Top 20 Drinking Games: The Movie Edition

Lazydork is the Wikipedia of movie drinking games, a dedicated resource with hundreds of titles available, including their take on The Shining.

Choosing Stanley Kubrick's chiller feels wrong, somehow - after all, it's the tale of an alcoholic falling off the wagon and trying to murder his family.

And yet The 'Dork's game is a celebration of all those stylistic quirks that make it such an effective scare-story.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Room 237 is shown or mentioned
- Tony is referenced
- A titlecard is used
- Jack's writing is shown or mentioned
- The weather is referenced
- Anyone says "Torrance"

AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET WASTED . . .
Anytime anyone sees something or someone that isn't really there.

Likely Hangover: Doomed to haunt The Overlook for perpetuity with a sore head.

Movie Cynics offers a nice line in drinking games. Their take on QT's colour-coded breakthrough is particularly sharp thanks to the interactive ensemble option.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Someone says a color
- Someone says “diamonds”
- Someone says “fuck” or any form of the word
- Someone smokes

The Ensemble Challenge: Write down all the names of the characters on slips of paper. Pick a name out of a hat. Whenever someone says the name of your character, take three drinks. Whenever your character dies, kill your beer and draw another name from the hat. Take a drink if your character swears, smokes, or drinks.

Likely Hangover: You'll be looking for the commode in this dungeon...to spew your guts out.

The classic. Without the cult that sprang up around Withnail's copious imbibing habits, we probably wouldn't be writing this feature.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Withnail does.

It really is that simple, with the one permitted exception to replace the lighter fluid with something less lethal.

According to Nationmaster, the full list goes as follows:

- mouthful of red wine
- "Lighter fluid" (substiute as appropriate, eg with overproof rum)
- double gin
- finger of cider (with ice)
- finger of cider (with ice)
- finger of cider (with ice)
- glass of sherry
- two big chugs of sherry
- mouthful of sherry
- sip of sherry
- double whisky
- mouthful of whisky
- mouthful of whisky
- mouthful of whisky
- mouthful of whisky
- splash of whisky
- single Teachers
- double Teachers
- double Teachers
- single Teachers
- sip of sherry
- three fingers of ale
- sip of red wine
- gulp of sherry
- small glass of red wine
- sip of red wine
- half glass of red wine
- sip of something white (gin & bitter lemon?)
- sip of red wine
- sip of red wine
- gulp of red wine
- gulp of red wine
- finger of red wine
- finger of red wine
- gulp of red wine ("'53 Margeaux")
- gulp of red wine ("'53 Margeaux")
- gulp of red wine ("'53 Margeaux")
- gulp of red wine ("'53 Margeaux")

Likely Hangover: Considerable. Don't forget that not even teetotaller Richard E. Grant actually drank any of this. Instead, he did something called 'acting.'

TotalFilm's advice: stick to Coke. Alternatively, good luck, and keep a stomach pump handy.

Neill Blomkamp's guerilla-style sci-fi hit already feels like a classic, so it's no surprise that a drinking game is already available, courtesy of Film School Rejects.

With its quotable catchphrases, memorable use of props and shifting video format, it's tailor-made for interactive guzzling.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Something explodes
- Someone is interviewed
- The video format changes
- Someone (or something) is shot
- You see static
- You see slime
- You see a gun
- You see cat food
- Someone says "prawn" - double if it's "fookin' prawn"
- Someone says "district"
- Someone says something in the alien language

Likely Hangover: You wake up having metamorphosed into a fookin' prawn.

The nearest American college culture has to a Withnail & I, Richard Linklater's blissed-out 'last day of school' movie revolves around kegs of beer, spliffs and random violence meted out against younger kids.

