*Clap, clap, clap…*
The scene: Everyone claps for Gordon’s promotion. The joker joins in with a slow clap that carries on after everyone else stops applauding. “The Dark Knight” was released in 2008 and included some big names like Christian Bale and, of course, the late Heath Ledger.
As one of the most iconic bad guys in cinema history, the Joker has been played by numerous actors. But, Heath Ledger arguably did it best because of how immersed he was in his character, which allowed him to improvise a lot of his lines and actions. His extended clapping in this scene was a definite show-stopper.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
"AAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!"
The scene: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli are on the trails of hobbits. They come to a point where they think they are dead. Aragorn yells in frustration and kicks a helmet. Any “Lord of the Rings” movie will forever go down in history as one of the best movies ever made in the 21st century.
In this particular scene, both the yelling and kicking of the helmet were improvised. In fact, Viggo Mortensen accidentally broke his toe when filming the scene. But hey, it made for one of the most popular scenes in cinema history, so perhaps it was worth it.
This Is Spinal Tap
Believe it or not, this film is actually mostly unscripted. That’s probably what makes this movie so unique, as it’s very rare that directors and movie makers give that much writing power to the actors. This movie is about a fictional 80s hair band starring in their very own spoof film.
Director Rob Reiner aimed to make this film as a relatable and hilarious look at the rock’n’roll lifestyle, so most of the script was left up to actors. It is even shown in the credits, as all of the actors are listed in the writer’s section, which includes Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, and Christopher Guest, who all also starred as the main characters of the movie.
Good Will Hunting
"Son of a gun. He stole my line."
The scene: Will’s therapist is reading a letter written to him by Will. Robin Williams has delivered some amazing performances in his career, but this is one of his best - and it was completely unscripted! Also, this wasn’t the only line that he made up for this film.
He showed off his impressive improvisation abilities several times throughout this iconic movie. The movie went on to win a hefty two Oscars, which went to the main protagonists Matt Damon and Robin Williams, not to mention the additional seven Oscar-nominations that it received.
Saving Private Ryan
"Picture a girl who took a nosedive from the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down." The scene: Captain Miller and Private Ryan reminisce about their lives. As if the script wasn’t enough, Damon takes it a step further and adds a new layer of depth.
He tells a made-up story about when he saw his brother kissing a girl. Luckily, it added a lot to his character, and it remains one of the most remembered scenes in this film. To this day, the movie is still revered as one of the best depictions of the horrors of war.