Yesterday I wrote a piece on my notion of a good death. One commenter rightfully pointed out the best possible death is “going down in a lightsaber fight against a Sith Lord, and then coming back as a sage spirit in the sequels but NEVER in a prequel.” Amen to that.
Well that got me thinking of the best death scenes in movies. I don’t like to use the word cinema as it seems snooty to me. Am I the only one? Anyway, what are your favorite death scenes in the movies. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order.
The Mission Opening scene where the Jesuit missionary gets sent over the falls on a cross.
Braveheart. Two scenes. First when Wallace’s wife has her throat so casually cut as she desperately searches the hillside for her husband who never comes. And of course the end when being eviscerated and tortured, Mel screams freedom. Plus, the death scene has a little person in it. Extra star just for that.
Goodfellas murder montage and Tommy getting whacked. There was nothing we could do.
The Last of the Mohicans 2 scenes. First when Heyward sacrifices himself and Hawkeye shoots him and when Uncas fights and loses to Magua but daddy takes care of business.
True Romance. Walken & Hopper. ’nuff said.
Life is beautiful when Guido marches off to be shot while still protecting his son from the horror.
American History X. The curb scene. This is remarkable for its shocking brutality.
Steel Magnolias. I like to see Julia Roberts die. I rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play.
Boromir in LOTR (Agreeing with Nzie)
Anybody says Titanic and they are banned from the blog. I mean it.
Oh and the entire movie of Weekend at Bernies. The first one. After that it just got silly.
So what am I missing? What are your favorite scenes?
December 19, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Ooh, I second Zhivago, Fr. Seamus. Definitely great.
Charles, I wouldn’t worry about dating yourself. A number of the ones I mentioned predate me, and two predate my grandmother, so if anyone’s guessing ages from these, I’d be a very internet-savvy 90+. 😀
December 19, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Since we often identify with sympathetic characters in movies, think how often we have died already, sampling this death and that. Death is like a box of chocolates.
December 19, 2008 at 7:25 pm
The final scene in “Das Boot” as the sub sinks in the drydock.
The shootout finale in “The Culpepper Cattle Company”.
Gregory Peck savagely slashing at Moby Dick as they submerge in “Moby Dick”.
December 19, 2008 at 7:38 pm
“The Mission”
At the end of the movie the priest holds the Monstrance up leading the natives following him in procession. They know they will die shortly. Then bullets start flying around. Even while being gunned down the priest struggles to hold up the Monstrance until his final breath. The natives behind him staying close to the Blessed Sacrament.
Joe K
December 19, 2008 at 7:57 pm
My favorite film death is the rather simple one of Thomas More in “A Man For All Seasons” (Paul Scofield version slightly better than Charleton Heston’s, though both are very good).
On stage, the death of Don Quixote in “Man of la Mancha” cannot help but tug the heart strings (though, to differ with a previous poster, avoid the film).
Far and away, however, the best death scene is Tony, Sil and Paulie executing their buddy Pussy on “The Sopranos.” Even in a situation that was going to end badly, they managed to enjoy a few last moments of friendship.
December 19, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I’ll nominate Ralph Fiennes’s death at the end of the English Patient – because it signaled that the movie was mercifully nearing an end.
Seriously, I’m going with the Godfather slayings at the end of the first one.
December 19, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Ed Bloom, Big Fish.
Hon. Mention: St Thomas More, A Man for All Seasons.
December 19, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Since the 6 fingered man has been mentioned twice…does anyone remember his real name? It’s one of the funniest lines in the movie!
A prize for whoever knows!
December 19, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Oh, DGS, I definitely prefer the play (by approximately a gazillion times, give or take a few), but absent a performance, the film is okay, and Peter O’Toole doing the death scene is good if not as satisfying as the stage play by a long shot.. This is usually the point at which I’d go off on why you should never ever see the windmill, but I’ll hold off. 🙂
December 19, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Unfortunately my VCR player is broken so I can’t replay it; I found his name online but couldn’t find the last line, so I’ll let someone else take the prize. One of my favorite movies! Have you read the book? It’s excellent, and it isn’t ruined by seeing the movie first.
Best movie death: Peter Lorre in Casablanca.
December 19, 2008 at 10:53 pm
The Godfather: “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”
December 20, 2008 at 12:20 am
Certainly Slim Pickins in “Dr. Strangelove”.
What about Sean Connery in “Untouchables”. Something Romantic(in the classical sense) about using your last breath to point your partner to the bad guy and urging him toward catching him.
Probably most humerous goes to Kevin Klein in “A Fish Called Wanda”
December 20, 2008 at 1:23 am
Kevin Kline (Otto)in “A Fish..Wanda” isn’t shown dying either in the concrete rollover (obviously) or as the jet takes off with him hanging on screaming at Jamie Lee and Cleese with his patented “A**hole!)
However, his “little death” scene with Curtis earlier in the film is the most honest, priceless depiction of such a moment for the male of the species ever caught on film. Makes you squirm and howl at once.
December 20, 2008 at 1:45 am
Wifey reminds me that the six fingered man was a Count, but we can only remember his first name: Tyrone.
“Tyrone, you know I love to watch you work, but I have my country’s anniversary to plan, my wife to murder and Gilda to frame for it. I’m swamped.”
December 20, 2008 at 2:19 am
Okay, you all scratching your heads and rewinding your tapes are admirable, but I chose the “quick and dirty” method of IMDB. His name was Count Tyrone Rugen. I think Mike and Mrs. Mike get the points for getting 2/3 by memory.
December 20, 2008 at 3:37 am
My evil husband loves the scene in Bambi when his mother is shot. (He is one sick puppy).
Raising Arizona: the biker of the Apocalypse.
Fargo: The wood chipper, enough said.
Doesn’t Jar Jar Binks get his in one of the Star Wars flicks? If he didn’t he should!
December 20, 2008 at 6:43 am
Mau,
Good call on “Raising Arizona.”
But Buscemi’s not really shown dying in “Fargo,” just being, uh, disposed.
However, six degrees from “Fargo” has Margie’s husband John Carroll Lynch melting in the LA metro lava tsunami in “Volcano.” Plus he says a “Hail Mary” as he’s rescuing the unconscious train driver. That was a cool RC culture moment.
Last one for the night-
In Mel Grizzled Gibson’s “Apocalypto”- the protaganist’s sage father getting his throat slashed like Wallace’s wife in “Braveheart,” but falling to his knees, steel-eyed and upright.
December 20, 2008 at 7:52 am
oh man… I had to scroll through all 57 comments to see if Private Witt’s death in “Thin Red Line” was included. In some sense the whole movie is about that one moment in which he “sees” immortality. After watching it several dozen times I think I can pinpoint the moment at which it happens. Masterful piece of acting there…. you all deserve a flogging for neglecting it ….
December 20, 2008 at 11:41 am
…and what about Thelma and Louise, pedal to the metal, heading off that cliff?
December 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Reminded by flatlander… Marty Maher’s at the end of The Long Grey Line is touching.. no, men here, that shouldn’t turn you off, it’s a ’50s classic about a guy who taught at West Point, plus it has Maureen O’Hara.
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For anyone who’s into the kind of movie that has a “good death” (more in the sense of the earlier topic), there is a Czech short film that’s I think been nominated for an Oscar that sounds incredible, if very sad. It’s called “Most” (which means “[The] Bridge”), and a lot of Christians are promoting it for Christian values It’s based on a true story as well.
http://www.mostthemovie.com