Death Becomes Them: The Lads
September 20th 2007 21:02
There’s nothing like death to make a character memorable. Brutal, humorous, symbolic, poignant, perplexing or peaceful – when a protagonist (or antagonist) meets their maker, it’s more than likely they’ll make their audience sit up and notice. Or lie down and wail. Or laugh like a loon. Or cheer for the good egg. Or bellow at the bad egg…
Here are some marvellous dead ’uns:
(No spoilers for any 2007 films. Below are the fellows, tomorrow the ladies.)
William Wallace in Braveheart
“FREEDOM!” yells he, after he has been hanged, racked, castrated and disembowelled, and just before he is beheaded for high treason in the form of an unorthodox rebellion.
Bill in Kill Bill
The Bride overcomes her one-time mentor and lover in a conflict of emotions with the Five-Point-Palm Exploding Heart Technique, completing her epic tale of vengeance.
Hans Gruber in Die Hard
Adversary of John McClane, the man who never dies, Gruber, a German terrorist, falls to his death from the top of the Nakatomi Plaza, with a long, slow-mo close-up of his stricken face and flailing limbs.
Lester Burnham in American Beauty
Explores existentialism, among other things, as Lester narrates the story of his life from the other side. Lester appears to resolve his issues just moments before a revolver brings him face to face with the issues of someone else.
Bubba in Forrest Gump
In the process of trying to find his best friend in the jungles of Vietnam, Forrest Gump saves countless other soldiers, before finally coming across Bubba, who dies in his arms. Forrest later carries out Bubba’s dream of being a shrimp boat captain, and when he strikes it rich, gives a share to Bubba’s mother.
Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe (2006)
Something about this rings a bell… Could it be the myriad references to Christ? Yes, it well could be, since Aslan’s humiliation, sacrificial death and later resurrection are C.S. Lewis’ ideas of Jesus in fantasy land.
Phil Connors in Groundhog Day
He electrocutes himself, he jumps from a skyscraper, he tries anything to remove himself from the time cycle in which he is trapped. Fortunately, his suicides are only successful until 6am, when the day starts all over again.
Fernand Mondego in The Count of Monte Christo (2002)
Brotherly love turns to envy, confusion, spite and revenge, culminating in a battle between two former friends who must fight to the death.
Luke Jackson in Cool Hand Luke
The high-spirited rebel of the jailhouse turns serious and tries to escape from prison, where he is serving time for petty vandalism, after a malicious guard puts him in isolation so that he can’t attend his mother’s funeral. Several escapes later, and with his spirit almost broken, Luke goes to a church to pray. He’s soon surrounded, and after mocking the Captain, is shot in the throat and then denied treatment. He is thus condemned to death, but merely grins, in relief or triumph, or both.
Randall McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
He raised hell, refusing to submit to the system, until he was unjustly lobotomised. Rather than watch his once-spirited friend exist in undignified limbo, Chief suffocates him with his pillow before escaping to freedom.
John Merrick in The Elephant Man
Since the film is based on the real life of Joseph Merrick, his death is more heartrending than ever. Knowing his amazing but difficult life is coming to an end, John deliberately goes to sleep lying down, aware that doing such a thing will kill him.
Archie Hamilton in Gallipoli
A senseless death among so many others. This one could have been prevented but for a minute more. Freeze frame on Archie, head thrown back as his body is riddled with bullets.
Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption
Unable to escape his institutionalisation and make a life as a free man, the gentle old man takes his own life in a halfway house, hanging himself from a roof beam in which he had inscribed ‘Brooks was ere’.
Eduard Delacroix in The Green Mile
How could anyone forget this? I could almost smell his brain charring. One of the more likeable inmates, his execution is deliberately botched by a sadistic officer in order to cause as much pain and torment as possible.
Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense
In the cinema, everyone sighed with relief when, after Malcolm was shot, the scene shifted to show him walking down the street several months later. “Oh, he’s fine. He’s recovered”, we all muttered. Little did we know. And little did Malcolm know, for that matter.
Which bloke who croaked do you think was of note?
Michaelie Clark
Here are some marvellous dead ’uns:
(No spoilers for any 2007 films. Below are the fellows, tomorrow the ladies.)
William Wallace in Braveheart
“FREEDOM!” yells he, after he has been hanged, racked, castrated and disembowelled, and just before he is beheaded for high treason in the form of an unorthodox rebellion.
Mel Gibson as William Wallace. Courtesy of braveheart.biz
Bill in Kill Bill
The Bride overcomes her one-time mentor and lover in a conflict of emotions with the Five-Point-Palm Exploding Heart Technique, completing her epic tale of vengeance.
