(were we? Yes. We were.) …
Here’s a post of 5 death scenes (on my new addiction – Matt Zoller Seitz’s blog)
I found myself nodding in agreement at the inclusion of Sean Connery’s death in The Untouchables. I haven’t seen that movie since it first came out and I remember that scene almost frame by frame.
And do not even get me started on the final scene in The Vanishing. NOT the remake done here in the US – but the original Danish film. I had nightmares after seeing that film. DON’T read the review linked to by Matt if you haven’t seen the film yet and want to. The ending is so awful, and so unforeseen – that yes, indeed, it would have given Edgar Allen Poe nightmares. Worst. Scene. Ever. If you saw the remake (with Jeff Bridges, my favorite actor) – forget it. See the original. Make sure you have someone to talk to afterwards. It’s brutal.
Other great death scenes:
— Bonnie and Clyde. One of the greatest death scenes ever filmed. It changed American cinema. It changed it so much that we don’t even REALIZE it. Every slow-mo balletic gun-shot scene is imitating Bonnie and Clyde. Hard to comprehend how controversial that scene was at the time. It’s devastating, in the context of the film, and beautifully shot.
— Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone. Unforgettable scene. The orange-in-the-mouth clowning-with-grandkid thing was Brando’s idea. Great death scene.
— James Cagney’s unbelievable death-scene at the end of Roaring Twenties. Kinda has to be seen to be believed – but it’s physical acting at its best. I posted about it a bit here.
— I actually really liked Kevin Spacey’s death in LA Confidential. I remember the first time I saw the film – I had NO idea it was coming, and it just slapped me across the face. I gasped. And Spacey’s look of surprise, the sudden washing away of all cockiness, a total psychological jolt. It seemed very real to me.
— Willem Dafoe’s crucifixion-esque death at the end of Platoon. Amazing imagery, amazing work done by him. He said he had these little blood-packets taped all over him, and they were timed to go off – tiny little explosions of blood – and he had to time all of his movements to that. Talk about artificial. You have to believe that he is being blown away by gunfire – but Dafoe is really just doing a well-choreographed dance. Beautiful work, though – you’d never guess how much intellectual preparation and basic TIMING went into that scene.
— I cannot let this list go by without mentioning Shelley Winters’ death in Poseidon Adventure. Laugh if you must, mock if you must, but that scene is classic. It’s in the pantheon. She already WAS in the pantheon, but that performance (and that scene in particular) cemented her position. My lungs actually hurt after watching her underwater scene of heroism. It’s that real.
— Jack Nicholson’s death at end of Cuckoo’s Nest. Horrible. You just want to die. At least I did – first time I saw the movie, in high school.
— Cagney has to go on here again, with his “Look, Ma, top of the world” scene at end of White Heat. The explosions behind him, his manic frenzy, the body like a trapped animal, and then suddenly – he opens himself up to death. He knows it’s coming and he’s going to go out screaming. Arms flung out wide, head back … like Al Pacino’s death in Scarface. That same kind of idea – a “villain” (although we’ve kinda come to understand him) realizing he’s trapped and then charging right at death, welcoming it.
— Thomas Mitchell’s death scene at the end of Only Angels Have Wings. Cary Grant at his side. They share a few brief words of good-bye. These are not sentimental men, but there is love between them. I’m crushed by this scene. Mitchell asking Grant to have the doctor and all the other people hovering around leave. Grant obliges. Everyone leaves. Mitchell then confides to Grant, “It’s not that I’m scared …” Grant says, “Of course you’re not.” Mitchell says, “It’s just that … It’s going to be something new. And I don’t want people watching.” That line cuts through me like a knife. Mitchell says, “It’s like when I did my first solo. I didn’t want people watching me then either … in case I made a mistake.” Neither of them know what to say … long long pause … and then Mitchell says, getting ready to face it, “I don’t know how good I’m going to be at this …” God. We all must face that moment alone. And … how “good” will we be at it? It’s terrifying.
Okay. You’re brilliant. And I want you to stop it right now.
Shelly Winters??????
YES!
The great thing about that is her TWO heart attacks. The one that happens as she’s grabbing the sides of the hole she treading water in, and the one that sends her REELING backward.
And the sounds. The moaning, interior sounds she makes. They’re so HER. They aren’t pretty, or forced, or subjective in any way. It’s riveting. We’re already so invested in her, her weight, her love for her husband and grandson, and her busy bod nature. When the death happens, it’s horriffic. We don’t want her to die, and we don’t want her to die slowly.
I’ll never forget the look on herface as the first pain hits her. It’s almost a look of complete shock. As if she’s saying, How could this happen to ME? Why NOW?!
Brilliant.
