This thread is dedicated to your favorite endings to movies from any era. I'll list a few to start out.
Night of the Living Dead
The still photos over the credits where you see the protagonist being put on a meat hook and thrown into a burning pile of bodies stirred up some of the most visceral feelings of dread and horror inside me.
Dirty Harry
I like endings like these ones - where the good guy gets the bad guy and does the right thing but has to take the fall for it. Delicious irony, sez I.
High Plains Drifter - Hey, another Clint Eastwood movie! This ending is great - Clint paints the town red ("Even the church?" "ESPECIALLY the church."), changes the name on the sign to "Hell," sets out some food, and leaves the town to rot. Then he comes back and proceeds to destroy the ENTIRE FUCKING TOWN for what they did. Then, when it's over rides off and disappears into the haze, and you suddenly realize "Holy shit! He's a death-dealing demonic angel of vengeance!"
This is really indicative of what he does throughout the film. They say that they don't want their women touched - he has his way with all of them. They say that they don't want their shops and buildings shot up and destroyed. He starts by having them do target practice on them, and then burns them to the fucking ground. They say that they want protection from Stacey Bridges and his gang. He lets them waltz right into town, waits a little while, and then kills them anyway.
Unforgiven
And ANOTHER ONE! Damn! Well, this one is just as violent, bitter, and subversive as the last one. You know it, and if you don't, you should see it. Don't know why I put spoiler tags on this one
Escape from New York
I love how Snake switches the tapes and totally fucks Donald Pleasance over.
It's a Wonderful Life
Hey, I had to have at least ONE happy ending on here. Don't tell me you don't tear up when Harry gives that toast to his brother, "the richest man in town." No, seriously - don't. This thread isn't set up for that purpose. If the Internet has taught me anything, it's that every movie inspires hatred in some segment of the population. I'm sure there's at least one poor, jaded soul on this forum who hates this movie for being maudlin or overly idealistic, or not "provocative" enough, or some such shit like that. That person is not me. This is the best upbeat, idealistic film ever made - if ever a good film was made that tried to bring across the values of "good, decent, everyday working people," it's this one. Because it manages to feel genuine. Plus, Jimmy Stewart is in it.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Wow...this list is almost ALL Clint Eastwood movies! I seriously didn't notice this until I decided to start this thread. Everything starting with that magnificent scene where Tuco is running through the graveyard trying to find the gold is absolutely brilliant. Then it goes to the mother of all Mexican standoffs, and then Clint makes Tuco climb up on the cross with the noose on, and I was like "Aw, hell..." All in all, it's one of the most satisfying conclusions to a movie EVER. It's like the antithesis of the Pirates sequels, in that regard.
Off the top of my head (which means this will be a very short list)...
Children of Men
For me, the ending starts when Theo and Kee are exiting the building with the baby, and everyone is just staring in awe (it starts there for me since that's such a beautiful scene. Has me in tears ever time). Skip ahead a few minutes, and they're in the boat. Theo passes away from the gunshot wound, and Kee is alone with Dylan. As the movie ends, the boat they've been waiting for comes into view through the fog. I think that basically makes the movie, since it shows the basic theme; even in the absolute darkest of times, there's always a flicker of meaningful hope )it actually builds upon this, since it was pretty well put into place in the earlier exiting scene I mentioned above).
The Thing
MacReady and Childs out in the snow, just sort of waiting for whatever happens next. Is one of them the thing? Are they both infected? It's open to interpretation, and it leaves us hanging in just the right way.
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
While the climax is awesome simply because of how it mixes all the characters together (and has them kill each other), the very end when everyone realizes the value of the guns and tries to call Tom before he chucks them off a bridge. It's funny, it fits with the rest, and (again) it leaves us in a cliffhanger moment in just the right way.
Shaun of the Dead
I think it may be impossible not to love Ed, so seeing him there playing games with Shaun is an awesome sight.
Definitely a lot more, but for whatever reason my mind is blank right now.
