didn't Kevin Spacey's character from American Beauty end up dead?
Yes.
What was that noir-ish movie that won Oscars a few years back... took place in LA. Danny DeVito was the narrator, and he was killed half-way through.
eta: LA Confidential.
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who's in ruttin' command here.
Jayne ,'The Train Job'
Buffista Movies 5: Development Hell
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
tommyrot - Sep 14, 2006 7:18:54 pm PDT #4186 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Matt the Bruins fan - Sep 14, 2006 7:26:06 pm PDT #4187 of 10001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
I think Sunset Boulevard kind of set the trend, didn't it?
In fact, the only movie I can think of offhand that had a still-living narrator at the end was The Opposite of Sex. And I'm pretty sure Dede couldn't be killed...
Kate P. - Sep 15, 2006 4:02:30 am PDT #4188 of 10001
That's the pain / That cuts a straight line down through the heart / We call it love
He was the narrator, so I've never since assumed the narrator would be alive at the end or that it would matter.
True, but isn't Touching the Void non-fiction? I haven't seen it so I can't remember for sure, but I think it's a true story, told by the people who lived through it. (That's the one about mountain climbing, right?)
Cashmere - Sep 15, 2006 4:20:14 am PDT #4189 of 10001
Now tagless for your comfort.
True, but isn't Touching the Void non-fiction? I haven't seen it so I can't remember for sure, but I think it's a true story, told by the people who lived through it. (That's the one about mountain climbing, right?)
Yup, it's a documentary--sort of. The climbing parts were reenacted by actors but it's all true.
I think Sunset Boulevard kind of set the trend, didn't it?
Poor schmuck always did want a pool.
I'm trying to remember another film I saw where the narrator was dead in the first scene. We've seen it recently but I can't recall what it was.
Nutty - Sep 15, 2006 4:49:53 am PDT #4190 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
Double Indemnity famously involves a dying narrator -- the first scene is his racing across the city, bleeding to death, to get to a recorder in his office so that he can confess his crimes. He doesn't die till he's done narrating, though.
(The novel of same is written in the first person, and when you get to the end you realize it is a really long suicide note.)
I think voiceover and first-person narration are not always the same thing, however. The Danny DeVito narration in L. A. Confidential is in the newswriting voice of the character, and ends before the characetr dies -- you could say it is more of an artifactual narration, where the reading of his prose is done literally in his voice. He doesn't tell the intimate details of the story, just summarizes what is in the newspapers (and as a tool to smooth out such an unbelieveably complex and overwrought story, he's a pretty good one!).
DebetEsse - Sep 15, 2006 4:52:09 am PDT #4191 of 10001
Woe to the fucking wicked.
They really should have a narrator die before finishing the story.
tommyrot - Sep 15, 2006 4:57:29 am PDT #4192 of 10001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
They really should have a narrator die before finishing the story.
Yeah. And then have the characters stand around, not sure what to do. (Except that territory has already been mined by Pirandello.)
Frankenbuddha - Sep 15, 2006 4:58:55 am PDT #4193 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
Yeah. And then have the characters stand around, not sure what to do. (Except that territory has already been mined by Pirandello.)
And of course, Aruthur and his men being saved when the animator dies of a heart attack.
Amy - Sep 15, 2006 5:05:48 am PDT #4194 of 10001
Because books.
And of course, Aruthur and his men being saved when the animator dies of a heart attack.
Hee! I love that.
beekaytee - Sep 15, 2006 5:24:14 am PDT #4195 of 10001
Compassionately intolerant
Mikey, I hear great things about Ong Bak and am definitely going to give it a go.
Oddly enough, The Protector, in retrospect, is making me appreciate Crank more than I did at the time. Not sure what that means except that I like my freaky, violent, jump cut/hallucinatory/chase-y cinema with a bit more humor and a few less endangered haffalumps .