Saddest 80s movie moments

I have a nightly ritual where I hop into bed a half hour early, grab the remote and scan the channels in hopes of a decent 80s or early 90s movie. If I'm lucky, I'll find something like "Red Dawn" or "The Running Man" to fall asleep to.

(Though I will admit it's disturbing to be awoken 40 minutes later by having Schwarzenegger asking Maria Conchita Alonso where she hid the unedited tape of the Bakersfield Massacre -- "None of your business" -- or having Richard Dawson yell at me, "You bastard! Drop dead!")

Anyway, I digress. Last night's bedtime movie: Top Gun. And I turned it on right at the scene where Goose buys it after Maverick flies through Iceman's jet wash. It got me wondering: Is this the saddest movie moment of the 80s? ... List time again, chums.

You tell me: What was the saddest movie moment of the 80s?

Here are some that come to mind:

GOOSE BUYS THE FARM (Top Gun): The first time I saw Tom Cruise screaming and refusing to let go of Anthony Edward's slumped body, I was frozen with disbelief. And then Tom having to compose himself to hand over Goose's personal items to Meg Ryan? Here come the waterworks.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN (Dead Poet's Society): Robin Williams is blamed for Neil's suicide and dismissed, but not before one last show of support from his faithful class of students.

ELIAS NEARLY ESCAPES THE VC (Platoon): Everyone thought Willem DaFoe was a goner, but he miraculously emerges from the jungle  and nearly is home free ... only to be shot dead in slow-motion by the Vietcong in front of everyone.

THE TAKING OF FORT WAGNER (Glory): Matthew Broderick rides into the surf before dismounting, looking up at the sky and the diving seagulls, dismissing his horse and joining his troops for the suicidal assault on the Confederate stronghold.

E.T. GOES HOME (E.T.): Aw, don't make me describe this scene. (For one, I never saw the whole movie!) Just queue up the theme music and start crying, ya little babies.

and my personal favorite...

"HEY DAD ... YOU WANNA HAVE A CATCH?" (Field of Dreams): I gotta admit, I probably wail like a toddler getting his first flu shot a half dozen times in the final 30 minutes of this movie. When "Moonlight Graham" can't return to the game after becoming "Doc Graham." When James Earl Jones gives his big "People will come, Ray" speech. But nothing gets me like the moment when Kevin Costner realizes his dad is out there on the field with him. "Ease his pain, it was you." "No, Ray, it was you."

Some others: Gary drives home alone ("Last American Virgin"); Emma says goodbye ("Terms of Endearment); Micky dies (Rocky 3); Apollo dies (Rocky 4); Conan's girlfriend dies (Conan The Barbarian).

OK, I'm losing it again. Time to help out. Leave a comment with your suggestions for saddest movie moments of the 80s. Special prize -- a box of Kleenex -- to anyone who can outdo "Field of Dreams."

Comments

[Marissa]

Wow, Steve, you sure know how to start a girl's motor in the morning. JEEZ! I'm not even done with my first cup o'joe and you want me to think depression.
"Terms of Endearment" had me bawling and unable to see as I walked out of the theater with my father guiding me out. It hit too close to home. I'll spare details, but I've never been able to watch that entire movie again.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Miracle Mile: Harry and Julie, trapped in the wreckage of a downed helicopter, are slowly consumed by the La Brea Tar Pits as Los Angleles erupts in thermonuclear holocaust all around them.

It may not have the same tear-jerking quality as the Kinsellas having a catch, but you can't beat it for the sheer magnitude of its epic sorrow.

[Spears]

I realize my list is just a TAD guy-centric. That's ok. That's why we have Marissa, Jane, Spiky Sandy and Carla as fans!

(So I'll spare you my opinion on the sad moments of Stripes and Caddyshack.)

[Marissa]

I have to go get my tranny looked at this morning. However, upon my return I'm sure I'll have more tear jerking moments to share.
Oh, and when Danny's ball goes in da hole I welled up a little.

[Jeff in Cuba]

'Riss,

I just had this vision of you walking into a doctor's office with a 6-foot guy in a dress and fishnet stockings...

...then I realized you didn't mean that kind of tranny.

[Tonianne]

I'm so glad Jeff cleared that up.

