More great moments in food and film
In Wednesday’s Oklahoman we talked about seven great moments in food and film, in honor of Oscar’s big night.
Let’s recap, with links to the scenes. Fair warning, some of the are Rated R.
In “9-1/2 Weeks,” a pioneer in the straight-to-video softcore genre, Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger seem to have little else to do but get each other nekked. But the do find time to eat, and when they do it’s a memorable.
Without “The Public Enemy,” James Cagney was just some tap-dancing Yankee Doodle Dandy and the mob genre might never have gotten off the ground. When Cagney breaks up with his girlfriend via grapefruit, the women’s rights movement was born.
Before Pulp Fiction made the Royale with Cheese and Fatburgers household names, Quentin Tarantino was waxing poetic and profane over breakfast while Steve Buscemi gets on his soapbox over the unjust practice of tipping in “Reservoir Dogs.”
Jack Nicholson’s on-screen persona was born over breakfast in ”Five Easy Pieces.”
My ringtone for the last year came from “There Will Be Blood,” and drinking a milkshake will never be the same.
My son is named after Cool Hand Luke. Part of the reason Paul Newman’s portrayal, another part was the characters way with eggs.
The Godfather series is a cavalcade of food scenes and references, but a scene at an Italian Restaurant, and not the one Billy Joel sang about, is the best. Don’t order the linguni
But there are countless other scenes to remember. “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” gave us Jeff Spicoli who saw nothing wrong with ”a little snack on our time” in Mr. Hand’s class. And who can forget about All-American burger’s policy and shirt and shoes. Finally Phoebe Cates made this movie a box office smash with her exit from the swimming pool, but don’t forget about her bout with a carrot.
Rocky Balboa’s first big win came against a side of beef, despite being knocked down twice.
In American Pie, Jim gets his just desserts.
In Animal House, the cafeteria experience was changed forever when John Belushi slurped jello, ate a burger in a single bite and did a zit imitation before inciting a food fight. And here he does it in Italian.
I won’t even link you to “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life,” in which a man has one bit too many.
“When Harry Met Sally: put Katz’s Deli even more prominently on the map.
In “A Christmas Story,” duck is beheaded for smiling and Bumpass dogs kill Christmas dinner and Ralphie’s little brother shows why he’s momma’s little piggy.
In “American Beauty,” Kevin Spacey just wants someone to pass him the asparagus, but even that great scene was derived from dinner in “Ordinary People.”:
Ron Burgundy uses a burrito as a weapon and pays a price in “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”
“Caddyshack” helped get Baby Ruth bars banned from swimming pools worldwide.
In “Swingers,” Vince Vaughn gives away a breakfast, proclaiming “I would never eat here.”
Thanks to Blazing Saddles beans will never work in Hollywood again.
Dinner with gramps in “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” isn’t what you might think.
Who can forget the popcorn scene in “Real Genius”? You did? Here it is.
While “Twister” might’ve been one of the 15 dumbest movies ever made, it did make me yearn for steak and eggs.
