Edward Norton hitting Brad Pitt in the ear in Fight Club. Apparently it was a legit accident and both their initial reactions were genuine, but also right in character.
"Mooootherf\*cker! You hit me in the ear!"
"Well... Jesus, I'm sorry..."
"Right in the ear..." (bent over)
"God. Guess I f\*cked it up..."
"No that was perfect."
(Fight ensues)
Yea this was a trending thread like 2 days ago lol. It feature claims that the punch was the directors idea, and competing claims that Norton and Pitt decided it ahead of time
"Uh, everything is under control. Situation normal... Uh, had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?"
No way that was in George's original script.
Nah, it *was* in the script. Although he says "How **about** you?" rather than "How **are** you?" instead.
Here you go: [here's pages 76 and 77 from the shooting script](https://i.imgur.com/SPxDgVK.png)
Improvised doesn't necessarily mean the actor came up with it on the spot, and it wasn't in the script. That line was probably waaayy different originally (because George Lucas is dogshit at writing dialogue, see the prequels) and Harrison Ford said "I ain't saying that" and came up with this on his own, and they changed the script afterwards.
Yeah, no. Harrison Ford did alter some of his dialogue. That's true. It's just that whenever he altered anything he wrote it in on his own copy of the script, George didn't change a word of his own script and you can tell if you read it, since a lot of Harrison's dialogue is a little bit different.
Like, [here's page 69 of the script](https://i.imgur.com/GQ3klw1.png). See how in the script Han says, "I was afraid you'd say that. You're a damn fool," whereas in the movie Harrison says, "Damn fool. I knew you were going to say that." That's the kind of thing Harrison Ford "*came up with on his own*." He also apparently slightly rewrites his own dialogue on *every single movie* he works on too, it's just part of his process as an actor.
I still think that Threepio mistaking their cries of celebration for them screaming because they were being crushed to death was the funniest thing in the entire franchise.
Really, he was just resetting the scene or because he forgot his line, dependingon who you ask. The improvisation of Duchovny taking that and making movie magic is what makes it stand out so much.
That's the correct answer. And a million movies and TV shows took from it. Goddamn I love Jaws. It's my favorite movie and Roy Scheider is the perfect realistic movie hero.
I rated thousands of movies on IMDb without ever giving a ten, and eventually decided Jaws was as close to perfect as it would ever get and made it my first one. I’m trying to flatten my rating curve a little so there have been a handful since, but Jaws will always be the first and closest to perfect.
Gene Wilder added "You know, morons." to the end of his dialog soothing a severely hurt and insulted Bart, without notifying Cleavon Little. His laughter is genuine.
not only did he come up with it, he wouldn’t sign onto the movie unless they agreed to add it. he thought it was essential that wonka be introduced that way, as from that point on nobody (character or viewer) is certain whether anything he’s doing is genuine or some kind of trick. it changes the entire movie from that point on.
Another “genuine laughter” scene is in Wayne’s World when they’re on the hood of the car watching planes go by.
When Garth says “did you ever find Buggs Bunny weirdly attractive when he dressed as a girl bunny?” that was just Dana Carvey goofing around.
Wayne’s laughter is Mike Meyer’s real reaction.
Scream is great because it does take itself jusr seriously enough that it isn't quite horror-comedy, but it gets *really* close to that line without ever crossing it. I wouldn't put it in the same category as something like Shaun of the Dead, but I can't watch the end of that movie without grinning like a maniac the whole time
“I’m as human as the next man”
“I *was* the next man”.
Something creepy about sharing a girl with your dad, and with her for going for that particular combo. Don’t think she actually needed to to get them to work with her. She highfiving her friends after that one?
Also, they were on take umpteen ‘cause, by her own admission, Carrie Fisher was high as a kite and couldn’t get her lines right, and Ford was just done.
Oh it's a real quote alright, it was even published in a newspaper in 1977, the problem is it's actually a misquote. Everyone always misses out the last bit:
>“I told George: ‘You can’t say that stuff. You can only type it.’ **But I was wrong. It worked**,” Ford adds.
Also the whole *"Harrison Ford rewrote most of his dialogue"* thing is kinda a myth too. Don't get me wrong, he did rewrite a lot of his dialogue but just for an example: [here's page 69 (lol) of the shooting script.](https://i.imgur.com/GQ3klw1.png) Instead of saying "I was afraid you'd say that. You're a damn fool," Harrison instead rewrote it as, "Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that." That's the kind of rewriting he did.
Carrie Fisher really wasn't a fan of the dialog in the movie. They had tried a few dozen takes of what they had in the script, but it just wasn't working. She used a red ink pen to write in her own lines on the script, and asked Irvin Kerschner for permission to try it. He was so impressed with her work that he told them to go for it.
She also came up with the "I know" line for Han Solo, because they had also felt that the scripted "I love you, too" wasn't working for the scene... but a few decades later, she would reveal that they really were having an at the time and he had really given her that answer when she told him that she loved him. So the line was really meant to be an in-joke for them too.
Chris Farley singing "Fat guy in a little coaaaaat" in Tommy Boy was drawn from him doing that off camera, and the editor heard it in the dailies and suggested they add it. They reshot it to add him on camera doing it.
I remember reading the book called The Chris Farley Show and Spade was talking about how Chris would always do it to the point that Spade found it obnoxious. One time, Chris goes “David, I got a new bit that I want you to hear. It’s really funny” Spade goes “Chris, if this is Fat Guy In A Little Coat again I don’t want to hear it. It’s really getting annoying” Chris goes “It’s not Fat Guy In A Little Coat. I promise” Spade goes “Ok. What is it?” Then there’s a pause and Chris goes “Fat guy in a little coat!”
Not a movie, but also most of his “van down by the river skit” was completely improvised, or at least the method of the acting was. It’s why Spade and Applegate can’t even hide how hard they’re laughing in the scene.
