Top 10 Improvised Movie Moments Of The 90s

“Reservoir Dogs” (1992)

A screenplay has the ability to guide an actor through a scene and can be as detailed as a writer wants. But in the case of the most famous scene from “Reservoir Dogs,” the instructions were actually quite vague. According to actor Michael Madsen – who plays Mr. Blonde in the film – his famously violent torture scene was pretty much all improvisation. The only direction in the script told Madsen to “maniacally dance around,” leaving the rest up to him. Madsen said the inspiration for his crazed “Stuck in the Middle with You” performance came from an old James Cagney film. We can’t believe he thought it up on the spot.

“The Fugitive” (1993)

It’s always a treat to learn which famous movie lines were made up on the spot. Besides a certain line about bigger boats from “Jaws,” this might be one of the most famous improvised lines ever. While in pursuit of Harrison Ford’s Dr. Richard Kimble, Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard corners him in a storm drain. In desperation, Kimble claims that he didn’t kill his wife, to which Gerard says, “I don’t care!” The original line in the script was, “That isn’t my problem,” but actor Tommy Lee Jones thought this new line would fit better with the character. Considering Gerard’s gruff, no-nonsense personality, we couldn’t agree more.

“Dazed and Confused” (1993)

Alright, alright, alright! It’s become such an iconic catchphrase, you can’t help but hear it in Matthew McConaughey’s signature Texas twang. This one word, repeated three times, has been following McConaughey around since the beginning of his career – literally. In his breakout role in 1993’s “Dazed and Confused,” McConaughey plays Wooderson, a creepy older guy who can’t stop hanging out with high schoolers. In the very first scene McConaughey filmed for the movie, he had to hit on Marissa Ribisi’s character. However, director and writer Richard Linklater didn’t give him any dialogue – just direction. During the scene, the first three words out of his mouth became immediately legendary.

“Saving Private Ryan” (1998)

“Saving Private Ryan” is one of director Steven Spielberg’s best, jam-packed with nail-biting tension from the jump. But there are a few moments where we can breathe. The film follows a WWII squad that is ordered to search for and secure Private James Ryan after his three brothers have been killed in action. When the squad, led by Tom Hanks, finds Ryan, a quiet moment between the two men becomes one of the movie’s best. Ryan begins telling Hanks’ character a story about catching one of his brothers having sex. Actor Matt Damon improvised the story himself, revealing something important about Ryan in the process. The story is rambling and quite crude, revealing to the audience that Ryan isn’t anyone special – just a kid.

“Fight Club” (1999)

Sometimes, an actor comes up with something amazing on the spot. But sometimes, they need a little help from the director. In 1999’s “Fight Club,” there’s a scene where Tyler Durden asks the Narrator of the story to punch him. The Narrator is unsure at first, but reluctantly agrees before smacking Durden right in the ear. According to actor Edward Norton, director David Fincher pulled him aside before filming and asked him to really hit Brad Pitt in the scene. Norton chose the ear, creating a wonderfully real movie moment. Pitt’s reaction when he laments the fact that the Narrator hit him in the ear is not Durden, but all Pitt.

“Good Will Hunting” (1997)

Robin Williams was no stranger to improv. He was a stand-up comedian, after all. But the trick to being a really good improviser is knowing exactly what line to add in the moment. And Williams more than nailed it in 1997’s “Good Will Hunting.” Early in the film, he improvises a hilarious story about his wife farting in her sleep, making Matt Damon actually crack up on set. But as the film draws to a close and Williams’ character reads a farewell letter from Damon, he improvised another, much more bittersweet moment. When Damon says he has to go see about a girl, something Williams said to him earlier, Williams laughs and delivers his utterly touching “stole my line” line. It makes the movie.

“Titanic” (1997)

It’s hard to believe that something that’s become so associated with a particular moment in time could have been made up. But Leonardo DiCaprio might have inadvertently contributed to Leo-Mania more than he ever could have realized. While filming the scene where Jack and Fabrizio stand at the bow of the Titanic and look out over the ocean, director James Cameron realized something was missing. He came up with the idea for DiCaprio to shout, “I’m the king of the world” right there on the spot. For his part, DiCaprio didn’t really want to do it. According to Cameron, he had to push him to sell the line. And sell it he did, stealing the hearts of a million tween girls forevermore.

“Goodfellas” (1990)

In “Goodfellas,” Joe Pesci gives a wildly memorable performance as Tommy DeVito, a hot-headed mobster whose mood can change on a dime. The best example of DeVito’s fluctuating moods comes early on in the film when Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill calls DeVito a “funny guy” after a particularly side-splitting story. Pesci’s demeanor changes immediately, and he becomes dangerous and angry as he yells at Liotta. You might notice that the cast surrounding the two men look thrown off and worried – and that’s because they really were. Pesci had improvised the moment with Liotta in a rehearsal, and the two actors decided to not clue their fellow cast members into the change.

It’s hard to imagine “The Silence of the Lambs” without Anthony Hopkins’ signature performance as Hannibal Lecter – but that’s almost what happened. Director Jonathan Demme initially approached Sean Connery, which would have been a VERY different film. And, we might not have had some of Hopkins’ greatest on-the-spot work. Not only did he decide to mock Jodie Foster’s accent without telling her, but he also performed his infamous hiss all on his own. After Lecter delivers his iconic line about chianti and fava beans, Hopkins makes a sinister hissing noise. Apparently, the actor had been workshopping the noise around set and decided to throw it into the scene to see how it worked. It’s a perfect addition to an already thrilling performance.

“A Few Good Men” (1992)

It’s one of the most famous movie lines in history – and it almost was just a little bit different. “A Few Good Men” is one of the best of the 1990s courtroom dramas, pitting Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson against each other in dramatic fashion. Cruise is one of the lawyers representing two U.S. Marines charged with murder, and believes Nicholson’s character ordered the attack. The interrogation scene itself is mesmerizing, but Nicholson’s yelling, “You can’t handle the truth,” has permeated pop culture in a way not many lines can. The line in the script, however, was different. Nicholson was supposed to say, “You already have the truth.” But with a little light editing, he changed the course of film history.