Not even a little love over at Seitz’s blog for Obi-Wan? C’mon! OK, he keeps popping back up as the blue glowie thing, but at the time nobody knew that. When he gives that little smile to Vader, like he has a secret too good to share – and then forfiets the duel? (And then Luke snaps and turns into the only good marksman in the entire movie.)
Alec Guinness always repudiated his involvement in the trilogy, but he did a lot of good work there. Out of all the cast, he was the one I would have liked most to meet, for his professionalism in the face of space opera.
At the risk of being mocked…I always thought that Spock’s death in Wrath of Khan had some nice touches. Kirk forgetting at first to use the intercom so that, from our point of view, we can’t hear him call Spock’s name, Spock straightening his jacket when he stands, and Kirk’s simple “No.”, sinking slump-shouldered to the floor…very subdued for William Shatner. I hesitated to bring up Star Trek in a discussion with such fine films, and perhaps most people don’t expect much more from science fiction than adventure, but I have to be honest and say that they got me with that scene. Mock me if you must.
Eric – if you read thru the comments to Matt’s post, I think a bunch of commenters bring up Spock’s death – you’re not alone!
Oh, and I will never mock anyone for Shatner love. Or Star Trek love!!
Ah, sweet validation. I will now. Speak. Like. This. Fortherestoftheday.
Please. The death of one of the most beloved and beautifully acted icons on Television??? absolutely!!!
The death of Spock was amazing.
I loved the relationship between those two. I have to give Nimoy props as well. His pained face, his body sliding down the glass case as he gasps one last time. And the lovely speech at the end to a man who became Father/Brother/Best friend to him. An AMAZING death scene.
There will be no mocking.
The only one I would add to yours (besides Spock) is the ending to Big Fish
Oh my God – just felt a huge lump in my throat, dorkafork.
I think I blocked that damn scene out AS it was happening. So powerful!
Oh and the medic Wade and the Jewish private in Saving Private Ryan.
But Big Fish, wow. The whole movie was a build up to that scene.
We’re talking about sci-fi death scenes? Awesome!
My vote goes to Serenity. I’m not going to say what happens, because I somehow managed to see the movie completely unspoiled. (If you knew what a spoiler whore I am, you would be quite amazed right now.) There’s actually very little acting involved by the dearly departed because its a sudden and unexpected death. However, I think that was the key, because it disturbed me more than any movie death has in a long time.
Yeah, that scene with Goldberg in Saving Private Ryan was powerful. I really disliked that film, but I do remember that that scene just shook me up quite bad. I think it was the intimacy of it that so freaked me out. They were face to face, and – his murderer was intimately WITH him, in his face, as he died. Just truly horrible.
I just have to say Private Gomer Pyles’s death scene in “Full Metal Jacket”.
I mean, whoa. The whole monologue that takes place, and that look on his face. That eerie, awful, twisted look. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in the movies.
Never mind Obi-Wan, Nightfly. The best SW death scene gets you two lives for the price of one:
Vader kills the Emperor (over-the-head toss right down that conveniently-located bottomless pit of a shaft), then dies himself, after the dramatic mask-off reveal.
The worst Star Wars death?
Hands down: Boba Fett. No character that cool should have “died” so lamely. (I put it in quotes because in every single “expanded universe” storyline, Boba Fett gets out of the Sarlacc and lives to hunt again.)
Honorable mentions:
1. Darth Maul kills Qui-Gon Jinn: One of the few truly emotional scenes in Episode I. Liam Neeson’s facial expression is one of pure…disappointment. He can’t believe that that just happened.
2. Obi-Wan (Ewan) kills Darth Maul. The facial expression before he falls down the shaft (Lucas has a thing for massive exhaust shafts, obviously) and splits in two is priceless. In a perfect world, Maul would have deadpanned, “Oh, Shit” before he fell.
To this day, I believe that the best lightsaber battle in all six SW films is that one: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vs. Darth Maul. Completely badass, and capped with good death.
Mark – yeah, the “sudden and unexpected” factor is what I found so shocking and effective about Kevin Spacey’s deaht in LA Confidential – it just really hit me. Wow: one second you’re alive, next – BOOM. No slo-mo to make it SEEM drawn-out.
Mark, I agree completely re: Serenity.
I was also unspoiled going in and shocked when it happened. And I had never seen the TV show, either.
Serenity is a great movie. What a pleasant surprise watching it was for me.
I’m going to out myself here: My name is Lisa, and I am a fan of Phenomenon.
Not for the death scene, but for the ALMOST-death scene, the one where Kyra Sedgwick wakes up and thinks John Travolta is dead (he’s not) and she FREAKS. Starts crying and rubbing his face and saying, “Oh, please no wait wait wait, please no, I didn’t say goodbye wait wait.” There’s such panic and fear in her voice, such a desperation that he’s dead and she didn’t say goodbye.
It was GUT-WRENCHING. I literally put my head in my lap and sobbed. Such a great scene.
