# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/81 "2017-02-11T12:59:43Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > The OP won his own thread with Brian Blessed in Flash Gordon! > > “BRING ME THE REMOTE CONTROL!” > Shit, now I gotta go watch that again tonight. Can I digress with a bried story of why I love that movie so much? I can even remember the day I saw it in the theater, December 6, 1980. That morning I’d awakened late, too late for an important appointment in another town. It might have made the difference in getting a really good job. I was miserable and grouchy all day long. That evening I went to the movie just to distract myself. When I left I felt great! Sounds crazy, but it was almost impossible not to be in a good mood after that film. I even went again the next day! Blessed was my favorite character too, but I loved just about all of them. Everyone was a scenery chewer. One of my favorite scenes was the one in Ming’s bedroom when the slave was serving that green liquor to Dale. Dale asked “Will it make me forget?” and the slave replied “No, but you won’t mind remembering.” ---
**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 11, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/82 "2017-02-11T13:52:13Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > No mention of Charles Laughton? _Mutiny o\*\*n the Bounty_? Electrifying. _Witness For The Prosecution_ is basically “Well, yeah, but what if Winston Churchill had dedicated his talents to showily pulling off theatrical tricks in the courtroom?” ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/83 "2017-02-11T22:13:32Z")
Brick Top in _Snatch_ “Do you know what ‘nemesis’ means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified in this case by an 'orrible cunt… me.” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/84 "2017-02-11T22:36:10Z")
Another one: Ray Liotta. Started off pretty good. Then just became “that guy” you see in every performance. It works fairly well in _Goodfellas_. Doesn’t work so well for a lot of other things. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/85 "2017-02-12T15:45:48Z")
Quite correctly there have been several mentions already of **Brian Blessed**. I feel it useful to point out that **Blessed** chews far MORE scenery while being ‘himself’ - So in, for example, **Flash Gordon** what you see on screen is actually a toned down, diluted, restrained **Brian Blessed**. For a better appreciation of the ‘full fat’ version find any TV interview with him or even read his biography. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/86 "2017-02-18T11:50:53Z")
Still on **Brian Blessed**. Coincidentally I just read an anecdote from **Brian Blessed** regarding the late **John Hurt** which amused me. I’ll add it here. Blessed recalled John Hurt made his TV debut on the BBC crime drama **Z Cars** which had Blessed as a policeman. Back then, in the 1960s, the show was broadcast live. The episode had Hurt as a suspect and the script required eight minutes of tough interrogation. Unfortunately Hurt was so overwhelmed by the occasion (and the bombastic Blessed) he immediately confessed and the BBC had to go to the news five minutes early. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Flare4roach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7cd45c/32.png) [@Flare4roach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flare4roach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/87 "2017-02-18T12:38:21Z")
James Purefoy as Mark Antony in HBO’s ROME was spectacular in every single scene he was in due to the fact that he played Antony with such verve and pomp with ego for days. He was perfect and by God, you couldn’t take your eyes off him. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/88 "2017-02-18T15:14:37Z")
Rod Steiger _In The Heat of the Night_. That book was made into a movie for Sidney Poiter, one of the hottest actors at the time, and Steiger just totally upstaged him. “I got a motive for the murder and a body that is dead.” ---
**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 18, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/89 "2017-02-18T15:42:54Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Rod Steiger _In The Heat of the Night_. That book was made into a movie for Sidney Poiter, one of the hottest actors at the time, and Steiger just totally upstaged him. “I got a motive for the murder and a body that is dead.” At that, how big a movie star was Harrison Ford when – after each STAR WARS movie was the biggest box-office draw of its year, sure as each INDIANA JONES movie was the biggest box-office draw in each of _their_ years – THE FUGITIVE spent six weeks at #1 on its way to getting nominated for Best Picture? But it’s Tommy Lee Jones who stole every scene and won the Academy Award. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/90 "2017-02-18T18:05:59Z")
Pacino also goes over the top in some scenes in Heat. