3 most devastating dad deaths in movies

I know, I know. Why the hell are you writing about such a morbid topic? The answer is I don't know, it's just something I have to get off my chest. I'm rarely affected by movies but for some reason scenes involving fathers dying just devastate me.

(SPOILERS... obviously)

Big Fish (2003)
What happens:
Will is sitting at his father’s side at hospital. He’s spent his life frustrated by his father’s infidelity and penchant for telling fantastical tales rather than the truth about his life. As his father dies he asks Will to tell him a story. Seeing his father has little time left Will spins a yarn about them escaping the hospital and driving out to the lake where his father transforms into a fish and swims off.

What’s really going on:

What makes this such an effective scene is that there’s a dual layer to it. There’s the reality of the situation and the fantasy of Will’s story. One is tragic while the other is triumphant. And most importantly, it’s Will, who has spent the whole film rolling his eyes at his father’s stories, is the one who spins the most fantastic tale of them all. It rings so true that as much as you try not to be your father, inevitably, there is a lot that connects you.

Tron: Legacy (2010)

What happens:
Kevin Flynn, who has been locked in the computer world of ‘the Grid’ for 30 years, has gotten his son Sam to the portal to the real world. Standing between them is Clu, a computer programme modelled on a younger version of Flynn who has gone rogue who wants to stop Sam. Flynn calls on some mysterious force, pulls Clu back towards him and he and Clu merge before exploding in a burst of light.

What’s really going on:

Tron: Legacy – a film a lot of people were fairly cool on (Daft Punk score withstanding) – is actually a really effective film. It’s about an errant father who has missed his son growing up. Yeah, technically Flynn was locked in ‘the Grid’ but really that’s just a metaphor for the way fathers get obsessed with work and other commitments and miss out of their children growing up. The end of Tron: Legacy is Flynn realising he hasn’t been there for his son and that rather than force a reconnection he should step back and let his son grow up.

Man of Steel (2013)
What happens:
Jonathan Kent has spent years telling his adopted alien son Clark not to show the world his superpowers. When their car breaks down and a hurricane swirls in, Jonathan rushes back to the car to rescue his dog. He twists his leg in the process and is forced to accept that he cannot get out of the way of the hurricane. Though Clark could save him Jonathan holds out his hand to tell him no.

What’s really going on:
There’s two things going on underneath this scene. The first is Jonathan is saving someone – something that Clark will later do lots of when he become Superman. I always thought it was kind of silly that it was saving a dog but on reflection it makes his death all the more tragic and mundane. The second layer is that Jonathan is staying true to his beliefs that Clark shouldn’t show his powers. Again, a lot of critics and fans had a problem with this but as a father of 1 (and 2 more due next year!) I can totally understand his reasoning. Sure you want your son to exceptional but not at the expense of being a freak. I think what Jonathan Kent really wanted for his son was normal life.

Music Month: 10 favourite movie scores

As a bit of break from reviewing movies I thought I'd lay down some of my favourite movie scores. I'm a complete sucker for buying the soundtracks to movies I've just watched. It kind of prolongs my enjoyment of the film. I can put it the score on in the background while I work and (assuming it's a great score) it instantly takes me back to those feelings I had when I first watched the film.

The Wind and the Lion (1975) - Jerry Goldsmith
I know Jerry Goldsmith has done a ton of stuff that is way more famous than this but I absolutely love this score. It's so rich and sweeping. The definition of a bombastic score. Okay, it owes a bit of debt to Maurice Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia but it's just so damn catchy. I think I've probably only seen the film once but I must have listened to this collection of tunes hundreds of times.

Tron Legacy (2010) - Daft Punk
I think everyone can agree that Daft Punk were an obvious choice for the Tron sequel. Their back catalogue of electronic dance tunes made them seem perfectly suited but I certainly didn't expect them to mix it with a proper orchestral score. There's a definite 50/50 split in terms of the tracks but them meld so well. No disrespect to Wendy Carlos but I far prefer this to her abstract, experimental score for the original.

