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The Crying Game (Meme) *g*
Mar. 23rd, 2004 04:43 pmI got my Very Secret Assignment for the Babylon 5 ficathon. One of the conditions ditches an idea I had, but is perfect for the other. Yes. Oh yes.*g*
Crying meme (gakked from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hobsonphile)
1. What scene in which movie is guaranteed to make you cry?
I don't have one these days. When I was twelve, I sobbed during E.T.'s "death" in E.T. each time I watched it (don't ask), but as an old adult of 34, I tend to stay dry-eyed during scenes that really tear me up. Case in point: the LotR trilogy. Boromir's death, Gollum coming that close to redemption in The Two Towers and then losing it once he thinks Frodo betrayed him, Frodo and Sam throughout, Frodo and Bilbo in RotK - I have a lump in my throat each time, but no tears.
2. What scene in which television show makes you tear up no matter how many times you've seen it?
Strangely, TV breaks through to the crier within on occasion. There are several, for several fandoms. In no particular order:
a) "And the sky's the limit" scene from All Good Things..., the ST: TNG finale. In a good way. The episode was TNG at its best, saying goodbye to the show with much affection for the characters while setting out to a new adventure.
b) The montage at the end of "...Not to Be" when Duncan talks to Amanda, Joe and Methos. The HL finale was anything but perfect, but this scene still gets me each time.
c) Buffy and Dawn in Forever. Forever had the incredible tough job of following The Body, and imo it succeeded with flying colours, both due to the writing of the much-bashed Marti Noxon and due to the performances. SMG and Michelle Trachtenberg are incredible in the scene when the sisters finally confront each other, and when I'm not already crying during Dawn's "nobody asked you to be Mom", I do it when Buffy hears the steps and rushes to the door which such desperate hope in her eyes, and Dawn, realising what she has done, tears up the photo.
d) Buffy telling the English professor she has to leave college, in the teaser of Tough Love. It's not one of the all time big scenes, but I think the reason why this hits me hard each time is because that is the moment when she gives up her life for Dawn the first time, long before she does so literally.
e) Yes, Buffy's death in The Gift, and this despite knowing about the resurrection even the first time around. Especially knowing what will wait for her now.
f) The entire finale of The Trial, starting from Angel tentatively offering to turn Darla and her telling him she doesn't want it anymore because she knows what it would do to him to the incredibly intense finale of Dru turning Darla while Angel is forced to watch helplessly.
g) Darla sacrificing herself for Connor, in Lullaby. Did I mention Darla's death scenes do strange things to me?
h) Connor talking to a comatose Cordelia in Peace Out. It's his incredibly messed-up heart-broken life and psyche in one scene, and... well, hear me sob.
i) Londo's scenes in In the Beginning. Especially towards the end. The "Are you there, my old friend?" scene from War Without End. Vir's great, great scene in The Long Night and Londo's reaction. The entirety of The Fall of Centauri Prime really, but most poignantly the scene where he prepares himself for you-know-what, and whathobsonphile calls the Best Scene Ever - ( spoiler cut for Andraste's sake ). Vir's story in Sleeping in Light. The ending of that episode. (Which definitely belongs in the "perfect finale" category.)
(What do you mean, there are non-Centauri characters worth crying for on that show?*g*)
j) Count me as another Visitor fan, which is why the scene echoing The Visitor in the DS9 finale, with Jake standing at the window and Kira behind him, gets me each time, too. However, the finale itself while leaving me mellow and touched and what have you never quite made it into the favourite category, which is strange, considering that I love DS9 more than I do TNG. It's probably the annoying Champion-of-Good vs Champion-of-Evil subplot which spoils it for me. That and the problem that I can't watch the montage without wanting Jadzia clips. (And yes, I know about the problem with Terry Farrell.)
k) Avon looking for Vila in Orbit, Blake's 7. Certainly one of the most devastating scenes ever. And one that caused endless denial fic - he was mad/he knew where Vila was but couldn't admit it to himself/he was Under The Influence. Bah, humbug. He meant it. Poor Vila. The final ten minutes or so from Blake, because of the perfect tragedy of it. Also the cause of endless denial fic, but PGPs are different. They're fannish comfort food, not whitewashing. Though wait, actually often they're both.
3. Is there any famous tear jerker of a scene that leaves you cold? Or worse, makes you laugh?
The ending of Casablanca. Mostly because I thought Ilsa was far better off with her husband, and Rick with Louis. Just think of their witty repartee! "The start of a wonderful friendship" indeed.
4. Do you cry when a character on screen cries, or is it something else that gets the tears flowing?
It really depends on the situation. My infamous regular sob-fest when watching The Fall of Centauri Prime, for example, isn't triggered by any on-screen tears, since there aren't any. And while I cry for Buffy and Dawn breaking down in each other's arms in Forever, I can watch them in several other episodes where they also cry without wanting to join.
5. One fic that makes you cry
Two, actually.
"Last Set Before Closing", by Kat Allison. It mercilessly describes the effects of old age on Joe Dawson. This one enjoys a love/hate relationship with most Methos fans I know, because of its prediction in regards to Methos' likely reaction. Personally? I thought it was dead on in this regard. Not what I want to believe will happen, but I also think it would be completely in character. A story of old age, and both ongoing and broken friendships, but not for people looking for nice h/c or fluff.
The other story which makes me cry each time is also an old HL favourite: "Changed Utterly" by Parda. It's Duncan mourning Richie, and I don't even like Richie. It's also Duncan meeting Cassandra again, and trying to understand her and Methos, and what time did to them. Imo the most poetic and best of Parda's stories featuring Cassandra.
