be actors that have done competent work before or after and their overacting enhance the movie instead of dragging it down. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/2 "2017-02-09T00:24:53Z")
A number of the actors who’ve played the Doctor, with Tom Baker and David Tennant leading the way. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/3 "2017-02-09T00:26:34Z")
I think Samuel L. Jackson is an Oscar-caliber actor. I say this because I’ve seen him play a calm, low-key guy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/4 "2017-02-09T01:01:34Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > I just watched “Buckaroo Banzai”, where John Lithgow, who has won more than a few awards for his undeniable acting ability, simply owns the movie with his _way_ over-the-top portrayal of alien-possessed Dr. Emil Lizardo > [@](#): > > So what have I missed? Well, you realize that Christopher Lloyd was in that one, right? At that, I’m pretty sure Gene Wilder had two settings: ‘regular’ and ‘atomic’. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/5 "2017-02-09T01:07:15Z")
Al Pacino’s performance in **The Devil’s Advocate** is crazy over the top, and I love every second of it. I would say the same for **Scarface.** I guess one could argue that most of his work now is scenery-chewing, but those are my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/6 "2017-02-09T01:24:19Z")
Chris Tucker as [Ruby Rhod](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKiSX8qYL3M) in _The Fifth Element._ ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/7 "2017-02-09T01:26:50Z")
Daniel Day Lewis in pretty much anything. Especially Gangs and TWWB. Love him in both of those, but man he’s intense. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/8 "2017-02-09T01:39:28Z")
The best example of scenery chewing recently was the UK TV series \* Vicious\*, where Ian McKellan, Derek Jacobi, and Frances de la Tour compete to see who can chew the most. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/9 "2017-02-09T01:43:02Z")
**Khaaaaaaannnnnnnn!!!** a ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/10 "2017-02-09T01:46:34Z")
Lenny Henry in “Chef!” - for example [https://tune.pk/video/3547187/salt-from-the-bbc-show-chef](https://tune.pk/video/3547187/salt-from-the-bbc-show-chef) Shatner can do subtle, affecting acting, but he can certainly chew scenery. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/11 "2017-02-09T02:12:01Z")
Anthony Hopkins in “Silence of the Lambs”. Most people are surprised to learn that he was only on screen for 16 minutes total, but he’s been a serious ham in other films, as well. Jack Nicholson improved nearly every movie he was in over his career, but was most memorable when he was at his most manic. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/12 "2017-02-09T02:17:18Z")
Richard E. Grant as Withnail in _Withnail & I._ Kenneth Branaugh as Prof. Lockhart in _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._ In both cases, their ultra-exaggerated, dial-it-up-to-eleven acting styles perfectly fit the characters they were portraying. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/13 "2017-02-09T02:27:58Z")
The original scenery chewer, Gloria Swanson, of course, in _Sunset Boulevard_. Faye Dunaway in _Mommie Dearest_. Shirley MacLaine in _Terms of Endearment_. Gary Oldman in _True Romance_. Daniel Day Lewis in _There Will Be Blood_. Dennis Hopper in _Blue Velvet_. Christopher Walken in _Pulp Fiction_. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/14 "2017-02-09T03:17:13Z")
Let’s not forget Alec Baldwin in _Glengarry Glen Ross_; he upstaged Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jack Lemmon and Ed Harris ffs. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/15 "2017-02-09T03:25:43Z")
Charlton Heston. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/16 "2017-02-09T03:26:34Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The best example of scenery chewing recently was the UK TV series \* Vicious\*, where Ian McKellan, Derek Jacobi, and Frances de la Tour compete to see who can chew the most. McKellan and Jacobi can be subdued as well, though. Robert De Niro does it in virtually every movie. Gloria Swanson was not the first, nor was _Sunset Boulevard_ the first film in which she did it. Donald Crisp did it in _Broken Blossoms_ in 1919, for example, and Swanson did it in an early talkie called _Indiscreet_. Joan Crawford was a master of it, and so was Barbara Stanwyk, but Crawford’s career reaches back to the silents. Lucille Ball started out as a dramatic actress, and could chew scenery with the best. She has quite a list of credits before she found comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/17 "2017-02-09T03:34:09Z")
On a good day, with the wind behind him, Geoffrey Rush can make you forget that there is anyone else in the cast, let alone sharing a set / stage with him. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/18 "2017-02-09T03:36:31Z")
Geoffrey Rush, especially in Pirates or Mystery Men for example, is great at it when he wants to be. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/19 "2017-02-09T03:44:26Z")
Alan Rickman, the only reason to see Kevin Costner’s “Robin Hood”. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/20 "2017-02-09T03:50:42Z")
First actor that comes to mind is George C. Scott in Dr. Strangelove. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359.md?page=2)