CHAPTER 2 Cinema and Suicide [Death is vers where im ily bat sce ot As the ast chapter showed, the mint suxcowful and exportable genre, action cinema, thrives om the sel-endangeement of ts predominantly male protagonists, While ‘crtan echloonis apes theportatre of some of Wester cinema Tete rcs, frm The Gist Ficape Jo Stars, 1963) w Lethal Moapon (Rktand Duner, 197) wo Jain Bourne (2002, 2004, 267) ‘omfrming om contort, celebrating the maverick and with it both rmaculinss and Nieto cme elcome wren this pepsi tmnt be dap mith it must cane ner coma Self for ‘ike, oF for unclear, igmuble ut unknowable reasons, sem antithetical the mainstream project, antithetical, thats, dhe eos, konography and" ol the rin tradi ccuedig wo cinema the te likly way for people to die is trough criminal assault Suicide, which far cuttripn murder saitically ‘especie for rhly double the number of receded deaths cach sar ‘nthe United States, and mach rote i (a ther) countries with fewer humicidn is nevertelew ates represented Uhere arc ubious renin, fortis the financial and pack benefit capt entertinmen thet ba tail st pes ty fr uphtng endings but up the stenting of certain notions of the Self hat tends wo mabe iby aay feo dhe mre tab ad aii ‘erstinsof sel-endangcrment [tis mo surprise then that where sic ‘most often 9 most lly dealt with sous, ori reaction to, Has womnt traditions. "Thi 6 ot Wo ay that wide doen't app im Hollywood fil, tenn nether cincmas, bt Wo recpine thatthe rlationhip ‘between cinema and suicide varies both quantitatively and quately _xcording ta formal and cltoral purametes This chapter will argue two general points: that maintcam cinema, while rifle withthe spectacle and functionality af self -ndangeement, Cannot eneraim sui, albeit that i ht renner suicide entertain ing, and, that where suicide is dealt with in mainstream Em, i almost always about something es In broad terms, suicide in Western cinema fan act of varying, and sometimes lnc, portance but ft at the story or pt iy eve tuly about Hy suicide, Tran slf-willed sll Aiting: an individual tingly ching to take his or her owe if and then ‘chiving that end. Ae sthe previous chapter suggested, theres fuzziness tw this definition: such “wating clei, afterall, hard to ascertain on to record. Statistics on suicide are considered welsh, masking, fr ‘example, the tendency to favour athe causes uf death AL the sae tin, suicides nerentyensterioun. As Steve Tashi ert i fem fs and must be thought of aa act of wich the ote ent kw Wha amconcerned with suid a a esl swell a a cto a at mpi iy linked wo particular rel, namely death, Taslor i hi study of sic choses ited to crac the aca of rk tking* The fare ‘ness of ik-taking fueled my discussion of film's dutifl but damaged ‘men im Chapter I, and their Jeteminaio of mainstream fis avout subjects Inthe, I want hype the tab of une athe arcu tread hat limits even the use of the word and home so ans speci presence an use in Wester cinema. 1 am emphasising “Westermnes here for a number of reauons. Filmi Ubliese always tbe shan be ‘hsclocly towed up with cura contat bu this empha tflects the particular emit of this hook: despite gesturing evond the Western fame {eis Western and particularly North American lo culture that wer scrutiny hore but never as 4 s-ctaind, led smpeemeable emits ‘oF 4s tually homwgencous While sing non-Western culture wo enhance ‘our understanding ofthe West might sack ot prey the kind of sll ‘serving oF narcnic practices thi bok wants otic, Cope that ‘ri oat prove to be purely siipitic The shaper spit int 10 uncgul parts. its ball Loews upon & small group of tim hat ar sour wc are prc than ore tellit~ rather han toe that one ta ime i of pt device oF pei ‘rl character tai. These ls, and ll anal two deta, wil be ‘hos ao encspnolate what Iam calling the mocal economies of cinema ist however, im short opening sexton T survey the use of uid in ‘mainarea li order to cistinguish the various frm and funtion it takes and the hes tropes of rsprosentaton. {start with this sures ‘became the ways in which sicde as fem underoath fr within the tes