Yup - that was pretty much the image I had as well. But with an ersatz Cher playing on Muzak.

[jane]

Jeff -- HA! I was going to take Miss Riss to task for holding out on us here -- and then ask her how I could get a tranny of my very own.

(By the way, thanks to Miss Riss, for leading the estrogen parade on this one.)

Terms of Endearment. Top of the list. I'm getting weepy just thinking about it -- it ripped me up when I first saw it and even more so now that I'm a mama...

"It's past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don't understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT'S PAST TEN! My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!"

*SNIFF*

In that same vein, the scene in Steel Magnolias (circa 1989) in the cemetery makes me sob uncontrollably:

"I'm fine! I can jog all the way to Texas and back, but my daughter can't! She never could! Oh God! I am so mad I don't know what to do! I wanna know why! I wanna know why Shelby's life is over! I wanna know how that baby will ever know how wonderful his mother was! Will he ever know what she went through for him! Oh God I wanna know why? Why? Lord, I wish I could understand!"

And now for something completely different -- the ending of Big turns me into a sobbing mess. My heart totally breaks for Elizabeth Perkins at the end.

[Spears]

Never thought of "Big" as having a sad ending, but I see your point.

Favorite visual from Big: When Liz Perkins and the blow-up Godzilla come face to face. Her expression is priceless.

[Tonianne]

"Frances" with Jessica Lang absolutely kills me, truly agonizing.

But when I think of the saddest scene ever, I think Michael Keaton's just-beyond-the-80s performance (sorry, Steve) in "My Life." Particularly the scene where a terminal Keaton has to have his father shave him. I lost a contact lens in the movie theater from bawling so hard.

[jane]

If we're going to just-beyond-the '80s, I must add "Dying Young" (1991) to my list-- the movie is actually schlock, but I'm a sucker for romantic tragic complicated love (and why the ending of Big makes me weep) and this one has it in spades.

When Campbell Scott tells his father that the reason he stopped his chemo is because he wanted Julia Roberts to see him with hair, I totally lose it.

[Tonianne]

Jane - I kept thinking to myself, "But Patton's son can't possibly die!"

[jane]

Exactly -- and the fact that his own mother was in the damn movie as well.

[Rob Adams]

Had to go for "Field of Dreams", didn't you? I saw that movie about two months after my father died, and it took me probably 15 minutes before I could leave the theatre! Not only was there a dead father to contend with, but he's wearing an old Yankees uniform - a bad combo for me at that time...and still a bad combo all these years later.

[Bassnote]

Willem DaFoe's death in Platoon always choaked me up. The part in Glory that was saddest to me is the aftermath of the battle where they had the bodies lined up.

[Sherrie]

Field of Dreams is the worst for me, the very thought of watching the "catch" scene sents me over the edge, even though I've only actually viewed it a handful of times. The scene in "Big" where Josh turns back into a little boy and returns to his mother, also very sentimental. I know both have been mentioned before, but those are the two from the 80's that really get to me. If we can venture slightly into the early 90's, the ending reunion scene in "A League of Their Own" destroys me and (like Tonianne mentioned) I literally lost a contact lens when Forrest's mama dies in Forrest Gump and had to be led out of the theater by the hand. (Darn that 20/650 vision!)

[Spears]

Really Bassnote? No, I always fall for Matthew Broderick standing in the surf, knowing he's about to die. No doubt thinking of a home and parents he'll never see again.

And Rob, I hear ya buddy. I lost my dad last year after an illness that lasted about 10 years. So for an entire decade, watching that movie was devastating.

[jane]

One more... there's a fleeting moment in "Philadelphia" (1993) towards the beginning of the film when Tom Hanks is leaving Denzel's office. It's a frame of his face and the look in his eyes is heartbreakingly haunting. I actually saw that movie with a gay friend of mine and we just clung to each other for the rest of the film.

[Mellie]

How could you forget "Beaches"? I saw that with my best friend and when Barbara Hershey's character dies, and Bette Midler sings "The Wind Beneath My Wings"..... The entire theater was sobbing - they had extra Kleenex boxes in the Women's restroom... And a bunch of puzzled men lined up outside waiting for the women to come out....

