This Is the END
Posted: February 9th, 2014, 2:40 am
Ha.. no.. this thread is NOT about James Bond or Skyfall. (but I do love the song.. and the movie ) So what IS THE topic of my thread, you ask??? Well.. for lack of a better word.. DEATH! Or more specifically your favorite death SCENES in your favorite movies. (and what makes them your favorite, if I may be so bold as to ask.) Now.. before I go ANY further.. please make note of the fact that this ENTIRE post is going to have spoilers.. nothing but spoilers. ha. I cannot possibly talk about the ultimate ending for some of the characters I am going to bring up here without giving away what happens to them.. so read on at your own risk. (if you dare, ha)
Now I confess.. this is NOT a topic I sit around and gab and blab about all that much. Most of the time, it is a subject folks tend to shy away from, I admit. So by now you may be asking yourself GOOD Gravy.. what in the world would make her pick THIS topic to post about HERE.. but, ha, you can blame it on Gone with the Wind. (who knew?) Because I was watching it the other night and of course I utterly fell apart as usual... (sigh.. sniff.. sob) right at the part where Melanie dies.
And as I sat there bawling my eyes out.. ha, I muttered under my breath (in between tearful sobs) "Aw, Mellie.. you are just too good for this world" which then led me to think on yet ANOTHER beloved movie character whom I have always felt the same way about.. sweet little Beth March. I don't care WHAT version of that movie I watch.. she is just such a dear little soul, and she breaks my heart each and every time... alas.
I mean come on now.. WHAT was Louisa May Alcott THINKING???? What a precious, beautiful, utterly PERFECT child.. and then, she was gone. (AGH! don't get me started) But of course.. then Jo writes her book, and the rest of the story all falls into place, so OK.. now I know. (but STILL!! ha)
Which THEN led my brain to have a little "chain reaction" on the topic of movie characters and the ways (and reasons) they die.It might be a murder, could be an accident, or unexpected illness. They might even just have lived to a ripe ole age and passed peacefully in their sleep. But whatever the reason.. just as in real life, when a movie character dies, It can (and usually does) totally change the direction of a story by leading one or more of the characters to act (or react) in some specific way they may not have otherwise. It might only be a passing moment in the plot that leads into some other portion of the story.. OR it can even (and often does) wrap up the end of the movie in one fell swoop. But whatever the cause, whenever the moment, can there be anything more "attention getting" in a plot, than when one of the characters dies? OH the tragedy.. or IS it a tragedy? (sometimes it can be a cause for celebration!) And as I sat and pondered it all, I came up with 5 basic categories for death of a movie character in a story:
1) Too Good For This World. (such as the aforementioned Beth and Miss Mellie) These are the characters who just literally break your heart. Someone so sweet, so innocent.. so good at heart and filled with human kindness. Be they young or old.. they will leave you aksing, "Oh WHY did that good hearted soul have to die??"
2) Too ROTTEN For This World (does the name LIBERTY VALENCE ring a bell??) Another good name for this category would be "Just Desserts".. because these are the guys who get what they deserve. (OH boy do they) and by the time they go down.. everyone is cheering. (or in the case of poor Liberty.. the peasants start dancing in the streets!! Literally!)
Here is another Ha..and again.. it is NEVER a good sign when folks start singing and dancing or celebrating after you die.. but HEY.. Everybody sing because, Ding dong the witch is DEAD!!
[youtube][/youtube]
3) Ultimate Sacrifice These are the guys (or gals) who give the last measure of devotion.. pay the highest price for the greater good. You see this theme a lot in movie westerns.. or military movies, especially. And these are the stories where you know the heroes are making a conscious choice.. they are giving their all, because after all (to quote Mr. Spock.. OR Captain Kirk.. depending on which Star Trek movie you are watching) "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.. or the one".
One of the BEST examples I can think of in a movie for this would be Gunga Din:
What a wonderful moment.. when he makes it to the top and blows that horn for all he's worth. (even for a moment) Now THAT was a great way to go. (at least in the movies, anyway)
4)Tragic Hero/Heroine You know.. someone who is so full of life.. and then, whammo. (Such as my sweet Ednam May Oliver in Drums Along the Mohawk) Or perhaps.. THIS guy.)
Oh me.. when that sweet little Pvt Winkie starts singing.. utter heartbreak ensues) I guess what I am saying.. these are the tragic, unexpected deaths that just take you by surprise.
Or maybe, in a completely different (yet equally tragic) note, the 'hero/ herione" is someone who has sadly contracted some horrid illness and is not long for this world, and must face the end with stoical resignation and dignity (ala Bette Davis in Dark Victory) When she realizes the end was near.. what a moment of decision for her character. No panic.. no crumbling. The way she just finishes everything up, as she says goodbye (without saying goodbye) and then goes upstairs, kneels to pray for a moment before she lays down on the bed.. a then that's it. Just a calm, prepared, and "ready to meet her maker" kinda "Victory" indeed.