Various games are available, but Barmeister wins out for attempting to combine them all with a view to making that title all too literal.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Someone is paddled
- There's reference to a "sixer"
- Slater says "fuck" and "wasted" in the same sentence
- Someone says "Shotgun"
- Someone in the movie drinks
- Someone talks about, sells, buys, smokes, or refers to marijuana
- Someone gives Randy "Pink" the drug-free pledge paper
- Mitch rubs his nose

Barmeister also recommends an 'intense buzz' option of taking a drink every time somebody says Man, but by TotalFilm's reckoning you'll be comatose by the half-hour mark.

Likely Hangover: Doesn't matter. It's the school holidays, and there are Aerosmith tickets to buy.

+ Two Towers & Return of the King.

Just one film or the whole trilogy? Your call. Depends if you have someplace to be the next day.

Below are abridged rules to Flick Filosopher's very funny, surreal epic drinking (and, often, non-drinking) game.

TotalFilm's advice: start with Fellowship, see how you get on. If you're in it for the long-haul, try Flick's full version.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Someone drinks anything. If it's a Hobbit, drink twice; if it's Gimli, three times. If Gimli belches afterward, drink the whole bottle.
- Someone eats anything. If it's a Hobbit, twice. If it's an Orc eating entrails, take a third drink.
- A Hobbit talks about food.
- Frodo says "Oh, Sam!"
- Aragorn and Boromir have an argument.
- Someone looks all mopey and angst-ridden. If it's Frodo, drink again.
- A Black Rider appears.
- We see someone's filthy, chewed-up fingernails.
- Someone sings a song.
- You can tell the camera was mounted on a helicopter.
- Someone draws a sword.
- Pippin acts like an idiot.
- Legolas looks fabulous.
- Frodo's eyes roll back into his head.
- Gollum hacks up a "gollum! gollum!"
- Someone or something is called "precious."
- Someone consults a map.
- You speak along with the dialogue.

Likely Hangover: The morning after will be Mordor.

Please, don't take the title too literally. It's just an excuse to watch Bruce Willis' finest two hours yet again.

We're using Last Broadcast's excellent game as the basis, but with a few rule-changes so we can stick to the masterful original.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Anyone uses a radio or walkie-talkie to communicate.
- McClane argues or disagrees with a cop.
- There's a Christmas reference.
- McClane talks to himself.
- Anyone calls another character "dickhead" or "asshole".
- McClane is in an elevator shaft.
- There's an explosion.
- McClane says "motherfucker".
- McClane takes out a bad guy
- McClane bleeds

Likely Hangover: A fly in the ointment. The monkey in the wrench. The pain in the ass.

+ North by Northwest, Rear Window or by all means any other Hitchcock film.

The Master of Suspense becomes the Master of Sustained Boozing with all our-purpose Hitchcock game.

The hitch? Choose wisely, or you probably won't get up the next day. Especially if you've gone for Rear Window.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- A famous landmark is seen
- A peroxide blonde walks in
- Somebody is murdered
- We see things from a character’s point-of-view
- A vehicle is in shot

Two Drinks Every Time:

- Alfred Hitchcock is seen

Likely Hangover: Unless you’ve cheated and picked atypical rom-com Mr And Mrs Smith, you’ll look like Mrs Bates.

Another fave courtesy of RingThis, not least because the main character is a patron saint to letting it all hang out.

For added kudos, mix a White Russian before you start on homage to Il Duderino.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- The Dude smokes pot
- Walter mentions Vietnam
- Donny says dude
- Someone bowls a strike
- You see George Bush
- The Dude drinks a White Russian
- The Dude wears Jellies
- There's a weapon on-screen
- Walter says Shomer Shabbas
- Walter says "Shut the fuck up, Donnie!"
- The Dude is a passenger in a car
- Flea is in the picture
- Song on soundtrack starts
- The Dude puts on sunglasses
- Someone says gold bricker

Likely Hangover: You know that rug? Really tied the room together, huh? Dry cleaners.

As anybody who's ever crossed paths with a hen party will testify, when it comes to boozing the gals can drink the fellas under the table every time.