[mike]

From Say Anything: when the heartbroken, anguished Lloyd, determined to win back Diane, serenades her with Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes on his boombox outside her window in the pouring rain.

From Ferris Bueller's Day Off: when despondent, defiant Cameron kicks his dad's Ferrari 250GT off the stand, through the plate glass window, into the woods.

Best fake sad moment - from Vacation: when the state trooper confronts Clark W. Griswold with the empty leash tied to the bumper of the Family Truckster.

OK, it's really 1979, but when Jon Voight won't wake up in The Champ, despite Ricky Schroeder's "Champ? Wake up, Champ. Chaaaaaaaammmmmmmp!'' is an automatic trip to the water works.

[Tom]

I'd say in "Glory" , the night before the assault on Ft Wagner where all the soldiers of the 54th are gathered around the fire, singing and mustering their courage always chockes me up. Morgan Freeman's speech is very inspired.

"Places in the Heart" and "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" are both melancholy factories I'd add to the list.

[Spears]

Don't forget "Cabbie's" death in Escape from New York. Poor Ernest Borgnine.

[Tom]

To me Ernest Borgnine will always be the Ghost of Flight 401.

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Ditto,
ditto,
ditto,
ditto,
ditto,
ditto,
ditto,
etc.,
but not Cabbie's death. That movie was such a cartoon that I felt nothing but the desire to see them kill Donald Pleasance. I remember kinda hoping they'd kill Snake too.

[Joe Gannon]

How about in Angel when Dick Shawn's tranny character Mae gets it from John Diehl's serial killer? And you realize that poor, poor Angel is going to be all alone. Thank heavens she still had that nice police detective and Rory Calhoun to look out for her.

[Spears]

My Cabbie comment was more tongue in cheek. But now that Rick is against it, I'm embracing it as a Top 5 pick!

How can you root against Snake Pliskin, Rick?

[Brad]

Pee Wee's Big Adventure, when he learns the Alamo has no basement.

[Tom]

Snake Pliskin? I thought he was dead.

[Brad]

Okay, here's a serious one.

Taps - the scene where the kid drops his rifle, it goes off, and the National Guard shoot his buddy, and of course the ending.

[Mike in Austin]

Ok Star Trek fans, how about when Spoke dies in Wrath of Khan? You gotta love the Nimoy and the Shatner.
Or The Wraith, when the brother (don't remember his name) realizes the wraith (Charlie Sheen) is his brother reincarnated. At the end of the movie the brother starts yelling at/for Charlie Sheen as Charlie rides away.

Though filmed in 1989/1990 and released in Nov 1990, Dances with wolves. At the very end when Costner's best friend is atop a cliff bidding Costner farewell with words of friendship and love.

As for Glory, easily a TOP 10 movie ever made. My sad scene: when Denzel is getting whipped, looks at Matt, does not bat an eye after every lash and slowly tears roll down his face. A very powerful but sad moment.

[Mike in Austin]

Better yet, good 'ole Swazye and Moore in Ghost. The ending kills me. Anyone who has had their heart broken can't hold back the tears. Hell, I remember that ending like it was yesterday......let me get the Kleenex and whip away my 80's tears........Damn It, nobody puts Mike in Austin in a corner!

[Spears]

Ghost was a 90s flick.

And Wrath of Khan is a brilliant pick. When Kirk chokes up about Spock's soul being the most "human," I nearly pull a Field of Dreams myself. And then, if memory serves, you have Scotty playing the bagpipes to Amazing Grace as his body is shot down to the Genesis planet.

Great stuff.

[Mike in Austin]

Last one, sorry folks, like my colleague on this board who ran a movie projector, I worked/ran multiple video stores in the late 80's.

Dangerous Liaisons: John Malkovich is dueling with Keanu Reeves in regards to a woman who John......de-flowered (Uma)....As they are dueling John is thinking about the only true "love I've ever known" (Michelle Pfeiffer). He takes the sword in an attempt to "punish" himself for his wrong doings in life and of course to punctuate his genuine true love to Michelle (though on her dying bed) . Upon hearing the news of John's last words and his death, she pushes away the servant and says "enough", her bed curtains close and she dies. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it....

