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Today's topic for the Monday Movie Meme from the Bumbles is about famous death scenes. I know, we are getting into serious stuff here lately! I'm always intrigued with how many ways (or how many times!) a person can die onscreen. It is really pretty clever. Before I list a few that came to mind, I will warn you that it is virtually impossible to talk about cinematic demises and not have spoilers, so proceed at your own risk!
The Wicked Witch (Wizard of Oz) - "I'm melting! I'm melting!" (If only it were that easy to dispose of a witch with a nasty attitude!). And not only that, but they have a huge party afterwards!
Jill Masterson (Goldfinger) - All kinds of credit for creativity is due Ian Fleming for killing off some hot babe (I had to look up her name, she's just the gold chick in my mind) by painting her entire body with gold paint and suffocating her to death. Bond films are notorious for their death scenes, but I can't come up with another one that is more memorable.
Fredo (Godfather part II) - Do you think that Fredo knew his brother was going to arrange a hit on him? I believe he did, and didn't really care. Every time I watch the movie, I find myself screaming at the screen "Don't go fishing Fredo! Stay out of the boat!". He never listens. There happens to be plenty of other noteworthy deaths in the Godfather series, but this one bothers me the most.
Skinny-dipping drunk girl (Jaws) - Ah ha! You knew I was going to slip a Jaws moment in here, didn't you? People, that scene where the girl gets violently and repeatedly yanked under water each time the shark takes a bite of her is one that caused me many sleepless nights as a young 'un.
Nick (The Deer Hunter) - When Michael (DeNiro) walks in on Nick (Walken) playing Russian Roulette, attempts to talk him out of the insanity, but fails, I have to hide my face. I was raised on gore and violence in movies, having seen ever slasher film east of the Mississippi, but I almost can't sit through this scene.
Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction) - Girlfriend had to die, so why not in the tub? This is also a classic example of how sometimes you have to kill them a couple of times for them to stay dead. Very Hollywood. What you may or may not know is that there was another (better, IMHO) ending with a different death. One where Alex slices her own throat. It is worth buying the Special Edition DVD just to see that.
Phil Conners (Groundhog Day) - the cool thing about this movie is that Phil keeps living the same day over and over until he cleans up his act. So no number of suicides ever work, and he tries everything...toaster in the tub, running off a cliff in a car, jumping from a tall building...he just keeps waking up to his clock radio singing "I got you babe" by Sunny and Cher.
As usual, I could go on. I mean, I didn't even touch the whole Halloween/Friday the 13th thing, that explores just about every possible way to kill someone. Or how about Se7en, when a psycho kills people creatively according to the seven deadly sins? What about the two dozen Saw movies - they are pretty inventive as well. But alas, kids need breakfast. What says you? What are your favorite scenes of dramatic demise???
18 comments:
So many death scenes, so little bandwidth!
But my all-time favorite for melodramatic wonderfulness is the scene in "Imitation of Life" (the Lana Turner one) when her maid dies and her light-skinned daughter who has spurned her mother, wanting to appear white, finally realizes her great loss and falls onto the casket sobbing her heart out with Mahalia Jackson singing Trouble of the World in the background. I sobbed my own heart out watching this as a teenager. When it was over, I found my mother and have her a huge hug and told her I loved her.
I meant, of course, I "gave" her a huge hug. I've been awake since 3:30.
OMG! I almost used the same Wizard of Oz reference you did, but in the end decided to list a different movie instead. GMTA!
And I agree with Susan, that scene in Imitation of Life is a great one. So poignant!
My list is here.
Wow! those are some great deaths--I didn't list any of them. my Monday movieis here, and I have a little something for you today!
Great list you got here! It really got me thinking ...
The thing I loved about poor Alex's death in Fatal Attraction is that it came at the wife's hand. Hubby was just to ineffably wimpy to do it. Though I would like to see the other version.
Poor Fredo. He broke Michael's heart, you know. I always wonder what they do with the body. I mean, don't they have to pretend it was an accident or a hit by a rival mob?
Wow, Sandy, you put a lot of thought into this post and came up with some really great death scenes! Poor Fredo, some brother he had, uh? And the girl in Jaws, I was afraid every time I went swimmin for a while after seeing that...even in a pool (i had an active imagination!)
The vampire flunky dying in Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of my favorites. It lasts so long it goes into the credits. :P
Groundhog Day!! I love that movie and haven't watched it in far too long.
A favourite scene on mine is when Nicholas Cage's twin brother in Adaptation (also played by, um, Nicholas Cage :P) dies. Especially the little talk they have just before *sniff*
Susan - Believe it or not, I've not seen that movie. I love the story...how special must that movie be to move a teenager in such a way!
Heather - Well, I almost did Charlotte the spider. Too many good ones to pick from!
Kaye - I've noticed that unlike some Mondays, people are all over the board on this one!
Gal - You are so right...angry wife takes charge! And with a broken arm! I never really thought about how they explained away Fredo. I guess in the back of my mind I just figured they threw him over the side...
Amy - oh yeah, my friends and I would re-enact that scene in the pool. Water = sharks back then.
Tasha - Hm. Never watched Buffy. Although sometimes I wished I had. That one guy that is on Bones now was HOT.
Nymeth - Oh Adaptation. I LOVE that movie. Big capital letters LOVE. *sigh*
Seared in my brain is the scene in Volcano (a movie I remember nothing else about) in which the guy jumps off the end of the subway train to save the man he is carrying...and praying, throws the guy to safety and then sort of melts...
Oh, the Wicked Witch *headsmack*!
Great list--though being chicken, I'd probably skip most of them (except Groundhog Day. Love Groundhog Day!) Trust things have slowed down a bit for you.
I knew I'd get a Jaws scene out of you - was curious which one. It was that jerking of her body as seen only from the surface that sent chills up my spine. *shudder*
I love that you included Ground Hog Day. :-) I'm drawing a blank right now.
Wait . . . The death scene in Philadelphia was heartbreaking--when Tom Hanks' character died. And then when he died in Saving Private Ryan. I cried in both instances. As you can see, I seem to be only able to pull of the sad ones. :-(
I just watched the Wizard of Oz last night and remembered how much I love that scene. It is strangely satisfying when the wicked witch finally dies and Dorothy is safe! Gotta love that all it took was some water to do the trick!
Groundhog Day is one of the best movies, isn't it? I'm not sure what I would choose as my favorite death scene; although La Bamba was rather moving from a music-loving perspective. And no, I have no idea why of all the movies that could have come up, that's the one which popped into my head.
I remember Jaws! The music always make my heart jump!
Some not-so-famous death scenes, but ones which struck me nevertheless were Rachel's death in The Dark Knight, Naomi Watt's ex's death in The Ring and Gollum's death in LOTR.
I love stopping by here on Movie Mondays, even when I don't get to it until Wednesday. ;-)
Fredo's death in Godfather II is a great scene, but I think I like Marlon Brando's demise among his tomatoes in the first movie, myself.
I also like the opening death scene in Citizen Kane. "Rosebud."....
My all time favorite is the ending of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Thelma and Louise has the same ending. I like that one, too.
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