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Death Soliloquy

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:52 pm
by ArchAngel
This is a bit of a macabre subject, but I find that the final words of a significant character can be powerful moments in literature and cinema, that tie in the running themes to a single moment.

My favorite of these would the Tears in the Rain soliloquy from Blade Runner.

For those who watched Blade Runner, you'll get the full potency of the whole thing (and if you haven't, I recommend that you do) and what it means about death, life, and being human. The more I listen to it, or ruminate on it, the more I find of what's being said. I can say it changed the way I looked at it all.

So, what about you guys? What were some of your favorite ones from both movies, tv, literature, or history?

Re: Death Soliloquy

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 12:01 am
by epsons
That's one of the greatest monologues. That line "all those moments will be lost in time" really stuck with me for some reason... So I naturally had to sample it in a track. :P

Thanks for reminding me how amazing that movie is.

Re: Death Soliloquy

Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2012 7:52 am
by CountKrazy
The "tears in the rain" monologue is tough to beat. It's made all the more remarkable considering the fact that some of it was improvised. Sweet, sweet Rutger.

I looked everywhere for it on Youtube, but the most recent death soliloquy that affected me on a monumental level was David Tennant's monologue in his last episode of Doctor Who. The actual regeneration scene was the frosting on the cake, but the death scene... oh yes. After going through two seasons of the show with Tennant and growing so attached to his version of the Doctor, that monologue is devastating.

Honestly, the most poignant death scenes I can think of are mostly silent. I seem to be far more affected by the wordless approach to death than one with a soliloquy, though I think the latter can be just as significant.

I don't know if it counts, but the assassination scene in The Assassination of Jesse James is one of the most gorgeous death scenes around:



The last scene of In Bruges is a great one, but it's not on Youtube, either. There's The Fountain, but that's pretty much wordless, too. A great death monologue is a rare thing, I guess. I never really thought about it before.