Top 20 Saddest Deaths in Horror Movies
Here are some of the saddest deaths in horror movies that have left audiences deeply moved:
1. **"Get Out" (2017) - Georgina**
Georgina's death, as she ultimately succumbs to the manipulation and control of the Armitage family, is a tragic moment that highlights the film's social commentary.
2. **"The Exorcist" (1973) - Father Karras**
Father Karras sacrifices himself to save Regan, hurling himself out of the window to destroy the demon possessing her, a heartbreaking act of redemption.
3. **"The Shining" (1980) - Dick Hallorann**
Dick Hallorann's death, as he returns to the Overlook Hotel to help the Torrance family, only to be brutally murdered by Jack Torrance, is a poignant loss of a caring character.
4. **"Hereditary" (2018) - Charlie**
Charlie's shocking and violent death early in the film, followed by the family's grief and unraveling, sets a devastating tone that reverberates throughout the story.
5. **"Pet Sematary" (1989) - Gage Creed**
Gage Creed's tragic death and subsequent resurrection as a malevolent force is a heart-wrenching moment that explores the depths of grief and loss.
6. **"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) - Glen Lantz**
Glen's brutal death, sucked into his bed and spewed out as a fountain of blood, is a visceral and disturbing moment that leaves a lasting impact.
7. **"The Mist" (2007) - Billy Drayton**
Billy's father's devastating decision to mercy kill him and the other survivors, only to discover moments later that rescue was imminent, is a haunting and tragic twist.
8. **"Psycho" (1960) - Marion Crane**
Marion Crane's shocking death in the infamous shower scene, as she becomes the first victim of Norman Bates' split personality, is a landmark moment in horror cinema.
9. **"The Ring" (2002) - Katie Embry**
Katie's death after watching the cursed videotape, as she succumbs to terror and Samara's curse, sets the chilling tone for the film's supernatural horror.
10. **"The Descent" (2005) - Sarah Carter**
Sarah's devastating loss of her friends and family in the caves, culminating in her hallucinations and ultimate fate, is a harrowing exploration of psychological horror.
These deaths in horror movies evoke deep emotions and reflect the genre's ability to explore profound themes of fear, loss, and human vulnerability. Encouraging viewers to share which horror movie death affected them the most will surely spark a poignant discussion in the comments!
1. **"Get Out" (2017) - Georgina**
Georgina's death, as she ultimately succumbs to the manipulation and control of the Armitage family, is a tragic moment that highlights the film's social commentary.
2. **"The Exorcist" (1973) - Father Karras**
Father Karras sacrifices himself to save Regan, hurling himself out of the window to destroy the demon possessing her, a heartbreaking act of redemption.
3. **"The Shining" (1980) - Dick Hallorann**
Dick Hallorann's death, as he returns to the Overlook Hotel to help the Torrance family, only to be brutally murdered by Jack Torrance, is a poignant loss of a caring character.
4. **"Hereditary" (2018) - Charlie**
Charlie's shocking and violent death early in the film, followed by the family's grief and unraveling, sets a devastating tone that reverberates throughout the story.
5. **"Pet Sematary" (1989) - Gage Creed**
Gage Creed's tragic death and subsequent resurrection as a malevolent force is a heart-wrenching moment that explores the depths of grief and loss.
6. **"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984) - Glen Lantz**
Glen's brutal death, sucked into his bed and spewed out as a fountain of blood, is a visceral and disturbing moment that leaves a lasting impact.
7. **"The Mist" (2007) - Billy Drayton**
Billy's father's devastating decision to mercy kill him and the other survivors, only to discover moments later that rescue was imminent, is a haunting and tragic twist.
8. **"Psycho" (1960) - Marion Crane**
Marion Crane's shocking death in the infamous shower scene, as she becomes the first victim of Norman Bates' split personality, is a landmark moment in horror cinema.
9. **"The Ring" (2002) - Katie Embry**
Katie's death after watching the cursed videotape, as she succumbs to terror and Samara's curse, sets the chilling tone for the film's supernatural horror.
10. **"The Descent" (2005) - Sarah Carter**
Sarah's devastating loss of her friends and family in the caves, culminating in her hallucinations and ultimate fate, is a harrowing exploration of psychological horror.
These deaths in horror movies evoke deep emotions and reflect the genre's ability to explore profound themes of fear, loss, and human vulnerability. Encouraging viewers to share which horror movie death affected them the most will surely spark a poignant discussion in the comments!
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Samantha, I just got to get you home, got to get you, got to take you home."
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 20 Saddest Deaths in Horror Movies.
00:11Eddie! Ed! Ed! Come on, Ed.
00:15Be careful, be careful!
00:17For this list, we're looking at the most heartbreaking, tear-jerking, painfully unforgettable deaths of horror movie characters.