The best ending for me has got to be Blues Brothers. Hands down. It's not my favorite movie or anything, though it is great, but man that ending really made the movie.
Umm. Otherwise-
Robocop
Pan's Labyrinth
...know there are others, but that's what I can come up with at the spur of the moment.
Two others I forgot to mention - a couple of endings that had a lot of balls. It was a risk to end these movies the way they did, but I think it worked.
Vertigo
My reaction was as follows: "GAAAAAAAH! ... What the fuck? ... Dude...creepy." It's the sort of ending that I would ordinarily feel was cheap, but it was done really well in this case - it was genuinely unsettling.
No Country for Old Men
Although one's initial reaction might be "Oh, geez - they pulled a Sopranos!" - this was actually really subversive in a good way. It took me about 30-40 seconds for it to hit me what it all meant. The audience had been set up and led to believe that they were watching a conventional "chase" thriller, when in fact the story was really about determinism, consequences, and the ability (or in this case, inability) of a person to deal with pure, merciless evil.
I just say this because it's my favorite movie ever and the ending rocks and I love it.......Jane Eyre BBC 2006
My favourite endings are usually along the lines of 'everybody dies' or the badass guy gets even more badass, off the top of my head I'll go with.
Escape from NY (needs to be said again)
Snatch.
Return of the Living Dead.
The Road Warrior.
Fargo.
The Spanish Prisoner.
A Clockwork Orange.
Dawn of the Dead remake.
Fight Club.
The Dark Knight.
My favourite two would have to be Trainspotting and Goodfellas - essentially very similar twisted happy endings. I got away with it, didn't learn any lessons, screwed everyone over and now I'm one of you... plus the evil smirk.
the end of alejandro jodorowski's the holy mountain if youve seen it you probably know what i mean if you havent go out and rent a copy you will either hate it or love it. i saw it in a theater having no idea what was coming and i just sat there stunned for several minutes as people started to leave crazy crazy movie but i love it.
I've only seen El Topo, watched it at an art cinema with some friends after possibly a few too many drinks. There was much shushing and dirty looks as we laughed and riffed our way through it.
I've got a really shitty movie with a fantastic ending. In Dreams with Kevin Spacey.
The build up was dull and the premise ridiculous, but in a strange twist it manages to pull off a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 08:04:16 AM
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Oh man!
I didn't know how i felt about that! I just kind of turned off the DVD and stared into a blue screen for a while....
Favorite endings...
Amelie -
Spoiler
I can smile all day ruminating on that ending.
Murderball - the entire ride that's Murderball was and still is an all-out assault on my emotions. The ending w/ Team USA returning to their loved ones after being defeated by Canada, in Athens, coupled w/ them giving demonstrations for Iraq War veterans will forever be one of the most moving moments I'll ever see in my life regardless of the medium. USA Rugby!!!
Aliens - the Ripley vs. Queen showdown.
Those are my Big-3.
Two of my all time favourite movie endings are Ghostbusters and Scarface. Ghostbusters because it's just a perfect close to a whole big pile of awesome 80's fun, and Scarface because the last stand is just so cool.
Another great ending in terms of theatrical quality is Godfather 2 - just the sound of the gunshot out on the lake, and Michael standing and looking out the window as the movie fades to black. Very powerful.
Absolutely concur on No Country, that ending is just haunting. I also agree with Scott, the end credits of Dawn of the Dead (remake) are my favorite part of the whole movie.
Say Anything (which happens to be my favorite movie ever so I'm biased, but it's still one of my favorite endings too.)
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
And it's not a movie, but Six Feet Under had the best ending ever and I'll take any excuse to watch it.
Spoiler
Quote from: Hebs on October 17, 2008, 08:05:10 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 08:04:16 AM
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Oh man!
I didn't know how i felt about that! I just kind of turned off the DVD and stared into a blue screen for a while....
Really? I loved the ending, fell off my chair laughing.
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 10:50:56 AM
Quote from: Hebs on October 17, 2008, 08:05:10 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 08:04:16 AM
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Oh man!
