Life and death pretty much go hand in hand. In our reality you can't have one without the other. Art imitates both in the same fashion. Great movies are the ones that pull us in and then drop a bomb on us when a character we've invested time in gets offed in a surprising fashion. There has been plenty of bloodshed on the silver screen, but there are few deaths which stay with you long after the movie is over. I'm not talking about the “cool” way a guy blew up or how stylish a murder was in some horror movie. (That'll come later.) I'm taking about those moments of death that stand out on their own and sometimes become a part of your psyche. Many of these onscreen deaths are so powerful, that individual frames from them are immediately recognizable. Call me sick or morbid, but what's fascinating about celluloid is that these staged death scenes are frozen in time and can be analyzed and replayed over and over. Here are just a few deaths in movies that haunted me over the years and in my opinion still maintain their dramatic power.
Beauty kills the beast in 'KING KONG' (1933)
I didn't much care for Peter Jackson's remake of this classic picture, but the artistry that went into his digital ape was incredible. I even felt emotion for the CGI Kong when we saw the light fade from his eyes just before he plummeted to his death. Even though Jackson's Kong was photo-realistic, it pales in comparison to Willis O'Brien's groundbreaking stop-motion creation. Here was an artificial character that had so much personality and was just misunderstood. This poor guy was taken from an island where he was worshiped, held in captivity to be made a public attraction and escapes only to be shot down while trying to protect the woman he loves. That line, “it was beauty that killed the beast” does seem kind of lame today, but O'Brien's animation brought across the character's emotions that he was not only suffering from bullet wounds, but a broken heart.
Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes in 'THE GODFATHER' (1972)
Luca Brasi (Lenny Montana) is first introduced as “that strange man talking to himself” in 'The Godfather', but it is soon revealed that he is Don Corleone's enforcer and is greatly feared in the criminal underworld. Ambitious gangster Sollozzo (Al Letieri) is smart enough to know that Luca would never betray the Don and has only sent him for a meeting to infiltrate his organization. Before the meeting can even get started poor Luca is surprised by a knife through his hand and a cord strangling his neck. This is the first death in this film and a real shock to the viewer as well as poor Luca. Montana was a former wrestler and had become a master at controlling his muscles to tense them in a such a way that he would look like he was being garroted. Not long after Sonny and the gang begin to question Luca's disappearance do they get the Sicilian message that “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.” Speaking of Sonny...
“They shot Sonny on the Causeway”
Seeing a character get “ventilated” has become old hat today, but back in the late sixties and early seventies, Hollywood was perfecting the art form. Poor Sonny (James Caan) made the innocent mistake of falling for his brother-in-law's abusive outburst towards his sister Connie as a ploy to get him out of the house and away from protection. With the mob war in full swing, it was only a matter of time before the rivals of the Corleone's caught up with him. A funny story is that the guy who applied Caan's f/x make-up for this scene told him “I've never applied so many squibs on somebody in my life.”
Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker get ambushed in 'BONNIE AND CLYDE' (1967)
Warren Beatty is notorious for getting killed in all his movies, so it should have been no surprise when he took the lead in this film about the Barrow gang as well as produced it. The film romanticized the exploits of the couple in love who made history with their notorious bank robberies during the Great Depression. Clyde Barrow (Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) felt nearly invincible, but the law caught up with them when the father of their dimwitted accomplice C.W. Moss (Michael J. Pollard) struck a deal with the authorities to lead them into an ambush in exchange for a lenient jail sentence for his son. The police didn't show any leniency towards Bonnie and Clyde though when they riddled their bodies full of bullets
Tony Montana's “little friend” can't save him in 'SCARFACE' (1983)
There's little I can say about this scene except that it's one of the most iconic screen deaths in history. When someone shouts “say hello to my little friend” you know exactly what they're referring to whether you've seen 'Scarface' or not. The film may have represented the American dream realized by an immigrant and an underdog, but it was also misinterpreted. Many real life individuals who have embraced that life, see this as a cool “way to go” should they meet their end. There's nothing cool about dying and what many fail to realize is that 'Scarface' is a cautionary tale. You reap what you sow. Despite the underlying message, it is a well made film, with one of the best climaxes in movie history.
