# Scenes that are poignant for offscreen reasons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384 "2011-07-26T14:23:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/1 "2011-07-26T14:23:19Z")
Was just thinking about a few: [Vincent Price](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_kwFxbBY5U), [Oliver Reed](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q80IE32SlXM) and [John Candy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F99n9SydtM). Watching all of them makes me sad, for reasons not in the film. How 'bout you? I don’t mean to confine scenes to films where the actor actually died during filming. That scene where John Belushi visits the graves of all the other SNL original cast members would be pretty poignant, if I could find it. Or maybe not involving dying at all, but just an element of star-crossed-ness, e.g., maybe some scenes between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/2 "2011-07-26T14:42:14Z")
Keith Moon playing an OD for laughs in _200 Motels._ “The pills, the Mandrax–I took so many of them!” ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/3 "2011-07-26T14:46:57Z")
I’m sure I’m not the only person whose eyes teared and heart swelled when Heath Ledger’s name appeared on the screen in “The Dark Knight”. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ledger, though I did enjoy his work and I’m not really into the genre, just one of many who saw the film strictly because of his role. And though he did a fine job, the performance itself didn’t really touch me. But the sight of his name in white letters against the dark screen and the audience busting out in applause really got to me. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/4 "2011-07-26T15:26:06Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > That scene where John Belushi visits the graves of all the other SNL original cast members would be pretty poignant, if I could find it. When I read the title of the thread, this came to mind immediately. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/5 "2011-07-26T15:44:26Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > That scene where John Belushi visits the graves of all the other SNL original cast members would be pretty poignant, if I could find it. I think the title of that short film was something like “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/6 "2011-07-26T17:55:51Z")
I believe the events of 9/11 made _Man on Wire_ more poignant than they otherwise would have been. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/7 "2011-07-26T18:16:17Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’m sure I’m not the only person whose eyes teared and heart swelled when Heath Ledger’s name appeared on the screen in “The Dark Knight”. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ledger, though I did enjoy his work and I’m not really into the genre, just one of many who saw the film strictly because of his role. And though he did a fine job, the performance itself didn’t really touch me. But the sight of his name in white letters against the dark screen and the audience busting out in applause really got to me. The line “We’re going to be doing this for a long time” between Joker and Bats was especially gut-wrenching. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/8 "2011-07-26T18:57:49Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’m sure I’m not the only person whose eyes teared and heart swelled when Heath Ledger’s name appeared on the screen in “The Dark Knight”. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Ledger, though I did enjoy his work and I’m not really into the genre, just one of many who saw the film strictly because of his role. And though he did a fine job, the performance itself didn’t really touch me. But the sight of his name in white letters against the dark screen and the audience busting out in applause really got to me. > [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > The line “We’re going to be doing this for a long time” between Joker and Bats was especially gut-wrenching. Yeah, this scene. > [@](#): > > Joker(Heath Ledger): Ohh, you… You just couldn’t let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren’t you? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness… and I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun! I think you and I are destined to do this forever. I always cringe a little when he says that. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/9 "2011-07-26T19:00:44Z")
[Here is the line from Dark Knight. Christian Bale’s Batman voice ruins the scene in some ways, though.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwdK0DrDk-Y#t=1m38) ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/10 "2011-07-26T19:30:37Z")
The montage at the end of the excellent HBO docu-drama _And The Band Played On…_ about the researchers who “discovered” AIDS shows photo and video of famous people who died or were otherwise affected by AIDS. In the middle of the montage is Princess Diana in an orphanage in Africa, surrounded by emaciated toddlers and children. Every time I see it, I get profoundly sad. Of all the people in this montage, most of whom were dead when it was created, she wasn’t supposed to be one of them. I don’t particularly care about royalty, but this one picture just hits home about what a caring person she was, and now she’s gone. [Here it is, just in case you wanted to watch it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlD_XNMCjuo) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/11 "2011-07-26T19:37:42Z")
The end of the _Firefly_ episode “The Message”. It wasn’t the last episode aired, but it was the last filmed. It was a sad scene anyway (a funeral), but knowing that made it even more poignant. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/12 "2011-07-26T20:21:22Z")
In a different vein, there’s the song from **Music Man** about the awesomeness of [Gary, Indiana](http://youtu.be/0ILt3wNTZ7Q). (I’m surprised some smartass hasn’t made a youube video with this song playing over current photos). ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/13 "2011-07-26T22:13:03Z")
In the documentary **Gigantic,** about They Might Be Giants, there’s a scene of them playing a great acoustic version of “New York City,” in a Manhattan record store. It’s just before midnight, when they’re new CD will be released. There’s nothing particularly special about the scene, until you notice the date: September 10th, 2001. They don’t talk about it at all (except for in the commentary), the only mention of the date is the subtitle at the bottom of the screen. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/14 "2011-07-26T22:31:35Z")
River Phoenix walking away in **Stand By Me** ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/15 "2011-07-26T22:56:18Z")
The makeshift “happy family” scene from **Rebel Without a Cause** showing James Dean, Natalie Wood & Sal Mineo huddling together is especially poignant considering the tragic ways all three actors died. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/16 "2011-07-26T22:56:29Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > That scene where John Belushi visits the graves of all the other SNL original cast members would be pretty poignant, if I could find it. That’s a scene from what? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/17 "2011-07-26T23:01:02Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > That’s a scene from what? [From SNL.](http://www.hulu.com/watch/97833/saturday-night-live-dont-look-back-in-anger) ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/18 "2011-07-26T23:19:55Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > The montage at the end of the excellent HBO docu-drama _And The Band Played On…_ about the researchers who “discovered” AIDS shows photo and video of famous people who died or were otherwise affected by AIDS. In the middle of the montage is Princess Diana in an orphanage in Africa, surrounded by emaciated toddlers and children. Every time I see it, I get profoundly sad. Of all the people in this montage, most of whom were dead when it was created, she wasn’t supposed to be one of them. I don’t particularly care about royalty, but this one picture just hits home about what a caring person she was, and now she’s gone. > > [Here it is, just in case you wanted to watch it.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlD_XNMCjuo) I became a huge fan of Freddie Mercury in the last few years, and when he shows up on screen, I lose it. I’m usually in tears throughout the whole sequence. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/19 "2011-07-26T23:35:21Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > I believe the events of 9/11 made _Man on Wire_ more poignant than they otherwise would have been. Though in this case it’s hardly accidental. _Man on Wire_ (which is from 2008) is clearly to a large extent about 9/11, even though the event is never explicitly discussed in the course of the film. (Which, come to think of it, is a pretty unusual narrative device. Does any other movie have an elephant in the room of comparable size?) ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384/20 "2011-07-27T01:16:01Z")
I thought the scene where real life father and daughter Angelina Jolie and John Voight play family in Tomb Raider was poignant given their occasional estrangement. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scenes-that-are-poignant-for-offscreen-reasons/590384.md?page=2)