I grew up in the 80s and used to spend Saturday afternoons with some of the guys. We would sit around, and the afternoon was just a 'one-liner' after another. It seems to be a lost art. Interestingly, the more politically incorrect, the better. Line like:
He sweats more than an altar boy at a Priest convention.
Was so late, he couldn't hear the band
Had more tricks than a hat full of Rhesus monkeys
More nervous that a gypsy with a mortgage
Busier than a one-armed bricklayer in Beirut
I would love to hear some others, and if it's a thing in other cultures?
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I believe I still hear the short phrases to indicate that a person may be a bit odd or downright crazy: "A small fry short of a Happy Meal" type lines. But yes, I don't hear those one liners so much in films these days.
Bring back Yo Mama jokes!
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The 1991 film The Last Boy Scout has some great and classic one-liners.
Jimmy and Joe's first interaction. Jimmy sees Joe's been talking to his gf.
Jimmy: "Hi. You're nobody."
Joe: "Shh... don't tell anyone."
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Jimmy: "Hey, I'm just trying to break the ice."Joe: "I like ice, leave it the f**k alone."
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Lt. Bessalo sees Joe with a 3-day stubble
Lt. Bessalo: "There's a new invention out, it's called a razor."
Joe: "Too risky, I might start thinking of you and slash my wrist."
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And when Joe wakes up hungover in his car, which is his intro scene:
Joe (looks into rearview mirror): "Nobody likes you… everybody hates you… you're gonna lose… smile you fuck."
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Hi, Trevor Learey. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Screenwriting Lounge to the Anything Goes Lounge. The Anything Goes Lounge is for discussion about the industry, movies, shows, plays, etc. If you reword your post so it relates to screenwriting (like giving advice for writing one-liners), it can go in the Screenwriting Lounge. Let me know if you have any questions.
"I'll be back." (Terminator)
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Hi Maurice, it does not bother me if you move it. I was trying to rekindle the screenwriter's art of the cryptic 'one liner'.
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Happier 'an a clam at high tide.
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Doug Nelson It's funny how I know that one liner as "more nervous than a clam at low tide"