Monday, November 16, 2009

Monday Movie Meme: To Die For


Last week we talked about movies that changed our life (yeah, I missed that one--it was a long and busy day at work). So this week we're doing a 180 and talking about death. No -- not movies that scared us to death or about mourning. We mean those memorable death scenes. If you've ever seen HBO's Six Feet Under (I haven't), you know that each episode opened with the death scene of a person soon to be taken care of at the family's funeral home. The writers got pretty creative, coming up with interesting ways for characters to die each week. Movies of all kinds provide death scenes of all shapes and sizes. Humorous, horrifying, tear jearking, realistic and ridiculous. Here are a few that stood out for us. WARNING!!! It is impossible for [some of] these not to be spoiler-free. Share on your blog scenes depicting death and link back at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants to find their recommendations!


I was surprised at how many movies came to mind for this topic, maybe not for the unusual ways in which people die as The Bumbles did, but movies that had some memorable deaths all the same. I'll be kind and limit this to the top five on my list, and try to keep it spoiler-free.

* Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) -- Sure, a heart attack at a wedding isn't the greatest way to go, but how dry were your eyes when the beloved scoundrel, Gareth, died living life as he did every day--to the fullest? That part of the movie gets me every time. *Sniff*

* The Untouchables (1987) -- Not just one great death scene, but a couple. Men going down fighting, guns blazing, for what they believed in.

* Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) -- This is one of my all-time favorite movies. Two elderly spinsters poison their gentlemen callers. Just how many bodies are there? This is screwball comedy at its best!

* Phenomenon (1996) -- I dare you not to reach for the Kleenex before it's over.

* Dead Again (1991) -- Scissors can be lethal, especially for Kenneth Branagh. Having just taken a film crit class before seeing this probably made a huge difference in how I viewed it -- I was blown away by the writing, directing and use of motif. Excellent film!


7 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

You've got me on Phenomenon. I don't like to admit to tears at a movie, but this was one of those scenes where you just couldn't help it.

Heather said...

*Passes Sandy the tissue*

Wasn't that a tear jerker?!

kayerj said...

The only one I've seen is Arsenic and old lace--that was an interesting movie! I'll have to check out the others.

The Bumbles said...

Now I have not seen Arsenic & Old Lace - I love a good classic screwball!

Heather said...

Kaye - "Interesting" is certainly one way to describe it. Definitely has an interesting cast of characters, lol.

Molly - *Gasp* How can a movie officienado such as yourself NOT have seen A&OL? It's one of my favroite Cary Grant movies.

Alice Audrey said...

I haven't seen the movie version of Arsenic and Old Lace, but I've seen the play version a couple of times. I always laugh myself silly.

Heather said...

I've never seen the stage version, but the movie always makes me laugh, even though I know what's coming. *G*