When one thinks of improvising, we often tend to think of the comedy element and all the ridiculous things you say when you’re just let your mind run free. But in this 1986 Aliens sequel, a heavy sci-fi, Sigourney Weaver’s character is awoken from hypersleep. Bill Paxton plays the role of Private Hudson.
Paxton improvised many of his lines including the iconic, “Game over, man! Game over!” His acting and improvisational skill earned him real critical acclaim that he ended up winning the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Caddyshack
This classic 80’s comedy is so funny because of its improvised lines. Bill Murray improvised his Dalai Lama speech completely, and in his Cinderella Speech, the only scripted line he was given was “Carl cuts off the tops of flowers with a grass whip.” The rest he made up. The film has garnered a large cult following and has been regarded by Time and ESPN as one of the funniest sports movies ever.
Like some of his costars, Bill Murray honed his skills in improv on Saturday Night Live, where he gained recognition for funniest sketches of those seasons. It certainly helped that fellow castmember and Caddyshack star, Chevy Chase was there for all the good banter and riffing.
Knocked Up
Seth Rogen prepares for fatherhood in this 2007 comedy, directed by comedy guru Judd Apatow. Rogan and co-stars improvised many lines, including the beginning referencing Steven Spielberg’s Munich. INn a scene in Knocked Up Rogan and Rudd are childishly messing with each other. Pete (Rudd) says, "Know how I know you're gay?" the two of them go back and forth, repeating the line and filling in the blank with a comedic response.
The two actors first thought of the idea while on the set of 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin in a 30-second scene and then decided to bring the joke to Knocked Up. Judd Apatow, who was the director and screenwriter for both projects, put full trust in the guys and gave them the freedom to do what they wanted.
Tootsie
In another classic actor, Bill Murray film plays the character of Jeff who is Dustin Hoffman’s roommate. Director Sydney Pollack wanted Bill Murray to perform a monologue and none of the characters knew what he was going to say. Murry delivered his lines from total imagination and completely pulled it off.
The film was a huge success (a financial one as well!); it was the second most profitable film of 1982. It was nominated for a whopping ten Academy Awards including Best Picture. Lange was the only winner and took home the award for Best Supporting Actress.
The Third Man
Orson Welles improvised the most widely quoted line of the film. In the famous scene, Lime meets with Martins on the large Ferris wheel in the amusement park. Looking down on the people below from where stands, Lime compares them to dots, and says how insignificant it would be if one of them or a few of them "stopped moving, forever".
He later notes: “In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed. They produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace. And what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”