This week's assignment:
Who cried when Old Yeller got shot? What movie, TV show, book, etc. turns you into a blubbering baby every time you see it?I'm not sure if I've seen Old Yeller. I think I have a foggy memory of seeing it on The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. Either I was too young to understand what happened or it scarred me to the degree of almost total memory repression. Either way, I haven't seen it since then.
This is what got me in 1983, and still gets me a tiny bit to this day. Equally attributed to being 12, losing Yoda and Vader, Luke and Vader's face-to-face and (the big one) it being the end of Star Wars forever...as far as I knew then. I didn't cry as I sat through the end credits but it was close. Plus I knew I'd be seeing it a few more times. I think the addition of the galaxy-wide celebration montage brings the emotional level up too quickly but being the end of the saga I guess you kinda have to have an upbeat ending.
Watching Edward Scissorhands always makes me a little sad seeing Vincent Price in his final film role.
And since we're going full disclosure...the Death of Optimus Prime in the Trans-Formers animated movie got me too. (Wait..what? We don't haveto do full disclosure?)
Honorable movie mentions: Pan's Labyrinth, Big Fish, Toy Story 3
As much as I have my favorite TV shows, they don't often grab me quite enough to get emotional over them. But if you're a Doctor Who fan and don't feel something when 10 regenerates or the Face of Boe gives his death confession, you're clearly of alien origin...And not the good kind! The evil, cold, unfeeling kind!
Shortly after I began the trek into high school, I discovered the Dragon Lance series of books. This was back when the series was first starting out, before there were hundreds upon hundreds of novels. I probably checked them out because they were the first Dungeons & Dragons books. I know many a fantasy geek latched on to the LOTR books as their scripture but I could never get through them. The Dragon Lance Chronicles would be my fantasy world of choice.
I really got pulled into the books and was taken by surprise when two of the main characters were killed. That was something new to me. Heroes, especially main character heroes, weren't supposed to die in fantasy books. This was the first time I got choked up about characters that existed purely on the page.
Hit up these other League Members
Shezcrafti loses it when Atreyu loses his horse
Grab a box of tissues if you ehad over to The Man Who Stares at Toys
Tophat Sasquatch talks about that damned scene in Up
You can see everyone who participated over at Cool and Collected
Tophat Sasquatch talks about that damned scene in Up
You can see everyone who participated over at Cool and Collected
The death of Vader was a big one for me. When Luke snaps is a powerful scene too as that deep sad choral music swells and the once seemingly invincible Vader gets driven down by Luke's rage. John Williams' music really drives these scenes so well.
ReplyDeleteCurses, Mr. R! I came here specifically to comment about the magical powers of John William's music and you've beaten me to it!
ReplyDeleteThere should never be a reason to not go on at length about Williams' genius.
DeleteMe too, I had a vague recollection of seeing "Old Yeller" on TV once, probably on "The Wonderful world of Disney." But I never saw it in full either.
ReplyDelete*Spoilers*
ReplyDeleteWhen Flint died in Dragons of Spring Dawning, I freaked out. He still remains one of my all time favorite literary characters. Then Tanis' death in Dragons of Summer Flame was the worst. How could such a major character like that die so lame.
*end spoilers*
Yeah I think Flint's hit me particularly hard because Tas in my favorite character.
Delete