00:24Due to the nature of this list, a spoiler alert is in effect.
00:28What do you think is the saddest horror movie death? Sound off in the comments.
00:32Number 20. Walter. Get out.
00:35Poor Walter. What happened to him wasn't his fault. He was a victim of the Armitages.
00:40Possessed by the Grandfather Roman, Walter was seemingly a villain who tried, like the rest of them, to kill Chris.
00:45Get him, Grandpa.
00:47But upon being awoken from the sunken place by Chris' phone camera flash, the real Walter saves Chris from a similar fate.
01:02We only get to see the real Walter for a few moments out of the whole movie, but in that short period of time, he proves himself to be quite brave and selfless.
01:10Rather than return to the sunken place, he chooses to release himself for good.
01:15Number 19. Frank. 28 Days Later.
01:18In spite of having a daughter, Hannah, to protect, Frank is compassionate enough to take in our two lead characters, Jim and Selina.
01:25So this is your place?
01:29It's nice.
01:30While taking in one moment's rest from the constant running from the infected, a single drop of infected blood falls into Frank's eye.
01:37Watching the Great Protector turn into a rage monster is sad enough,
01:41but what makes his death truly tragic is having to watch him desperately push his daughter out of harm's way.
01:46And more than that, she has to watch as he's brutally killed by soldiers.
01:51Stay away from him!
01:54Keep away from my body!
01:56Number 18. Helen Shivers. I Know What You Did Last Summer.
02:00Part of what makes this one so devastating is that she was so close to escaping.
02:04So then he killed him with a fish hook.
02:06Yes.
02:08Did this fisherman guy use the same hook that cut all your hair off?
02:12Just a few more steps and she would have made it back to the parade, safe from the fishermen.
02:17But she forgets one of the cardinal rules of horror movies.
02:21Don't look back.
02:23The pageant queen Helen is hardly the damsel in distress.
02:27She does a fairly good job of fighting off the fishermen on her own, and could have easily achieved final girl status.
02:33But as she's running down the alley towards safety, she takes one last look behind her and gets got.
02:38With some of the other characters, you don't really care so much when they die.
02:42But Helen doesn't deserve what she gets.
02:49Number 17. Grace, Black Water.
02:52This one is a pretty interesting death for a horror movie, especially for this kind of creature feature.
02:57What's that?
02:58What?
02:59I don't know.
03:04Grace doesn't get eaten by the big bad alligator, or even drown in the swamp.
03:08She dies off-camera from blood loss after previously getting bitten.
03:12In a way, the lack of drama and violence is exactly what makes Grace's death so tragic.
03:18While we're all distracted by her sister Leigh fighting the alligator to death,
03:22we don't even realize Grace is dying all alone.
03:25We all cry right along with Leigh as we realize what happened.
03:33Number 16. Omi Engel, Krampus.
03:37Imagine how terrifying it must be for Omi, seeing Krampus return all these years later.
03:42After all, her story about what he did to her family when she was young is absolutely heartbreaking.
03:56Krampus practically taunted her back then,
03:58leaving her the only one alive after killing her family and their whole town.
04:02Nevertheless, the brave and selfless matriarch of the contemporary family
04:06sacrifices herself to the demon in order to let her family escape.
04:11Though the family is later reunited in Krampus's purgatory-esque snow globe,
04:15watching what happens to Omi still sits with you.
04:23Number 15. Father Damian Karras, The Exorcist.
04:27There are a lot of deaths in this movie, but Father Karras' definitely hits the hardest.
04:32He just wants to help Regan.
04:44No matter how many times the possessed girl abuses him,
04:47he keeps returning to that room again and again.
04:50The demon inside Regan cuts him where it really hurts,
04:54his devastation over his mother's recent death.
04:56That is hardcore.
04:58Her physical attacks are brutal,
05:00but this mental and emotional assault is absolutely devastating.
05:04The priest insists that the demon take him instead,
05:07and oh man, it does.
05:09He sacrifices himself to save Regan.
05:14Number 14. Charlie Graham, Hereditary.
05:17Although not necessarily the saddest death on this list,
05:20this one is definitely the most shocking.
05:23Based solely on the trailer for this movie,
05:25you definitely expect some terrifying and gruesome deaths,
05:28but you would never expect that the lead-up to all the action is this one.
05:32After Charlie has an allergic reaction at a party,
05:35Peter attempts to rush her to the hospital.
05:44Perhaps he should drive a bit more carefully,
05:47because what happens to Charlie is truly horrific.
05:50And what's even sadder is that the family can't even properly mourn her
05:53because they end up being plagued by greater forces at play.
05:57Definite bummer.
05:58I wish I could shield you from the knowledge that you did what you did,
06:02but your sister is dead!
