In accordance with Thanksgiving celebrations, this feature will showcase some of the best dinner scenes in the movies. Some scenes are funny whilst others are of a serious nature or are downright terrifying. Not every dinner scenario is a good one nor are the people and families, for that matter, happy to be together.
Alien
Kane (John Hurt) and his colleagues, including Ripley (Sigourey Weaver), are gathered around a table. Suddenly Kane begins to choke and heave. What happens next is unexpected. However this scene is incredibly famous so you probably know what happens anyway. Yes, this is the alien 'chestburster' moment. And it would put you off your food if you were watching and eating at the same time.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
This scene is equally terrifying. The female victim awakes from unconsciousness to find herself sitting at a table with three very disturbed individuals. There is a skull, not a turkey or beef or chicken, in the centre of the table. The dark setting and the creepy music with its chainsaw sounds contribute to making this one of the most frightening dinner scenes in film history.
The Color Purple
Next, the dinner scene in The Color Purple depicts Celie Johnson (Whoopi Goldberg) standing up for herself and threatening her abusive husband Master (Danny Glover) with a knife before leaving him forever. Sofia's (Oprah Winfrey) giggles lighten the mood but equally remind us of her horrible past. This dinner scene is extremely powerful for its intensity, acting and context.
Little Miss Sunshine
On a lighter note, the dinner scene in Little Miss Sunshine might remind us of our own eating habits as Grandpa (Alan Arkin) exclaims: "What's that, chicken? Every night it's the f***ing chicken!" This comedic performance portrays a frustration that many people might feel in having the same dinner all the time.
Meet The Parents
How could one ever forget the dinner scene in Meet The Parents? Yes, you are right; it is that scene when Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has a discussion about milking a cat. His prospective father-in-law (Robert De Niro) discredits Greg's experience by stating: "I have nipples Greg, could you milk me?" A truly unforgettable dinner sequence as we see things go from bad to worse for Greg as he tries to make a good impression on this future in-laws. Cringe worthy indeed.
American Beauty
Sam Mendes' American Beauty sees Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) surprising us by losing his temper at dinner. Again, set in a darkened room with only four candles providing light, Lester alongside his wife and daughter, played by Annette Bening and Thora Birch respectively, have a 'domestic'. We feel the confusing pain of the daughter as both parents argue, projecting some very intimate details about their sex lives and their unsatisfactory circumstances. In a fit of rage, Lester shocks us by throwing a plate of asparagus against the pristine white wall of his dining room, shattering any notion of a peaceful and cohesive suburban family unit.
The Nutty Professor
Maybe I have kept the best for last, you decide on that, but how could I not mention the Klump family in The Nutty Professor? Eddie Murphy plays five characters in this scene. Not forgetting the enormous spread that is laid on the table which contains of an array of biscuits, corn on the cob, peas and chicken, the grossly overweight Klump family is crude and vulgar. Their table manners are not to be desired. Conversations about sex, eating disorders and most uncomfortably, colon cleansing are exchanged. Whether it is because of the these topics of conversations, the boisterous farting or Eddie Murphy's make-up and costumes; this scene is by far the most memorable scenario in film when it comes to the dinner table.
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American readers, wherever you are in the world!
Alien
Kane (John Hurt) and his colleagues, including Ripley (Sigourey Weaver), are gathered around a table. Suddenly Kane begins to choke and heave. What happens next is unexpected. However this scene is incredibly famous so you probably know what happens anyway. Yes, this is the alien 'chestburster' moment. And it would put you off your food if you were watching and eating at the same time.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
This scene is equally terrifying. The female victim awakes from unconsciousness to find herself sitting at a table with three very disturbed individuals. There is a skull, not a turkey or beef or chicken, in the centre of the table. The dark setting and the creepy music with its chainsaw sounds contribute to making this one of the most frightening dinner scenes in film history.
The Color Purple
Next, the dinner scene in The Color Purple depicts Celie Johnson (Whoopi Goldberg) standing up for herself and threatening her abusive husband Master (Danny Glover) with a knife before leaving him forever. Sofia's (Oprah Winfrey) giggles lighten the mood but equally remind us of her horrible past. This dinner scene is extremely powerful for its intensity, acting and context.
Little Miss Sunshine
On a lighter note, the dinner scene in Little Miss Sunshine might remind us of our own eating habits as Grandpa (Alan Arkin) exclaims: "What's that, chicken? Every night it's the f***ing chicken!" This comedic performance portrays a frustration that many people might feel in having the same dinner all the time.
Meet The Parents
How could one ever forget the dinner scene in Meet The Parents? Yes, you are right; it is that scene when Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) has a discussion about milking a cat. His prospective father-in-law (Robert De Niro) discredits Greg's experience by stating: "I have nipples Greg, could you milk me?" A truly unforgettable dinner sequence as we see things go from bad to worse for Greg as he tries to make a good impression on this future in-laws. Cringe worthy indeed.
American Beauty
Sam Mendes' American Beauty sees Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) surprising us by losing his temper at dinner. Again, set in a darkened room with only four candles providing light, Lester alongside his wife and daughter, played by Annette Bening and Thora Birch respectively, have a 'domestic'. We feel the confusing pain of the daughter as both parents argue, projecting some very intimate details about their sex lives and their unsatisfactory circumstances. In a fit of rage, Lester shocks us by throwing a plate of asparagus against the pristine white wall of his dining room, shattering any notion of a peaceful and cohesive suburban family unit.
The Nutty ProfessorMaybe I have kept the best for last, you decide on that, but how could I not mention the Klump family in The Nutty Professor? Eddie Murphy plays five characters in this scene. Not forgetting the enormous spread that is laid on the table which contains of an array of biscuits, corn on the cob, peas and chicken, the grossly overweight Klump family is crude and vulgar. Their table manners are not to be desired. Conversations about sex, eating disorders and most uncomfortably, colon cleansing are exchanged. Whether it is because of the these topics of conversations, the boisterous farting or Eddie Murphy's make-up and costumes; this scene is by far the most memorable scenario in film when it comes to the dinner table.
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American readers, wherever you are in the world!
