Let’s be honest, Thanksgiving is 99% about the food; the rest is just icing on the cake, so to speak. Sure, there are football games, parades, and reuniting with distant relatives to take up your time, but what really brings us all together is the food. In honor of America’s most gluttonous of holidays, we’re bringing you our Top 15 favorite movie moments involving food. We tried to cover every course, except for salad (you don’t win friends with salad). So feast your eyes upon our 15 Memorable Movie Food Scenes this Thanksgiving!
Soylent Green
In one of the most iconic (and surprising) scenes in movie history,Charlton Hestondiscovers the main ingredient in the title food,Soylent Green.While he’s marked for murder in a future dystopian society, Heston keeps on digging to get to the bottom of a suspicious government program at the heart of the new food supply. While you’ve probably heard the famous line uttered before, you owe it to yourself to check out the 1973 classic in its entirety. What’s inSoylent Green,you ask? Better to find out on an empty stomach.
Spaceballs
While the originalAlienchestburster was caused by a nasty little face-hugger, sometimes ordering the special at a space diner can get you more than you paid for.John Hurtreprised his role as parasitic host inSpaceballs, the classicMel Brooksspoof film. At least this time Hurt got dinner and a show out of it. I’d advise against ordering at any space-based eateries this holiday season; you’re able to never trust the freshness. Check out the famous scene below (sorry for the low quality):
When Harry Met Sally
While I recommend thanking your host for a good meal, it might be over the line to react to Aunt Mary’s apple pie likeMeg Ryan’scharacter inWhen Harry Met Sally. The two title characters met at a diner and discussed the possibility of a man and a woman being friends without involving sex. Eventually, this leads Sally to fake an orgasm in public. WhileBilly Crystal’scharacter was appalled, the rest of the diner patrons didn’t seem to mind. An old woman at the table next to theirs utters a now famous line, which you can see below:
Animal House
You knew it was coming. I highly suggest re-enacting the classic “food fight” scene fromAnimal Houseas often as you possibly can. High school reunions, business lunches or, coincidentally, Thanksgiving dinners. The hostess might not love you for it, but the guests will definitely remember it. Hell, they might even join in!
The Great Race
You might think the infamous food fight scene from perennial fraternity classicAnimal Housewould be the only one of its kind in this list, but there was a movie scene that predated it by more than ten years. In the 1965 classicThe Great Race, starringJack Lemmon, Tony CurtisandNatalie Wood,Lemmon and Curtis square off in an automobile race from New York to Paris. Along the way, a sword fight breaks out and escalates into the “greatest pie fight ever filmed.” About 4,000 pies were thrown in this shot that took over five days to film. Watch as Curtis, the hero in white, stays (almost) spotless:
Christmas Vacation
While obviously not a Thanksgiving film - because honestly there aren’t that many to begin with - National Lampoon’s holiday movie features one of cinema’s best family dinner scenes. The Griswolds and their relatives are gathered around the long dining room table, ready to tuck into a huge meal that Ellen and Catherine spent all day preparing. Sure, the turkey may be a little dry, but make sure someone saves the heart for you. Oh, and be sure to set out Aunt Bethany’s jello mold, it is gooooood!
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
While grossly inaccurate, and just downright gross, the Indian food scene inTemple of Doomis one silly sight gag after another. It probably wouldn’t get made today, so this classic scene will have to stay safely nestled within theIndiana Jonesfranchise. I don’t suggest making chilled monkey brains or snake surprise for your family this holiday season - it’s probably okay for Halloween though - but I hear that eyeball soup is at gluten-free, at least.
Eraserhead
One of the more disturbing family dinners on this list comes courtesy of writer/directorDavid Lynch. The 1977 film sees Harry Spencer (Jack Nance) attempting to live a normal life despite some very abnormal occurrences. One example of such a juxtaposition is this dinner scene in which a chicken is served up for the carving; what follows is … unpleasant. If this happens during your Thanksgiving dinner, I’d suggest calling an old priest and a young priest.
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life
Fair warning: This one’s a super gross-out. Don’t even bother clicking on this one if you have a weak stomach or if the family is gathered around the computer after a full-course meal. Consider yourself warned because I’m not cleaning up any messes. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Creosote, played by directorTerry Jones, he’s the monstrously obese restaurant patron pictured above. After consuming copious amounts of food, it’s a wafer-thin mint that eventually does Mr. Creosote in. Hold fast to your gag reflex and watch it all unfold below:
I sincerely wish that you have more actual food on the table than that available to the Lost Boys inHook. Then again, if my plates would fill up with any food I could imagine - especially on Thanksgiving - just by thinking about it, I’d definitely be up for that action. I don’t know exactly what they’re eating (and eventually throwing) in this clip, but the multi-legged birds look delicious and the colorful pastries appear to be just primed for mass consumption (or throwing). Try leaving empty plates and bowls at the kid’s table this holiday season and tell them to use their imagination, then see what happens; you know, for science.
