MC Inventory: Saddest Moments in Films

[dreamdead]

So this is inspired by Sarah's identification with the bravura relationship-from-infancy-to-death sequence in Up. The film itself doesn't have to be a downer (though I suspect that more will lean that way), but merely has to have a melancholy sequence that consistently gets you?

My top three:

1. Harry and Marion on the phone before each goes their separate way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipQAlFUGdGc)in RfaD.
2. The twins sprawled over one another in Dead Ringers--powerful and with such a great closing theme. Utterly evocative.
3. George Bailey losing it in It's a Wonderful Life--the thoroughness with which he's beaten down is heartrending.

[chrisnu]

Mulholland Dr. - secret path (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st02_ULWd3I)

[Dukefrukem]

1. Field of Dreams - Ending
2. The Life of David Gale - Ending (I think it had a profound affect on me because I met Spacey during this screening)
3. My Girl - Ending

HM: It's a Wonderful Life - Obvious great choice.

[Raiders]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Goodbye at the train

There is no other answer.

[Dukefrukem]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Goodbye at the train

There is no other answer.

I just read the description and it already had an affect on me...

[D_Davis]

Grave of the Fireflies - the beginning, middle, and end.

[Dukefrukem]

I know MC hates this movie, but he reaction of the father sells the scene pretty well. What are MC's thoughts?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-iyxIincCI

[Spinal]

What are MC's thoughts?


I, without exaggeration, think this is one of my least favorite scenes in all of cinema.

[Spinal]

Amadeus - unmarked grave
Breaking the Waves - phone call
The Bicycle Thief - the ending

[Dead & Messed Up]

The opening scene of A Matter of Life and Death aka Stairway to Heaven.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImsiG5-DOn0

[Pop Trash]

Up - the marriage

I'll put some others, but that immediately came to mind.

[Pop Trash]

My Girl - Ending




Breaking the Waves - phone call
The Bicycle Thief - the ending

These too.

[Dukefrukem]

I, without exaggeration, think this is one of my least favorite scenes in all of cinema.

Why?

[Spinal]

Why?

It's an absurdly contrived situation that puts a child in danger in order to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. It's completely dishonest as a dramatic moment. It's all calculation and zero truth.

[Raiders]

It's an absurdly contrived situation that puts a child in danger in order to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. It's completely dishonest as a dramatic moment. It's all calculation and zero truth.

That's kind of the problem with the film as a whole, as was discussed ad nauseum in 2005. It's all calculation and contrived scenarios, hammering again and again and again at the same conceits. It is an entirely film-created universe and nothing organically happens. The film bleeds the ink from the script.

In any case, another one that came to mind though it is not the same kind of "sad" most of these. It is isn't depressing but rather inspirational. Still, incredibly heartfelt and sad and easily in the top five "most tears from Raiders" scene ever:

The Iron Giant - "You stay. I go. No following."

[Bandy Greensacks]

I'm at a loss as to how someone can watch that Crash scene and not laugh when the father yell-cries. And yeah, it's hilarious how contrived the entire situation is.

[dreamdead]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Goodbye at the train

There is no other answer.

YES. Also, I'd submit Midge's realization that Scottie harbors no interest in her, with the picture in my avatar, in Vertigo.

[Yxklyx]

Sunrise - boat scene
The Passion of Joan of Arc - final scene
Scarlet Street - final scene (but kinda funny at the same time)
The Asphalt Jungle - final scene
Vertigo - Midge's scene (as mentioned above)
Shadows - the scene where she's in bed looking into the camera
L' Eclisse - when she leaves her lover knowing she will never come back
Au hasard Balthazar - final scene
Pelle the Conquerer - final scene
Magnolia - Wise Up

[Irish]

It is an entirely film-created universe and nothing organically happens. The film bleeds the ink from the script.

By this token, you should loathe almost everything Richard Linklater has ever done.

