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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???