Ok, I'm done!! Let me tend to my sick daughter!

[jane]

Oh, man -- how could I have forgotten Dangerous Liaisons, one of my favorite movies.

The scene that gets me is the one where the tear rolls down her face -- the look in her eyes.

I think it's time for a rewatching of this one -- thanks for the reminder, Mike. And I hope your daughter feels better very soon ;-)

[Clark]

Jane: Craigslist for all your tranny shopping needs. Not that I, uh, have firsthand knowledge or anything *cough*. Hey, Superbowl this weekend! Kick *ss! Can't wait!

[Rick in Scottsdale]

YESSS!!!! I goaded THE Steve Spears into a joust! But I am such a hard case that I don't know what to do with it. I'm like an exuberant kitten who's caught a mouse and finds itself at a loss. Plus, I just really like you, Steve. So, I'm a loser and a fan. Are they the same thing?

Well, I'll give it a try and hope the mouse doesn't bite too hard...

So, Why Snake Pliskin dead?

You mean other than that Snake was a wholly unlikable character? Or that Kurt Russell did a more believable job of acting in THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES?

P.S. What about THE OUTSIDERS? When Ponyboy quotes Robert Frost, huh? Tears, hidden tears, my friends.

[Spears]

Snake wasn't unlikeable in the least! You're out of your mind, Rick! You've been eating pancreas with Ferris and Cameron too long.

I consider "Escape from New York" sacred to me. When it's on TV, it's like Christmas as a 5-year-old all over again.

[Debra]

I scanned the entries and didn't see this one...

Shelby's (Julia Roberts) death in the movie "Steel Magnolias". It just makes the 80's cutoff (released 11/89).

Also, I have to agree with "Beaches".

It's very cathartic (for girls anyway) to have a good cry, for no apparent reason!

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Ahem, I didn't say that the movie wasn't likable. What adolescent male didn't want to see Adrienne Barbeau's copious cups spillin' over? Or see cars burning or guys fighting with nail-riddled baseball bats?

But Pliskin wasn't likable in the least. Too much the anti-hero, with no redeeming qualities. Want an anti-hero with redeeming qualities? Mad Max, especially in THE ROAD WARRIOR.

But back to ol' Snake... Who would've thought that in the far-flung nuclear waste future guys would still have movie-star mullets? Couldn't Carpenter get Russell to commit to a Blade Runner buzz cut?

But you wanna talk about my friends Ferris and Cameron, eh? Ed ROONEY was more likable than Snake Pliskin.

[jane]

Thanks for that tip, Clark -- who knew Craigslist could be such a fount of useful items!

And Debra -- totally agree on Steel Magnolias. I mentioned earlier (at least I think I did) the cemetery scene where Sally Field loses it as the tear-jerking-ist one of the whole film, at least from my perspective.

[Bassnote]

Rutger Hauer In Blade Runner. Saves Harrison Ford's character from plummeting to his death, delivers an eloquent speech, and then quietly dies. And the dove flying away was a nice touch.

[Debra]

Jane - Sorry I missed your comment about Steel Magnolias (I was trying to scan quickly)...and I agree with the cemetery scene too. Very sad! I guess that's two votes for Steel Magnolias (ha ha).

If I remember correctly, from previous comments that Mr. Spears is not a huge Julia Roberts fan.

[jane]

Ironically, I'm not a big Julia fan myself -- even though two of my favorite sobby movies (the aforementioned Steel Magnolias and Dying Young) feature her in starring roles. Go figure.

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Ahem, I didn't say that the movie wasn't likable. What adolescent male didn't want to see Adrienne Barbeau's copious cups spillin' over? Or see cars burning or guys fighting with nail-riddled baseball bats?

But Pliskin wasn't likable in the least. Too much the anti-hero, with no redeeming qualities. Want an anti-hero with redeeming qualities? Mad Max, especially in THE ROAD WARRIOR.

But back to ol' Snake... Who would've thought that in the far-flung nuclear waste future guys would still have movie-star mullets? Couldn't Carpenter get Russell to commit to a Blade Runner buzz cut?

But you wanna talk about my friends Ferris and Cameron, eh? Ed ROONEY was more likable than Snake Pliskin.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Return of the Jedi, when that one Ewok tries to roust his fallen comrade, only to realize that he is dead.

