Discussion Completely unrealistic portrayals of death in movies/shows are so frustrating

[almaranthine]

I get so pissed when I'm watching a tv show or movie and a character just *drops* dead in less than 30 seconds from something that would NEVER actually kill them like that in reality. If only it were really that easy...

In one show I watched a while back this lady kills herself (in order to frame this man who killed her lover) publicly by taking ONE pill filled with nicotine syrup which she made by boiling some cigarette tobacco on the stove down... She takes the pill and immediately falls to the ground, foams at the mouth a little, seizes for a few seconds and boom, dead.

One of my favorite mystery shows, Midsomer Murders, featured an episode where a woman is poisoned by tasting ONE spoonful of a soup with a type of hemlock in it ( I think it was specifically water dropwort). Similarly to nicotine lady, she starts convulsing a bit before keeling over dead seconds later.

Seeing this kind of stuff makes me irrationally angry. If I could immediately die by taking one pill or one sip of damn soup I wouldn't be here. Even literal cyanide doesn't kill you *that* quick.

Eye drops was another one. Saw that in some life time movie years back. They made it out like someone could spike your drink with a few drops and boom, coma bitch. In reality, you could sit there and drink two bottles of Visine and nothing extravagant will happen.

Oh, cutting too. Always portrayed in cinema like this incredibly lethal method. A girl will slice her wrists, sit in a bathtub and boom, dead in a few minutes. I feel like the only realistic-ish cutting scene I've ever seen was in John Wick 2... that lady cut pretty fucking deep.

Not only does seeing this kind of stuff make me mad because it really isn't that easy but I feel like it also encourages people to try methods that either don't work or will be extremely prolonged and painful. What do ya'll think? Feel free to share any scenes from movies/tv shoes that were wildly unrealistic.

 

[universe]

Indeed in the series / films, the characters collapse, eyes closed, do not move, in a few minutes. Even when there is a gunshot wound they do not scream, limit they die instantly. Society is so afraid of death, they wouldn't be ready to watch what it really does: conclusions, vomiting, discolored skin...
I am thinking in particular of a film where a young girl decides to commit suicide and she steals like 6 Xanax which she crushes, being convinced that she is a genius and that she will necessarily be dead. The big joke anyway.

Grey's Anatomy: The Drowning of Meredith which is presented in such a peaceful way, I so wish it were the case in reality because I would have chosen drowning. Same, there is a moment when she falls asleep, stays at the bottom of her bathtub, as if she wanted to kill herself, that she was drowning and that it is Derek who just fishes her out.

 

[almaranthine]

Indeed in the series / films, the characters collapse, eyes closed, do not move, in a few minutes. Even when there is a gunshot wound they do not scream, limit they die instantly. Society is so afraid of death, they wouldn't be ready to watch what it really does: conclusions, vomiting, discolored skin...
I am thinking in particular of a film where a young girl decides to commit suicide and she steals like 6 Xanax which she crushes, being convinced that she is a genius and that she will necessarily be dead. The big joke anyway.

Grey's Anatomy: The Drowning of Meredith which is presented in such a peaceful way, I so wish it were the case in reality because I would have chosen drowning. Same, there is a moment when she falls asleep, stays at the bottom of her bathtub, as if she wanted to kill herself, that she was drowning and that it is Derek who just fishes her out.

Oh geez... trying to die with 6 Xanax. I actually laughed out loud reading that. I had a roommate that was obsessed with Grey's and I watched some of it with her but never saw that particular scene. I would personally love to knock myself out and drown without waking up. It is possible but only with the help of some legitimate prescription drugs which most people can't just randomly get. I would imagine as long as you don't wake up it would be pretty peaceful and perhaps you would have some weird dream about it? Who knows lol

 

[CTB Dream]

This peple show hypocrisy, say die taboo real life fiction make difference say ok easy, human hypocrisy take death entertainment make feel ok ,real life say no terrible awful painful. Humans absurd

 

[lifeisadream]

Completely agree with both of you. Even death by hanging in films has a tiny bit of leg wiggling then that's it. No weeing themselves. Ridiculous OD scenes too. No SI, nothing. Makes a mockery of suicide. I too get angry watching it in films etc Watched a series where the main character slit her wrists...no screaming in pain, nothing!!

 

[almaranthine]

Completely agree with both of you. Even death by hanging in films has a tiny bit of leg wiggling then that's it. No weeing themselves. Ridiculous OD scenes too. No SI, nothing. Makes a mockery of suicide. I too get angry watching it in films etc Watched a series where the main character slit her wrists...no screaming in pain, nothing!!