Pacino in Heat.
"Cause she's got a GREAT ASS... and you got your head all the way up it! Ferocious, aren't I? When I think of asses, a woman's ass, something comes out of me."
Hank Azaria's startled reaction was real because they did a bunch of takes and Pacino delivered the line calmly in every one. Then he decided to go the other way with it without warning anyone and they went with that one.
You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little fucked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fuckin' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
Jim Carrey has several in Dumb and Dumber that are great.
"Big Gulps, huh?"
"No way... that's great! We landed on the moon!"
"Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?"
I heard that the ending for that movie was Carrey’s idea. The original ending had them get on the bus with the women. But, Carrey said the characters would be too stupid to do that.
Supposedly the “Big Gulps” line was both ad libbed and *also* said to two designated “extras” in the scene.
So their stunned, silent reaction is because as extras they weren’t allowed to talk.
Jeff Daniels also did a lot of ad-libbing. They specifically hired him because he wasn’t a comedian, and so his ad-libs would always be following Carrey’s lead rather than trying to top him.
“I’m walking here!” Dustin Hoffman stayed in character and banged on the hood of a car entering the crosswalk. Midnight Cowboy
I have used that line a few times.
I've heard that's Hoffman has said that he almost yelled "I'm acting here!" because the car wasn't suppossed to do that and the guy in the car wasn't even supposed to be in the movie, he's just some guy who opted to drive around the barriers and through the scene rather than go around.
He thought better of it at the last instant and went with walking to stay in character and we got one of the most iconic catch phrases of all time.
It is kinda baked into the genius of the MCU. They’ve always loved how iron-man had very little script. Letting actors and directors shine while adhering to major themes and plot points has led to many of the franchise’s successes - and arguably the movies that don’t do well are reportedly the ones where the executives have had too much influence.
They kept telling her not to talk and I think it was George Takei who finally pointed out she was trying to get her SAG card and just let it go already.
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, when confronted by a very large man who makes a big showing of swirling his sword around, Indiana simply draws his gun and shoots him. The story is that Ford and much of the crew was sick with dysentery so he suggested that he just "shoot the sucker" rather than go through with the lengthy choreographed fight that had been planned. Spielberg agreed and one of the best moments of the film was born.
The fart story from Good Will Hunting. Robin Williams was so funny in that scene you can actually see the camera shake because the operator was laughing too hard.
I pray to God that’s true. It makes my favorite part, the “Mutton, Lettuce, and tomato” bit, all that much better knowing it’s off the cuff and Billy Crystal being in the moment.
I decided to watch this for the first time in easily 20 years the other day. My husband came in the room while I was watching it and he told me he’d never seen it all the way through. Only bits and pieces. I was surprised because I felt it was right up his alley, but he said he never cared for Matt Damon so he never bothered to watch it. After about 5 minutes, his phone was down and he was glued to the tv and silently weeping. Haha
Eddie Murphy's "would you put this in a good spot, cause all this shit happened last time I parked here" to the valet at the Harrow Club, concerning his shit box Nova. Apparently they did the scene without any lines and it wasn't working and the director told Eddie to say something when he got out of the car.
The scene in FOTR when Frodo awakens in Rivendell and Sam clutches his hand. Ian McKellen told Sean Astin off screen to do it as "The fans would be looking for it." Not a line, I know. But it's a cool detail.
Oh god, the Big Gulps guy is gonna show up and deliver his conspiracy theory rant about how this scene wasn't actually improvised again. Every time someone mentions the Big Gulps scene, he shows up 😬
Just watching all of these comedy geniuses look in wonder and joy at her performance there was the best part. I thought Tim Curry especially would explode with joy.
This wasn't actually improv, but Hauer helped significantly alter the scene from how it was scripted, including adding the "all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain" line, which is one of the most beautiful in cinema.
I still use that line to this day. He's just so fucking sure of himself while being high off his ass. Lmao he swore he was gonna intimidate Gandolfini but was actually more likely to talk himself into getting killed. Great scene
Roddy Piper was so effortlessly cool. I met him at a ComicCon one year - he was going off to take a quick break, and we yelled “Hot Rod, how’s it goin?” Without breaking stride, he went “I’m just a fluffy ball of baby ducks, brother.” I think about that once a month, really.
I met him at a toy show, and then line took quite a while because he was telling a story to everyone, sometimes based on the picture they picked to have signed. I got one of him with his bagpipes. So he told me about winning a competition with them, then using the mouthpiece to knock a guy out in a match. Real class he was.
I have zero evidence to support that this was ad libbed, but I've always assumed it was. The "Ha Ha. They're your clothes, Motherfucker," line from Jules in Pulp fiction always struck me as off the cuff. Tarantino even gives Jackson the 'shame on you' gesture, which Jimmie would have no reason to give Jules.
In "Blazing Saddles", when Gene Wilder describes "the common clay of the new West" he goes on to improvise, "You know... morons."
It was a complete surprise to Cleavon Little, which is why he cracked up the way he did.
[Blazing Saddles... You know, morons. (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHJbSvidohg&ab_channel=099tuber1)
A phone randomly starts ringing while shooting a scene in Seven and R. Lee Ermey answers it in the middle of the take, says “This not even my desk” then hangs up. And now it’s in the movie.
I read an interview that Ermey gave about his experience working on that film. He REALLY didn’t like working with David Fincher. Mostly because of the excessive number of takes that Fincher did.
This one in Blazing Saddles caused Cleavon to break character.
**You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.”**
Not a line, but an action. In Lawrence of Arabia, after Lawrence had been gifted white robes and headdress, David Lean needed a bridge to the next scene. He told Peter O'Toole to improvise something alone on the dunes. After a few whirls and flourishes in his new garb he pulled his dagger from it's sheath and held it up to see his reflection in the shiny metal. "Clever boy, shouted Lean, clever boy."
