Every big-budget blockbuster or award-winning drama begins with a script, but no movie makes
it to the screen without making some changes from the printed page. Sometimes, it's what
happens when actors go OFF the script that�s most remembered. Here are ScreenRant's 10
GReatest Unscripted Movie Scenes.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: Bringing a Gun to a Sword Fight
When Indiana Jones' leading lady is kidnapped in search of a Holy relic in Raiders of the
Lost Ark, Indy finds himself seriously outmatched. Instead of trying to actually fight a skilled
swordsman, Jones does the smart thing and pulls out his gun and drops his opponent with
a single shot. The original script had called for a lengthy fight sequence, but when Harrison
Ford was struck with food poisoning the night before filming, his energy was so sapped on
set that he asked Steven Spielberg if he could simply shoot the man instead. The director
agreed, and one of Indy's most iconic moments was born.
The Dark Knight: A Round of Applause
Heath Ledger's Joker is a comic book villain for the ages, blending anarchy with dark humor
in nearly every one of his scenes in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. After finding himself
in police custody, he witnesses Jim Gordon's promotion to the rank of Police Commissioner
firsthand. As the officers in the room applaud their colleague, the mocking, expressionless
clapping from the jail cell grabs all their attention, putting the camera squarely on
Joker � It�s a chilling moment that Ledger completely improvised during the scene.
Taxi Driver: You Talkin To Me?
Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro will always be remembered for the chilling tale of Travis
Bickle, the insomniac star of Taxi Driver. Bickle's unforgettable mirror monologue centered
on a single question: "You talkin' to me?" But the script only stated that Travis should
begin speaking to himself in front of the mirror, without any specific details on what
sort of scene to play out. The lines which followed were improvised by DeNiro entirely
on the spot. His words, raised eyebrow, and general attitude came to define the actor
for decades to come.
Aliens: Game Over, Man
James Cameron's sequel to 'Alien' helped define what sci-fi is today. Of the futuristic space
marines now seen in film, TV, and even video games, not every one of those soldiers has
what it takes to bring down the franchise's Xenomorph enemies. After the first attack
decimates the marines and their drop ship crash lands, the script called for Private
Hudson to panic, but the actor decided to add a bit of video game lingo to the line,
giving the film one of its most beloved quotes.
The Usual Suspects: The Line-up
The most iconic scene from Bryan Singer's 'The Usual Suspects' centers on a police line-up
of the film's main cast of criminals. But writer Christopher McQuarrie came up with
just a single line of dialogue for each actor to repeat, meaning it was up to the actors
to shape the rest of the scene. When it came time to film, the actors tried to outdo one
another, turning the scene into a mess of laughter. Even McQuarrie himself got in on
the action as the police officer on the intercom, asking Benicio del Toro to offer the line
"In English please," and getting an unscripted response in return.
Jaws: A Bigger Boat
The underwater menace of Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws' goes unseen for most of the film. The
shark finally reveals its incredible size as Police Chief Brody is throwing chum overboard
to attract it, leaving him (and the audience) in shock. As Brody comes to his senses, he
turns to the vessel's captain to inform him that he�s �gonna need a bigger boat."
The warning was improvised by actor Roy Scheider during the scene. With the success of the
film, it became one of the most famous lines in movie history.
The Empire Strikes Back: Han's Goodbye
When the heroes of Star Wars find themselves ambushed during the final act of The Empire
Strike Back, Han Solo is captured by Boba Fett. The bounty hunter plans to freeze Solo
in carbonite and return to Jabba the Hutt. With his character's future uncertain, Han
and Leia were meant to say their goodbyes in the form of matching "I Love you"s. But
director Ivan Kershner felt something was missing, and told Harrison Ford to respond
the way he felt his character should before shouting 'Action!' What Ford came up with
captured the smuggler's attitude perfectly, and offered a line no Star Wars fan will ever
forget.
The Shining: Here's Johnny!
Stanley Kubrick's tale of supernatural and psyhological terror was an instant classic.
And its success was due as much to Jack Nicholson's crazed descent into madness as it was to the
novel The Shining is based on. When Jack turns on his family he chases his wife and son into
a bathroom and begins chopping through the door with a fire axe. This is where he offers
a twisted version of the phrase made famous on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: "Heeeeeeere's
Johnny!" The line became a shorthand for the entire movie, even though it wasn�t in Kubrick's
original screenplay. The Silence of the Lambs: A Nice Chianti
Few cinematic psychopaths have even come close to Anthony Hopkins� Hannibal Lecter in 'The
Silence of The Lambs.' Hopkins was chilling in every one of his scenes, but 'Hannibal
the Cannibal' cemented his legacy with a single anecdote involving a dinner of "fava beans,
and a nice Chianti." Hannibal's specific tastes were found in the script, but Hopkins' unsettling
suckling sound effect wasn't. The actor had started making the sound to creep out his
co-star Jodie Foster during rehearsals, and the director decided it was too good to leave
out.
Dumb & Dumber: The Most Annoying Sound
Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels came up with tons of unforgettable exchanges and physical gags
as the co-leads of 'Dumb & Dumber.' But in a scene where a hitman discovers how the pair
entertain themselves on long road trips, they decided completely off script. The back and
forth wordplay, poking, and Carrey's reveal of 'the most annoying sound in the world'
were all thought up on the spot with no warning given to the actor between them. Check out
that genuine reaction.
So what do you think of our list? Did we miss any of your favorite improvised or unscripted
scenes? Let us know in the comments section and don't forget to subscribe to our channel
for more videos like this one.