Oh yeah that's such a good point about cutting... the people just lie there like they suddenly have no nerve endings and peacefully drift away. To die by cutting the radial artery means you have to sever about halfway into your arm/wrist just to get to it. No way you wouldn't be crying/screaming in pain. I really agree that they make a straight up mockery of suicide.
I've seen like one realistic hanging where they actually showed the person pissing themselves but I have no idea where it was from.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I expect this is why a lot of us grow up thinking a quick exit is possible and accessible. It's only when we come to researching methods it all becomes horribly clear.

Having said that- I think there was a case where a woman poisoned her boyfriend with Visine- over a long period. Poor guy. He seemed so nice too. Wouldn't recommend it though. Seemed like a very drawn out and painful death.

Actually, the reverse also annoys me... Not that I'm by any means an expert but on a first aid course I did that taught CPR, our instructor told us that all the times you see people magically come back to life in the movies is unrealistic. He said only a defibrillator will do that. CPR only buys them some time until the ambulance comes. The only time this would happen (according to him) is because their heart hadn't stopped to begin with.

 

[GrumpyFrog]

I get it, it frustrates me too. Recently, I got irrationally pissed when in the House of Cards a guy was killed (with an intend of making it look like a suicide) by being left drunk and asleep in his (modern) car in a not remotely airtight-looking garage and boom, carbon monoxide poisoning. I think I even had a whole argument with a drinking buddy about car standards that have been around for decades and made it impossible to kill yourself with car exhaust, and how the character would realistically probably just wake up with symptoms he could've chalk up to a bad hangover.
But I do understand why they do it. Firstly, any movie or TV show that will go into great details about ways to kill yourself will cause such a shitstorm of controversy that no one will want to go there. And secondly, outside of horror movie audiences, most people would rather not see realistic corpses or realistic death in their daytime drama or cozy police mystery that they watch with a bowl of spaghetti in front of them, not to mention it will probably push up the age restrictions and force the movie or a show into a more limited slot.

 

[almaranthine]

I expect this is why a lot of us grow up thinking a quick exit is possible and accessible. It's only when we come to researching methods it all becomes horribly clear.

Having said that- I think there was a case where a woman poisoned her boyfriend with Visine- over a long period. Poor guy. He seemed so nice too. Wouldn't recommend it though. Seemed like a very drawn out and painful death.

Actually, the reverse also annoys me... Not that I'm by any means an expert but on a first aid course I did that taught CPR, our instructor told us that all the times you see people magically come back to life in the movies is unrealistic. He said only a defibrillator will do that. CPR only buys them some time until the ambulance comes. The only time this would happen (according to him) is because their heart hadn't stopped to begin with.

I did read a post on here about an OP who decided to drink 3 bottles of visine and didn't return to the forum. Nevertheless seems like a very unreliable method that isn't well documented.
I thought the only time CPR would really jolt someone back to life would be if they had been drowning and rescued?

I get it, it frustrates me too. Recently, I got irrationally pissed when in the House of Cards a guy was killed (with an intend of making it look like a suicide) by being left drunk and asleep in his (modern) car in a not remotely airtight-looking garage and boom, carbon monoxide poisoning. I think I even had a whole argument with a drinking buddy about car standards that have been around for decades and made it impossible to kill yourself with car exhaust, and how the character would realistically probably just wake up with symptoms he could've chalk up to a bad hangover.
But I do understand why they do it. Firstly, any movie or TV show that will go into great details about ways to kill yourself will cause such a shitstorm of controversy that no one will want to go there. And secondly, outside of horror movie audiences, most people would rather not see realistic corpses or realistic death in their daytime drama or cozy police mystery that they watch with a bowl of spaghetti in front of them, not to mention it will probably push up the age restrictions and force the movie or a show into a more limited slot.

Oh man, yeah... carbon monoxide poisoning are never portrayed accurately either. I hadn't even thought of that one. My mom did know this coworker that killed himself that way. He apparently just locked himself in the garage with the window down. Idk what kind of car he had though but honestly I don't believe it was super old or anything. From what I've read here is that if you want to do it with a newer car you have to mess with the catalytic converter or something. The worst thing they do in media for this method is making it look like it takes no time at all for the garage to fill up with carbon monoxide... and of course no mention of the severe headaches.

 

[GrumpyFrog]

My mom did know this coworker that killed himself that way. He apparently just locked himself in the garage with the window down. Idk what kind of car he had though but honestly I don't believe it was super old or anything. From what I've read here is that if you want to do it with a newer car you have to mess with the catalytic converter or something.

