Have you ever watched a movie so sad that you find tears streaming down your face? I’m not talking about the sad movies involving the death of a person. I’m talking about movies involving the death of man’s best friend. Watching the death of a dog on the big screen is almost as bad as seeing your own best friend die.
Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I’m a sap when it comes to movies involving the death of a dog or any animal, for that matter. For some reason, I can watch people die all day long (unless it’s a child), but let a dog meet its demise and I’m a water fountain of tears. I can’t help myself. They are there before I know it, flowing uncontrollably.
Who knows why we tend to get so emotional when a dog dies in the movies. We always root for them to pull through, hang in there. We holler at the television or movie screen, “Oh, man! Not the dog!”
My Picks for Movies with the Saddest Dog Deaths:
Marley and Me:
Some movies are more emotional for me than others. For instance, take Marley and Me. Sure, the dog had a nice, long life. Marley was bought when he was a puppy and was a constant in the relationship of his owners and in the lives of the children they would go on to have. So when Marley started having stomach problems, I knew it was coming. Okay, whew! He got over the first spell in one piece. Maybe Marley learned his lesson and will stop eating things he shouldn’t. Nope. There he goes again. This won’t end well.
After a final trip to the vet yields negative results, I knew Marley’s time on earth was coming to an end. And it did.
I cried so hard when Marley died that I cannot bring myself to go through those emotions again and will likely never watch Marley and Me ever again. Besides, my family made horrible fun of me and I felt like a blubbering idiot. I’m pretty sure I’m scarred for life after this one. It was just so…sad. The death of Marley devastated me.
I Am Legend:
Another movie that left me crying my eyes out was I Am Legend. Yea, you know the scene. Will Smith’s character has to strangle his only companion when he’s turned into a zombie dog. Why? I mean, sure the dog wants to eat your face, Will, but couldn’t you have chained him up in the backyard? Couldn’t you have fed him using a pole to push the bowl over to him? Poor baby.
Unlike Marley and Me, I am able to watch I Am Legend now without tearing up because the movie isn’t about the dog, and since I know where that scene is at in the movie, I make sure I’m conveniently out of the room until it’s over with.
Turner and Hooch:
Who can ever forget the death of Hooch in the movie Turner and Hooch? Hooch was adorable – a good dog – even if he did make a point of making Turner’s life a living nightmare. When Hooch took a bullet to the chest, I was shocked first, and then the tears came on. Call it a delayed reaction. How could anyone kill off this cutie? This dog’s antics had me laughing hard and then wham! They just had to kill him. RIP, Hooch.
Old Yeller:
My list of saddest movies would not be complete without giving a shout out to Old Yeller.
Unlike many people, I didn’t see Old Yeller when I was a kid. I already knew from listening to my older cousins that Old Yeller died in the end. I didn’t see it until about two years ago. Even though I fell in love with the movie along with everyone else, it was hard watching Old Yeller’s death scene.
When Old Yeller contracted rabies following an attack by a rabid wolf, it’s his boy who has to do the unthinkable – Jim has to shoot Old Yeller. Ah! This broke my heart more than anything else because Jim loved his dog so much, but he knew what had to be done.
I think the fact that animals are helpless, have no say about what happens to them, and depend on their people to make choices for them make it harder to see an animal, in this case dogs, die in any movie. Of course, I feel differently about Cujo – the once cute, rabies infected Saint Bernard who pinned a mother and her son in their car. Bad dog!
If you haven’t seen these movies, you really don’t know what you are missing. While they are sad in the end, the plot’s surrounding each movie is action-packed, hilariously funny, and show that these dogs lives did have a purpose. Their people loved them, took care of them, and treated them like they were family. I know they are just movies, but come on, I bet you cry, too.
Source:
Personal Experience – Moviegoer, Television Viewer
