Friday OT #2 - Chewing The Scenery

[cyrocksmypants]

I feel like there’s a definitive difference between secondary characters and supporting characters and a lot of the people being listed are supporting characters (or even in some cases, main characters such as Darth Vader, The Joker or Gary Oldman in The Professional).

In my eyes, a secondary character is one that’s only purpose is to push the plot through a scene or two, not a main player in the actual storyline.

Bill Murray in Caddyshack and Zombieland would be that. Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder would be that.

I’d still have to think about what I like the most, and maybe I’m just overthinking the question and/or @Angie or @harimad could straighten me out, but a lot of these most definitely don’t feel like secondary characters to me.

 

[cyclones500]

I feel like there’s a definitive difference between secondary characters and supporting characters and a lot of the people being listed are supporting characters (or even in some cases, main characters such as Darth Vader, The Joker or Gary Oldman in The Professional).

In my eyes, a secondary character is one that’s only purpose is to push the plot through a scene or two, not a main player in the actual storyline.

Bill Murray in Caddyshack and Zombieland would be that. Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder would be that.

I’d still have to think about what I like the most, and maybe I’m just overthinking the question and/or @Angie or @harimad could straighten me out, but a lot of these most definitely don’t feel like secondary characters to me.

Good points, OP did establish "secondary" and not "supporting." My inclusion of Lt. Dan violates that; and you could argue his character became almost a dual-lead significance in the movie.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Good points, OP did establish "secondary" and not "supporting." My inclusion of Lt. Dan violates that; and you could argue his character became almost a dual-lead significance in the movie.

Yeah, I don’t want to harp on it too much because it’s obviously a thread for fun.

It’s just, personally, when I think of secondary, I think of a character that technically could have been played by anyone because it’s a throwaway character only meant to transition to the next scene, but because of who played it and how they played it, it ends up leaving a big impact.

For example, one of my favorite comedies is Forgetting Sarah Marshall. In it, Paul Rudd is in like, three scenes that really don’t have much of an impact, if at all, on the story. But he’s so damned funny in them that pretty much any line I quote from the movie is usually one of his lines.

 

[cyfanatic13]

Yeah, I don’t want to harp on it too much because it’s obviously a thread for fun.

It’s just, personally, when I think of secondary, I think of a character that technically could have been played by anyone because it’s a throwaway character only meant to transition to the next scene, but because of who played it and how they played it, it ends up leaving a big impact.

For example, one of my favorite comedies is Forgetting Sarah Marshall. In it, Paul Rudd is in like, three scenes that really don’t have much of an impact, if at all, on the story. But he’s so damned funny in them that pretty much any line I quote from the movie is usually one of his lines.

I was scratching my head when I saw Heath Ledger's Joker in there. He's a huge character

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Meh. I took it to mean "non-leads". By your definition, I should just delete my posts.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Meh. I took it to mean “non-leads". By your definition, I should just delete my posts.

I mean, that’s just good general practice, Auntie.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I mean, that’s just good general practice, Auntie.

Dream on, sugar...

 

[cyclones500]

Too prominent of a role to be considered secondary, and doesn't upstage either Macy or McDormand, but Buscemi commanded every scene he was in.

"That's a fountain of conversation, man ... that's a geyser."

 

[madguy30]

Doesn't take the movie over, but some memorable scenes for sure.

A few cuss words.

 

[cyclones500]

My posts have been movies. For TV series, I vote for Cliff Clavin.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Doesn't take the movie over, but some memorable scenes for sure.

A few cuss words.

“When life hands you lemons, say ‘**** the lemons’ and bail.”

If I was in high school when that movie came out, that would have been my senior quote. I say it WAY too much.

 

[GTO]

John Goodman in The Big Lebowski. Actually, John Goodman in every movie he’s in where he is not the main character.

 

[CyCloned]

Not sure if he stole the show, but Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride was great. So was Wallace Shawn for that matter

 

[CyCloned]

Robert De Nero as Captain Shakespeare in Stardust pretty much stole the show.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Not sure if he stole the show, but Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride was great. So was Wallace Shawn for that matter

Peter Cook.