That does make sense. If he was good with cars and knew what he was doing he could make it work.
But I'm pretty positive that wouldn't work without modifying the car first. And I'm not sure it is really a "die painlessly in your sleep" kind of death. Movies sure do love to portray every death like that, but that's purely aesthetics and sometimes plot convenience.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I did read a post on here about an OP who decided to drink 3 bottles of visine and didn't return to the forum. Nevertheless seems like a very unreliable method that isn't well documented.
I thought the only time CPR would really jolt someone back to life would be if they had been drowning and rescued?

Oh man, yeah... carbon monoxide poisoning are never portrayed accurately either. I hadn't even thought of that one. My mom did know this coworker that killed himself that way. He apparently just locked himself in the garage with the window down. Idk what kind of car he had though but honestly I don't believe it was super old or anything. From what I've read here is that if you want to do it with a newer car you have to mess with the catalytic converter or something. The worst thing they do in media for this method is making it look like it takes no time at all for the garage to fill up with carbon monoxide... and of course no mention of the severe headaches.

Yeah, Visine definitely doesn't sound like a quick or painless death. Expect it kills off your major organs long before you die.

Hmmm, maybe- I guess 'breathing' air into the lungs might encourage the water to come back out. Still, it always annoys me when the person just springs back to life after a few light compressions- still, I guess they can't do more on a real person!

 

[universe]

Oh geez... trying to die with 6 Xanax. I actually laughed out loud reading that. I had a roommate that was obsessed with Grey's and I watched some of it with her but never saw that particular scene. I would personally love to knock myself out and drown without waking up. It is possible but only with the help of some legitimate prescription drugs which most people can't just randomly get. I would imagine as long as you don't wake up it would be pretty peaceful and perhaps you would have some weird dream about it? Who knows lol

In my memories, she uses her mother's medicine cabinet for antidepressants that she crushes into powder. But at the bottom of the glass there is not even 1 cm of white powder, it's ridiculous. She says at one point in the film that from 5 anxiolitic tablets, the lethal risk becomes serious. Yes yes. Afterwards, I imagine that the screenwriters don't think like suicidal people, but hey, do something more credible.

Ah, sorry you didn't see it but when I saw the scene again recently, I thought it would be really nice to die this way without pain while falling asleep in your bathtub naturally? Indeed, I think you have to inject a lot of things first, but really strong stuff that is not accessible. If such means were easily found easily, I would already no longer be of this world.

In any case thank you for your post, it gives a little nostalgia and smile in the day haha.

 

[almaranthine]

That does make sense. If he was good with cars and knew what he was doing he could make it work.
But I'm pretty positive that wouldn't work without modifying the car first. And I'm not sure it is really a "die painlessly in your sleep" kind of death. Movies sure do love to portray every death like that, but that's purely aesthetics and sometimes plot convenience.

Yeah I feel like I've definitely read posts here about people who attempted this method without doing anything to their cars, talking about how miserable the intense headache from all the fumes was and that they never ended up passing out etc. You're very right though the aesthetics of movie/tvshow deaths are so far removed from reality and made to look much more peaceful than they really are, especially suicides.

 

[FuneralCry]

It would be ideal if suicide really was that straightforward as it's often presented in fiction but the truth is that it can be very difficult. I believe that one can only recognise how difficult suicide really is when they do their own research into methods, but after all fiction doesn't reflect reality and that is just the way that things are. But yes, I agree that fiction may make people attempt risky methods as after all most actual suicide related conversation is censored in society, so if people have limited suicide resources and information, then they are more likely to potentially fail ctb.

 

[HateMyPointlessLife]

I get so pissed when I'm watching a tv show or movie and a character just *drops* dead in less than 30 seconds from something that would NEVER actually kill them like that in reality. If only it were really that easy...

In one show I watched a while back this lady kills herself (in order to frame this man who killed her lover) publicly by taking ONE pill filled with nicotine syrup which she made by boiling some cigarette tobacco on the stove down... She takes the pill and immediately falls to the ground, foams at the mouth a little, seizes for a few seconds and boom, dead.

One of my favorite mystery shows, Midsomer Murders, featured an episode where a woman is poisoned by tasting ONE spoonful of a soup with a type of hemlock in it ( I think it was specifically water dropwort). Similarly to nicotine lady, she starts convulsing a bit before keeling over dead seconds later.

Seeing this kind of stuff makes me irrationally angry. If I could immediately die by taking one pill or one sip of damn soup I wouldn't be here. Even literal cyanide doesn't kill you *that* quick.