Cody Jarret makes it to the “top o' the world” in 'WHITE HEAT' (1949)
Before Tony Montana, gangsters, real gangsters idolized James Cagney. A deranged gang leader who was overly attached to his mother, Jarret was so dirty that when a captive being held in the trunk of his car complains of needing some air, he creates some air holes by emptying the gun into the trunk while chewing on a chicken leg. After a successful jailbreak, Jarret doesn't realize that the fellow convict who broke him out is actually undercover US Treasury agent Hank Fallon (Edmund O'Brien). His main task is to find the “Trader”, a fence who launders stolen money for Jarret, but when his identity is discovered in the third act, it leads to a shootout with the police. Escaping to a giant gas storage tank, Jarret refuses to be taken alive and ignites the tank screaming “Made it ma! Top o' the world.” Even back in 1949, actors like Cagney glorified going out in a blaze of glory, but as Fallon comments just before the credits, “He finally made it to the top of the world and it blew up in his face!”
The late Tupac Shakur idolized this scene in Ernest Dickerson't debut film 'Juice' but thankfully Cagney's words didn't catch on.
Bambi's mom gets shot 'BAMBI' (1942)
Bambi starts off as an engaging family feature with the birth of the main character and his developing friendships with Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk. Not long into the picture, the story takes a dark and dramatic turn when Bambi and his mother discover a new patch of grass to eat in the meadow. Bambi's mother always warned him of the dangers of man and he learns first hand, when she tells him to run to safety only to fail to reach safety herself. Waiting for her to return, Bambi wanders the forest only to be confronted by his father who reveals “your mother can't be with you anymore.”
Walt Disney may have been a pioneer in animation, but he also had a knack for crafting stories that could dazzle as well as reach mature heights. In short, many of the situations and themes running through his films could scare the sh*t out of children. I still get creeped out by the children transforming into donkeys in 'Pinocchio'. Paul McCartney actually credited the death of Bambi's mother for his initial interest in animal rights. This is most definitely a powerful scene not just because of her shocking death, but the fact that it occurs off camera.
Belloq and the Nazis meet the wrath of God in 'RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK' (1981)
Like Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) told Indy (Harrison Ford), “death has always surrounded it (the Ark)”. It is not of this Earth.” Tell that to an ambitious French archeologist, a Nazi colonel and his henchman who desperately want to see what's inside of the Ark of the Covenant. If Belloq had done his research like Indy, he would have known that those stone tablets called the Ten Commandments were smashed upon the mountain in anger by Moses when he discovered the people defiling themselves. It's fragments are all that remains within the Ark in the form of dust. Except that also within the Ark are divine powers which will eradicate all that look upon them. “It's beautiful”, Belloq (Paul Freeman) shouts as he sees an attractive specter emerge from the sacred chest only to turn into the face of death and wipe them all from the face of the earth. They should have closed their eyes like Indy and Marion (Karen Allen), but instead ended up with a shrunken head like Col. Dietrich (Wolf Kahler), melting like Toht (Ronald Lacey) or exploding into nothing like Belloq.
Happy trails Hans Gruber in 'DIE HARD'(1988)
'Die Hard' may have started the trend of the claustrophobic action thriller, with just about every subsequent movie over the next decade being “Die Hard on a _____”, but it also had a tightly written story as well as some impressive visual effects. Though the infamous Fox Plaza in Los Angeles stood in for the fictional Nakatomi Building, much of the explosive story was set on soundstages and miniature models. One of the reasons the film was nominated for a best visual effects Oscar was the climatic death of thief masquerading as terrorist Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). Just when he thinks he's about to finally eliminate John McClane (Bruce Willis), the thorn that has been in his side for the entire picture, McClane outsmarts Gruber with a well-hidden gun, eliminating his henchman in a bid to rescue his hostage wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). Only Hans isn't ready to die alone and after taking a bullet, crashes through the window on the thirtieth floor attempting to take Holly with him. The only thing keeping Hans' grip on Holly's wrist is her watchband and when McClane finally breaks that off we get to see Hans plunge thirty floors in perfect slow-motion. “Happy trails Hans”. Not to worry, he'll be back to kill Dumbledore soon. (Oops, sorry 'bout that!)
Quint gets eaten in 'JAWS' (1975)
What can I say? Robert Shaw had a great death scene in this film as a shark hunter who ultimately gets eaten by his prey. At this point in the film, it's only been a short time since Quint gave his legendary monologue about surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis in WWII only to see hundreds of fellow crewmen get eaten by sharks. Looks like he'll be seeing those guys real soon.