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/91 "2017-02-18T18:35:49Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Still on **Brian Blessed**. > > Coincidentally I just read an anecdote from **Brian Blessed** regarding the late **John Hurt** which amused me. I’ll add it here. > > Blessed recalled John Hurt made his TV debut on the BBC crime drama **Z Cars** which had Blessed as a policeman. Back then, in the 1960s, the show was broadcast live. > > The episode had Hurt as a suspect and the script required eight minutes of tough interrogation. Unfortunately Hurt was so overwhelmed by the occasion (and the bombastic Blessed) he immediately confessed and the BBC had to go to the news five minutes early. > > TCMF-2L I like it. I saw an old episode of _The Avengers_ recently with Brian Blessed, which would have been from about that same era, but I didn’t recognize him. It was one of those “I’ve seen that guy before but I can’t remember where” things. You’d think it would be impossible to not recognize **BRIAN BLESSED!!** , but he wasn’t his familiar, bombastic self yet. I may have also been slightly distracted by a young Charlotte Rampling. (Diana Rigg is not in that episode until near the end.) > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > But it’s Tommy Lee Jones who stole every scene and won the Academy Award. Speaking of scenery chewing, Will Smith did a fair amount of it in _Men in Black_, but I thought Tommy Lee Jones owned that movie. The scene where he’s interrogating the dog, and plays it absolutely straight, is hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/92 "2017-02-18T18:50:07Z")
What is it about Donnie Wahlberg that he can outstage Tom Selleck on Blue Bloods? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/93 "2017-02-18T23:17:28Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Speaking of scenery chewing, Will Smith did a fair amount of it in _Men in Black_, but I thought Tommy Lee Jones owned that movie. The scene where he’s interrogating the dog, and plays it absolutely straight, is hysterical. I always figured that _Men in Black_ worked because Smith wasn’t the coolest character. In most films, he’d be the too-cool-for-school guy mocking the uptight establishment types, but it’s made repeatedly obvious that his clowning around is both counter-productive and betrays how completely clueless he is, while it’s Jones (and to an extent Brolin) who knows the score. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/94 "2017-02-19T02:23:55Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Rod Steiger _In The Heat of the Night_. That book was made into a movie for Sidney Poiter, one of the hottest actors at the time, and Steiger just totally upstaged him. “I got a motive for the murder and a body that is dead.” Speaking of totally upstaging the star of the movie, Graham Greene does this a lot. He did it to Val Kilmer in _Thunderheart_. He did it to Kevin Costner in _Dances with Wolves_. He did it to Mel Gibson in _Maverick_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/95 "2017-02-22T14:43:49Z")
Martin Mull not only chews the scenery, he swallows it and poops it out. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/96 "2017-02-22T16:48:18Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > “Matty. Bring me everyone.” > “Everyone?” > “EEEVERRYONNNE!!!” Dammit, I came into this thread to mention this very scene. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/97 "2017-02-22T16:56:57Z")
[QUOTE=Brown Eyed Girl] Faye Dunaway in _Mommie Dearest_. [/QUOTE] Faye Dunaway in most of her movies. _Eyes Of Laura Mars_ may have been the chewiest. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/98 "2017-02-22T17:37:30Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I love this movie. Why? Because it’s Perfect. The other movie that’s Perfect because _every_ actor was a good actor playing over-the-top scenery-chewing brilliant: _The Princess Bride_. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/99 "2017-02-22T19:10:36Z")
“You’re _TEARING ME APART_!” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359/100 "2017-02-22T19:46:37Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Let’s not forget Alec Baldwin in _Glengarry Glen Ross_; he upstaged Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jack Lemmon and Ed Harris ffs. That’s five Academy Awards between those men, btw. Only Harris hasn’t won one, and he’s better than many who have. In terms of single scene dominance, you show me someone else who just completely stole the movie from five actors of that caliber and still had the movie in his pocket after the scene even though he’s not in the movie again. I think a really interesting question would be who ate the most scenery **in an Oscar-winning performance.** Denzel in "Training Day, where I think he gained about thirty pounds during the shoot eating parts of the set, is the most egregious example I can think of. Al Pacino devoured a lot of set during “Scent of a Woman,” too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-who-are-the-best-chewing-the-scenery-films-actors/779359.md?page=6)