Top 10 Hilarious Accidental Movie Kills
#10: The Imaginary Bushes
Another Top 10 Hilarious Movie Deaths
“The Other Guys” (2010) If this movie is remembered for anything, it’s the hilarious sequence involving Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson. They parody over-the-top buddy action movies by playing NYPD detectives with a penchant for wanton destruction. While chasing a criminal, they find themselves atop a massive building. They decide to jump off by “aiming for the bushes.” There are just a few problems. One, there are no bushes. Two, they’re so high up that it wouldn’t have mattered, anyway. Unsurprisingly, they splatter onto the ground and totally confound the police force. It’s a great visual, and the music makes it even funnier.
#9: Harry Shoots Chad
Top 10 Harry Potter Movie Mistakes Spotted By the Fans
“Burn After Reading” (2008) The Coen brothers really know how to swerve expectations. It’s what makes them masterful storytellers. Brad Pitt was plastered all over this movie’s marketing, and viewers were led to believe that he would be the hero of the story. Well, that wasn’t to be. About halfway through the movie, Chad sneaks into Osbourne’s house to steal some files, only to find Harry sleeping with Osbourne’s wife, Katie. He hides in the bedroom closet, which proves to be his hilarious, and hilariously shocking, undoing. Harry opens the closet door to find a smiling Chad and instinctively shoots him in the head. It toes the line between accidental and intentional, but either way, it is gut-bustingly funny. You know, in a really dark sort of way.
#8: Mental’s “Pills”
Top 10 Movies That Depict Mental Illness
“Dumb and Dumber” (1994) Harry and Lloyd are many things. Charming. Dumb. Also, killers. Accidental killers, mind you, but killers all the same. It’s established that antagonist Mental has a stomach ulcer and regularly takes medication to curb its symptoms. Harry and Lloyd prank Mental by stuffing his hamburger with hot peppers, so Mental’s ulcer goes crazy. Genuinely trying to help, the two buffoons give Mental what they think is his medication. However, it’s actually a vial of rat poison that Harry had retrieved from Mental’s jacket. He makes the horrifying realization right before dying, accompanied by the sound of a hilarious stomach gurgle. Check please, indeed.
#7: A Very Convincing Effect
Top 20 Unique Horror Movie Kills
“Tropic Thunder” (2008) Sometimes, graphic violence can be used to uproarious effect. Case in point, the director’s death in “Tropic Thunder.” To get a better performance out of his actors, crappy director Damien Cockburn brings them to the middle of the jungle. He then tells them that he’ll be shooting the movie with hidden cameras to capture their genuine reactions. Seconds later, he makes one bad move and steps on a very real landmine, resulting in his body being vaporized into a bloody cloud. Everything comes together perfectly for this gag - the timing, the darkly comical visual, and the brilliant little “Oh” that Damien utters right before exploding.
#6: The Troublesome Machete
Top 10 Movie Kills Without Weapons
“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (2007) Who knew a machete could be the cause of so much hilarity? Johnny Cash’s brother died from a table saw, and this event was shown in his biopic “Walk the Line.” “Dewey Cox” parodies this scene, with Dewey accidentally cutting his brother in half with a machete. The laughs come from the crude visual effect and the nonchalant reaction of Dewey’s brother, both of which combine to make for a memorable scene. Later, Dewey’s vengeful father challenges him to a machete duel, only to die in the exact same manner as his son. Same crude visual effect and all. Luckily, Dewey’s father forgives him right before dying, realizing just how easy it is to accidentally cut someone in half.
#5: Chubbs
“Happy Gilmore” (1996) Wanting to earn some money for his grandmother, aspiring hockey player Happy Gilmore enters golf tournaments on the advice of Chubbs Peterson. Chubbs was once a pro golf player who was forced to retire after an alligator bit and severed his hand. Chubbs befriends and trains Happy in golf, and to show his appreciation, Happy gets him a little gift. That gift being the severed head of the alligator who stole Chubbs’ hand. Unfortunately, this startles Chubbs so badly that he staggers away in fear and falls out the window to his death. Thankfully, the death is quite comical thanks to the presence of a random passerby who shakes his head in disbelief.
#4: Ludwig Will Be Alright
“The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” (1988) This is probably one of the most elaborate villain deaths in movie history. By design, of course. The bumbling police lieutenant Frank Drebin shoots Vincent Ludwig with a stun dart. Despite saying that he’ll be alright, the stunned Ludwig proceeds to fall off the roof of Anaheim Stadium to his death. In typical David Zucker fashion, his body is then run over by a bus, flattened by a passing steamroller, and trampled on by a marching band. This is a wonderful example of Zucker’s brand of humor, which is to keep ramping things up to ludicrous and nonsensical levels and hope that the audience laughs along. They usually do, and typically out of sheer bewilderment.
#3: The Gasoline Fight
Top 24 Best Movie Fight Scenes of Each Year (2000 - 2023)
“Zoolander” (2001) Some people have pillow fights. Some have water balloon fights. The friends of Derek Zoolander have gasoline fights. It goes about as well as one would expect. Zoolander and his friends take a joy ride through New York to the joyous music of Wham! and stop at a gas station. They proceed to spray each other with windshield cleaner and gasoline, and when Brint has the brilliant idea to light up a cigarette, everyone but Zoolander erupts in a massive explosion. The scene is hilariously shot in playful slow motion, complete with lots of glittering water droplets and childishly ecstatic faces. It contrasts wonderfully with their horrific deaths, making the entire scene that much funnier.
#2: All the Deaths
Top 20 Hilarious Movie Deaths
“Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” (2010) A great parody of the slasher genre, “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” is all about hilarious accidental deaths. The titular Tucker and Dale are two nice and well-meaning country folk who buy a run-down lakeside cabin. They inadvertently get the attention of some camping college kids, who believe that Tucker and Dale are malicious hillbillies straight out of “Deliverance.” The kids proceed to kill themselves in elaborate and amusing accidents, like impaling themselves on trees and throwing themselves into wood chippers. These deaths are of course further pinned on Tucker and Dale. The entire movie is a great exercise in miscommunication and misunderstanding. It’s intelligent, it’s hysterical, and it’s filled with many sidesplitting death scenes.
#1: Columbus Shoots Bill Murray
“Zombieland” (2009) This zombie comedy could very well feature the greatest cameo in movie history. It’s unexpected, it’s perfectly brief, and it ends in the most priceless manner possible. Tallahassee takes the gang to Bill Murray’s mansion, and it’s here that he and Wichita meet the man himself. Unfortunately, both Columbus and Little Rock are in the home theater watching “Ghostbusters.” Murray decides to play a prank on the jumpy Columbus by acting like a zombie. Unfortunately, Columbus proves just a little too fast and blows a hole through Murray’s chest with his shotgun. The shooting couldn’t be funnier, as it’s both perfectly timed and shot (no pun intended). Murray also goes out in spectacular fashion by regretting “Garfield,” and Wichita giggles at his dying wheeze.
