No Mercy
"Buffalo Bill's defunct / who used to ride a watersmooth-silver stallion / and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat / Jesus / he was a handsome man / and what i want to know is / how do you like your blue-eyed boy / Mister Death" -- E.E. Cummings.
Or rather how are you, Mr. and Mrs. American moviegoer, coping with all the Hollywood expiration over this holiday season? But before going any further... SPOILER ALERT! (Okay?) Between 12.1.08 and 12.31.08, there will have been no fewer than fifteen films in which either the lead or one of the second-lead characters is killed, pushes on, or otherwise kicks it .
When, I'm asking, has there been another holiday season in which this many major movie characters have succumbed?
This list may not be complete, but it's what I have so far. (And thanks, David Dubos, for bringing this to my attention.) A lead or significant character in the following films (and again I say SPOILER ALERT!) takes the final journey: Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Marley and Me, Valkyrie, Seven Pounds, Nothing But The Truth, The Wrestler, The Spirit, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, Gran Torino, Revolutionary Road, The Boy in Striped Pajamas, Cadillac Records and Che. What am I missing?
"We're all gonna get there, no exceptions." -- Terrence Stamp's "Willie" to John Hurt's "Wallace" in Stephen Frears' The Hit.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on December 19, 2008 at 7:56 AM
comment #1
JChasse
says ...
Yes, you are missing at least one I can think of off the top my head... but I ain't saying a word.
Posted by JChasse
at December 19, 2008 8:52 AM
comment #2
Jeffrey Wells
says ...
Wells to JChasse: Just give me the film title initials.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells
at December 19, 2008 9:01 AM
comment #3
OtownRog
says ...
The Reader, bright eyes.
And Terence is spelled with one R.
Posted by OtownRog
at December 19, 2008 9:17 AM
comment #4
JChasse
says ...
No. :-)
Posted by JChasse
at December 19, 2008 9:19 AM
comment #5
Sabina E
says ...
The C.C of B.B?????
just my guess...
Posted by Sabina E
at December 19, 2008 9:21 AM
comment #6
JChasse
says ...
It's not the lead character, Jeff, it's an important supporting character, which probably expands your list even more. If I give you the initials it's obvious... and it's a bigger surprise than Harvey Milk or Coronel Tom in "Valkrye", so why spoil it for others?
Posted by JChasse
at December 19, 2008 9:24 AM
comment #7
nemo
says ...
The Schofield Kid: "I guess he had it coming."
William Munny: "We all have it coming, kid."
Posted by nemo
at December 19, 2008 9:30 AM
comment #8
Katey
says ...
The Wrestler is up for debate, I'd say.
Posted by Katey
at December 19, 2008 10:16 AM
comment #9
Gordie Lachance
says ...
I had really been looking forward to seeing if anyone died at the end of What Doesn't Kill You, but seeing as how it's been completely pulled from NY theaters after 7 days, I guess I'll never know.
Posted by Gordie Lachance
at December 19, 2008 10:27 AM
comment #10
DarthCorleone
says ...
I haven't seen all these so I don't know the circumstances of the other films, but I don't think one of them is as powerful of an example given that the film encompasses the entire life of the subject. Both main characters live long and die of natural causes. What other end would there be but death?
Posted by DarthCorleone
at December 19, 2008 10:52 AM
comment #11
Dignan
says ...
I agree with Katey. Seems a bit presumptuous to assume what happens after we cut to black even with the evidence we're given.
Posted by Dignan
at December 19, 2008 11:12 AM
comment #12
maribou
says ...
Your line breaks on the Cummings poem are wrong -- Cummings was well-known for his use of spacing and it has a great impact on the rhythm as well -- so if you're going to lift from him, you could at least give the work the respect it deserves...otherwise just use your own words
Posted by maribou
at December 19, 2008 4:32 PM
comment #13
Jeffrey Wells
says ...
My cummings line breaks are okay...close enough.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells
at December 19, 2008 6:18 PM
comment #14
maribou
says ...
Oh yeah? Let me see your poetic license...there is no 'close enough' - you change the breaks, you change the work - this isn't a screenplay we're talking about here.
Posted by maribou
at December 19, 2008 6:37 PM
comment #15
janee
says ...
Si vous etes interesses par le dossier, ou desirez en savoir plus, contactez-moi par mail, et je vous mettrai en contact.
Best regards,Jane, CEO of high availability systems
Posted by janee
at May 19, 2011 5:05 AM