You know, I’ve never done a list like this before which is AMAZING. After all, if there’s one thing I know about it’s movies and booze. Wait… that’s two things… okay, if there’s two things I know about, well, you get the point.
These gentlemen below know a thing or two about films and booze as well. As they gave my favorite performances as drunks in films. Here they are (in order):
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
TED STRIKER (AIRPLANE!).
This one only gets a mention since he technically wasn’t an alcohlic. However, he did still have arguably the funniest drinking problem of all time!
SHOOTER (HOOSIERS).
I live by the motto, “Rehab is for quitters!” So, for sobering up, I can only give Hopper’s character a tip of the cap for a wonderful performance. Now, our Top 5…
5. DAVID “DAVE” VELTRI (THE WEDDING SINGER).
Steve Buscemi is only in the film for a few minutes but delivers what I think is the funniest part of an already funny film.
4. ARTHUR BACH (ARTHUR).
No, not the one with Russell Brand. Arthur is sort of a forgotten comedy gem. Liza Minelli is a bit annoying in the film but Dudley Moore is priceless as a grown man-child, born with a spoon in his mouth, who has a penchant for liquor. Even his laugh is great!
3. BEN SANDERSON (LEAVING LAS VEGAS).
This film is why I give Nic Cage a pass everytime he makes a film like Season of the Witch or The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. No matter how bad a film, or how strange a performance, he puts out into the world, this film will always be proof that the man is capable of top notch acting!
2. HENRY CHINASKI (BARFLY).
It’s great to watch Mickey Rourke slowly ressurrect his career. However, watching a film like Barfly, you can’t help but wonder where it all went wrong in the first place. In this semi-autobiographical story about poet/author Charles Bukowski, Rourke is at the top of his game. The story itself is somewhat weak, which is all the more testimony to Rourke’s charm as his performance makes the film so damn watchable.
1. WONG FEI-HUNG (DRUNKEN MASTER).
If you haven’t seen this film, shame on you! Long before Jackie Chan came to the states and hit it big with Rush Hour, he was making great films in his homeland. This one in particular was written and directed by legendary fight choreographer Woo-ping Yuen (best known in the states for his fight work in films like The Matrix, Kill Bill & Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). This film, about a martial arts master who can’t do his thing without being tipsy, injects Jackie Chan’s humor into some of the best fight sequences I have ever seen.
So, who are some of your favorite cinematic booze-hounds?
Jadelover (1)
Great #1!
I’ll drink to this list.
Should have been a top ten, though.
Walter Matthau as Coach Buttermaker
Peter O’Toole in My Favorite Year
Ray Milland in Lost Weekend
Paul Giamatti in Sideways
Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Gene Wilder in Blazing Saddles
Jimmy Stewart in Harvey
I know that’s more than ten when added your five. But I couldn’t stop. Must be the drink. Or maybe because everytime I thought the list was done I kept hearing Bluto saying “Over? Did you say over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”
lol… that’s a line in “The New Guy,” as well.
Twitter: kaiderman
September 2, 2011 4:30 pm
Great list. I really wanted Giamatti’s character in Sideways but he never struck me as a guy you’d see in AA but I do love that pick!
I’d add W.C. Fields in anything he ever did. “A woman drove me to drink and I never even had the courtesy to thank her.”
Twitter: kaiderman
September 2, 2011 4:30 pm
That’s a great fucking line! I’m going to a bar tonight and am totally using that!
Frank the Tank from Old School definitely one of my favorites.
There’s this small time actor named Red Georges that has played a pretty good drunk in a couple small budget films. Though, some people accuse him of not acting at all. Rather, just showing up drunk like he is any other day of the week, mumbling lines, and leaving the set to get more booze.
Twitter: kaiderman
September 2, 2011 4:31 pm
Frank’s a good one. I’d never put that other fella on my list… I’d buy him a beer though!
OBSCURE ALERT! OBSCURE ALERT!
There’s a movie that was reviewed on the Almost-LAMMY nominated Podcast “The Lair of the Unwanted” called “Death 4 Told” (yes, 4) and in the first story, there’s an awesome drunk named Pete, who’s played by a good blogger friend of mine, The Great White Dope. I know NOBODY here seen it, but I wanted to give him a shout out.
To Pete!
-Jason
i’m a person too, pop…i’m a person, too!!
Twitter: kaiderman
September 8, 2011 4:28 pm
Well played!