The ensuing mix of sobbing and jibberish always gets to me.

And Anikin/Darth's last words to Luke are a little misty too.

[Spears]

Oh Rick. You're all lost in the supermarket. You'll no longer ship happily.

I hated Road Warrior. I can't stomach any Mad Max movie actually, though I do like to chant the rules to Thunderdome from time to time: Two go in, one comes out!

[Spears]

Darth's last words? Brilliant!

"Just for once... let me... look on you with my OWN eyes."

and then...

"You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister... you were right."

[Rick in Scottsdale]

YESSS, Bassnote -- that scene when Hauer releases the dove along with his ostensible replicant soul to that deep, synthesized drum beat...? Pure art, and angst. Cuts me to the quick every time.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Luke: "No, I have to save you!"

Darth: "You already have, Luke."

Sniff.

[Rick in Scottsdale]

(A technical aside: never click the back button when you've just posted or it will re-post. See above "Ahem..." post.)

[Walter Cox]

Dude, "Terms of Endearment" is the biggest tear-jerker EVER!

[Tom]

I think Yoda's death scene in Jedi was tear jerker as well.

[Former Producer Dave]

There are several moments in "The Natural" that bring tears to my eyes, but the distant shot of Roy's father dropping dead next to the barn tears me up even before the scene happens. I know it's coming and I STILL tear up. Just typing this description makes me miss my own father.

[Spears]

The Natural, really? I thought the whole dad scene was a little hokey. You could see it coming even the first time you see the movie.

But I do well up when Roy Hobbs rounds those bases at the end.

[Marissa]

Wow! It's amazing what happens when a girl goes off into the snow to get her tranny worked on. As soon as I hit "post" i realized what kind of thoughts might cross the minds of the 80s nation. Thank you for not disappointing me :) By the way, my tranny is fine.

Jane, I think it was you who mentioned "BIG" with Tom Hanks. Now that I'm a momma, I get choked up when Josh finally returns home, clomping down the street in those big wing tip shoes -- Susan realizing she's a potential pedophile. I am kidding! But Josh's return to home makes me weepy.

[obey_gravity]

Two words.......

Sophies Choice

Nuff said

[Rick in Scottsdale]

Spears, you are a sick man! (who wields references that I don't recognize like "lost in the supermarket." Whenever one feels inferior, an insult always comes in handy as a come-back. I could've written, "What do you know?! You live in Florida!" or "You hair's too thick!" But whatever...)

And not to appear the coward, but you know, honesty being best policy and all, I hated MAD MAX and BEYOND THUNDERDOME. But I still say THE ROAD WARRIOR is FA-A-A-A-R superior to ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. Fi and double fi!

[Marissa]

Hey Mike in Austin! You better watch all those early 90s references. Your 80s Nation card might get revoked. Sheesh!

I had to double check my info before posting the next 3 flicks as "yes, they made me cry in my popcorn" status.

"Ordinary People" ~ I read the book first. I knew what was going to happen, but I cried anyway.

"The World According to Garp" (speaking of trannies). It's been a long time since I watched this, but I recall a few tearful moments. "What does the T.S. stand for?" "Terribly Sexy."

"Good Morning Vietnam" ~ I must be on a Robin Williams roll.

I cry a lot, but far less often than I did earlier in life. If there was a slightly poignant moment, I needed Kleenex ... just ask anyone in my family.

[Jeff in Cuba]

When I lived in Hawaii I had a friend who underwent a fairly serious mental meltdown, puncuated by the night we found her bawling her eyes out over a "Happy Days" rerun. I believe it was the one with Fonzie's father.

Anyway, for a long time after that, whenever I would see anyone get misty over a movie or TV show, I'd wonder if they still had a full set of 64 crayolas in the old brain box.

[jane]

I loved The World According to Garp -- both the book and the movie. I'm a big John Irving fan, although I haven't read any of his more recent works, I'm embarrassed to say. However, I think I've read The Hotel New Hampshire at least a half-dozen times over the years. Great book.

The thing I remember most about Ordinary People was being impressed that Timothy Hutton was Jim Hutton's son -- I had a major crush on Hutton père, stemming back to his days as TV's Ellery Queen.

