A continent's cinematic struggle
In this classic by Roberto Benigni, he plays an Italian Jew who turns surviving a concentration camp into a game for his young son. While his boy is rescued by the Allied soldiers, Guido tragically gets executed by the Nazis.
Starring Mandy Moore and Shane West as a preacher's daughter and a popular bad boy who fall in love, this movie is a true tissue fest. Moore's Jamie reveals early in their relationship that she has leukemia, but they nonetheless become engaged and spend a final summer together before she dies.
Based on 'The Green Mile' novel by Stephen King, the plot is primarily set on death row, where the guard Paul Edgecomb believes in the innocence of John Coffey. And the heartbreaking part is that Paul must still oversee John's execution.
Starring Debra Winger and Shirley MacLaine, this movie revolves around a complex mother-daughter relationship that's only resolved after Emma Greenway, Winger's character, is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Emma makes peace with her mother and says goodbye to her two young boys before dying.
This 1984 fantasy film broke our hearts when the young hero Atreyu loses his loyal companion, his horse Artax, in the Swamps of Sadness. Fortunately, they're reunited in the end, but the separation was still triggering.
Bubba's death isn't the only one Forrest Gump encounters, but it's certainly the most violent. After convincing Forrest to get into the shrimping business, Bubba ends up fighting with him in Vietnam, where he's killed. To honor him, Forrest becomes a shrimp boat captain and names the company after him.
No one will ever forget when Darth Vader died after finally removing his mask to see his son Luke. It was the ultimate redemption arc.
It was Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark who launched the entire Marvel Universe, so even if it's sad, the end of his story was still epic.
Who can ever get over Mufasa's death? Both the 2019 live-action and the classic 1994 animated versions are extremely emotional.
Life isn't easy for the tragic heroine Fantine, as she's fired from her factory job when her illegitimate child is discovered. She ends up selling her body to survive. After Valjean promises to take care of her daughter, she passes away.
Rather than be captured and tried for their crimes, the iconic duo refuse to surrender and agree to drive their car over the edge of the Grand Canyon. The moment will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic death scenes in cinematic history.
Hilary Swank plays professional boxer Maggie Fitzgerald, who becomes paralyzed from the neck down after a wrongly placed punch. Her family is money hungry, and the only person she can trust is her trainer, played by Clint Eastwood. He's the only one Maggie can ask to end her life, and he does as she requests.
An iconic death is definitely the best way to start a successful franchise. And even if viewers didn't get to know much about Casey Becker, she definitely left her mark.
In this comedy drama, everyone seems against the romantic love that develops between 18-year-old Harold and 79-year-old Maude, but that doesn't stop them. Certain that she wants to end her life on her 80th birthday, there's nothing Harold can do to stop her.
If you're watching a dog movie, be assured that you'll probably shed some tears. And while Marley's death wasn't a surprise for people who read the memoir, it's even worse watching it all play out on screen.
This 1982 sequel ends with Spock entering a radiation-tainted engine room to save his ship and crewmates from being blown up. It's a heroic and memorable act.
The opening of 'Moulin Rouge!' starts with Christian saying, "The woman I loved is dead." So Satine's death doesn't really come as a surprise. However, it still leaves quite an impression.
The face-off between Deckard and Roy Batty, the main antagonist of the movie, is priceless. Face to face with death, Roy breaks down in sadness and revolt. And then there's the pigeon flying away when he finally dies.
Inspired by his bombastic English teacher John Keating, Neil resurrects the Dead Poets Society at his prep school. However, his love for literature and poetry isn't supported by his father, who pulls him out of the school. Rather than go to military school, Neil takes his own life with his father's gun.
You'll never forget watching the Terminator going into molten lava, and the thumbs up at the end really makes the scene.
Despite prejudice and societal expectations, cowboys Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar never get over each other after falling into a passionate relationship. They go their separate ways, and Ennis later learns through a postcard that Jack has died.
In this Steven Spielberg World War II epic, a team of soldiers led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) are tasked with bringing home the only living son of the Ryan family. Several of the men end up giving their lives to complete the mission, including Captain Miller.
Sure, it's not a surprise how things end with Romeo and Juliet, but Baz Luhrmann's adaptation introduced a new generation to this Shakespearean classic. And it was emotional!
Whether you believe he could have fit on the door or not, you've probably shed a tear at the death of Jack Dawson.
Alfred Hitchcock was behind many acclaimed films, but 'Psycho' has one of the most iconic death scenes in cinematic history. And although the shower attack on Marion might seem tame by modern standards, it was truly shocking in the '60s.
Montana's final scene is truly iconic. Surrounded by his enemies and with nowhere to go, he introduces the thugs to his "little friend." Ultimately, Montana is shot countless times and falls dead in his pool.
Zhang Ziyi stars as Mei, who believes she might be the daughter of the former leader of a Robin Hood-like gang. Ending up in a love triangle, it doesn't end well as she tries to save her new lover from her old one.
A death scene is typically a big moment, and it can even be one of the biggest in an entire plot. Whether it's a hero or a villain, a major character's death is often one of the most memorable parts of a film, which can leave a mark even after the credits have rolled. Whether they take place in a classic rom-com or a big-budget superhero flick, these deaths can be either triumphant, admirable, tragic, or deeply shocking. But one thing is for sure: they left an impact in cinematic history.
Click through this gallery to relive these moments, but proceed with caution: there are some serious spoilers ahead.
Executed for her anti-Nazi activities, everyone cried when Jojo found his mother hanging in the town square while chasing a butterfly.
One of Kevin Spacey's most memorable roles, Lester's end was equal parts heartbreaking and beautiful. And everything was leading up to it.
The most powerful big screen movie deaths
Warning: spoilers ahead!
MOVIES Cinema
A death scene is typically a big moment, and it can even be one of the biggest in an entire plot. Whether it's a hero or a villain, a major character's death is often one of the most memorable parts of a film, which can leave a mark even after the credits have rolled. Whether they take place in a classic rom-com or a big-budget superhero flick, these deaths can be either triumphant, admirable, tragic, or deeply shocking. But one thing is for sure: they left an impact in cinematic history.
Click through this gallery to relive these moments, but proceed with caution: there are some serious spoilers ahead.