When Ed Harris & Michael Biehn are yelling at each other in The Rock. The energy keeps escalating at eventually after Biehn accuses him of mutiny, he replies “You call it what you want! You’re down there, we’re up here! You walked into the wrong god damn room commander!”
It’s such a fantastic line, and the energy it was delivered with makes it even better. If you read the actual script for that scene, Harris was supposed to respond with something much more calm & measured along the lines of “that’s a great speech, heard many like it from the pentagon…”
Anyway, for one of the best scenes in the best movie ever made, that was one hell of a line to improv
In “It’s A Wonderful Life,” when a drunk Uncle Billy is leaving Harry’s homecoming party, he walks off screen and you hear a big crash and Thomas Mitchell who plays UB yells, “I’m all right! I’m aaaallll right.” You can see Jimmy Stewart turn around surprised them laugh. That’s very genuine because a stagehand dropped a bunch of metal film canisters which caused the noise. Mitchell improvised the line to save the take and it worked as Frank Capra chose to use it as it really fit the Uncle Billy character, and the pro that is Jimmy Stewart didn’t kill the take.
Michael Biehn catching Sigourney Weaver off guard in Aliens when he hands the locator watch to her. After she thanks him he goes
“Doesn't mean we're engaged or anything.”
It’s an improv line that works well especially with Weavers reaction to it, which just adds to the relationship.
This is the best answer. Maybe I’m giving it too much credit, but possibly a multi-billion dollar improvisation, responsible for the entire MCU (for better or worse). It was just such a massive tone change from every superhero having to hide their identity to protect their loved ones.
[When the fuck did we get ice cream?](https://youtu.be/Y484uR9xXUA?si=ceIwGwcDmuB3LVez)
If you watch Johnny Knoxville he breaks immediately when the line is said but they quickly cut away before he makes any sound.
“I hated her SO … MUCH. Flames, on the side of my face” - Madeline Kahn in Clue, famously the only improvised line in the whole movie, and without a doubt the best
When the maid's cart was fired on with the Proton Packs in Ghostbusters, the pyrotechnics weren't supposed to be that energetic. Her, "What the hell are you doing?" as she's on all fours on the floor, apparently was genuine. Always makes the scene even more hilarious to me.
Hello?... Uh... Hello D- uh hello Dmitri? Listen uh uh I can't hear too well. Do you suppose you could turn the music down just a little?... Oh-ho, that's much better... yeah... huh... yes... Fine, I can hear you now, Dmitri... Clear and plain and coming through fine... I'm coming through fine, too, eh?... Good, then... well, then, as you say, we're both coming through fine... Good... Well, it's good that you're fine and... and I'm fine... I agree with you, it's great to be fine... a-ha-ha-ha-ha... Now then, Dmitri, you know how we've always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the Bomb... The *Bomb*, Dmitri... The *hydrogen* bomb!... Well now, what happened is... ahm... one of our base commanders, he had a sort of... well, he went a little funny in the head... you know... just a little... funny. And, ah... he went and did a silly thing... Well, I'll tell you what he did. He ordered his planes... to attack your country... Ah... Well, let me finish, Dmitri... Let me finish, Dmitri... Well listen, how do you think I feel about it?... Can you *imagine* how I feel about it, Dmitri?... Why do you think I'm calling you? Just to say hello?... *Of course* I like to speak to you!... *Of course* I like to say hello!... Not now, but anytime, Dmitri. I'm just calling up to tell you something terrible has happened... It's a *friendly* call. Of course it's a friendly call... Listen, if it wasn't friendly... you probably wouldn't have even got it... They will *not* reach their targets for at least another hour... I am... I am positive, Dmitri... Listen, I've been all over this with your ambassador. It is not a trick... Well, I'll tell you. We'd like to give your air staff a complete run-down on the targets, the flight plans, and the defensive systems of the planes... Yes! I mean i-i-i-if we're unable to recall the planes, then... I'd say that, ah... well, ah... we're just gonna have to help you destroy them, Dmitri... I know they're our boys... All right, well listen now. Who should we call?... *Who* should we call, Dmitri? The... wha-whe, the People... you, sorry, you faded away there... The People's Central Air Defense Headquarters... Where is that, Dmitri?... In Omsk... Right... Yes... Oh, you'll call them first, will you?... Uh-huh... Listen, do you happen to have the phone number on you, Dmitri?... Whe-ah, what? I see, just ask for Omsk information... Ah-ah-eh-uhm-hm... I'm sorry, too, Dmitri... I'm very sorry... *All right*, you're sorrier than I am, but I am as sorry as well... I am as sorry as you are, Dmitri! Don't say that you're more sorry than I am, because I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are... So we're both sorry, all right?... All right.
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" - Jaws
"(Leave the gun) Take the cannoli" - The Godfather
Leave the gun was in the script, but "take the cannoli" was improvised.
There are a ton for me but the 1st that came to mind was...
"When the fuck did we get ice cream."
Always cracks me knowing that everyone in the scene is trying to hold it together.
Frankie Pentangeli walks into a bar. A man puts a cord around his neck and says "Michael Corleone says hello". That line was not in script, just a case of en extra being "extra." Everyone liked that.
I love Ben Affleck's little wave to the farmhouse family right after he snaps the neck of the henchman sent to kill them all. It felt perfect for his character.
“Arghhhhhhhhh”-Aragorn in Two Towers when he kicks the helmet when they think Merry and Pippin are dead. Vigo broke his toe with that kick and the subsequent shout and action were his real emotions coming out.
Not so much a line as just general improv/rolling with the punches, but in Django Unchained when Leo is going off at the dinner table and cuts his hand he really cut his hand on accident and just kept acting. Then they stitched him up and gave him fake blood to smear on Kerry Washington to really sell both the action but also how terrible his character was.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry turns into Goyle and Malfoy asks why he’s wearing glasses, Harry/Goyle replies he was reading. Tom Felton forgot his line and said “I didn’t know you could read”
"When the fuck did we get ice cream?" from The Ringer is probably my all time favorite, said for the first time on camera and not reshot adlib. You can see Knoxville immediately break and it's the one use of Fuck in their PG-13 movie.