Hans Gruber in Die Hard
Adversary of John McClane, the man who never dies, Gruber, a German terrorist, falls to his death from the top of the Nakatomi Plaza, with a long, slow-mo close-up of his stricken face and flailing limbs.
Lester Burnham in American Beauty
Bubba in Forrest Gump
In the process of trying to find his best friend in the jungles of Vietnam, Forrest Gump saves countless other soldiers, before finally coming across Bubba, who dies in his arms. Forrest later carries out Bubba’s dream of being a shrimp boat captain, and when he strikes it rich, gives a share to Bubba’s mother.
Forrest and Bubba. Courtesy of klepsidra.net
Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe (2006)
Something about this rings a bell… Could it be the myriad references to Christ? Yes, it well could be, since Aslan’s humiliation, sacrificial death and later resurrection are C.S. Lewis’ ideas of Jesus in fantasy land.
Phil Connors in Groundhog Day
He electrocutes himself, he jumps from a skyscraper, he tries anything to remove himself from the time cycle in which he is trapped. Fortunately, his suicides are only successful until 6am, when the day starts all over again.
Fernand Mondego in The Count of Monte Christo (2002)
Brotherly love turns to envy, confusion, spite and revenge, culminating in a battle between two former friends who must fight to the death.
Luke Jackson in Cool Hand Luke
The high-spirited rebel of the jailhouse turns serious and tries to escape from prison, where he is serving time for petty vandalism, after a malicious guard puts him in isolation so that he can’t attend his mother’s funeral. Several escapes later, and with his spirit almost broken, Luke goes to a church to pray. He’s soon surrounded, and after mocking the Captain, is shot in the throat and then denied treatment. He is thus condemned to death, but merely grins, in relief or triumph, or both.
Randall McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
He raised hell, refusing to submit to the system, until he was unjustly lobotomised. Rather than watch his once-spirited friend exist in undignified limbo, Chief suffocates him with his pillow before escaping to freedom.
John Merrick in The Elephant Man
Since the film is based on the real life of Joseph Merrick, his death is more heartrending than ever. Knowing his amazing but difficult life is coming to an end, John deliberately goes to sleep lying down, aware that doing such a thing will kill him.
John Hurt in The Elephant Man. Courtesy of filmreference.com
Archie Hamilton in Gallipoli
A senseless death among so many others. This one could have been prevented but for a minute more. Freeze frame on Archie, head thrown back as his body is riddled with bullets.
Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption
Unable to escape his institutionalisation and make a life as a free man, the gentle old man takes his own life in a halfway house, hanging himself from a roof beam in which he had inscribed ‘Brooks was ere’.
Eduard Delacroix in The Green Mile
How could anyone forget this? I could almost smell his brain charring. One of the more likeable inmates, his execution is deliberately botched by a sadistic officer in order to cause as much pain and torment as possible.
Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense
In the cinema, everyone sighed with relief when, after Malcolm was shot, the scene shifted to show him walking down the street several months later. “Oh, he’s fine. He’s recovered”, we all muttered. Little did we know. And little did Malcolm know, for that matter.
Which bloke who croaked do you think was of note?
Michaelie Clark
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Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
Comment by Aimzster
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
First Time Mum
Nothing more stirring than a gladiator dying in the middle of the coliseum with thousands of spectators. *sigh* I've seen that movie so many times and everytime one of the senators ask, "Who will help me carry him?" and everyone surges forward, I well up. Oops. There I go again.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I know the book won a Pulitzer, but I haven't seen the movie. Have made a note of it.
Thanks for sharing! Lol.
Michaelie
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
I should go and watch this again. I didn't take to it the first time, but that probably had more to do with the fact that I was busy flirting with teenage boys in the theatre than anything else. Actually, maybe it did affect me... Lol.
Thanks!
Michaelie
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
Comment by Anonymous
Scortty
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A few of mine-
Donnie Darko - do I need to say why?
Spartacus - Kirk and co crucify
To Live and Die in LA - Willl Petersen surprised in a locker room
Jacob's Ladder - Forget the predictable Sixth Sense, Tim Robbins time is memorable and a head screw to boot
Sid and Nancy - When Oldman goes it breaks my heart
The Godfather - Brando dances with oranges and Luca Brazi swims with the fishes
Rebel Without a cause - Sal Mineo it was a toy gun
Night of the Hunter - Mitchum as the twisted priest goes out wailing
Bubba Ho tep - When the King dies a second time I found it harder than in real life, he went out fighting
Dead Man - Depp floats away
Butch and Sundance - newman and Redford go out with class
The Wild Bunch - Standing there ground, out of there time
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Especially Dead Man and Jack the Ripper.
Michaelie