5)The Repentant Bad Guy OH how I love this one. Repentance is perhaps one of my most favorite movie "themes' ever.. and I LOVE a good "repentant" bad guy moment.. even if it only comes just at the very end of his story. Again, there are a lot of really good examples to be found In a variety of westerns, and other genres too but ha.. (who knew?) one of the BEST for me has to be from Science Fiction.. (no kidding) in the character of Darth Vader.
I mean.. THINK about it. Here he is.. the DARK villain all throughout the entire series (at least the three original movies) going about causing mayhem and death and destruction with every raspy, mechanical breath he takes. And then.. it gets personal. In the end of it all.. he cannot deny his love for his own son. And he realizes that he is NOT so much a servant (or prisoner) to the Dark Side. "Luke... you were right about me. Tell your sister you were right. " OH me... what a moment.
So there you have it.. these were the five examples I came up with to fit the "types" of deaths I see so often in the stories I enjoy. And as I sat thinking about all five of my "categories", feeling quite self satisfied and rather pleased with myself, I realized I had only scratched the surface. Because, as sometimes happens with "mental chain reactions", I began to see even MORE scenarios.. MORE "types" and reasons for dying (in a movie) than just these few I have mentioned here. And I confess that NOW my categories may be just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, after further pondering.. I am convinced there are a lot MORE examples of different 'types" of movie deaths to be found out there. Some may even be a mixture of two or more of the five reasons I have already listed.. but I bet if we sat and thought harder.. we could come up with a lot of variations, leading me to feel the need to redefine my list again, and again (as chain reactions go, ha.)
I mean.. take a look at THIS clip.. there are folks dying all over the place.. each one perhaps for a different reason.
[youtube][/youtube]
Madness indeed!!! And yet.. each one of the characters meets a very fitting end, and perhaps in part for one of the five reasons I have listed already.. but I don't think they are so cut and dried as some of the ones I have already mentioned.. perhaps. So there is likely MUCH more to it than all that.
So OK.. enough of this gloom and doom and tragedy. Ha. This is the END (at least for now. ha) But I will just finish by asking YOU.. what IS the "meaning of Death" in a movie?? ha. What is it that gets YOUR attention when a beloved(or detested) movie character... you know.. dies (or goes off into the sunset.. buys the farm.. kicks the bucket.. bites the big one. WHATEVER you want to call it. ha.)
I hope you'll feel free to chime in and share your favorite movie "demise" moments and what it is that makes them your favorite. (and PLEASE feel free to add to my categories too, if you have a new spin on it) Inquiring minds wanna know.
In the meantime, please excuse me as I observe a moment of silence for all my many "long lost" movie character friends.. as I sit here and try and figure all this out, ha.
Now I confess.. this is NOT a topic I sit around and gab and blab about all that much. Most of the time, it is a subject folks tend to shy away from, I admit. So by now you may be asking yourself GOOD Gravy.. what in the world would make her pick THIS topic to post about HERE.. but, ha, you can blame it on Gone with the Wind. (who knew?) Because I was watching it the other night and of course I utterly fell apart as usual... (sigh.. sniff.. sob) right at the part where Melanie dies.
And as I sat there bawling my eyes out.. ha, I muttered under my breath (in between tearful sobs) "Aw, Mellie.. you are just too good for this world" which then led me to think on yet ANOTHER beloved movie character whom I have always felt the same way about.. sweet little Beth March. I don't care WHAT version of that movie I watch.. she is just such a dear little soul, and she breaks my heart each and every time... alas.
I mean come on now.. WHAT was Louisa May Alcott THINKING???? What a precious, beautiful, utterly PERFECT child.. and then, she was gone. (AGH! don't get me started) But of course.. then Jo writes her book, and the rest of the story all falls into place, so OK.. now I know. (but STILL!! ha)
Which THEN led my brain to have a little "chain reaction" on the topic of movie characters and the ways (and reasons) they die.It might be a murder, could be an accident, or unexpected illness. They might even just have lived to a ripe ole age and passed peacefully in their sleep. But whatever the reason.. just as in real life, when a movie character dies, It can (and usually does) totally change the direction of a story by leading one or more of the characters to act (or react) in some specific way they may not have otherwise. It might only be a passing moment in the plot that leads into some other portion of the story.. OR it can even (and often does) wrap up the end of the movie in one fell swoop. But whatever the cause, whenever the moment, can there be anything more "attention getting" in a plot, than when one of the characters dies? OH the tragedy.. or IS it a tragedy? (sometimes it can be a cause for celebration!) And as I sat and pondered it all, I came up with 5 basic categories for death of a movie character in a story:
1) Too Good For This World. (such as the aforementioned Beth and Miss Mellie) These are the characters who just literally break your heart. Someone so sweet, so innocent.. so good at heart and filled with human kindness. Be they young or old.. they will leave you aksing, "Oh WHY did that good hearted soul have to die??"
