Tuesday
Jun122012
Tuesday Top Ten - Motion (Picture) Sickness
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 at 2:42PM .
JA from MNPP here. First off, my apologies to those of you with weaker constitutions. This might not be your sort of Top Ten list today. With that out of the way, want to know why I still won't eat cherries to this very day? Since it's "The Witches of Eastwick week"I think y'all can probably put two and two together. Take a giant silver bowl of them, stir in a trio of witchy women under the influence of one Big Bad, and shake thoroughly - out spills what might be the always game Veronica Cartwright's most memorable cinematic moment. (And this is a woman who has been terrorized by Hitchock's birds and phallically attacked by HR Giger's Alien, so she knows from memorable scenes.)
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You'd be excused for expecting it to be the walls and furniture to be what tumbles out of her mouth since she spends the first half of the scene devouring the scenery in a tour de force of bravura overacting, but the devil's in the details - that red-stained torrent of cherry pits is something you just don't forget, even 25 years later. (Watch the whole scene here.)
You'd be excused for expecting it to be the walls and furniture to be what tumbles out of her mouth since she spends the first half of the scene devouring the scenery in a tour de force of bravura overacting, but the devil's in the details - that red-stained torrent of cherry pits is something you just don't forget, even 25 years later. (Watch the whole scene here.).
So in it's honor, a list!
Here are 9 more cinematic spews... from Bridesmaids through The Exorcist
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The Goonies - It's a bit of a cheat since we don't actually see the vomit proper, but it was the first scene I thought of so it apparently etched its mark through the power of descriptive language alone - Chunk's hypnotic storytelling skills are put to work overtime with his sordid tale of underhanded hurl fakery inside a movie theater. "I made a noise like this: hua-hua-hua-huaaaaaaa!!!" And a year later we'd get to see a variation of his story unfold with...
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Stand By Me - The tale of Lardass
at the pie-eating contest! Classic.
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Bridesmaids - I know a lot of serious types look down on the food-sickness scene at the fancy bridal gown shop as one of the movie's more misplaced and déclassé moments, but you've got to give credit where credit's due - that double-decker disgorge, with Becca tossing her cookies on the back of Rita's head, is one for the record books. And it proved a bonding moment for the two ladies too, who'd soon take their relationship to the next level once they hit the airplane.
Bridesmaids - I know a lot of serious types look down on the food-sickness scene at the fancy bridal gown shop as one of the movie's more misplaced and déclassé moments, but you've got to give credit where credit's due - that double-decker disgorge, with Becca tossing her cookies on the back of Rita's head, is one for the record books. And it proved a bonding moment for the two ladies too, who'd soon take their relationship to the next level once they hit the airplane..
Showgirls - Because director Paul Verhoeven and screenwriter Joe Esterhas could hardly leave a single body fluid unturned in their ode to all things crass, we get Nomi inexplicably projectile vomiting on the side of the road after almost being hit by a car. And as with Bridesmaids this leads to immediate female bonding, as Molly the costume girl will be offering to let Nomi live with her within five minutes, probable puke still wet on her shoes. Girl power!
Alien /Aliens - It's upchuck as unmasking - it's not until the white stuff that passes for Ash's insides comes spilling out that we know he's not one of us, and it's a terrifically upsetting moment as his humanity dissolves in spray and foam and spasm. James Cameron smartly builds upon that former reveal in his sequel - by this point in the film we have no reason to doubt that Bishop is a good guy, but suddenly his belly's distending and the white stuff's spewing and we think we've been fooled, Bishop is bad too... only to have the camera reveal it's the Queen who's punked us. Punked by puke! Not to get into Prometheus spoilers, but there was a distinct lack of cyborg-goo this go around.
Showgirls - Because director Paul Verhoeven and screenwriter Joe Esterhas could hardly leave a single body fluid unturned in their ode to all things crass, we get Nomi inexplicably projectile vomiting on the side of the road after almost being hit by a car. And as with Bridesmaids this leads to immediate female bonding, as Molly the costume girl will be offering to let Nomi live with her within five minutes, probable puke still wet on her shoes. Girl power!.
Alien /Aliens - It's upchuck as unmasking - it's not until the white stuff that passes for Ash's insides comes spilling out that we know he's not one of us, and it's a terrifically upsetting moment as his humanity dissolves in spray and foam and spasm. James Cameron smartly builds upon that former reveal in his sequel - by this point in the film we have no reason to doubt that Bishop is a good guy, but suddenly his belly's distending and the white stuff's spewing and we think we've been fooled, Bishop is bad too... only to have the camera reveal it's the Queen who's punked us. Punked by puke! Not to get into Prometheus spoilers, but there was a distinct lack of cyborg-goo this go around.The Fly - Right around the time that Seth Brundle's super-fly powers turn to regurgitation for food is right around the time I start watching Cronenberg's movie through my fingers. It puts Kate's Secret to shame!
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The Exorcist - I can't remember if Regan's expulsion is described as green in the book or not, but to whoever made that decision, be it Blatty or director William Friedkin or the special-effects people - kudos. That's how a billion jokey homages are birthed.
Team America - Takes the scene where the hero hits bottom and drinks away the pain to new heights, that is lows, that is long long long vertical sprays. (Watch it here.)
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The Exorcist - I can't remember if Regan's expulsion is described as green in the book or not, but to whoever made that decision, be it Blatty or director William Friedkin or the special-effects people - kudos. That's how a billion jokey homages are birthed.And finally...
Monty Python and the Meaning of Life -
The puke de resistance.
Reader Comments (6)
omg. The Boyfriend is vomiting profusely so this post suddenly feels like a documentary. Flu season?
Fun Trivia: In the overhead shot of Gary lying in the giant puddle of vomit, it is actually Trey Parker wearing a pair of fake legs
Oh god Nat now I feel responsible. I sent vomit voodoo his way. Tell him I hope he feels better soon.
I did not know that, Michael, and that is awesome.
Oh my god, YES!!! Cartwright and the cherries is hands-down the most memorable vomit in the movies - I remember watching that film when I was pretty young and swearing off cherries forever more. I'm back on the fruities as an adult, but then again I haven't watched the Witches of Eastwick for a while... Anyway, thanks for getting this Top 10 absolutely spot-on!
what?! no "Wild at Heart"?! Diane Ladd is *all* genius in that movie.... and how can you not give her credit for stealing the movie by smearing her entire face in lipstick and then puking in the toilet? bonus points for the vomit in her hair while the camera pans down to reveal her witchy house slippers.
Original theatrical cut of The Sandlot had an extended barf scene post carnival ride. That's definitely up there, if only for the chain barfing.