# Movie where main character is dead before the movie begins(SPOILERS) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278 "2004-02-15T01:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/81 "2004-02-19T12:23:04Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > There was no sequel to **The Road Warrior**. Just out of curiosity, what would you consider _Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome_? :rolleyes: Chris W ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/82 "2004-02-19T12:46:29Z")
How about the pilot episode of Twin Peaks? Technically a TV movie, and Laura was dead at the start. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/83 "2004-02-19T14:05:46Z")
> [@riserius1](#): > > Just out of curiosity, what would you consider _Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome_? :rolleyes: > > Chris W **Beyond Thunderdome** never existed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/84 "2004-02-19T23:22:23Z")
> [@riserius1](#): > > Just out of curiosity, what would you consider _Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome_? :rolleyes: > > Chris W I suspect it’s much like “Star Trek 5”, a movie that “doesn’t exist”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/85 "2004-02-19T23:50:52Z")
I hate to say this, because it’s admitting I saw this movie: _Weekend at Bernie’s_. It was along time ago. I was young. I didn’t pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/86 "2004-02-19T23:52:55Z")
Sorry \*\*brainfizz \*\* and **telemark** , I should have checked preview after I got distracted. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/87 "2004-02-20T02:06:32Z")
_Jacob’s Ladder_ Nope. Jacob is barely alive at the beginning, but he doesn’t actually die until the final scene. Everything in-between happens in his mind as he’s dying on the operating table, and a couple of angels (Matt Craven and Danny Aiello) are trying to help him give up his fight for life. The doctor who pronounces him dead even comments on how hard he was fighting to stay alive. Regarding _Saving Private Ryan_, the bulk of the central part of the movie doesn’t come from Ryan’s memory. There’s a bit of narrative trickery when the opening dissolves to Capt. Miller in the landing boat, which seems to imply that the old man is Miller, but there are many scenes that Miller isn’t privy too, either, so I don’t think we’re intended to think that the central part of the movie is anyone’s memory; it’s just a straightforward narrative flashback. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/88 "2004-02-20T02:12:45Z")
It took a good deal of restraint not to list every movie already posted to this thread, just to irritate everyone. 🙂 Instead I’ll just add **Maelström**. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/89 "2004-02-20T02:29:28Z")
I don’t believe anyone has yet mentioned **The Quiet American** with Brendan Frasier and Michael Caine. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/90 "2004-02-20T02:57:52Z")
Depending on whether you consider the kid or his dad to be the main character, **Road to Perdition** could fit. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/91 "2004-02-20T05:39:32Z")
> [@I Love Me](#): > > I don’t believe anyone has yet mentioned **The Quiet American** with Brendan Frasier and Michael Caine. I had forgotten about that one. Which is wierd because I rather liked that movie. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278/92 "2004-02-20T05:41:05Z")
> [@racinchikki](#): > > Depending on whether you consider the kid or his dad to be the main character, **Road to Perdition** could fit. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, so I could be wrong, but I seem to remember the the dad dying at the end. However, \*\*Life is Beatiful \*\* definatly fits. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-where-main-character-is-dead-before-the-movie-begins-spoilers/229278.md?page=4)