Perhaps it's all those hours spent inventing OTT drinking games to the ultimate 80s chick flick. We'd actually had to cut down the number of rules in this one from Birds Are Funny Blokes.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Baby makes an intelligent and/or feminist comment
- Johnny looks smouldering
- Lisa comments on accessories or make up
- You see a dancer exposing a thigh
- A cardigan is in view
- Line dancing is taking place
- The word Kellerman's is mentioned or seen on clothing
- Anyone is seen playing cards
- Baby is seen dancing by herself, or badly
- Fruit is seen or mentioned
- Anyone is seen soaking wet
- Anyone is seen wearing pedal pushers
- A disappointed Dad is on screen

Finish your glass and cheer:

- When Johnny lifts Baby up at the end.

Likely Hangover: You'll feel like you carried a watermelon.

+ Temple of Doom, Last Crusade & Crystal Skull

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull may have dented the man in the hat's reputation, but we still love our Indy.

Whichever of the four films you choose, they're all so driven by familiar, iconic images, you'll probably be necking your drink throughout.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- The Paramount logo match-cuts into something
- Indy reaches for his gun. Take another drink if his gun isn't there;
- Indy nearly loses his hat, whip or other accessory
- The whip is used
- Indy's progress across the world is shown on a map
- There's a genuine moment of archaeology
- A mythic artefact is found
- Denholm Elliott is seen
- A foreign language is subtitled
- Indy gets punched
- Indy gets chased
- A snake is seen
- The Raiders fanfare is heard

Likely Hangover: A melted face and a brain like a chilled monkey's.

'The Film Of The Decade' is also a surprisingly robust drink-a-long, judging by Movie Drinking Games' sterling effort.

Obviously, bonus film geek points to anybody who drinks a milkshake, but make you spice it up a bit first, eh?



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- You see fire;
- “Oil” is mentioned;
- You see a drill in motion;
- Creepy (read: any) violin music plays;
- Daniel says “H.W.” or “my son;”
- Daniel says “plain speech;”
- You want to punch Eli in the face;
- Daniel slaps Eli (and also every time he screams like a girl).

Likely Hangover: Have you been paying attention? There will be blood. Probably from doing something daft like falling over.

+ In general; Any Pixar film will do...

Since you'll probably be regressing to the mental age of a child, why not flip things around by watching a "kids' movie" smarter than most adults?

Only ten features into their amazing history, Pixar already has enough of a formula to provide a decent game.

Best of all, you can play this game with kids by substituting booze for candy. But eat responsibility; you don't want any unnecessary dental work.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- A voice actor is heard but you can't quite place them;
- A voice actor is heard but it's definitely John Ratzenberger;
- There's an in-joke to another Pixar short or movie;
- There's a chase sequence;
- A character has an existential dilemma;
- You find yourself crying with sadness;
- A grouch learns to life again;
- You find yourself crying with laughter

Likely Hangover: A head-rush of emotion and/or sugar. Best have a lie down for a bit.

Every since you could remember you wanted to play a Goodfellas drinking game.

Well...thanks to Barmeister.com, you can have it all, just for the asking.



THE RULES

Put as many character names into a hat as there are players. Pick a character and then...

Drink Every Time:

- Your character swears

Likely Hangover: You'll be longing to be hung up in a meat truck, just to ease the pain. Especially if you're Tommy DeVito.

Theoretically, this one could be done Withnail-style but it'd be;
a) illegal
b) probably fatal

As your attorney, we advise you to seek out Movie Cynics' more (but not much more) civilised option.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- You see an American flag;
– Johnny Depp replaces the cigarette in his cigarette holder;
- Someone takes a drink
- Someone smokes something
- Someone snorts something
- Someone eats something
- You see drugs of any kind

Likely Hangover: Stranded right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo.

+ Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...they were probably still inventing Star Wars drinking games.

