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View Full Version : Movies with the main characters dead in the beginning

bwee
09-05-2005, 09:57 PM
Not like the Sixth Sense, but more like... Sunset Boulevard, I think. Any other ones like this, where the main characters are dead to begin with and through a series of flashbacks it tells how they got there?
TwoBitHack
09-05-2005, 10:02 PM
Citizen Kane
Austen
09-05-2005, 10:12 PM
Drowning Mona? Not a film I would suggest, but doesn't it start out with Mona's death?
TwoBitHack
09-05-2005, 10:19 PM
A case could be made for POINT BLANK.
vmf
09-05-2005, 10:47 PM
Wasn't Spacey dead at the beginning of American Beauty? How about DOA?
Biohazard
09-06-2005, 12:03 AM
Wasn't Spacey dead at the beginning of American Beauty?

The voice-over is of the dead character, but the person we see in the movie is very much alive. You only get half credit for that answer.
TwoBitHack
09-06-2005, 08:03 AM
In DOA, Edmond O'Brien's character is still very much alive.

However, he is fatally poisoned and uses his last minutes to report his own murder and recount the circumstances leading up to it.

Simply a brilliant opening and premise.
vmf
09-06-2005, 09:16 AM
How about Courage under Fire?

P.S. I still say Spacey's character is dead at the absolute beginning of American Beauty and it's all flashback from there.
Ukdecay
09-06-2005, 09:17 AM
Chris Eccleston is already dead in the opening shot of Shallow Grave.
jellyjilly
09-07-2005, 10:17 AM
The Constant Gardener comes pretty close. Wifey is dead on page one of the novel, and within the first few mins of the movie.


Laura is another, trickier example.
Deus Ex Machine
09-07-2005, 10:53 AM
Isn't Washington the main character in Courage Under Fire?
AaronB
09-07-2005, 11:19 AM
Beetlejuice.
Pen Dragon
09-07-2005, 11:22 AM
the wounded soldier in johnny got his gun is, for all intents and purposes, dead at the beginning
Otis
09-07-2005, 11:28 AM
How about Casino? Doesn't DeNiro blow up at the beginning?
dclary
09-07-2005, 11:34 AM
Sunset Street.
prescribe22
09-07-2005, 11:39 AM
How about Casino? Doesn't DeNiro blow up at the beginning?
He does get blown up, but he survives.
Deus Ex Machine
09-07-2005, 11:41 AM
The Others
Jacob's Ladder
Incident at Owl Creek
Stay (sort of)
Ghost (dies early in act one)
vmf
09-07-2005, 11:45 AM
Isn't Washington the main character in Courage Under Fire?

Yeah, he's the male lead and Meg is the female lead, just like a few other examples posted here.

And if you want to get sexist, I'll call Boobs. :)
Hasil Adkins
09-07-2005, 12:46 PM
Carlito's Way
jellyjilly
09-07-2005, 07:44 PM
Sunset Street.


That's Sunset Avenue.
bwee
09-07-2005, 08:28 PM
That's Sunset Avenue.

Sunset Boulevard :)
scripter1
09-07-2005, 08:58 PM
Is there a point to this?

Some item to discuss?

I don't mind you guys listing these movies, I'm just interested in learning something new from them.