Was the Jewish private in Saving Private Ryan the
scene that took place in the tower where he unsuccesfully battled a much larger soldier
until he slowly starts to sink the knife?
That scene still gets me.
Regarding Cagney, Can’t argue with your choices.
I also remember the end of Public Enemy.
The whole street scene with the drenching rain
left quite an impression on me first time I saw that.
But Bonnie and Clyde left me absolutely speechless. The whole audience went silent.
Regards.
Oh Lisa, sweetheart. I felt my throat clog up with tears just at your description!!!
Hank – yes, to your question about the Saving Private Ryan scene. It was awful – a terrible way to die. I’d rather be impersonally shot, than have something like THAT happen to me. Shivers!!!
I’m jealous you saw Bonnie and Clyde on the big screen!!
Big Fish is one of my favorites because there’s such a contrast between Edward Bloom’s actual death and the fanfare death that he and his son have imagined as Will sort of tragically understands, or at least accepts, his father for the first time in his life in his last dying moments. It’s so sad – Will realizing his father cannot go like that. Edward Bloom cannot die in his sleep. Everybody has to be there to celebrate him, there must be a big, exciting, legendary story to tell about it, damn if it be true. The legacy of Edward Bloom will make it true.
Lisa: “Hi, my name is Lisa, and I’m a fan of Phenomenon.”
Chorus of voices: “Hi, Lisa …”
I still remember your post about Big Fish Emily – and crying when you went out to get cigarettes. But crying with happiness, I think?? I don’t know – it just stuck in my brain.
Yeah – that scene of celebration is just – knocked my socks off!!
Phenomenon is my favorite John Travolta movie, even more so than Grease, which is saying A LOT. And you can’t say enough about Kyra Sedgwick in it; she’s great.
I saw in the theatre by myself and I stayed until the credits were done and the lights came up because I was such a soggy weeping mess, I didn’t want anyone to see me.
I love Kyra. Love love love her.
Lace: I tried so hard not to love you.
George: How’d you make out?
Lace: Terrible.
George: Hey, would you, uh, love me the rest of my life?
Lace: No. I’m gonna love you for the rest of mine.
I know it’s cheesy as hell, but damn, it gets ya right. there.
Ok, here’s another one:
Robert (C Thomas Howell) goes mano-a-mano with a Soviet gunship in Red Dawn. “WOLVERINES!”
Man, Red Dawn was cool.
We had to explain to our 12-year-old, while making him watch Red Dawn, that the Russians used to be our ENEMIES, and that this moive was VERY RELEVANT in 1984.
He didn’t believe us, so we kicked him out of the living room and watched it without him.
Kids today.
“movie” not “moive”.
Smoove, Lisa.
Lisa, not only was it historically relevant, but it had SUPERFLY (Ron O’Neal) as the Cuban officer.
Now, that part isn’t exactly relevant, but it sure is cool.
…..also:
How about Drew Barrymore’s death in “Scream”?
Actually worthy of a 10 minute Oscar.
and Red Dawn??? BRILLIANT!
Oh shit, yeah. That whole scene was genius. The whole CONCEPT was genius.
Oops – my comment was about Drew Barrymore in Scream.
I’ve always been a fan of Drew – but the way she negotiated that scene for herself (“Sure, I’ll be in your movie, but here’s who I want to play …”) is pretty much WHY I like her, and why I think she’ll still be making pictures when she’s 80. Smart.
Absolutely. The great thing about that was through the whole first 20 minutes you NEVER think she’s going to die. I mean, she’s Drew Barrymore, it NEVER occurred to any of us that she might actually die.
And to die the way she did. Bleeding, gutted and whispering for her parents who are literally feet away from her. Brilliant.
A couple of obscure ones: Max’s wife and child in Mad Max, so disturbing in its senselessness.
John Clayton’s grandfather in Greystoke: the Legend of Tarzan, where he keeps putting the old man’s hand on his head.
How about BAD death scenes?
Bad death scene? Tom Hanks’ death in Saving Private Ryan. Badly written, poorly acted. And I love Tom Hanks, and I love Spielberg. But I literally rolled my eyes during the last 20 minutes of that film.
Explotive, contrived, didactic, yuk. Talk about not EARNING it… Hanks muttering, “Earn this”??? Or I should say: SCOLDING me to ‘earn this’. Well, the movie did not EARN my support. You have to EARN a death scene like that, you have to EARN my tears in the audience – don’t ASSUME it, don’t take it for granted. Earn it. Grrr. That movie sucked. Except for the first half-hour.
Oh, and back to good death scenes:
It might not be as dramatic as others – but in terms of audience-impact,the death of Debra Winger in Terms of Endearmnent packed a HUGE punch.
It also was very convincingly acted. It’s hard to keep your eyes open, and – as an actor – show the life draining out of someone. It’s easier to just die with your eyes closed. But Winger’s eyes are open, and you watch the life draining out … Very well done.