Butch and Sundance really “in trouble” in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
It's a shame Newman and Redford never got to make one last project together as they hoped to for many years, but this film as well as 'The Sting' illustrated what an incredible duo they made. Their final stand here is interesting because we never see their deaths and the picture ends with a freeze frame sepia tone shot. “For a moment there, I thought we were in trouble,” Butch tells Sundance, unaware that one hundred Bolivian army soldiers have surrounded the small house where they are taking refuge. It's a memorable scene because we've been following these two outlaws for nearly two hours and desperately want them to get away. Even the best of thieves can only run for so long.
Roy Batty saves a life at the end of his own in 'BLADE RUNNER'' (1982)
There have been few villains like Rutger Hauer's Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's 'Blade Runner.' For starters, he's not a villain, just one of four replicants (or six depending on how you look at it) in the year 2019 who seek out their creator in the hopes of extending their four-year lifespan. After losing three of his friends to the 'Blade Runner” cop Deckard (Harrison Ford), Roy turns the tables and makes the hunter become the hunted. He's just murdered his billionaire creator Dr Tyrell (Joe Turkell) and learned there is no way to extend his life without killing him. Roy has nothing to lose and plans on taking delight in chasing Deckard through a rotting apartment building and eventually killing him. Only when Deckard is literally holding on to his life by his fingertips, does Roy begin to appreciate existence and what it means. He surprises Deckard and even himself by pulling the man to safety only to recall the greatest memories of his life and eventually embracing death. Harrison Ford appropriately looked exhausted at the end of this scene (because he was), but Hauer gives one of cinema's most powerful monologues. “All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
Jill Masterson "gets the kiss of death from Mister" GOLDFINGER (1964)
This has become one of the most iconic images in film history. You don't even have to have seen the movie to know where this image is from. As an employee of Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe), poor Jill (Shirley Eaton) made the mistake of falling for James Bond's (Sean Connery) charms and helping him foil Goldfinger's attempt to cheat at a game of gin rummy. Goldfinger is so diabolical that he can't let a thing like this go, even though he's a millionaire cheating at a game of gin! After sleeping with Jill, Bond is knocked unconscious only to awaken and discover the girl is dead in his bed. Only she hasn't been shot or stabbed, but killed by epidermal suffocation with a layer of gold paint applied to her body by Goldfinger's enforcer Oddjob (Harold Sakata). Such a waste of such a beautiful girl, but not to worry, both Oddjob and Golfinger get their comeuppance in the end.
A sniper "gets" Carter in 'GET CARTER' (1971)
This ending pisses me off, yet it made the movie and I'll always love it. Newcastle-born gangster Jack Carter (Michael Caine) has returned from London to find out who was responsible for the death of his brother Frank. His rampage and quest for revenge not only threatens to expose a porn ring, but makes waves with the mob who put a contract out on Carter. Though he is supposed to be the hero, Caine's Jack Carter is a bastard with brutal tactics including murdering a prostitute by heroin injection. He eventually gets his man and as he hangs it all up by tossing his gun in the sea, a hitman sniper dispatches him putting a bullet in his head. This also illustrated the “you reap what you sow” theme and unlike the terrible Stallone remake (in which Caine also appeared) had the guts to have a downbeat ending.
“Let's Go!!” THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
When 'The Wild Bunch' first premiered in 1969, it shocked so many that the film was trimmed of footage that wouldn't be seen for almost thirty years. Sam Peckinpaugh not only knew how to make down and dirty realistic films filled with grit, but he wasn't squeamish when it came to violence. The bloodshed and gunplay in his films may seem like old hat to a John Woo fan, but where do you think Woo got his inspiration from? As a gang of aging, dirty outlaws taking refuge in Mexico, the film concludes with the Bunch doing something decent in their lives and walking in the stronghold of a corrupt Mexican General to free one of their own and greet death. William Holden's Pike Bishop said the simple words “let's go” to comrades Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine) and brothers Lyle and Tector Gorch (Warren Oates & Ben Johnson) who all knew they were about to meet a bitter end.
These men initially didn't trust each other, but they give in to their consciences to rescue their friend Angel (Jaime Sanchez) and wind up becoming legends amongst the Mexican people who are on the verge of revolution. Talk about going out with a bang. Just about every character engaging in this shootout is killed, with Tector, Lyle and Dutch receiving their share of bullets and Pike getting shot in the back by a young Mexican kid while manning the Gatling gun. "Give 'em hell Pike!"