of aicdolgy are wot unmet) of icaly relevant 10 cinema, ‘Suiielogy was bora i the aalsis of statistics by Brie Durkheim and eveloped through an atrmate empha on case studs, Vet cient never dapeads on fact foe is fantasies Whete Dut i's serial work2 peatw aso “tas to dtinguish teen deaths which are undertaken cane death Istiewl to he desrale i sland deaths which are achieved inthe [purse thee cn an the cane o marty this chapter som ers il with the materi which, ad the peoees by which, enema ‘mimes the anal ste aml myth toes ai suicidal igure The Forms of Cinematic Suicide ite ane, roth, sie form of ice in Western ince: roughly, cane howe form are ithe divert, for they overlap, nor ised, for ths preliminary rater than conclsive framework and, of ere, ‘mera svar, para. While these forms repesent a range of paras and thematic yearn sci, and vary the ecatabity or svi of he act the str. what ean be discerned contin ‘oF meaning. AI cinematic suches Ke someuther oma fine from thet Scns” heroin to chor nul al gota its ennbling a ignoble imphcatan nth vafous degres of consiousnen ot Meolialfervoue, "he fst form uke n= wha ike cl pref ide fs the mont pervasive util, often sli tives sacricing ‘ne ie a 4 comin ones prafssion, a the nate of the ob ‘nr lis the prime example, india participate in high-risk opera hom: he allo, with varying degrees of consciousness, thee ies Wo be taken within the contin which they are emgage Distinct fren the ‘sual selendangerment of the ple oer or Heer plot i which the potential fatal outcome of risk lden sevice poes unacknowledged ta the very lest, arachnoid sore way Seiable here the sca acts clete The individual makes conscious ewicevosarifice hms ere wo save others, atthe very lat forthe aus’ This not the sea ben ie ine ie OF du 3 deta, eupemistie oF rmetaphrcl suicide oe tring with death lke Maverick in op Can fr Rigas in ZhalHcupon,Wis mates the individual exacting a chonce to poe his rer hie in an, albeit etre, fllment af a rae, Sah ats srcraely acknmledged an ice at all,ewxpt wien their lic being ‘qwestoned usually with reference tothe madness of war. Suid thus, remuins« purel negative description or asripin, Heroic ell sari, “ping one's hfe’ in serice, is rendered utterly ha. Ieded, often ‘hese films ae preuecupied with peeiey this ue of chace ot com, ‘sith reletng upon the need and logic ofthe act."Throuh his thes. t, ‘et gta rand ue ahr andy fate Ts The Prey Basen this pols fs striking, The ps ologsation “ snd crimination of suicide and is aweiaion ith the amprisoned ‘men a the art ofthe lm enorrast sharply with thee moments of got when they give ther lve hate atthe end” In Sec Prcaie Ryan (Spethers, 1998), espealy in ts tmach-Laued opening scene nth ins veriimsitainoas extended quence ofthe Normandy landing. as frenzy of involuntatiness the question of consent sccm alt Yo pre dominate The professional sce ofthe central characters hinges upon thie inereasng acceptance of thet fate, adits distinction ofthe sale ‘good if. In eotrant, Cline Fanwood Lerten: rom Fv Jina 2) lays hate the nasonal specificity, av well soir factor of pro ‘sonal sce through te Japanese military’ explit demund oe dui selF-klingHelk-bent on hemicising the white American male, award Zaick's Gilry (1989) 6 prexcupied with aggrandiing the che of Professional suicide Indeed, the ‘eateer death of Colo! Robert Goa ‘Shaw (Matthew Broder) in taking charge f the i all Mack olunteer ‘company dating the Cit We, reaches its athens hog his oi their charge ino the fring line a the fi's cose Tei aime ac fice for hanour and country fr tragedy ant moble, i wari by ollywood's racial pies that wll be taken further inthe nest chapter snl centralised with the ngage of din in Pat TL Profewionsl suicide, then, must canals represents the ulimate ‘sritce ofthe war fi, and the slice wh fends of the enemy sins han white his conades escape I als cosers a range ter char acces tt rcs himself on to 4 whet, with no hope of fetura, to cetr a path fr other’ escape from a sinhing ship, es i The Prsedon Adventure (Ronakd Neate, 1772), the pittatber Who uses his pune isla the