Top 10 Cinematic Snack Moments
Snacks and movies go hand-in-hand. If I’m watching a movie and my lap isn’t covered in popcorn grease, then something is seriously amiss.
And this got me thinking. Since snacks are such an integral part of the cinematic experience, there must be movies that actually feature them, right? Right!
So, Snackerrific readers, after a few hours of haphazard research, I give to you: The Top 10 Cinematic Snack Moments!
Check them out after the jump.
10. Heavyweights – The Secret Stash
As a rule, if I can’t have something, I only want it more. This goes for sold-out concert tickets, expensive boots, and emotionally distant men… but it’s especially true of unhealthy snack foods.
And so, I sympathize with the characters of Heavyweights like it’s nobody’s business. No Hostess cakes for three months?! Exercise on a regular basis?! Why God, why?
By far my favorite movie about fat camp, Heavyweights is a must-see for so many reasons. Not only does it feature the birth of Ben Stiller’s “Wacko Fitness Guy” character (see Dodgeball for further details), it also contains shots of portly preteens stuffing chocolate bars down their pants.
Honestly, what more could you want?
9. Waitress – A Pie of a Different Color
“Emotional eating” gets a lot of press. Nutritionists love to scold diet-beakers for pigging out when they’re sad or lonely, and by now emotional eating has become a movie trope. How many times have you watched a female protagonist demolish a tub of Haagen-Dazs after being dumped by her boyfriend? TOO MANY.
Thankfully, Waitress came out last year. In this film, Keri Russell plays a woman who makes pies that reflect her moods - she’s not an emotional eater, she’s an emotional baker. It sounds a bit contrived, but believe me, the movie works way more than it falters. And Russell’s pies always look delicious, which, for our purposes, is the most important thing.
8. Pan’s Labyrinth - Don’t Wake the Pale Man
Often, snacks are temptations. We know we shouldn’t eat them, but we do it anyway – because, seriously, what’s the worse that could happen?
Well, if you’re Ofelia in Pans Labyrinth, the consequences of indulgence are far freakier than anything I’ve ever experience. By munching on a few forbidden grapes, Ofelia turns a quiet banquet into a living hell. Need more proof? Check out the clip (unless, of course, you’re averse to fairy blood).
7. Matilda- The Triumph of Bruce
Among the villains in kids movies, very few share the Trunchbull’s passion for sadism. With a leather riding crop clutched in her bloated fist, she rules over Matilda’s elementary school like Machiavelli himself. And though her punishments are always outrageous, serious offenses demand an extra level of creativity. Look at her sideways, and she’ll throw you in a coffin lined with nails. Eat a piece of her cake, and that’s when the real torture begins.
Of course, as the Trunch learns in the clip, when evil does battle with a love of snacks, it doesn’t stand a chance.
6. Blazing Saddles – The Cowboy Sequence
Some snacks have serious consequences. For instance, if you consume a few cans of beans, you’ll probably end up polluting the environment. That’s just how it goes.
Ever wonder where all the buffalo went? It wasn’t over-hunting. It was air pollution.
5. Alice in Wonderland – Eat Me
OK, so to be honest, I am a little worried that, due to my excessive cookie munching, I might eventually balloon to the size of a small house.
Miss Alice here knows exactly what I’m talking about. All she wanted was a snack to fill her up until dinner, and a small, frosted cookie looked like just the right thing. What she didn’t realize, however, is that some pastries go straight to your thighs… as well as your knees, arms, head, and eyelashes. Oops!
4. The Princess Bride - Miracle Pill
Question: After a long day of having your life shortened by the six-fingered man, how do you get your mojo back? Answer: Visit the Miracle Max Day Spa, where you’ll find a wide range of heart-healthy energy snacks! Just what you need to step back from the brink of death!
Side note: I love The Princess Bride, but every time I see this movie, I’m newly relieved that real health supplements don’t resemble dog waste. I think that’s something we can all be thankful for.
3. Sweeney Todd - Pies Made For Of the People
Meat pies! An excellent source of protein, iron, and (in this case) some dead dude. It looks like Soylent Green has some competition.
I’m sure Mrs. Lovett would be proud to see her homemade pies featured on Snackerrific. She’s come a long way since she first opened her shop on Fleet Street, and it’s all thanks to one very special ingredient.
You can also listen to the rest of the song.
2. Snow White - Take a Bite, My Pretty
First of all, how creepy is the Evil Queen? I haven’t seen Snow White in over a decade, and I was sincerely freaked out by her psychotic eye movements. Yikes, Disney. Yikes.
On a more serious note, I think this clip contains an important message about knowing the origins of your food. Not only should you never eat a snack a stranger gives you (especially when that snack is a “magic wishing apple,” and the stranger is a horrifying old woman who smells like your step-mom), but you should also make sure your fruits and veggies aren’t soaked in cancer-inducing pesticides. Honestly, the Evil Queen might as well be a PSA for organic food.
You can see the English version on YouTube - it wouldn’t let me embed it here.
1. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – Violet’s Demise
I have to say, I’m always sad to watch Violent go. Sure, she’s annoying, but her wisecracking, gum-snapping attitude inevitably grows on me over the course of the film. And, although I’m not sure what Roald Dahl was trying to convey with this character (gum is bad?), her transformation into a blueberry is absolutely spectacular.
You might argue that the other Wonka kids got it worse, but I like Violet’s end because it’s poetic. Nowhere else in this film does a child actually turn into a snack, and a healthy one at that! This kid worships a food with zero nutritional value (a food that you don’t even eat!) and she’s turned into an anti-oxidant! It’s brilliant!
Plus, in this scene you can watch Gene Wilder try to keep a straight face as he blows on a tiny flute. It’s movie gold, people.
VIDEO BONUS ROUND
Yeah, this clip isn’t from a movie, but it’s such a great snack moment that I had to include it. Enjoy!
2 Comments
Jim on October 11th, 2008
I loved the old “Let’s all go to the lobby” clip. Classic. I was
expecting those “pretty (blanking) good $5 milkshakes” from Pulp Fiction,
but that’s a bit racy for this site.
Still, I appreciate Allissa’s hours of haphazard research. Maybe there’s
enough material out there for another top 10. (The Pringle’s can scene
from Clerks comes to mind.)
Robby on October 11th, 2008
Maybe it’s just the candy addict in me., but the first thing that came to mind was e.t. wth the reese’s pieces