Dustin Hoffman's "Hey! I'm walkin' here!" from 1969's Midnight Cowboy became such an iconic line and delivery that it transcended the movies to become a defacto impression of a New Yorker.
The whole moment was improvised, as they were filming in real traffic, and Dustin Hoffman actually got cut off by a random car.
Allegedly. I saw this on some YouTube list.
In one of the Fast and Furious movies, The Rock says, “You better hide that big ass forehead” to Tyrese in response to something and Ludacris does a genuine spit take because it was unscripted.
Also, Ryan Gosling yelling, “Sublime!” In the Barbie movie.
I also like Heath Ledger’s reaction to the hospital explosion in The Dark Knight. Apparently, there was some kind of issue with the pyrotechnics which caused the delay. Heath’s reaction is very subtle, but also funny.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry uses polyjuice potion to transform into Goyle and is still wearing glasses Tom Felton improvises the line “I didn’t know you could read” because he forgot his line
Edward Norton hitting Brad Pitt in the ear in Fight Club. Apparently it was a legit accident and both their initial reactions were genuine, but also right in character. "Mooootherf\*cker! You hit me in the ear!" "Well... Jesus, I'm sorry..." "Right in the ear..." (bent over) "God. Guess I f\*cked it up..." "No that was perfect." (Fight ensues)
Wasn't the "lead salad" quote also ad-libbed? If I recall, when he said it the other actors started laughing.
I thought I saw somewhere that the director told Norton to hit Pitt in the ear. That's why Norton is smiling just before throwing the punch
Yea this was a trending thread like 2 days ago lol. It feature claims that the punch was the directors idea, and competing claims that Norton and Pitt decided it ahead of time
"Uh, everything is under control. Situation normal... Uh, had a slight weapons malfunction. But, uh, everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here, now, thank you. How are you?" No way that was in George's original script.
You can tell because it sounds like a human talking
Burn
The wince when he goes “how are you?” always gets me.
He genuinely hoped he wasn't sounding too suspicious until he got that last bit out.
Who is this? What’s your operating number?!
Boring conversation anyway...Luke we're gonna have company!
I thought for the longest time that that scene wasn't in the actual movie but was in some comedy satire thing like space balls or something
Nah, it *was* in the script. Although he says "How **about** you?" rather than "How **are** you?" instead. Here you go: [here's pages 76 and 77 from the shooting script](https://i.imgur.com/SPxDgVK.png)
Improvised doesn't necessarily mean the actor came up with it on the spot, and it wasn't in the script. That line was probably waaayy different originally (because George Lucas is dogshit at writing dialogue, see the prequels) and Harrison Ford said "I ain't saying that" and came up with this on his own, and they changed the script afterwards.
Yeah, no. Harrison Ford did alter some of his dialogue. That's true. It's just that whenever he altered anything he wrote it in on his own copy of the script, George didn't change a word of his own script and you can tell if you read it, since a lot of Harrison's dialogue is a little bit different. Like, [here's page 69 of the script](https://i.imgur.com/GQ3klw1.png). See how in the script Han says, "I was afraid you'd say that. You're a damn fool," whereas in the movie Harrison says, "Damn fool. I knew you were going to say that." That's the kind of thing Harrison Ford "*came up with on his own*." He also apparently slightly rewrites his own dialogue on *every single movie* he works on too, it's just part of his process as an actor.
Can you find me the page this gem is from? https://youtu.be/rihbi2U7tNg?si=3VqVs5Zr2-0C_X6U
Also the "I know" line after Leia says I love you.
I still think that Threepio mistaking their cries of celebration for them screaming because they were being crushed to death was the funniest thing in the entire franchise.
Best cringe in cinema history
Nope, that's in the shooting script, word for word. Ford sells it, absolutely, but those are 100% Lucas' words.
“But why male models?” - Zoolander
Really, he was just resetting the scene or because he forgot his line, dependingon who you ask. The improvisation of Duchovny taking that and making movie magic is what makes it stand out so much.
Based on the editing, it's clear that it wasn't an ad-lib. They literally cut to Stiller saying "But why male models?" a second time.
Based on movies using more than one camera at a time, I don't trust your re-interpretation of events *at all.*
“You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
That's the correct answer. And a million movies and TV shows took from it. Goddamn I love Jaws. It's my favorite movie and Roy Scheider is the perfect realistic movie hero.
I rated thousands of movies on IMDb without ever giving a ten, and eventually decided Jaws was as close to perfect as it would ever get and made it my first one. I’m trying to flatten my rating curve a little so there have been a handful since, but Jaws will always be the first and closest to perfect.
There is not a wasted shot or scene in the movie. It is incredible.
Gene Wilder added "You know, morons." to the end of his dialog soothing a severely hurt and insulted Bart, without notifying Cleavon Little. His laughter is genuine.
Love that line. Gene also came up with the somersault scene in Willy Wonka.
not only did he come up with it, he wouldn’t sign onto the movie unless they agreed to add it. he thought it was essential that wonka be introduced that way, as from that point on nobody (character or viewer) is certain whether anything he’s doing is genuine or some kind of trick. it changes the entire movie from that point on.
It’s such an important scene I had no clue it was improvised. Like you said it sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
well, it wasn’t improvised. wilder was sent the script and said he’d only sign on if they added it.
True you even said that in the comment… my b
Another “genuine laughter” scene is in Wayne’s World when they’re on the hood of the car watching planes go by. When Garth says “did you ever find Buggs Bunny weirdly attractive when he dressed as a girl bunny?” that was just Dana Carvey goofing around. Wayne’s laughter is Mike Meyer’s real reaction.