This one, from The Webtender, is remarkable for its extraordinary detail. Below is only a fraction of the full rules.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Someone has a bad feeling about this.
- It's their only hope.
- An entire planet is described as having one climate.
- Somebody gets choked.
- A woman other than Leia is on screen
- An old Jedi starts to ramble about the Force. (Vader counts.)
- Somebody's hand gets cut off.
- A gigantic technological marvel explodes in a single blast.
- There is a tremor in the Force.
- It's not someone's fault
- One or more heroes are almost eaten by a Thing
- A Jedi is much more powerful than he looks
- Someone exclaims "No!"
- Someone does something apparently suicidal that turns out to be a good idea
- Twice if it's not Han
- Someone wears the same outfit in all three movies--it counts if they change at the end
- Someone is mind-controled using the Force
- People kiss
- A good guy wears white or a bad guy wears black
- Twice if a bad guy wears white and a good guy wears black (for uniforms, only the first person on screen counts)
- Three times if someone hovering in between wears gray
- An elaborately made up alien has no lines

Seriously, it carries on like this for ages... Best of luck keeping up.

Likely Hangover: Resembling a stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder.

Lazydork again, with a game that's admirably short and to the point.

Which is handy considering what a headf*** the movie is. Honestly, don't even think about operating heavy machinery.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- The camera speeds up the film's actions
- Anyone says "Darko"
- Grandma Death is shown or mentioned
- Frank is shown or mentioned
- Time travel is referenced
- Therapy is shown or mentioned

AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET WASTED:
- Anytime a titlecard appears

Likely Hangover: A tangent universe where the slightest noise sets off a splitting headache, and the mildest odour will have you heaving.

+ any other "foreign" (non-american) film

For those cultural aesthetes who want a sophisticated tipple rather than an over-the-limit binge, there's a world of cinema out there.

Pick out a film - any, as long as it's subtitled rather than dubbed - and see how quickly stroking your chin in intellectual contemplation descends into balancing a pint on your chin.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Somebody smokes
- There's a sex scene
- You suspect the subtitling has gone terribly wrong
- You suspect the subtitling is right, but you still don't understand what they said
- English is spoken
- You recognise an actor from a Hollywood movie
- An entire scene passes by without anything happening

Likely Hangover: Ooh la la, il y a une belle femme dans mon lit. Mon dieu! Je parle le francais!

Inevitable, this one. Lazydork, Film School Rejects and Movie Cynics were all quick to make their suggestions when the film was released.

We say: this is Vegas, baby. We want it all. So we bunched 'em together for a monster Hangover.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Stu touches his missing tooth or mentions it
- Someone says “remember”
- You see a Vegas landmark
- Alan copies Phil
- Someone swears...or Alan says a non-swear word
- Stu is referred to as "dr." or "dentist"
- The guys figure out a clue from the night before or pick up a new lead
- Anyone says "Doug" or refers to his getting married
- There is reference to how important the car is to the dad
- Anyone is physically injured
- Someone gets hurt
- Someone takes a drink
- Someone talk on the phone
- The guys figure out a clue from the night before
- Any of the following are seen: A tiger; Nudity; Neon lights; Bodily fluids; A Vegas landmark

Likely Hangover: Whaa? Where are we? Woah - a f***ing tiger!

Only joking. You don't really think TotalFilm condone a like-for-like contest with cinema's ultimate drinks downer.

However...should you be mad enough to try, the rules for our Nic Cage film should suffice without posing a life-threatening risk.



THE RULES

Drink Every Time:

- Elvis is mentioned or referenced;
- Nic is having a bad hair day;
- Nic suddenly starts shouting;
- Nic goes boggle-eyed;
- Nic fires a gun;
- Nic is shot in slo-mo;
- The word "Man" or "Men" appears on-screen;

Finish The Bottle If... Nic punches a woman while wearing a bear costume. You're gonna need it.

Likely Hangover: You'll never want to watch another Nic Cage movie again.