6 Best Onscreen Deaths

By Alex Beighton

I appear to have gone from one extreme to another, the focus of last week's article being love. I have now taken a more cynical approach (I didn't think that was possible) and explored the best and the worst of death scenes on the big screen. Enjoy.

*WARNING, THIS LIST IS LITTERED WITH SPOILERS, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM, SKIP IT*

*CONTAINS CONTENT OF A VIOLENT/SEXUAL/THREATENING NATURE, IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY THESE THINGS, DO NOT PROCEED*

6. House of Wax (2005)

As much as House of Wax is known for the masterpiece of cinema that it is *heavy sarcasm implied*, my own personal highlight of the film has to be the death of Paris Hilton’s character, Paige Edwards. There is something oddly satisfying about watching a woman with fewer brain cells than a potato being brutally murdered with a pole through the eye, or is that just me? What I also feel completes this “Oscar worthy” performance is the ripped shirt exposing the bra and the over the top screaming, but then again, it’s not like Paris Hilton to be known for being over sexualised/a bad actress so I feel as if this character was her really stepping out of her comfort zone. 

5. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

I am a huge zombie film fan and always have been since first watching 28 Days Later and then Night of the Living Dead, however my favourite zombie film will always be Shaun of the Dead. “The Cornetto Trilogy” has never ceased to make me laugh with unapologetic and ever so British humour until my sides hurt. I feel that this is completely epitomized in the scene where Shaun and Ed fight the zombies in their garden. The one main criticism of zombie films that I always find is that the “normal civilian” dies within 30 seconds whereas the one maniac who for some reason always kept guns and chainsaws in their basement comes into their own and that the rest of the film is based on their antics and one random person who only survived on luck alone. What would happen to the normal pedestrian who may not be a black belt in zombie fighting as soon as the opening credits begin to roll but is tough and willing to survive or at least keep their flesh from being chewed and digested? (Do zombies even have a digestive system?) I feel that this scene perfectly sums up a very English and appropriate response to a zombie attack and I will now forever view records more as weapons instead of musical tools. 

4. Psycho (1960)

There was no way this death could not make my list. This has been the inspiration for every slasher movie since the dawn of time (or 1960 onwards, minor details). Hitchcock is known as the “Master of Suspense” and this scene epitomises how accurate that title is for him. Although in modern times we have been brought up with such films such as the Saw franchise which means we are more surprised when vital organs are actually left inside the body rather than being pulled out right and left on full display to the camera, the scene was revolutionary of its time. Its display of women’s nudity and violence shocked and enthralled audiences alike and will forever be known as “the granddaddy of murder scenes” And on a personal level, screeching violins will now forever haunt me as well as now the bathroom door must remain locked at all times. 

3. Pulp Fiction (1994)

I’ve always been a fan of black comedies and although you may not be able to describe Pulp Fiction as a black comedy, you can most certainly describe my reaction to this scene being “yes I know someone is dead, but why is it so god damn funny?” Between Samuel L. Jackson’s repeated cursing and Travolta’s embarrassed and apologetic nature “I didn’t mean to shoot Marvin in the face man” in my opinion, this is a golden moment in the history of death scenes. And as most of us are aware of Tarantino’s slight over compensation of fake blood, the fact that the car is almost entirely painted by Marvin’s insides is only the bloody cherry on the top of this scene. Not to mention the clear irony in Travolta’s religious ideas before Marvin’s murder, well, more man-slaughter I suppose. 

 

2. Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Samuel L. Jackson has made another appearance on this list for an entirely different reason. Dramatic monologues have always been a clear reccurring theme within cinema; however it’s not often that you get violently eaten by an entirely over animated and unrealistic shark midway through your speech. The shark is genetically engineered to be this super intelligent being, yet it does not have the common courtesy to at least wait until Sammy is done before having to awkwardly twist its jaws around him and shake him about a bit just to re- emphasize the point that yes, he is dead. Frankly shark, that was just rather rude of you. 

1. The Wicker Man (2006)

True, although it is near impossible for me to criticize the realistic and completely believable performances of Nicholas Cage *more heavy sarcasm implied*, this film really takes the cake in bad performances/bad film/bad deaths almost to the point where it’s funny. I can’t quite say I felt the raw pain or emotion behind having BEES STING YOUR ENTIRE FACE by having Nicholas Cage just clearly repeat the lines “my eyes, the bees” with the occasional yell of “ahhhh.” It makes me genuinely sad that Nicholas Cage still has an acting career after this dire performance, as well as the repeated insult of the National Treasure films. But that would start me on a completely different rant that I would find hard to recover from. 

What did you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree with any of my picks? Leave a comment or tweet me your opinion @girls0nfilm.