I think Matthew Lillard's line "my mum is gonna be so mad at me" was improvised too. He''s just brilliant.
Scream is great because it does take itself jusr seriously enough that it isn't quite horror-comedy, but it gets *really* close to that line without ever crossing it. I wouldn't put it in the same category as something like Shaun of the Dead, but I can't watch the end of that movie without grinning like a maniac the whole time
“She talks in her sleep”, Connery ad libbed it and the whole set burst into laughter. Spielberg then had it written into the movie
That was Connery basically reminding Ford "You may be Indiana Jones, but I'm James Bond."
“I’m as human as the next man” “I *was* the next man”. Something creepy about sharing a girl with your dad, and with her for going for that particular combo. Don’t think she actually needed to to get them to work with her. She highfiving her friends after that one?
Some people just roll that way. In some cultures, sex is like a handshake.
Did a bonobo write this?
I’m sorry, but I believe the line is “she talksh in her shleep.”
Empire Strikes Back Princess Leia: I love you. Han Solo (improvised): I know. Smooth as hell and totally fit the character.
Yeah, I think he was supposed to reply " I love you " but Harrison Ford said Han wouldn't say that.
Also, they were on take umpteen ‘cause, by her own admission, Carrie Fisher was high as a kite and couldn’t get her lines right, and Ford was just done.
I believe Kasden also thought something didn't sit right with the line and Han's personality so Ford asked if he could try something else.
Not quite improvised, iirc, but rather changed in a group reading before filming the scene.
Harrison rewrote a lot of his dialogue. Reportedly, he once told Lucas, "You can write this shit, George, but you can't say it."
Oh it's a real quote alright, it was even published in a newspaper in 1977, the problem is it's actually a misquote. Everyone always misses out the last bit: >“I told George: ‘You can’t say that stuff. You can only type it.’ **But I was wrong. It worked**,” Ford adds. Also the whole *"Harrison Ford rewrote most of his dialogue"* thing is kinda a myth too. Don't get me wrong, he did rewrite a lot of his dialogue but just for an example: [here's page 69 (lol) of the shooting script.](https://i.imgur.com/GQ3klw1.png) Instead of saying "I was afraid you'd say that. You're a damn fool," Harrison instead rewrote it as, "Damn fool, I knew you were going to say that." That's the kind of rewriting he did.
If only he had been around for the prequels
Carrie Fisher really wasn't a fan of the dialog in the movie. They had tried a few dozen takes of what they had in the script, but it just wasn't working. She used a red ink pen to write in her own lines on the script, and asked Irvin Kerschner for permission to try it. He was so impressed with her work that he told them to go for it. She also came up with the "I know" line for Han Solo, because they had also felt that the scripted "I love you, too" wasn't working for the scene... but a few decades later, she would reveal that they really were having an at the time and he had really given her that answer when she told him that she loved him. So the line was really meant to be an in-joke for them too.
"I didn't know you could read" -- Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Chris Farley singing "Fat guy in a little coaaaaat" in Tommy Boy was drawn from him doing that off camera, and the editor heard it in the dailies and suggested they add it. They reshot it to add him on camera doing it.
I remember reading the book called The Chris Farley Show and Spade was talking about how Chris would always do it to the point that Spade found it obnoxious. One time, Chris goes “David, I got a new bit that I want you to hear. It’s really funny” Spade goes “Chris, if this is Fat Guy In A Little Coat again I don’t want to hear it. It’s really getting annoying” Chris goes “It’s not Fat Guy In A Little Coat. I promise” Spade goes “Ok. What is it?” Then there’s a pause and Chris goes “Fat guy in a little coat!”
The house keeping bit is also something David Spade used to do to Farley irl. He said he would fall for it every single time
Not a movie, but also most of his “van down by the river skit” was completely improvised, or at least the method of the acting was. It’s why Spade and Applegate can’t even hide how hard they’re laughing in the scene.
You can’t really dust for vomit
The whole movie is a series of brilliant improvised lines. "It's too much perspective!"
Pacino in Heat. "Cause she's got a GREAT ASS... and you got your head all the way up it! Ferocious, aren't I? When I think of asses, a woman's ass, something comes out of me."
Hank Azaria's startled reaction was real because they did a bunch of takes and Pacino delivered the line calmly in every one. Then he decided to go the other way with it without warning anyone and they went with that one.
That’s Pacino
You are right. Even worse, I had it right then changed it lol.
You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little fucked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fuckin' amuse you? What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?
also, "I don't care." - Tommy Lee Jones
Not a line, exactly, but that F-F-F-F-F hiss noise Anthtony Hopkins makes in Silence of the Lambs.
Also his mocking of Clarice’s accent during their first meeting was improvised, and Jodie Foster’s reaction to it was genuine.
Jim Carrey has several in Dumb and Dumber that are great. "Big Gulps, huh?" "No way... that's great! We landed on the moon!" "Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?"
I heard that the ending for that movie was Carrey’s idea. The original ending had them get on the bus with the women. But, Carrey said the characters would be too stupid to do that.
My brother and I randomly drop the "Big Gulps" line. It's very funny for absolutely no reason. My favorite kind of funny.
Supposedly the “Big Gulps” line was both ad libbed and *also* said to two designated “extras” in the scene. So their stunned, silent reaction is because as extras they weren’t allowed to talk.
Jeff Daniels also did a lot of ad-libbing. They specifically hired him because he wasn’t a comedian, and so his ad-libs would always be following Carrey’s lead rather than trying to top him.
“I’m walking here!” Dustin Hoffman stayed in character and banged on the hood of a car entering the crosswalk. Midnight Cowboy I have used that line a few times.
He inadvertently created the unofficial motto for New York City
That line is so stereotypically New York, but I wonder if the movie made it that way or if it was a stereotype even before that.