Dune (1984) - Toto

I love how in the 1980s a lot of filmmakers experimented with using bands rather than composers. Toto seem a odd choice for a sci-fi epic given that their most famous hit was the cheesy yacht rock hit 'Africa' but they really pulled it out the bag with this one. Though the actual film may have a lot of structural problems the laid back, progressive, synth-heavy score really pulls it together as a whole.

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) - John Carpenter

I couldn't go without including one score my favourite director/composer. I'd love to put his whole back catalogue on this list but if I had to pick one this is my favourite. Sure there's a lot of repetition - a lot of ambient effects - but I love the little hooks he comes up with. They're so simple but so effective, capturing the horror and suspense of the film. Also, he's the only people on this list who can't read music! (Hats off).

Conan the Barbarian (1982) - Basil Poledouris
Much like the title character Poledouris' score pounds you over the head repeatedly (but in a good way). I love this score for the same reasons as Goldsmith's Wind and the Lion. It's so damn epic and evocative. I've read a few of Robert E Howard's short stories since buying this and I can't help but have this music running in the background while I read. It so perfectly fits alongside his words.
 

Legend (1985) - Tangerine Dream

I know a lot of people complain that this score ruins Ridley Scott's otherwise timeless film but for me it gives it an otherworldly feel. Famously, Jerry Goldsmith wrote a full orchestral score but Scott had it chucked out because he felt it needed something more commercial. I feel bad for Goldsmith but this is a better score and I love the two accompanying songs by Brian Ferry and Jon Anderson.

Trancers (1985) - Mark Ryder and Phil Davies

As I've said many times I absolutely love this silly little b-movie from Charles Band. Tim Thomerson's performance is half of what makes it so good and the score is the other half. Like Carpenter's work, it's all synth-based, full of simple hooks and utterly 80s sounding but, hey, there's nothing wrong with that! It's never been officially released so here's a link. You're welcome. www.rapidshare.com/files/283878344/Tr_ncers.rar

Blade Runner (1982) - Vangelis

Such a wonderful score. I've now played it so many times I need to take long breaks in between listens in order for it to retain its power. I love how the score fits the complex world Scott created. The electronic background hum, for instance, becomes the opening of the track 'Blade Runner Blues'. If you can, skip buying the official version and try and track down the more complete Esper Edition bootleg.

Judge Dredd (1995) - Alan Silvestri

Always feel its a shame Silvestri never got a full score album and had to share the soundtrack with some forgettable rock songs. Still, those seven released tracks are awesome. Again, another heavy bombastic score, this time with a recurring military marching motif. If you're a fans of Silvestri's Predator score will most likely also enjoy this as well.

Princess Mononoke (1997) - Joe Hisaishi

I wanted to pick at least one Studio Ghibli score for this list and this one is probably my favourite. Joe Hisaishi's somber and moving compositions perfectly compliment the ethereal tone of the film. Heavy on the violins and other stringed instruments. There's also a definite mix of western and eastern influences. I'm no classical music buff or anything but there's some definite hints of Debussy and Chopin.

Random thoughts on... "seboots" sequels that act as reboots

Just wanted to get this down before I started seeing it elsewhere. Someone was asking me my thoughts about Predators, I said it was basically an example of the director wanting to do a sequel but the studio obviously wanted a reboot. So they met in the middle and more or less made a reboot, but one that took place after and acknowledged the original film. Direct to video sequels have been doing this for year's but only now has Hollywood caught on this method of extending a franchises shelf life a few more years. On paper it seems like a great idea, the studios avoid getting negative backlash from die hard fans of the franchise and they get a recognisable brand for general movie goers. For Predators I thought it failed and didn't really please anyone. Don't get me wrong I paid money and saw it at the cinema but really I wished they'd pushed the franchise forward with a more original storyline. "Seboots" as I'm gonna call them, are the equivalent of keeping your foot down on the clutch, sure the cars still moving forward but you're ruining the engine.

seboot
(noun) cee-boo-t
A belated sequel to a movie or franchise that pretty much ignores the original and more or less rehashes the same storyline under the guise of being a sequel. See: Tron: Legacy, Predators, The Incredible Hulk