Eye drops was another one. Saw that in some life time movie years back. They made it out like someone could spike your drink with a few drops and boom, coma bitch. In reality, you could sit there and drink two bottles of Visine and nothing extravagant will happen.

Oh, cutting too. Always portrayed in cinema like this incredibly lethal method. A girl will slice her wrists, sit in a bathtub and boom, dead in a few minutes. I feel like the only realistic-ish cutting scene I've ever seen was in John Wick 2... that lady cut pretty fucking deep.

Not only does seeing this kind of stuff make me mad because it really isn't that easy but I feel like it also encourages people to try methods that either don't work or will be extremely prolonged and painful. What do ya'll think? Feel free to share any scenes from movies/tv shoes that were wildly unrealistic.

That's something that really infuriates me too. It's always so unrealistic. I really wish I hadn't been so obsessed with using cutting as a method when I was younger. Due to films making it seem like one of the easiest methods. And less messy. I had to find out how difficult it was from multiple failed attempts.

 

[almaranthine]

That's something that really infuriates me too. It's always so unrealistic. I really wish I hadn't been so obsessed with using cutting as a method when I was younger. Due to films making it seem like one of the easiest methods. And less messy. I had to find out how difficult it was from multiple failed attempts.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been through that. I imagine you went through a lot of terrible pain and have some serious scars due to attempting. I used to self harm when I was very young (like 13) and it's wild how much blood flow is produced by a single cut. I used to use razor blades on my thighs (in order to keep my scars hidden). People that aren't aware of how difficult it really is to bleed out from the arms/wrists will cut, see a significant amount of blood and think that they will bleed out but unfortunately that generally isn't the case. I hate that they make it seem so viable/easy in films and tv shows because it only encourages people that are not aware to attempt and fail and have to live with the aftermath. I wish you peace and I'm sorry you have suffered so much

 

[outrider567]

Same thing with choking--It actually takes 2 to 3 minutes to strangle someone, that's 120 to180 seconds, but in films, especially old films, its like 5 seconds and poof! they're dead

 

[almaranthine]

Same thing with choking--It actually takes 2 to 3 minutes to strangle someone, that's 120 to180 seconds, but in films, especially old films, its like 5 seconds and poof! they're dead

So true!! and there's always the thrashing that times with the dramatic orchestra music lol

 

[makethepainstop]

I get so pissed when I'm watching a tv show or movie and a character just *drops* dead in less than 30 seconds from something that would NEVER actually kill them like that in reality. If only it were really that easy...

In one show I watched a while back this lady kills herself (in order to frame this man who killed her lover) publicly by taking ONE pill filled with nicotine syrup which she made by boiling some cigarette tobacco on the stove down... She takes the pill and immediately falls to the ground, foams at the mouth a little, seizes for a few seconds and boom, dead.

One of my favorite mystery shows, Midsomer Murders, featured an episode where a woman is poisoned by tasting ONE spoonful of a soup with a type of hemlock in it ( I think it was specifically water dropwort). Similarly to nicotine lady, she starts convulsing a bit before keeling over dead seconds later.

Seeing this kind of stuff makes me irrationally angry. If I could immediately die by taking one pill or one sip of damn soup I wouldn't be here. Even literal cyanide doesn't kill you *that* quick.

Eye drops was another one. Saw that in some life time movie years back. They made it out like someone could spike your drink with a few drops and boom, coma bitch. In reality, you could sit there and drink two bottles of Visine and nothing extravagant will happen.

Oh, cutting too. Always portrayed in cinema like this incredibly lethal method. A girl will slice her wrists, sit in a bathtub and boom, dead in a few minutes. I feel like the only realistic-ish cutting scene I've ever seen was in John Wick 2... that lady cut pretty fucking deep.

Not only does seeing this kind of stuff make me mad because it really isn't that easy but I feel like it also encourages people to try methods that either don't work or will be extremely prolonged and painful. What do ya'll think? Feel free to share any scenes from movies/tv shoes that were wildly unrealistic.

If croaking off was that easy I'd eat a whole bowl of that soup to be sure. Hollywood doesn't want anyone getting ideas on how to suicide. Might give a movie a lot of bad press. Can't risk those ticket revenues.

 

[almaranthine]

If croaking off was that easy I'd eat a whole bowl of that soup to be sure. Hollywood doesn't want anyone getting ideas on how to suicide. Might give a movie a lot of bad press. Can't risk those ticket revenues.

So true. Pretty sure the lady that poisoned her husband irl with Visine got the idea from CSI episode or something.

 

[makethepainstop]

So true. Pretty sure the lady that poisoned her husband irl with Visine got the idea from CSI episode or something.

