We took a look at some of the most famous improvised lines in the history of films in a previous post. But there are many more examples of memorable one liners, so we’ve compiled a list of legendary unscripted movie scenes part 2. Actors play a bigger role in movies than simply reciting some lines and following the director’s instructions. Sometimes, they leave their personal signature on the film, which is why we can say almost all Robert De Niro or Robin Williams movies are brilliant. There is, of course, also the chemistry between the actors and the sparks between the director and the cast. If these are running smoothly, the finite product is bound to be a hit.
5. Nick Frost Shaun of The Dead
The British horror comedy was successful both in the United Kingdom and in the United States. We all enjoyed the dry British humor as the main character, Shaun, struggles with most of his relationships and has no direction in life. And some of the funniest scenes in the movie were actually improvised on the spot by Nick Frost, who played Ed, Shaun’s roommate. As Ed attempts to cheer up his pal, Frost went ahead and improvised a story about pub regulars in which he describes a woman as a former pornstar. The joke was so funny, Simon Pegg genuinely burst out laughing and the scene, of course, was put in the movie.
4. Dustin Hoffman Midnight Cowboy
This ad lib is still under high debate. Both Hoffman, who played Ratso Rizzo, and the director took the credit for the scene in which Hoffman walks down the street and almost gets ran over by a cab. Nonchalantly, Hoffman slaps the yellow car’s hood and screams “I’m walking here!” After which he looks at his pal and notes that would make a good pick up insurance. We might not know if this was improvised or not, but it surely added some zest to the movie.
3. Michael Madsen Reservoir Dogs
Tarantino’s 1992 “Reservoir Dogs” has a scene in which Vic Vega, played by Michael Madsen, is torturing a cop. The victim is all tied up and unable to scream because his mouth is duct taped. The torturer is taking his time, and he even breaks into a dance when “Stuck in the Middle with You” starts playing on the radio. Vega then approaches the police officer, cuts off one of his ears and then holds it up and talks into it, asking the cop whether he can hear him. The disturbing joke was all Madsen’s idea who just went with the flow and added a dark, funny twist to the scene.
2. Marlon Brando The Godfather
Vito Corleone, played by Brando in “The Godfather” from 1972, was a feared mob leader who showed no mercy for his enemies. So how come he strokes a cat in one of the scenes? While he gives out orders for a man to be beaten, Corleone gently pets a speckled cat which Brando had found lurking on the set. Coppola didn’t have anything to argue against the furry character, and he left the cameras rolling for what became one of the best improvised movie scenes in history.
1. Robert De Niro Taxi Driver
We all know the famous scene in “Taxi Driver” in which Robert De Niro’s character looks in the mirror and pretends he’s confronting a politician. But I bet you didn’t know we owe the kickass monolog to De Niro. Scorsese’s script only said “Travis looks in the mirror”, so the actor went ahead and improvised a short bit which became legendary and is still being used almost four decades later.
