10 Unintentionally Hilarious Movie Deaths

1. Tadhg McCabe - The Field

Tenet Sator Kenneth Branagh.jpg
Avenue Pictures

Jim Sheridan's otherwise-very-good 1990 drama The Field climaxes with one of the most misguidedly daft death scenes ever inserted into a deadly serious, even awards-baiting movie.

In the climax, farmer 'Bull' McCabe (Richard Harris) herds his cattle to the cliffs in a fit of insanity, and as his son Tadhg (Sean Bean) tries to stop the herd, he ends being hurled over the cliff edge by the cattle.

Even if you can forgive that Tadhg clearly graduated from the Prometheus School of Running Away from Things and the awkwardly serene music, the shot selections are just overwhelmingly goofy, from the slow-mo imagery of Tadhg flying backwards, to the POV shot of him spinning through the air, and the ludicrous visage of cattle yeeting themselves off the cliff.

To modern audiences, in particular, it comes off as hilariously histrionic, and couldn't feel more out of place in a bleak, otherwise awards-friendly drama.

 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.