Now you know those pesky pro-lifers, psychiatrists and religious nut cases are not going to let anyone find an easy way out. Shame there ought to be a horror movie where they have a bad guy killing people with easy home methods that would work in real life. NOW THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MOVIE! Hell, I'd take notes.

 

[gomenasai]

Yes, I have noticed that too. Movies portray the suicide to be easier to execute than it actually is. It's ironic. Usually characters just take a bunch of sleeping pills and they drop dead. While in reality such attempts are almost always unsuccessful.

 

[makethepainstop]

This peple show hypocrisy, say die taboo real life fiction make difference say ok easy, human hypocrisy take death entertainment make feel ok ,real life say no terrible awful painful. Humans absurd

They are very absurd; they will not even portray any method of CTB as being violent. There have been people who have shot themselves in the head and they might get to the hospital and still be conscious and talking. In a movie, if you pick up any gun death is instantaneous. Same with other methods they portray as easy simple and very peaceful.
Some of us, especially here KNOW that's seldom the case. Love to you as always.

Yes, I have noticed that too. Movies portray the suicide to be easier to execute than it actually is. It's ironic. Usually characters just take a bunch of sleeping pills and they drop dead. While in reality such attempts are almost always unsuccessful.

Yep, been there and done that!

 

[almaranthine]

Now you know those pesky pro-lifers, psychiatrists and religious nut cases are not going to let anyone find an easy way out. Shame there out to be a horror movie where they have a bad guy killing people with easy home methods that would work in real life. NOW THAT WOULD BE A GOOD MOVIE! Hell, I'd take notes.

This would just be a whole movie about a whack job with a gas mask killing an apartment/supermarket/coffee shop full of people with hydrogen sulfide omfg

Yes, I have noticed that too. Movies portray the suicide to be easier to execute than it actually is. It's ironic. Usually characters just take a bunch of sleeping pills and they drop dead. While in reality such attempts are almost always unsuccessful.

Unless they are taking a shit load of benzodiazepines and dying of respiratory failure... yeah, not going to fly. I hate it when there's a scene of an impulsive teen or young adult just raiding all the medicine cabinets in their home and pouring a bunch of random pills in a pile and downing them all montage style. I feel like I've seen a few suicide scenes like that. So ridiculous. In the film they die. In reality, they are spending a few days in the hospital and living with permanent liver damage.

 

[makethepainstop]

This would just be a whole movie about a whack job with a gas mask killing an apartment/supermarket/coffee shop full of people with hydrogen sulfide omfg

Where does one acquire hydrogen sulfide, asking for a neighbor! :)

This would just be a whole movie about a whack job with a gas mask killing an apartment/supermarket/coffee shop full of people with hydrogen sulfide omfg

Unless they are taking a shit load of benzodiazepines and dying of respiratory failure... yeah, not going to fly. I hate it when there's a scene of an impulsive teen or young adult just raiding all the medicine cabinets in their home and pouring a bunch of random pills in a pile and downing them all montage style. I feel like I've seen a few suicide scenes like that. So ridiculous. In the film they die. In reality, they are spending a few days in the hospital and living with permanent liver damage.

And then those idiots get to spend some time in a psych hospital. OH JOY OH BLISS, not!

 

[almaranthine]

Where does one acquire hydrogen sulfide, asking for a neighbor! :)

oh lord, yeah I just went down the rabbit hole of that "method" last night and I am floored that people actually have had the gall to attempt with it. apparently the gas produced is SO toxic that people have died attempting to save others, including family of deceased, first responders etc. absolutely insane. toilet bowl cleaner and lime sulfur... just, yikes, no thank you

 

[achromatic]

Yeah, I think that even with writing warning like on the door, it may not help - one thing is a frist responder - but grieving family member in hysterics may ignore it.
I understand the appeal since if hydrogen sulfide concentration is high enough it may take just a whiff to lose consciousness but it's still unethical.
Hannah Baker death pissed me off personally - sure she winced and indeed cut deep but the success rate of that method is about 1% and they just made it seem way to easy.

 

[Forgetting5]

Idk there are some more obscure and disturbing films that go into graphic detail

 

[achromatic]

Oh yeah that's such a good point about cutting... the people just lie there like they suddenly have no nerve endings and peacefully drift away. To die by cutting the radial artery means you have to sever about halfway into your arm/wrist just to get to it. No way you wouldn't be crying/screaming in pain. I really agree that they make a straight up mockery of suicide.
I've seen like one realistic hanging where they actually showed the person pissing themselves but I have no idea where it was from.

Sopranos ?