[Neil]

In the Empire Strikes back when Han is frozen and Chewie starts crying that got to me as a kid. I thought Han was a goner for sure. It is a movie moment that doesn't make me sad anymore but at the time, you really weren't sure what was going to happen.

[Neil]

I also agree with Steel Magnolias. I went to see that with my older sister and mom, I am looking over at my mom and sister and they weren't crying!! I was about to weep like a little baby, but they were perfectly fine. So I had to hold it in, but eventually, I had some tears come out and I pretended that something was in my eye. I realized at that point, I am a bigger baby than my sister and mom combined.

[Marissa]

mmm Ellery Queen. Yes, I remember that!

Jeff, I don't know how full my box is, but I can assure you I've never cried over Happy Days. I can't recall ever crying over a sit-com. Now, when something I loved gets canceled I might get misty eyed. ie, "Parker Lewis Can't Lose."

[malibu]

Garp is a GREAT 80's pick! One of the very few movies that does fairly good justice to the book, too. I haven't ready any of Irving's stuff lately, either, perhaps I'll check them out now that you've mentioned it, jane--thanks!!

[Cait]

So many good ones already mentioned. Two more:

The Color Purple - Celie (Whoopi Goldberg) is reunited with her sister, and meets her son and daughter for the first time.

Sophie's Choice - Sophie, well, Sophie makes her choice. No other way to say it.

[Hamptune]

Good choices, the ending of "La Bamba" always gets me for some reason...

[Carla]

C'mon Steve... enlighten us with the saddest parts of Caddyshack?? lol

Jane, Neil and Debra: I have to agree with you on Steel Magnolias! I have to have a BIG box of Kleenex when that one is on!! The cemetary scene... it's the saddest part and my favorite part at the same time... When they make M'Lynn at taking a whack at Ouizer.. classic!

Terms of Enderement: Oh my! Has to be one of the all time saddest movies. Thank goodness for Jack Nicholson's character! He does provide some lighter moments!

But People, People... how could any of you forget "Somewhere In Time" (1980, I checked Steve)... Oh my goodness... my eyes get full with tears, my heart sinks, and I get chills when he pulls the 1980 penny out of his pocket and is pulled out of the past and into the the present. "Richard... Richard". MUST get that out and watch this weekend!!

[Marissa]

Carla, I have never viewed "Somewhere in Time." Nope. Never. Ever. What's it about? Who is in it? Love story? haha I'm kidding, but I really have never seen it.

[Al]

I would have to say "The Mission" and "Miracle Mile"......both amazing movies on completely different genres.

In "The Mission", the haunting soundtrack serves as a death knell to the tribal peoples, and "Miracle Mile", well, Jeff summed up perfectly. Utter despair.

[Manchester Mike]

Two teen flicks.

Can't buy me love - when Ronald is Banished by his friends on New Years Eve

Say Anything - when he is calling his sister in the rain.

[Spears]

Carla hit on a great flick -- Somewhere in Time. On a future podcast, someone needs to ask me to do my favorite line from that movie.

"RIIIchard! RIIIIIIICHARD!"

I can screech it just like Jane Seymour. Hmmm, that sounds bad out of context.

[Marissa]

Bend it like Beckham, Screech it like Seymour.

[Spears]

I looked up the spelling on my Seymour quote. It should be:

REEEEEEchard!

[Bassnote]

Saddest moment in an 80s movie: Flash Gordon - from the moment it started until the last ending credit.

[Al]

Saddest TV moment: When Melinda Culea was fired/left "The A-Team". Sigh.

By the way, Bassnote.....how about....

Star Trek V: Shatner Thought He Could Direct? Terrible movie.

Star Trek III was pretty bad, too.

[Bobbi]

To me, one of the saddest scenes ever is the end of La Bamba when Bob (Esai Morales) screams out for Richie (Lou Diamond Phillips. I cried so hard when I saw it in the theater and in later viewings. Gets me every time.

[Stymie]

"Oxford Blues" (1985). Because when the credits rolled and the house lights came up, I realized that was two hours of my life I could never get back. Brings a tear to my eye even now ... ;-)