Optimus Prime "becomes one with the matrix" in TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE (1986)
I have to tell you, this was a lot for an 11-year-old kid to digest back in 1986. For one thing, I was excited to see my TV and toy heroes on the big screen. I was completely unaware of the shock that was to come which involved their brutal deaths. It was bad enough seeing many of my favorite Autobot characters die in the opening sequence, but now Optimus Prime? All because stupid Judd Nelson, I mean Hot Rod had to accidentally help Megatron gain the upper hand in his final battle with Optimus. After all the battles he's fought how could Optimus go out like this and even turn gray after in death?
Still, despite these depressing developments, at the time, I thought it was a bold dramatic story choice for the writers. Little did I know until a dvd interview twenty years later that these characters were not killed off for dramatic reasons, but to make way for Hasbro's new Transformers toy line! Talk about stabbing kids in the heart.
Messala gets trampled in BEN-HUR (1959)
I don't care what anyone says, but this movie features perhaps the greatest action scene on film. I'm sure what they did with this great chariot race could be made to look more realistic today with CGI, but back in 1959 they did it with blood and sweat. The impressive camera angles and expert film editing only heightened the drama of an action scene that was the extension of emotion between two childhood friends who had become bitter enemies. Today, some goof on the film's homosexual undetone not realizing that the suggestion of a “lover's quarrel” between the two leads was intended by the writers.
Roman Tribune Messala (Stephen Boyd) returns to Jerusalem to find his childhood friend Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Charleton Heston) does not share his political views. The vengeful Messala takes advantage of a misunderstanding and condemns Judah to the galleys and sends his mother and sister to prison. By a twist of fate, galley slave Judah saves the life of a Roman fleet commander who in turn makes him his adopted son and heir. With regained freedom and wealth, Judah becomes a famous charioteer and returns to Judea to face Messala in a deadly chariot race. Messala's overconfidence is his weakness and even though he cheats in the race by trying to whip Judah or use the deadly blades on the wheels of his “Greek chariot” they become his undoing and he ends up getting trampled before confronting his childhood friend one last time. Man, this was brutal for even 1959, but is a great payoff to a legendary action scene.
Kane 'gives birth' in 'ALIEN' (1979)
You've seen this sequence, come on. It was even parodied in Mel Brooks' 'Spaceballs' with John Hurt recreating his role of doomed astronaut Kane. What's interesting is that the actors had no idea what they were in store for when they shot this sequence. I'm sure it was divided into two segments, before and after Hurt was laid on the dining room table with a prosthetic alien ready to burst from his chest, but the surprise you see on the faces of the actors is real, particularly Veronica Cartwright who got a face full of blood. I love how this is initially set up as a boring dinner scene with Carter (Yaphet Kotto) speaking of being in the mood to eat something different and winking at Lambert (Cartwright).
Spock doesn't live long and prosper in 'STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN' (1982)
It was one of the most shocking moments in sci-fi as Spock realizes that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few (or the one)" and exposes himself to radiation in order to repair the Enterprise's warp engines so that the crew can escape "the wrath of Khan". To him the choice is logical, but for his friend Jim Kirk, it's the first time he's really faced death and with the loss of Spock he also loses a part of himself. "I have been and always shall be your friend," he says to Kirk in parting. Don't worry, in the Star Trek universe, people have a habit of coming back. Speaking of resurrection:
Gandalf the Grey fights the Balrog in 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' (2001 & 2002)
Who says a wizard over a thousand years old still can't kick some ass? Gandalf may have fell from the bridge of Khazad Doom , but that didn't stop him from going after the Balrog and whupping it's butt some more. He not only managed to finally defeat his foe atop Durin's Tower, but be resurrected after his death. Kinda like another wizard we know.
Obi-Wan's disappearing act in 'STAR WARS' (1977)
Doesn't really hold up that much now, but at the time, I wondered just why did Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) sacrifice himself and where the hell did he go? Even Darth Vader is a little confused as he steps on his cloak to find no dead body inside, but as we all know, Obi-Wan became one with the Force and will soon be heard by Luke through the magic of voice-over.
Gee, why does that image of Obi-Wan's cloak remind me of another film?
