In the realms of rhetoric and politic, the pen is mightier than the sword. In the world of cinematic action, the one-liner is deadlier than the semi-automatic.
Such logic is expounded in Pop Chart Lab's latest Diagrammatical Dissertation, which follows the pattern of their brilliant breaking down of opening lines of literature, with a dissection of the most curt retorts of action films into their key grammatical components.
Each quote has transposed into a 'correct' English equivalent, before being colour coded to reveal the powers of poetic structure: the power of modal verbs, the genearl lack of participles, the ever present subject noun. Soon you to will be delivering the perfect put-down, having blown the room away with your sawn off (we're speaking figuratively).
Head over to Pop Chart Lab to pick up a print. Here are some of our favourites, followed by the full poster which contains the colour key.
(Click to enlarge)
(Image: Pop Chart Lab)