06:04Number 13. Nancy, The Final Girls.
06:08With the plurality of the title,
06:10it's easy to be hopeful that somehow both Max and Nancy will make it to the end.
06:14But unfortunately, that would be false hope.
06:17Oh, am I ever gonna live that movie down?
06:19I mean, it was 20 years ago.
06:21Honestly, if you ever become an actor, don't ever do a slasher flick.
06:24The most depressing part of Nancy's death is that Max has to see her mom,
06:28named Amanda in the real world, die twice.
06:31Once in a fatal car accident, and again in the movie world
06:34when she gives up her shot at being the final girl
06:36and sacrifices herself to save her daughter.
06:39We had no idea this hilarious horror comedy would get so emotional.
06:43I love you.
06:49That's why I never got to tell her.
06:50Number 12. Dick Halloran, The Shining.
06:53She called it Shining.
06:57And for a long time, I thought it was just the two of us that had the shine to us.
07:02The Overlook Hotel is just not kind to people blessed with the shine.
07:06Dick Halloran makes a handful of appearances throughout Stephen King's stories,
07:09with his most famous occurring in The Shining.
07:11While detested by the author,
07:13Stanley Kubrick's adaptation is considered a classic.
07:16Halloran is a kind chef who, like Danny,
07:19possesses telepathic and clairvoyant powers.
07:22After receiving word from Danny via The Shine
07:24that all hell is breaking loose at the Overlook Hotel,
07:27Halloran rushes over to try and help out.
07:29Sadly, things do not work out.
07:41Number 11. Suk Woo, Train to Busan.
07:44Here is yet another parent sacrificing themselves for their kid.
07:52As the zombie epidemic quickly moves through the passengers on the train,
07:59Suk Woo does everything he can to keep his daughter Su-An safe.
08:02Actually, he's one of the few who doesn't end up betraying the other survivors.
08:07The most noble deaths are often some of the saddest.
08:10Just when it looks like Suk Woo and Su-An will make it safely onto the next train,
08:14Suk Woo gets bitten at the last minute and throws himself off.
08:18But not before giving Su-An a tearful goodbye.
08:21He deserved better.
08:39You know what?
08:40Maybe fighting an alien race is safer than being stuck in a bunker with a madman.
08:45Following 2008's Cloverfield,
08:4710 Cloverfield Lane largely ignores the monsters
08:49and focuses on a group of humans hiding out in a bunker.
08:52Michelle was kidnapped by John Goodman's Howard,
08:55who explains that he did it for her own safety,
08:57while Emmett actually begged to get in.
09:00After learning that Howard is in the abduction business, however,
09:03the two hatch an escape plan,
09:04only to get caught in the act.
09:06Emmett takes full responsibility before being shot dead by Howard.
09:10To add insult to injury,
09:12Howard later dissolves Emmett's body in acid.
09:20Talk about a tragic ending.
09:22Ben is sort of the de facto leader of the group of survivors.
09:25This place is boarded up pretty solid now.
09:28We gotta be alright here for a while.
09:29He does his best to protect them and is the guy with the escape plan.
09:33Naturally, that plan goes up in flames, figuratively and literally.
09:36But Ben makes it to the end.
09:38And just when you think he's about to be rescued by armed civilians,
09:42they confuse him for one of the undead.
09:44Alright, Vince, hit him in the head.
09:46You really think the guy is about to survive the movie
09:49and the rug is pulled out from under you.
09:51So devastating.
09:56Though young Beau's death really does tug at the heartstrings,
09:59we don't really get to know him before he's taken away from the Abbott family and our screens.
10:03As such, we've picked the untimely demise of patriarch Lee,
10:07who's a strong protector of the family.
10:09But he's also the one who's the most vulnerable.
10:12We've picked the untimely demise of patriarch Lee,
10:14who's a strong protector that truly loves his family.
10:18Set in a post-apocalyptic world where sounds attract sightless monsters to kill living things,
10:22the climax of A Quiet Place sees Lee making the ultimate sacrifice
10:27when he attempts to distract one of the creatures off of his kid's scent.
10:30AAHHHHHHHH!!!
10:38This allows Reagan and Marcus to escape and go back to their mother and newborn sibling.
10:43Only for them to have to continue the fight at the farmhouse.
10:55Freddie really has a twisted sense of humor.
10:58The third film in the series takes place within a mental hospital,
11:01housing the surviving children of the people who originally killed Kruger.
11:05Nancy is back from the original nightmare on Elm Street,
11:07as she attempts to form a dream team capable of taking Freddy down for good.
11:12After surviving multiple encounters,
11:14Kruger lures Nancy in by shape-shifting into her father.
11:17-"Daddy?"
11:20-"Crossed over, princess."