[MadMan]

My answer is already taken. So I'll go childhood memory that made me almost cry as a kid and post this:


http://youtu.be/K8_x1nqHjME?t=1m11s

That scene got me everytime I watched the movie. At the time I first saw it my parents had to reassure my 6 year old self in the movie theater that the dog was going to be alright.

PS: Skip to 1:11. I can't get the video to start at that spot for some reason.

[Raiders]

By this token, you should loathe almost everything Richard Linklater has ever done.

Heh, that's true to an extent, but I was talking less about dialogue and more about the set-up and plot events. Crash is, admittedly to an extent intentionally, so self-contained and so purposefully, suffocatingly situated and "connected" that is rings with no air of truth whatsoever.

But really, I haven't seen it since 2005 and this was discussed to death so much I can feel the eye-rolls already, so I'mma have to be a bit of a bitch and leave it at that.

[Stay Puft]

The ending of Rebels of the Neon God
Hsiao-kiang hiding under the bed in Vive L'Amour (and the ending... well the whole thing really...)
Shiang-chyi making a new friend in What Time is it There? The whole sequence, so many feels...

Okay, really, everything Tsai has done. He might be my favorite, if not for Malick.

Two things Terrence Malick has done that have absolutely, thoroughly, destroyed me:

"Where's your spark now" (The Thin Red Line)
"'Tis enough, she said, that you - our child - shall live" (The New World)

I'll never forget the Malick retrospective at the Lightbox, the year The Tree of Life was released. I cried so much that weekend...

[Gizmo]

http://billsmovieemporium.files.wordp ress.com/2010/09/vlcsnap-2010-09-12-20h17m40s111.jpg

[megladon8]

Make Way for Tomorrow - Goodbye at the train

There is no other answer.


This is the first thing I thought of when I read the thread title.

[Ezee E]

Name several moments from The Pianist... They're interchangeable.

[D_Davis]

It is an entirely film-created universe and nothing organically happens. The film bleeds the ink from the script.


I usually the above as a compliment - it's something I look for in a movie.

[Pop Trash]

Yeah, I mean "film created universes" are the bread and butter of Tarantino, Lynch, and Wes Anderson (to say nothing of sci-fi directors).

[Pop Trash]

Lilja 4-Ever: final game of basketball on the roof

Wendy and Lucy: goodbye Lucy

Shawshank Redemption: goodbye Brooks

The Neverending Story: goodbye Artax

About Schmidt: a letter from Ndugu

Brokeback Mountain: the shirt

Ikiru: sing and swing

[Spinal]

The Neverending Story: goodbye Artax

Brokeback Mountain: the shirt

Ikiru: sing and swing

This thread is combining brutally sad memories at dangerously high levels. I'm not sure this is safe.

[Pop Trash]

This thread is combining brutally sad memories at dangerously high levels. I'm not sure this is safe.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Snickers-broken.JPG

[Neclord]

Children of Men (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMJqQ3VrcCA)

Ugh. It's SO SAD. Wracked with sobs.

Star Trek (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5BONJcookQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=49 5)

[Mysterious Dude]

The Elephant Man (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z75wcxf6ZVk), ending

Ugetsu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFb2bNERDzw), ending

Ingeborg Holm says goodbye to her children (http://vimeo.com/59332978) (scene begins at about 00:30:00)

[Spinal]

Jeez, how could I forget Sophie's Choice? That's my new answer.

[Ezee E]

Jeez, how could I forget Sophie's Choice? That's my new answer.

Oooh... Thread closed.

[MadMan]

Children of Men (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMJqQ3VrcCA)

Ugh. It's SO SAD. Wracked with sobs.

Star Trek (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5BONJcookQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=49 5)Great choices, although when it comes to Children of Men Moore's death hits me harder. Clive Owen's reaction to it is really heartbreaking.

[Dukefrukem]

Kinda neat that Sophie's Choice may end up being the end result for two of these threads.

[Qrazy]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r7JUPoK1QN4/T9eDDXchVZI/AAAAAAAACCo/z1f9gH-uGnk/s400/The+Circus+Final+Scene.jpg