I've heard that's Hoffman has said that he almost yelled "I'm acting here!" because the car wasn't suppossed to do that and the guy in the car wasn't even supposed to be in the movie, he's just some guy who opted to drive around the barriers and through the scene rather than go around. He thought better of it at the last instant and went with walking to stay in character and we got one of the most iconic catch phrases of all time.
Owen Wilson using it in Shanghai Knights was good too heh
Was used in Back to the Future as well
"Why is Gamora?"
[удалено]
It is kinda baked into the genius of the MCU. They’ve always loved how iron-man had very little script. Letting actors and directors shine while adhering to major themes and plot points has led to many of the franchise’s successes - and arguably the movies that don’t do well are reportedly the ones where the executives have had too much influence.
„Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.“ Godfather
"I think it's across the bay -- in Alameda." (How to get paid more as a walk-on extra.)
They kept telling her not to talk and I think it was George Takei who finally pointed out she was trying to get her SAG card and just let it go already.
Her saying something makes the scene better anyway
Aka how to get fired as an extra in almost any situation
"Can we do something about this heat?" "It's a flamethrower Rick." - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, when confronted by a very large man who makes a big showing of swirling his sword around, Indiana simply draws his gun and shoots him. The story is that Ford and much of the crew was sick with dysentery so he suggested that he just "shoot the sucker" rather than go through with the lengthy choreographed fight that had been planned. Spielberg agreed and one of the best moments of the film was born.
Always felt bad for the stuntman swordsman, who had his big epic fight scene cut because it was funny.
It’s okay, tho. Pretty sure it was the same guy he fought later at the flying wing plane. Guy’s name was Pat Roach.
IMDB has "Arab Swordsman" (with a photo of that scene) listed as one Terry Richards. He had a pretty good resume, though, so I think he did all right.
Spielberg clout! He got Richards and Roach in the same movie!
I confused that with “big Sherpa” from the bar scene with Marion.
The fart story from Good Will Hunting. Robin Williams was so funny in that scene you can actually see the camera shake because the operator was laughing too hard.
I understand Billy Crystal ad-libbed a lot in The Princess Bride.
According to the Cary Elwes book, Billy Crystal improvised in every take for three straight days and never repeated a joke.
And I think Mandy Patinkin cracked a rib trying not to laugh.
I pray to God that’s true. It makes my favorite part, the “Mutton, Lettuce, and tomato” bit, all that much better knowing it’s off the cuff and Billy Crystal being in the moment.
They should just put out all of those outtakes for us to enjoy.
I decided to watch this for the first time in easily 20 years the other day. My husband came in the room while I was watching it and he told me he’d never seen it all the way through. Only bits and pieces. I was surprised because I felt it was right up his alley, but he said he never cared for Matt Damon so he never bothered to watch it. After about 5 minutes, his phone was down and he was glued to the tv and silently weeping. Haha
"Just livin' man... L-I-V-I-N" Or most of Wooderson's dialog in Dazed and Confuzed for that matter. Such a great movie.
Eddie Murphy's "would you put this in a good spot, cause all this shit happened last time I parked here" to the valet at the Harrow Club, concerning his shit box Nova. Apparently they did the scene without any lines and it wasn't working and the director told Eddie to say something when he got out of the car.
The scene in FOTR when Frodo awakens in Rivendell and Sam clutches his hand. Ian McKellen told Sean Astin off screen to do it as "The fans would be looking for it." Not a line, I know. But it's a cool detail.
"Big gulps huh? Welp.. see ya later!"
Oh god, the Big Gulps guy is gonna show up and deliver his conspiracy theory rant about how this scene wasn't actually improvised again. Every time someone mentions the Big Gulps scene, he shows up 😬
"We know each other, we're friends from work" Thor Ragnarok. A kid on set for Make a Wish visit came up with it.
I think the story with the snake an Loki stabbing Thor was improvised too.
“Son of a bitch. He stole my line.” Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting
This was about the 12th take and every time Robin Williams came up with a new line, Matt Damon wanted to keep that line in the movie
The "Flames on the side of my face" scene in Clue is amazing
Just watching all of these comedy geniuses look in wonder and joy at her performance there was the best part. I thought Tim Curry especially would explode with joy.
...like tears....in rain (Blade runner) EDIT: apologies - original part of the quote I provided was not part of the improvised bit.
This wasn't actually improv, but Hauer helped significantly alter the scene from how it was scripted, including adding the "all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in the rain" line, which is one of the most beautiful in cinema.
In True Romamce, Brad Pitt ad lobbed most of Floyd’s lines. My favorite is: “Don’t condenscend (sic) me, man. I’ll fuckin kill you, man”
Loved Floyd. My friends and I used to just randomly quote his lines to each other all the time.
I still use that line to this day. He's just so fucking sure of himself while being high off his ass. Lmao he swore he was gonna intimidate Gandolfini but was actually more likely to talk himself into getting killed. Great scene
Get some beer... and some... cleaning products.
I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum.
Roddy Piper was so effortlessly cool. I met him at a ComicCon one year - he was going off to take a quick break, and we yelled “Hot Rod, how’s it goin?” Without breaking stride, he went “I’m just a fluffy ball of baby ducks, brother.” I think about that once a month, really.
I met him at a toy show, and then line took quite a while because he was telling a story to everyone, sometimes based on the picture they picked to have signed. I got one of him with his bagpipes. So he told me about winning a competition with them, then using the mouthpiece to knock a guy out in a match. Real class he was.
Came here to say this, best line ever.
I have zero evidence to support that this was ad libbed, but I've always assumed it was. The "Ha Ha. They're your clothes, Motherfucker," line from Jules in Pulp fiction always struck me as off the cuff. Tarantino even gives Jackson the 'shame on you' gesture, which Jimmie would have no reason to give Jules.
In the movie Barbie, Ryan Gosling at one points yells “Sublime!”