How about Wednesday and Pugsley in The Addams Family? Stage deaths, sure, but still…
Oh, and how about Gollum in Return of the King? That brief moment after he falls between the utter joy on his face of catching the ring and then realizing “oh shit, like I’m sinking in a pit of lava.”
Emily – hahahahahaha The Addams Family! With spurting blood at a school concert!
Barry Newman’s death in “Vanishing Point” (1971)
Not to get all “Bond” on you, but do you remember Diana Rigg’s sudden death and Bond’s denial in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service? He says to the stunned motorcycle cop: “She’s just having a rest, then we’ll be moving on. There’s no hurry, you see. We’ve got all the time in the world.” That always kills me.
Sheila,
The scene of Mellish being killed in the tower always reminds of something I read, I think in “On Killing” by Col Dave Grossman (sp?). The book is about the psychology of killing: what it takes to be able to do it (evidence that prior to modern training techniques, most people were not capable of it even in a combat situation), what kinds of techniques the military can use to make it easier for people to kill, and what effects it has upon the psyche. Great book.
Anyway, I think it was in that book that I read about someone describing what it was like to kill up close and personal. He described what it was like to kill someone with a knife, face to face. This soldier described moving in real close as his enemy was dying and breathing in the man’s last breath, stealing his life.
I don’t speak German, and I would love to know what the German soldier is saying to Mellish as he is killing him, but it also looks like he is moving close, breathing in the last breaths and stealing his life, taking it as his own.
On the whole Private Ryan thing, you and I will agree to disagree; it is one of my favorites because of the intensity.
Jay, I think he’s just hushing him, like a mother hushes a squalling baby…. “Shhhh, shhhh…” He practically sings Mellish to sleep, which is what makes it so horrible.
I always felt for the guy in the Dawn of the Dead, too. “Hey, I made it! It’s sunrise and I survived!”
I don’t like being lectured to by a movie. I thought Saving Private Ryan was a lecture, with a thin plot around the lecture. Nobody agrees with me on this one, so don’t feel bad about it – people get literally ANGRY with me about it – in the same way that people get angry when I talk about how much I despised (yes, despised) Forrest Gump. I didn’t despise Saving Prviate Ryan, I just found it contrived. Great film-making and that opening sequence has never been topped – and will never be topped, in my opinion. But the rest? Feh.
Nightfly – yeah, yeah, it was like he was soothing him as he was killing him. It was so intimate and awful. GOD!!!! Also, up until that moment – I held out hope that he would not die. Because I so rooted for him. I loved him shouting at the Nazi POWs: “JUDEN! i’m JUDEN!”
I can’t stand Goldberg, either, in general (sorry, guys – I’m a curmudgeon when it comes to this movie) but I did love him in Schindler’s List.
Also, I think it was the last time Tom Sizemore (a giant talent) had a decent part. What a flameout that guy had. It’s such a shame. I think he’s terrific.
The German was said “Give up, you don’t stand a chance! Let’s end this here, it will be easier for you like this!” before he stabbed him (according to IMDB). Then he makes those horrible hushing sounds right up close.
I went to the link. A few people in the comments discuss one of the most moving death scenes I ever saw–Richard Jaeckel in Sometimes a Great Notion, which is sometimes called Never Give an Inch. The commenters over there actually describe the death scene incorrectly, which is interesting because they say it is unforgettable. The movie is about a family of Northwest loggers–Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, Paul Newman, Michael Sarrazin(sp-?), and Jaeckel. Jaeckel has his legs trapped underwater by an enormous log. His head is still above water. While Sarrazin goes for help, his brother, Paul Newman, stays with him. After failing to free him, they decide they will wait until the tide comes in, let the log be lifted, and then free him. They agree that, if Jaeckel is trapped underwater, Newman will blow air into his mouth. Being brothers, they start to joke around about “practicing” beforehand to make sure it will work, and then laugh that someone will say they just wanted to kiss each other. The scene is tense, but filled with unspoken trust and love, which the brothers mask with humor. The tide starts to come in, and the log rolls over a bit. Jaeckel head goes under the water by about 3-4 inches. As they planned, Newman takes periodic breaths, and blows into his brother’s mouth. They are separated by only inches. Jaeckel’s character starts to smile, and then chuckle a bit as he looks at Newman. Newman tells him to stop screwing around, but Jaeckel is getting the giggles. In a completely heartbreaking turn, Jaeckel can’t stop himself–he starts to laugh, and swallows water. In a panic, Newman screams and tries to blow air into Jaeckel’s mouth, then tries to pull his body out from under the log. He is unsuccessful, and his brother drowns just inches below the surface. The first time I saw it, I was emotionally stunned in a way that doesn’t happen very often–a very moving scene.