1. Die Hard

John McClain tricks Hans Gruber to the point where the villain is hanging some 40 stories up, hanging on by a thread. McClain is on the other end of the thread. Rather than grabbing McCain’s hand, Gruber (on the wrong end of the rope) decides to pull a gun. Awkward.

2. Bonnie & Clyde

Awkward and disturbing, especially for 1967, beautiful Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) is shot to death in a graphic part in this movie. Clyde (Warren Beatty) was also shot to death in the climactic scene but watching Bonnie’s twitching, body take shot after shot after shot while sitting in their car ended many dates on the wrong note.

3. Love Story

Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw were the star crossed Romeo and Juliet of this 1970 film. At the very end, “Jenny” (McGraw) implores Oliver (O’Neal) to join her in her hospital bed for a last embrace. It was an extremely awkward scene. But there was also not a dry eye in the house.

4. Dr. Strangelove

Slim Pickens dons his cowboy hat and rides an atomic bomb down from a B-52 bomber. He is on a glorious trip to nuke the Russians. The bomb securely between his legs, he yells out a howl and waves his hat in excitement as he soars toward Earth and his date with death. Trouble is, it’s a mistake. Awkward.

5. Gremlins

Who can be sure if this was comedy, horror movie or just bad writing? The Gremlins got into Billy’s mother’s kitchen where they were summarily disposed of by blending, micro waving and chopping. As good ole’ Mom completed her work she yelled the immortal “Get out of my kitchen!”

6. Blade Runner

Hard to imagine the emotion of the last words of a “humanoid” death would be so engaging but this film pulls it off with the death of Roy Batty. A bird flying into the skies completes the effect. A little awkward to feel emotions for a dying robot.

7. Wicker Man

Nicolas Cage and the bee scene immediately prior to his burning death is awkward in its implausibility, bad acting and as the culmination of a very, very drab film. Good thing Mr. Cage has been in so many movies or we probably would remember this scene more vividly.

8. Apocalypse Now

You know it’s coming, especially with the Door’s haunting “The End” in the soundtrack but Marlon Brando’s death in this movie is awkward and memorable. It is also perfectly executed (no pun intended). You could feel people squirming in the theater.

9. Bambi

Talk about awkward. Imagine mom taking her kids out to the Saturday matinee to see a Disney cartoon. Before you know it, the cute and loveable Bambi’s mother is shot dead by hunters. You got some ‘splainin’ to do, mommy.

10. Wizard of Oz

First off, Dorothy kills one witch with her flying house, and then kills another accidentally by tossing water on her. Cries of the evil witches’ “I’m melting” offered little joy to those who watched. Not even the creepy flying monkeys.