Just a random fun topic that I thought I'd start, doesn't have to be from Star Wars, but who are your favorite super over the top characters? The ones that come into a story, and instantly spike up the production budget from all the scenery they chow down on?

For anyone who might not be familiar with the trope, Chewing the Scenery basically refers to characters who are so gregarious, boisterous, outgoing, and generally larger than life, that they might as well start eating the set, for how over the top they are.

A few of my personal favorites are as follows, in no particular order other than how they popped in my head:

1. The guy who played Dracula in Van Helsing. Oh, mah, gawd! This guy was great! Ranting and raving as he is walking upside down on the ceiling, his 3 wives wailing at the loss of their children, and asking due to his cold response "Have you no haaaart?" His reply? "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" *gasp and sudden stillness* "I am..... hollow" And so many other little bits that just made him a joy to watch. Honorable Mention to the guy who played Frankenstein in the same film. He too was very over the top, and it was a delight.

2. Captain Barbosa in the Pirates film franchise, from film #2-3. While he was spectacular in the first one, he didn't really get elevated to A Man With Zero ****'s to Give until after he'd returned from the first film. By film 3, he just didn't care. He'd been dead twice, brought back to life again, and every single moment was a treasure to him, so he was eating up life with every bite. My favorite scene being when he is on the mast of their ship when they are trying to get to Davy Jones' Locker, and he's the only one that realizes they have to capsize to do it. Everyone else is running around, panicking, and he's just swinging in the riggings, laughing his butt off the whole time. Just so much fun. He made me giggle pretty much any time he was on screen.

3. Gary Oldman in The Professional. If you haven't seen him in this film, you're missing out. He's hypnotic, and terrifying all at the same time. So mercurial that even his own crew of thugs, were terrified of him.

So what are some of your favorite over the top characters? And why.

That'll be Lord John Whorfin, you got that honey, W-H-O-R-F-I-N, got that, John, J-O-H-N.

1. BRROOOTHER! IT'S NOT OVER YET SNAKE! BEHOLD: GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS!!! BANG! BANG! BANG! (Ehh, technically the same character)

2. I REJECT MY HUMANITY, JOJO!

and who could possibly forget,

3. UNNNNNLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMIIITTTEDDD. . . . POOOOOOOOWWWWWEEEEEEERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"NANOMACHINES, SON!!!"

"What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!! But enough talk... Have at you!"

"by grabthar's hammer... what a savings"

35 minutes ago, burninghoff said:

"by grabthar's hammer... what a savings"

The scene when he genuinely says those words to the one devoted alien fan of his, before unloading a furious can of whoopa$$ on the enemy, is genuinely one of my favorite scenes in cinema. I find it genuinely touching on several levels, and it's just awesome watching Alan Rickman go Beast Mode on somebody

23 hours ago, KungFuFerret said:

The scene when he genuinely says those words to the one devoted alien fan of his, before unloading a furious can of whoopa$$ on the enemy, is genuinely one of my favorite scenes in cinema. I find it genuinely touching on several levels, and it's just awesome watching Alan Rickman go Beast Mode on somebody

Also, Rickmans Sheriff of Nottingham has nickcage level of scenery eating. Such a bad movie for him to buoy though.

2 minutes ago, burninghoff said:

Also, Rickmans Sheriff of Nottingham has nickcage level of scenery eating. Such a bad movie for him to buoy though.

Oh yes, most definitely a great performance in that film too. But I honestly forget about that film until someone mentions it. But that scene in Galaxy Quest, when he finally stops hating that line, and realizes that his character had made a profound, and deep impact on a person, literally changing his life in a way he felt was better, and giving it his full acting chops for sincerity. It's just great. EVERY TIME, I watch that bit, I get choked up and teary eyed.

And how it mirrors Leanord Nimoy's real life ordeal with Spock, where he hated it, then eventually embraced the real world impact he'd had on the fans, and how the Vulcan philosophy helped them shape their lives, it just really hits a lot of my buttons for storytelling.

2 hours ago, burninghoff said:

[...] Such a bad movie [...]

You take that BACK!

On 8/17/2018 at 1:01 PM, kaosoe said:

You take that BACK!

uh

no

It is a terribly entertaining movie...

From Christian Slater's Will Scarlet to Morgan Freeman's Moor and finally Kevin Costner's Robin Hood.

Alan Rickman's Sheriff and his mother were hilarious at the scene chewing...

1 hour ago, Decorus said:

It is a terribly entertaining movie...

From Christian Slater's Will Scarlet to Morgan Freeman's Moor and finally Kevin Costner's Robin Hood.

Alan Rickman's Sheriff and his mother were hilarious at the scene chewing...

It's more of an entertainingly terrible movie.

Never heard of this trope before, does vizzini from the princess bride qualify?

1 hour ago, EliasWindrider said:

Never heard of this trope before, does vizzini from the princess bride qualify?

Oh very much so yes. Especially in the Duel of Wits scene, where he just gets unhinged.

Anything from Al Pacino in recent years. I love Shouting Pacino.

For a Star Wars example, I really enjoy Domhnall Gleeson as Hux. He goes in cranked to an 11 in every scene and it's fantastic.

not a film but this guy has to qualify

You should see him as the Samurai Magician its even better.