11:25-"Crossed over?"
11:26To Nancy's credit, she refuses to be defeated even after a fatal stabbing,
11:30and returns the favor by stabbing Freddy with his own glove.
11:34-"I won't let you die, I won't let you.
11:37I'm gonna dream you into a beautiful dream.
11:41Forever and ever."
11:47-"We'll be the ultimate family.
11:50A family of three, joined together in one body."
11:54David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of the film by the same name,
11:58The Fly follows Seth Brundle,
11:59a highly intelligent but eccentric scientist who holds the key to instant teleportation.
12:04With the experiment's kinks seemingly ironed out,
12:07Seth decides to use himself as a test subject.
12:10Unfortunately, a fly gets into one of the pods,
12:13causing its DNA to fuse with Seth's.
12:15As the film progresses,
12:17Seth's mental capacity slowly deteriorates,
12:19and he transforms into a terrifying human-insect hybrid.
12:23Desperate to survive,
12:24Seth tries to fuse with his girlfriend and their unborn baby,
12:28but ends up mixed with a metal frame instead,
12:30and then pitifully begs for death.
12:33-"No, no, no, I can't.
12:37No, no, I can't."
12:48Just in case someone missed the memo,
12:50picking on people is bad and can lead to dire consequences.
12:54Carrie is based on the Stephen King novel,
12:56and stars Sissy Spacek as the victimized title character.
12:59Treated like dirt by her classmates,
13:01and terrorized by her horrible mother,
13:04Carrie reaches her last straw when she's crowned prom queen,
13:07only to have pig's blood dumped on her.
13:09Suffice it to say,
13:10everyone in that gym dies painfully.
13:13After Mommy Dearest literally stabs her in the back,
13:16Carrie loses control and burns the house down,
13:18with both of them still in it.
13:20So, yeah, be kind to each other.
13:33Dewey has been a fan-favorite character since the beginning of the franchise.
13:36-"I was worried about you.
13:39I heard about what happened, and I was on the next plane.
13:42Can we talk?" -"Yeah."
13:43He's the lovable surrogate big brother to Sidney,
13:46and better half to Gale,
13:47not to mention reigning champ of stab wounds.
13:50But this franchise is no stranger to killing off fan favorites.
13:53Even Randy bites the dust in the second movie.
13:56Arguably, Amber is right, though.
13:58Dewey has to die to make the stakes real.
14:00And obviously, it's the only thing that can possibly bring Sidney back to Woodsboro.
14:05But knowing that doesn't make his death any less devastating.
14:08It feels like losing an old friend.
14:10Don't lie.
14:11You cried in the theater when you watched Gale see the police roll him out in a body bag,
14:15and realize he was really gone.
14:30The term, jumping the gun, was seemingly coined specifically for this moment.
14:35The Mist centers around a group of survivors who gather in a grocery store
14:38due to the onset of a mysterious mist,
14:40concealing creatures that kill anyone unlucky enough to be exposed.
14:44The film ends with David, his son Billy, and a few other survivors leaving the store in a car
14:49before eventually running out of gas.
14:51Instead of being eaten alive, they opt for a quicker death,
14:55leaving David to do the honors.
14:56Once everyone besides David is dead, because he runs out of bullets,
15:00the U.S. Army shows up to reveal the creatures were defeated.
15:03Five minutes was literally the difference between life and death.
15:15Number 2, Georgie Denbrough, It.
15:23Well, at least we now know that the boat floats.
15:25In both the 1990 and 2017 version,
15:28Stephen King's It starts off with one of the most haunting deaths in horror history.
15:33Georgie is a sweet kid who just wants to play in the rain
15:36when his brother's paper sailboat falls into the sewer.
15:39No!
15:41No!
15:43Thankfully, Pennywise the clown is around to help Georgie retrieve his toy.
15:47Instantly bonding over the smell of popcorn,
15:49their budding friendship is cut short when Pennywise bites Georgie's arm clean off
15:53and drags him into the sewer.
15:55All Georgie wanted was his paper boat.
15:57You float, dog!
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16:19Number 1, Gage Creed, Pet Cemetery.
16:26People process grief in different ways.
16:28Although most would probably avoid resurrecting their loved ones as deranged zombies.
16:33Louis is a doctor who learns about a pet graveyard capable of bringing animals back to life.
16:38Tragedy strikes when Gage, Louis' innocent young son, is run over by a truck.
16:43Unable to accept what happened,
16:45the doctor ignores multiple warnings and revives Gage by burying his body in the cemetery.
16:51The boy returns as a malevolent zombie and with the exception of his father, butchers his family.
16:56At that point, Louis has no choice but to kill Gage.
17:00And that plot summary pretty much speaks for itself as far as emotional devastation is concerned.
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