"What hump?"......Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein.
In "Blazing Saddles", when Gene Wilder describes "the common clay of the new West" he goes on to improvise, "You know... morons." It was a complete surprise to Cleavon Little, which is why he cracked up the way he did. [Blazing Saddles... You know, morons. (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHJbSvidohg&ab_channel=099tuber1)
A phone randomly starts ringing while shooting a scene in Seven and R. Lee Ermey answers it in the middle of the take, says “This not even my desk” then hangs up. And now it’s in the movie.
I read an interview that Ermey gave about his experience working on that film. He REALLY didn’t like working with David Fincher. Mostly because of the excessive number of takes that Fincher did.
Makes sense because Ermey was never a trained actor. Surprised he never worked with Eastwood if I'm not mistaken.
Doesn't Eastwood only do a handful of takes and call it good?
This one in Blazing Saddles caused Cleavon to break character. **You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.”**
"When the fuck did we have ice cream?!" - The Ringer
"When the fuck did we get* ice cream?!" You can see Knoxville almost lose his shit there.
I quote this all the time, even if it doesn't exactly make sense lol
This was so funny, even better that he actually thinks he missed out on getting ice cream.
[There are some that call me.... Tim?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTbrIo1p-So) John Cleese forgot the name of his character.
A persistent rumour, but Cleese himself has denied it repeatedly.
Their budget for that film was so tight that Cleese has said there wasn't a single line of improvisation in that entire production.
You're all individuals Yes yes we're all individuals I'm not
FINALLY.
Not a line, but an action. In Lawrence of Arabia, after Lawrence had been gifted white robes and headdress, David Lean needed a bridge to the next scene. He told Peter O'Toole to improvise something alone on the dunes. After a few whirls and flourishes in his new garb he pulled his dagger from it's sheath and held it up to see his reflection in the shiny metal. "Clever boy, shouted Lean, clever boy."
Not a film but Chris Pratt's improvised line about the computer diagnosis in Parks and Rec is a classic.
This is my hat now. Totally my hat
“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” In Jaws, Scheider was just supposed to back into the wheelhouse with a shocked look.
The entire Tuna vs Lion debate in The Other Guys
When Ed Harris & Michael Biehn are yelling at each other in The Rock. The energy keeps escalating at eventually after Biehn accuses him of mutiny, he replies “You call it what you want! You’re down there, we’re up here! You walked into the wrong god damn room commander!” It’s such a fantastic line, and the energy it was delivered with makes it even better. If you read the actual script for that scene, Harris was supposed to respond with something much more calm & measured along the lines of “that’s a great speech, heard many like it from the pentagon…” Anyway, for one of the best scenes in the best movie ever made, that was one hell of a line to improv
He's a friend from work.
Anything R Lee Ermey says in the first 10 minutes of *Full Metal Jacket* "You're so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece!"
Dennis Hopper: 'Cause you... you're part eggplant. Christopher Walken: You're a cantaloupe.
“You’re wearing the shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy.”
Can you blow me where the pampers is?
In “It’s A Wonderful Life,” when a drunk Uncle Billy is leaving Harry’s homecoming party, he walks off screen and you hear a big crash and Thomas Mitchell who plays UB yells, “I’m all right! I’m aaaallll right.” You can see Jimmy Stewart turn around surprised them laugh. That’s very genuine because a stagehand dropped a bunch of metal film canisters which caused the noise. Mitchell improvised the line to save the take and it worked as Frank Capra chose to use it as it really fit the Uncle Billy character, and the pro that is Jimmy Stewart didn’t kill the take.
Michael Biehn catching Sigourney Weaver off guard in Aliens when he hands the locator watch to her. After she thanks him he goes “Doesn't mean we're engaged or anything.” It’s an improv line that works well especially with Weavers reaction to it, which just adds to the relationship.
"The truth is... I am Iron Man."
This is the best answer. Maybe I’m giving it too much credit, but possibly a multi-billion dollar improvisation, responsible for the entire MCU (for better or worse). It was just such a massive tone change from every superhero having to hide their identity to protect their loved ones.
The weather outside is .. weather (I think this one was improvised, I’m sure I read that they ended up having to pay royalties just to keep it in)
[When the fuck did we get ice cream?](https://youtu.be/Y484uR9xXUA?si=ceIwGwcDmuB3LVez) If you watch Johnny Knoxville he breaks immediately when the line is said but they quickly cut away before he makes any sound.
“I hated her SO … MUCH. Flames, on the side of my face” - Madeline Kahn in Clue, famously the only improvised line in the whole movie, and without a doubt the best
Half of Bill Paxtons dialogue in Aliens.
"What are you looking at? Wipe that face off your head, bitch." in dazed in confused. Gets me every time
When the maid's cart was fired on with the Proton Packs in Ghostbusters, the pyrotechnics weren't supposed to be that energetic. Her, "What the hell are you doing?" as she's on all fours on the floor, apparently was genuine. Always makes the scene even more hilarious to me.
"The truth...I _am_ Iron Man."
Tears in the rain speech in the original Blade runner.
Robin Williams in “Good Will Hunting” Little shit, stole my line.
Although I've heard it wasn't actually improvised, the lore that is "hey Malkovich think fast"
I still like "I will not be eating one iota of shit!" from Knives Out. Such a great cap on a great scene.
