"Drew" (Greg Pitts), Office Space - Find a funnier minor character than Drew, and I'll pay you $100. (Not a promise of payment.) Drew has only two scenes, but they're laugh-out-loud funny; probably because everyone works with a guy just like him. Great line: "I'm thinking about taking that new chick from Logistics. If things go right I might be showing her my O-face. Oh! Oh! Oh! You know what I'm talking about. Oh!"
"Sasha" (Vladimir Mashkov), Behind Enemy Lines - Who would have figured a little-known Russian actor would steal a film from under Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson? Okay, Wilson's not a great example. Sasha the sniper tracks Wilson's character through Serbia intent on stopping the U.S. pilot before he exposes war crimes. Sasha is the quintessential ass-kicker. And if any gun nuts out there can tell me what kind of rifle Sasha is using, I would appreciate it. I want one.
"Doorgunner" (Tim Colceri), Full Metal Jacket - The greatest minor character of all time. The doorgunner's one scene is filmmaking genius. Even though Colceri's career never took off, everyone remembers him as the off-kilter Huey doorgunner. In a film chock full of terrific performances, Colceri's stands alone. Great line: "Anyone who runs is a V.C.! Anyone who stands still... is a well-disciplined V.C.!"
This is a hard one, but my teens beckoned.
ReplyDeleteSixteen Candles--Long Duck Dong--"What's a happenin' hot stuff???"--His love affair with the shot put (sp?) chick was priceless....or whatever she was.
Better Off Dead--The Paperboy--"TWO DOLLARS!!!!!"--Everytime I hear someone say $2, I hear that little kid and see him on his bike trolling down the ski slope after Jon Cusak.
Last, but not least, Princess Bride--The Sicilian--"INCONCEIVABLE!!!" (I'd say Mandy Patankin's character, but he's not necessarily a minor character.)
By-the-way, how drunk were you when you posted this?
I'll throw in my vote for another John Cusack movie- One Crazy Summer. The two little girls whose faces get "stuck that way" after they make faces the dog with its head in the cone and get slapped on the back in mid-taunt. They reappear at the weirdest moments (screaming) and make me about pee my pants laughing.
ReplyDelete"There sure are some ugly kids around here."
I always figured Steve Bushimi was the world's best bit part actor. He's made a career out of it.
ReplyDeleteLike the kid with the banjo in Deliverance?
ReplyDelete"You should do a story about me sometime."
ReplyDelete"Why should we do a story about you?"
"Because I'm so fucking good."
I'd also throw in Randy Quaid in the original Vacation. I'd say that qualifies as a minor character in that one.
ReplyDeleteThe best character in Office Space was Milton, the guy with the stapler.
ReplyDeleteRT - All good choices. The paperboy was excellent! And I posted it drunk from a saved draft. I wrote this one in class this week. I originally had it with my top five, but I felt it was too long.
ReplyDeleteStella - Fabulous! There is a terrific minor character in almost every John Cusack film.
Doc - Agreed. He is great in Reservoir Dogs, but even better in his one scene (as Buddy Holly) in Pulp Fiction.
Rach - Easy, there. A lot of southerners read this thing!
Tony - Once again, this guy is the greatest ever! "I got me 157 dead gooks killed! And that's no bullshit!" Also, Quaid is a good choice.
Prof - I loved Milton, but I thought he had too big a part to be considered. Judgment call. Drew, though, makes me LOL, and most of my friends do the "O-face" line when we go out.
Hey Wyatt, Download this
ReplyDeleteHow can you shoot women...
ReplyDeleteand children?
Easy. You just don't lead so 'em much.
You worry me, Wyatt! LOL!
A great role and a great movie.
Did anybody download my TPS coversheet?
ReplyDelete