The Wicked Witch of the West gets wet in 'THE WIZARD OF OZ' (1939)
Some people are afraid of water because they don't like to bathe and have poor hygiene, but if water could melt me like that I'd be afraid of it too and just use Purell hand sanitizer. Or would that melt you too? You gotta hand to Magaret Hamilton, she really knew how to play a scene! "Oh what a world, what a world!!"
ADDENDUM:
Marion Crane's last shower in 'PSYCHO' (1960)
I have to thank a reader for suggesting this. I'm surprised I didn't remember it because Marion Crane's death at the hands of Norman Bates works on many levels. Though the scene has been parodied endlessly, it holds its power nearly fifty years after the film's release. What's interesting about the scene is that it works on a psychological level. Many felt they saw slashes or knife wounds on Janet Leigh's body, when there really were none. Except for the shot of blood circling the drain (actually chocolate syrup) , its a fairly bloodless scene. This is perhaps the only death in movie history where the music alone is instantly recognizable. The shot that affected me is the close-up of Leigh's eye which pulls back to reveal her lifeless face (even though if you look close you can see her throat swallow). Hitchcock sure knew how to scare without showing you anything. There are an endless number of death scenes that could not make this list, but I chose the ones that are not only instantly recognizable and stand out in film history, but affected me personally as well, whether goofy or sad.
SUPPLEMENT:
A Master of Death: Michael Ironside
Every actor wants to die on film, but few can do it as well as Michael Ironside. Ironside recently played one of the good guys, a leader of the resistance in 'Terminator Salvation', but for most of his career he's been cast as the heavy. Not only does he seem to relish playing evil and murdering people, but he has a knack for dying well. In David Cronenberg's 'Scanners' he could make a guy's head explode with his mind.
He also seems to be a master at losing appendages as evidenced in Paul Verhoeven's 'Total Recall' and 'Starship Troopers' where he respectively played bad and good guys who lost more than a finger. Every time I see Ironside on film I start to wonder how he's going to kick the bucket. Okay, not really. In fact this segment is just an excuse for me to contradict myself and show my sadistic side by including a shot of that guy's head blowing up in 'Scanners'.
THE GUILTY PLEASURES THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE LIST
There are additional dramatic deaths I remember in film that didn't make the top of my list. Some worked rather well emotionally while others just flat out made me laugh. They don't haunt me like the previous ones I mentioned, but I carry them with me often when I watch a film. I'm sure I left some good ones out of there. What are some of your favorites?
Death of the '300' (2007)
I didn't care much for this film, but was impressed by this shot.
Captain Miller in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998)
Eight men searching for one kid and only two of them live. But Hanks makes the scene with the haunting words, “Earn this!”
Sergeant Elias in PLATOON (1986)
It was a error that the squibs on Willem Dafoe's body didn't go off, but Oliver Stone decided to keep the shot and it became a memorable image used in the film's promotion.
Deaths or Zhora and Pris in BLADE RUNNER (1982)
Not as iconic as Roy Batty's death, but still full of impact because the hero has just murdered two women. Granted they were trying to kill him when he confronted each of them, but the look of disgust and regret on Harrison Ford's face speaks volumes as well as each girl's desperate attempts to cling to life (Zhora running away; Pris thrashing around violently after being shot).
It's the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man in GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
Okay, so Stay-Puff was the form of the Destroyer inadvertently chosen by Ray (Dan Ackroyd) when their minds were scanned. I would have preferred it to stay in the form of that hot chick or “nimble little minx” Gozer the Gozarian, but watching that poor marshmallow man burn up gets me every time.
Death of Alex Murphy in ROBOCOP (1987)
Even though the violence of this scene was cut down in the theatrical release, it was still a powerful dramatic turn in the story and the birth of a hero and cultural icon.
Mr. Big gets really BIG in LIVE AND LET DIE (1973)
I don't know whether to be racially offended or laugh, but I do find Bond shoving a shark gun pellet into Dr. Kananga's mouth, causing him to literally blow up like a balloon slightly disturbing.
Victor not realizing he's been slain in UNDERWORLD (2003)
A cool move and nicely played exchange between the two as Selene (Kate Beckinsale) shows her maker Victor (Bill Nighy) that her actions drew more than just blood.
Anytime Wile E. Coyote or Mr. Bill dies.