Crying meme (gakked from
hobsonphile) 1. What scene in which movie is guaranteed to make you cry?
I don't have one these days. When I was twelve, I sobbed during E.T.'s "death" in E.T. each time I watched it (don't ask), but as an old adult of 34, I tend to stay dry-eyed during scenes that really tear me up. Case in point: the LotR trilogy. Boromir's death, Gollum coming that close to redemption in The Two Towers and then losing it once he thinks Frodo betrayed him, Frodo and Sam throughout, Frodo and Bilbo in RotK - I have a lump in my throat each time, but no tears.
2. What scene in which television show makes you tear up no matter how many times you've seen it?
Strangely, TV breaks through to the crier within on occasion. There are several, for several fandoms. In no particular order:
a) "And the sky's the limit" scene from All Good Things..., the ST: TNG finale. In a good way. The episode was TNG at its best, saying goodbye to the show with much affection for the characters while setting out to a new adventure.
b) The montage at the end of "...Not to Be" when Duncan talks to Amanda, Joe and Methos. The HL finale was anything but perfect, but this scene still gets me each time.
c) Buffy and Dawn in Forever. Forever had the incredible tough job of following The Body, and imo it succeeded with flying colours, both due to the writing of the much-bashed Marti Noxon and due to the performances. SMG and Michelle Trachtenberg are incredible in the scene when the sisters finally confront each other, and when I'm not already crying during Dawn's "nobody asked you to be Mom", I do it when Buffy hears the steps and rushes to the door which such desperate hope in her eyes, and Dawn, realising what she has done, tears up the photo.
d) Buffy telling the English professor she has to leave college, in the teaser of Tough Love. It's not one of the all time big scenes, but I think the reason why this hits me hard each time is because that is the moment when she gives up her life for Dawn the first time, long before she does so literally.
e) Yes, Buffy's death in The Gift, and this despite knowing about the resurrection even the first time around. Especially knowing what will wait for her now.
f) The entire finale of The Trial, starting from Angel tentatively offering to turn Darla and her telling him she doesn't want it anymore because she knows what it would do to him to the incredibly intense finale of Dru turning Darla while Angel is forced to watch helplessly.
g) Darla sacrificing herself for Connor, in Lullaby. Did I mention Darla's death scenes do strange things to me?
h) Connor talking to a comatose Cordelia in Peace Out. It's his incredibly messed-up heart-broken life and psyche in one scene, and... well, hear me sob.
i) Londo's scenes in In the Beginning. Especially towards the end. The "Are you there, my old friend?" scene from War Without End. Vir's great, great scene in The Long Night and Londo's reaction. The entirety of The Fall of Centauri Prime really, but most poignantly the scene where he prepares himself for you-know-what, and what
hobsonphile calls the Best Scene Ever - ( spoiler cut for Andraste's sake ). Vir's story in Sleeping in Light. The ending of that episode. (Which definitely belongs in the "perfect finale" category.) (What do you mean, there are non-Centauri characters worth crying for on that show?*g*)
j) Count me as another Visitor fan, which is why the scene echoing The Visitor in the DS9 finale, with Jake standing at the window and Kira behind him, gets me each time, too. However, the finale itself while leaving me mellow and touched and what have you never quite made it into the favourite category, which is strange, considering that I love DS9 more than I do TNG. It's probably the annoying Champion-of-Good vs Champion-of-Evil subplot which spoils it for me. That and the problem that I can't watch the montage without wanting Jadzia clips. (And yes, I know about the problem with Terry Farrell.)
k) Avon looking for Vila in Orbit, Blake's 7. Certainly one of the most devastating scenes ever. And one that caused endless denial fic - he was mad/he knew where Vila was but couldn't admit it to himself/he was Under The Influence. Bah, humbug. He meant it. Poor Vila. The final ten minutes or so from Blake, because of the perfect tragedy of it. Also the cause of endless denial fic, but PGPs are different. They're fannish comfort food, not whitewashing. Though wait, actually often they're both.
3. Is there any famous tear jerker of a scene that leaves you cold? Or worse, makes you laugh?
The ending of Casablanca. Mostly because I thought Ilsa was far better off with her husband, and Rick with Louis. Just think of their witty repartee! "The start of a wonderful friendship" indeed.
4. Do you cry when a character on screen cries, or is it something else that gets the tears flowing?
It really depends on the situation. My infamous regular sob-fest when watching The Fall of Centauri Prime, for example, isn't triggered by any on-screen tears, since there aren't any. And while I cry for Buffy and Dawn breaking down in each other's arms in Forever, I can watch them in several other episodes where they also cry without wanting to join.
5. One fic that makes you cry
Two, actually.
"Last Set Before Closing", by Kat Allison. It mercilessly describes the effects of old age on Joe Dawson. This one enjoys a love/hate relationship with most Methos fans I know, because of its prediction in regards to Methos' likely reaction. Personally? I thought it was dead on in this regard. Not what I want to believe will happen, but I also think it would be completely in character. A story of old age, and both ongoing and broken friendships, but not for people looking for nice h/c or fluff.
The other story which makes me cry each time is also an old HL favourite: "Changed Utterly" by Parda. It's Duncan mourning Richie, and I don't even like Richie. It's also Duncan meeting Cassandra again, and trying to understand her and Methos, and what time did to them. Imo the most poetic and best of Parda's stories featuring Cassandra.