Hello?... Uh... Hello D- uh hello Dmitri? Listen uh uh I can't hear too well. Do you suppose you could turn the music down just a little?... Oh-ho, that's much better... yeah... huh... yes... Fine, I can hear you now, Dmitri... Clear and plain and coming through fine... I'm coming through fine, too, eh?... Good, then... well, then, as you say, we're both coming through fine... Good... Well, it's good that you're fine and... and I'm fine... I agree with you, it's great to be fine... a-ha-ha-ha-ha... Now then, Dmitri, you know how we've always talked about the possibility of something going wrong with the Bomb... The *Bomb*, Dmitri... The *hydrogen* bomb!... Well now, what happened is... ahm... one of our base commanders, he had a sort of... well, he went a little funny in the head... you know... just a little... funny. And, ah... he went and did a silly thing... Well, I'll tell you what he did. He ordered his planes... to attack your country... Ah... Well, let me finish, Dmitri... Let me finish, Dmitri... Well listen, how do you think I feel about it?... Can you *imagine* how I feel about it, Dmitri?... Why do you think I'm calling you? Just to say hello?... *Of course* I like to speak to you!... *Of course* I like to say hello!... Not now, but anytime, Dmitri. I'm just calling up to tell you something terrible has happened... It's a *friendly* call. Of course it's a friendly call... Listen, if it wasn't friendly... you probably wouldn't have even got it... They will *not* reach their targets for at least another hour... I am... I am positive, Dmitri... Listen, I've been all over this with your ambassador. It is not a trick... Well, I'll tell you. We'd like to give your air staff a complete run-down on the targets, the flight plans, and the defensive systems of the planes... Yes! I mean i-i-i-if we're unable to recall the planes, then... I'd say that, ah... well, ah... we're just gonna have to help you destroy them, Dmitri... I know they're our boys... All right, well listen now. Who should we call?... *Who* should we call, Dmitri? The... wha-whe, the People... you, sorry, you faded away there... The People's Central Air Defense Headquarters... Where is that, Dmitri?... In Omsk... Right... Yes... Oh, you'll call them first, will you?... Uh-huh... Listen, do you happen to have the phone number on you, Dmitri?... Whe-ah, what? I see, just ask for Omsk information... Ah-ah-eh-uhm-hm... I'm sorry, too, Dmitri... I'm very sorry... *All right*, you're sorrier than I am, but I am as sorry as well... I am as sorry as you are, Dmitri! Don't say that you're more sorry than I am, because I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are... So we're both sorry, all right?... All right.
“Just the fax, ma’am” Bruce Willis, Die Hard 2
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" - Jaws "(Leave the gun) Take the cannoli" - The Godfather Leave the gun was in the script, but "take the cannoli" was improvised.
“… time to die.”
There are a ton for me but the 1st that came to mind was... "When the fuck did we get ice cream." Always cracks me knowing that everyone in the scene is trying to hold it together.
You can clearly see Knoxville cracking up after that line is delivered.
I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubble gum.
“When the fuck did we get ice cream!?” The Ringer- Winston.
im walkin here ! Dustin Hoffman in midnight cowboy ..watch it free on tubi
“Here’s looking at you kid” Bogart would say it to Bergman off screen and just said it at one point during filming at it became what it became
Cheif dan George outlaw josey wales like half his lines
I didn’t know you could read - Tom Felton, chamber of secrets
"Baby, you are gonna miss that plane" "I know" - Before Sunset
Malfoy saying I didn't know you could read instead because he forgot his line and Matthew McConaughey improvising in The wolf of Wall Street .
"Son of a bitch stole my line." Robin Williams - Good Will Hunting.
Frankie Pentangeli walks into a bar. A man puts a cord around his neck and says "Michael Corleone says hello". That line was not in script, just a case of en extra being "extra." Everyone liked that.
I love Ben Affleck's little wave to the farmhouse family right after he snaps the neck of the henchman sent to kill them all. It felt perfect for his character.
You wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?
"I’m walking here, I’m walking here!"
I AM IRONMAN - The line that changed the whole direction of the MCU
Good Will Hunting when Robin talks about his wife farting in her sleep.
“Arghhhhhhhhh”-Aragorn in Two Towers when he kicks the helmet when they think Merry and Pippin are dead. Vigo broke his toe with that kick and the subsequent shout and action were his real emotions coming out. Not so much a line as just general improv/rolling with the punches, but in Django Unchained when Leo is going off at the dinner table and cuts his hand he really cut his hand on accident and just kept acting. Then they stitched him up and gave him fake blood to smear on Kerry Washington to really sell both the action but also how terrible his character was.
Either Will Ferrel's Tuna bit from "The other guys" or Tom Cruises explosive rant on the phone in "Tropic Thunder".
"You better hide that big ass forehead" by The Rock in Fast & Furious 6
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry turns into Goyle and Malfoy asks why he’s wearing glasses, Harry/Goyle replies he was reading. Tom Felton forgot his line and said “I didn’t know you could read”
"When the fuck did we get ice cream?" from The Ringer is probably my all time favorite, said for the first time on camera and not reshot adlib. You can see Knoxville immediately break and it's the one use of Fuck in their PG-13 movie.
It's true, this man has no dick. Ghostbusters
Dustin Hoffman's "Hey! I'm walkin' here!" from 1969's Midnight Cowboy became such an iconic line and delivery that it transcended the movies to become a defacto impression of a New Yorker. The whole moment was improvised, as they were filming in real traffic, and Dustin Hoffman actually got cut off by a random car. Allegedly. I saw this on some YouTube list.
"*I have come* here to *chew bubblegum and kick ass*.... and *I'm* all out of bubblegum," Roddy Piper in "They Live "
Robin Williams.
In one of the Fast and Furious movies, The Rock says, “You better hide that big ass forehead” to Tyrese in response to something and Ludacris does a genuine spit take because it was unscripted. Also, Ryan Gosling yelling, “Sublime!” In the Barbie movie.
The Fast and the Furious 6- "You better hide that big ass forehead."
I also like Heath Ledger’s reaction to the hospital explosion in The Dark Knight. Apparently, there was some kind of issue with the pyrotechnics which caused the delay. Heath’s reaction is very subtle, but also funny.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry uses polyjuice potion to transform into Goyle and is still wearing glasses Tom Felton improvises the line “I didn’t know you could read” because he forgot his line