2) Too ROTTEN For This World (does the name LIBERTY VALENCE ring a bell??) Another good name for this category would be "Just Desserts".. because these are the guys who get what they deserve. (OH boy do they) and by the time they go down.. everyone is cheering. (or in the case of poor Liberty.. the peasants start dancing in the streets!! Literally!)
Here is another Ha..and again.. it is NEVER a good sign when folks start singing and dancing or celebrating after you die.. but HEY.. Everybody sing because, Ding dong the witch is DEAD!!
[youtube][/youtube]
3) Ultimate Sacrifice These are the guys (or gals) who give the last measure of devotion.. pay the highest price for the greater good. You see this theme a lot in movie westerns.. or military movies, especially. And these are the stories where you know the heroes are making a conscious choice.. they are giving their all, because after all (to quote Mr. Spock.. OR Captain Kirk.. depending on which Star Trek movie you are watching) "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.. or the one".
One of the BEST examples I can think of in a movie for this would be Gunga Din:
What a wonderful moment.. when he makes it to the top and blows that horn for all he's worth. (even for a moment) Now THAT was a great way to go. (at least in the movies, anyway)
4)Tragic Hero/Heroine You know.. someone who is so full of life.. and then, whammo. (Such as my sweet Ednam May Oliver in Drums Along the Mohawk) Or perhaps.. THIS guy.)
Oh me.. when that sweet little Pvt Winkie starts singing.. utter heartbreak ensues) I guess what I am saying.. these are the tragic, unexpected deaths that just take you by surprise.
Or maybe, in a completely different (yet equally tragic) note, the 'hero/ herione" is someone who has sadly contracted some horrid illness and is not long for this world, and must face the end with stoical resignation and dignity (ala Bette Davis in Dark Victory) When she realizes the end was near.. what a moment of decision for her character. No panic.. no crumbling. The way she just finishes everything up, as she says goodbye (without saying goodbye) and then goes upstairs, kneels to pray for a moment before she lays down on the bed.. a then that's it. Just a calm, prepared, and "ready to meet her maker" kinda "Victory" indeed.
5)The Repentant Bad Guy OH how I love this one. Repentance is perhaps one of my most favorite movie "themes' ever.. and I LOVE a good "repentant" bad guy moment.. even if it only comes just at the very end of his story. Again, there are a lot of really good examples to be found In a variety of westerns, and other genres too but ha.. (who knew?) one of the BEST for me has to be from Science Fiction.. (no kidding) in the character of Darth Vader.
I mean.. THINK about it. Here he is.. the DARK villain all throughout the entire series (at least the three original movies) going about causing mayhem and death and destruction with every raspy, mechanical breath he takes. And then.. it gets personal. In the end of it all.. he cannot deny his love for his own son. And he realizes that he is NOT so much a servant (or prisoner) to the Dark Side. "Luke... you were right about me. Tell your sister you were right. " OH me... what a moment.
So there you have it.. these were the five examples I came up with to fit the "types" of deaths I see so often in the stories I enjoy. And as I sat thinking about all five of my "categories", feeling quite self satisfied and rather pleased with myself, I realized I had only scratched the surface. Because, as sometimes happens with "mental chain reactions", I began to see even MORE scenarios.. MORE "types" and reasons for dying (in a movie) than just these few I have mentioned here. And I confess that NOW my categories may be just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, after further pondering.. I am convinced there are a lot MORE examples of different 'types" of movie deaths to be found out there. Some may even be a mixture of two or more of the five reasons I have already listed.. but I bet if we sat and thought harder.. we could come up with a lot of variations, leading me to feel the need to redefine my list again, and again (as chain reactions go, ha.)
I mean.. take a look at THIS clip.. there are folks dying all over the place.. each one perhaps for a different reason.
[youtube][/youtube]
Madness indeed!!! And yet.. each one of the characters meets a very fitting end, and perhaps in part for one of the five reasons I have listed already.. but I don't think they are so cut and dried as some of the ones I have already mentioned.. perhaps. So there is likely MUCH more to it than all that.
So OK.. enough of this gloom and doom and tragedy. Ha. This is the END (at least for now. ha) But I will just finish by asking YOU.. what IS the "meaning of Death" in a movie?? ha. What is it that gets YOUR attention when a beloved(or detested) movie character... you know.. dies (or goes off into the sunset.. buys the farm.. kicks the bucket.. bites the big one. WHATEVER you want to call it. ha.)
I hope you'll feel free to chime in and share your favorite movie "demise" moments and what it is that makes them your favorite. (and PLEASE feel free to add to my categories too, if you have a new spin on it) Inquiring minds wanna know.
In the meantime, please excuse me as I observe a moment of silence for all my many "long lost" movie character friends.. as I sit here and try and figure all this out, ha.