Tragedies - examples?

Midnight Cowboy
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
Fargo (already mentioned)
There Will Be Blood (Not a modern period...but a modern film, with the superb Daniel Day Lewis in a tragic role.)
Owning Mahoney (If you haven't seen this one....it's great. Very tragic character)
The Wrestler
Boogie Nights....(a tragedy of sorts.)
The Ice Storm
The Deer Hunter
 
Timeless:
Passion of Jon of Arc (1928)
Harakiri (1962)
Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)

Recent memory:
Into to the Wild
Mystic River
Naked (Mike Leigh)

Classic:
Night and the City (1950)
Brute Force (1947)
Last Tango in Paris
 
Hey Barry, what about "The Rose"? That sure was a tragic ending...

I also think that "Hurt Locker" could qualify as well.
 
We're working on a little experiment right now, and were able to entice a retired script editor to join us for an arching session. She told us that there are only about five plots in all of human experience, and that unless we follow at least one of them we will not resonate with any audience. I'm not sure I agree with her, but it is an interesting thought. As for classic tragedy, I agree that old Will has it down - Macbeth kinda sets the bar for me.
 
William H. Macy's character in Fargo tries desperately to hold it all together, revising his plan, with a tragic outcome.
 
U Turn

edit: looks like this was a tragedy for Oliver Stone as well as Sean Penn's character Bobby. I recall enjoying it a lot, but I may have been WUI. I'll have to revisit it.
 
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Also Barry, this is a back door approach but look at some great comedies. The rules are about the same. Classical Tragedy comes from a character who lacks enough self-awareness to see his doom coming and avoid it. Comedy is funny because characters have exactly the same problem. Michael Scott is exactly this. He simply does not have the tools to see that he's a...tool.

And there is the old adage: Comedy is just Tragedy happening to someone else.

I will try to brainstorm some more tonight, but it might be a way to crack some fresh ideas.

P.S. - My film is a Tragedy. :)
 
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