inal weapon to save off distr, mrad (Mitac Hayy 1998) and Padopondensc Da (Roland Ernerch, 196) Me soem, ult an! fos den, tacts he ain enemy while the other survivor escapes, a in Fam Lexend Franc Lawrence, 2007) ‘Side, in these comet, the fn fallment ofa social roe and ofa ‘commitment to one's country, family loves une/s, he stakes ate ih nd theres no surprise, ther, thatthe Snaster gente, expel ts mle nial apecals pom, depends apo ‘Profesional suche in cinema fringed with political impor, Inde this form coh! be sem w represen the ultimate consent athe ste pp Tats and tn both she reprenive and ideological practices Lous Aue Aoscrited "Poe dice longest on this type for precisely this reawn, Iocan it the mnt cls attached tthe power ofthe state. This the state's deathly cominates a exacted throtigh culture, i pei Cancer of ths bk Horm f ano, hve and ple, professional suicide“ evra ave rh MORIN MAO is alsays sho through with motions of day and items, of national tw cious allegiance an obligation. I Yorgors rather than nls se elle, andl save il toe prbkematic implications by never beim ‘alle! site. Ths in turn, sharpens the divide Berneen the actions reforms these Amiri heros am thin fn Amerca” sce ferrorat The aaling theme, the, of profesional suicide national, soci religious duty ans, variably, assoioned with men.” The accra tee related hat distinct: Aonurae vale 1 i r= sqeniy attached te prafessinal’ groups, outie the socal set-off Servis which operate by am aerate set of codes and particular, by im ahernative cde of um Sich Sms en belong tthe anger fr mabser genre, whore sdwidualy take their ca lives rather than tetas thers oF ay the apc of penal inept, ‘he sical At eitoncs ther (countercural) Jay; Ve am extension of thee foe of hoot) Many mvc ana the Mafia include, Af mt expla, thos fem ftom TA Godan: Par 7 (Panes Ford Coppola, 1974) wo Mound (W ares Hrahers, 19), "ae Bri fi J Brags (Marcin MeDunsgh 2008) mu ciractic use of hanoweable tied while as aplting Yor ts comic extemal and even inertental resonance" When Harry (Ralph Fiennes) reales be hae acciemally abot Fite thy while tying wo kill me fi it me as puninhment for accidentally Aili chil he turns the un on isl saving "You've got to sich seu principle” The abiding thane of this ype spore integrity, Again. its men, largely, who enact The thin type dsonsraie rd a peed eit take a a est of haut a6 an admission of pul and evasion of punishment o public themselves when they reac they have heen dieanere in thei ries ‘This popular tre of puniise cinema ie no about honour moc as ht cawaice ad admin of wrongdoing, Lan with strode de ‘log of punishment Frequent, the men, and it is mich whe invariably shit hermes ae alread in potions of power. A fine exam of this {ype and character ts Sandy Warm (Danay Hast) in The Costnt Gardener (Mei, 2008) 90 lest because of how his suicide works in ha af the her of the fil, Junin Quste (Ralph Fens) There ate nuricrous other examples. The abiding theme af this type is sult and fear and, again is actors are men The fourth pet suicide ws nding dying, 8 solution or resolution ‘primarily to lle and debtation, Such fins tll of aie oF pee fmptive dying, of euthanasia, thit oF ere billing, and ci: oh Kluge anF cae (Walang Liebenciner, 1941); [my Party (Randal ASEM AND StECIOE 6 Kiciser, 191), The Foent (Thom Fivgerab, 2003), The Life of Dasnd ‘Gale Nan Parker, 203) Sen frre (ateee Cress, 28) The See Inde (Wkjandro Amendbar, 2004) The Hours (Stephen Dalle, 202) and Won Dalar Baby (Clint Easton, 2004." Pht protagonists chose ica hee” death han the ot that ant approaching oso Joning ther physial utering ofthe emotion pain of others. here shift te dentin, especially the gendered deity, of he sling fiqures in dese film Wher, im the previous categorie, they were alent ‘exclusively male, her they af female (le Life) Ducal Galeand Mile Dolla Bahr honwnerva or asocited ith comnpeemiced masculins {alibi others). tay here insane ingen divergent in ter ‘of manliness about evading pain. Certain, for Ron lrown, 4 “lent rusculme” death [has hstnial| contrasted ston of 4 “eminine