I didn't know how i felt about that! I just kind of turned off the DVD and stared into a blue screen for a while....
Really? I loved the ending, fell off my chair laughing.
Same here. Call me immature or whatever, but it was bloody hilarious.
Oh, also, I'm Not There, when Richard Gere picks up the guitar.
That was great.
No one's mentioned Casablanca?!? That's got to be one of the most famous endings in movie history. It's also a pretty great one.
Quote from: mrbasehart on October 17, 2008, 11:36:51 AM
No one's mentioned Casablanca?!? That's got to be one of the most famous endings in movie history. It's also a pretty great one.
Gets me everytime :'(
Wow, good point.
While we're at it, we should throw in the endings we jokingly mentioned over in the Dead Space thread, Planet of the Apes and Citizen Kane. Both epicly classic endings.
Mettropolis - when Freder gets the Master of Metropolis and the Worker to shake hands.
King Kong - the original "Twas Beauty Killed the Beast"
The Third Man - When she doesn't even look at him and keeps walking
All About Eve
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Shadow of the Vampire
Targets (Karloff - check it out sometime)
The Thing From Another World ("Keep watching the skies!")
I'll think of more.
I've got a really shitty movie with a fantastic ending. In Dreams with Kevin Spacey.
The build up was dull and the premise ridiculous, but in a strange twist it manages to pull off a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
Quote from: Shinigami on October 17, 2008, 01:14:22 PM
I've got a really shitty movie with a fantastic ending. In Dreams with Kevin Spacey.
The build up was dull and the premise ridiculous, but in a strange twist it manages to pull off a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
Deja vu...
Quote from: Shinigami on October 17, 2008, 07:28:57 AM
I've got a really shitty movie with a fantastic ending. In Dreams with Kevin Spacey.
The build up was dull and the premise ridiculous, but in a strange twist it manages to pull off a wonderfully satisfying conclusion.
;D
Quote from: mrbasehart on October 17, 2008, 11:02:35 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 10:50:56 AM
Quote from: Hebs on October 17, 2008, 08:05:10 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 08:04:16 AM
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Oh man!
I didn't know how i felt about that! I just kind of turned off the DVD and stared into a blue screen for a while....
Really? I loved the ending, fell off my chair laughing.
Same here. Call me immature or whatever, but it was bloody hilarious.
Still haven't seen it but having read a synopsis it sounded like it could be pretty funny on the screen.
Quote from: TripeHoundRedux on October 17, 2008, 02:26:11 PM
Quote from: mrbasehart on October 17, 2008, 11:02:35 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 10:50:56 AM
Quote from: Hebs on October 17, 2008, 08:05:10 AM
Quote from: ScottH on October 17, 2008, 08:04:16 AM
woo, that reminds me... The Mist. :D
Oh man!
I didn't know how i felt about that! I just kind of turned off the DVD and stared into a blue screen for a while....
Really? I loved the ending, fell off my chair laughing.
Same here. Call me immature or whatever, but it was bloody hilarious.
Still haven't seen it but having read a synopsis it sounded like it could be pretty funny on the screen.
I certainly think the non-US audiences would be more likely to laugh. Everyone I've spoken to at work who's seen it had the same response as me.
It's bathetic isn't it? Bathos seems to work for British and commonwealth nations better than it does for American ones on the whole I think :)
Even if it was unintentional bathos. Which of course is the original and the best. :)
I was one of the ones who was really shaken by it (though I must admit, that music really didn't help. Seemed fairly out of place). A bit odd as I think about it, considering my twisted sense of humor. But whatever, I still thought it was a great ending to a great movie.
Anyway, one I keep forgetting whenever this particular subject of great endings is brought up:
Witness for the Prosecution. Every time I watch this one it gets me, mainly because it gets me thinking "Damn that's a good twist". It helps that I really love courtroom movies, and with the excellent part of the lawyer, it all added up to an incredible film.
'About Schmidt'
The last 10 seconds alone should have earned Nicholson the Oscar
Quote from: Mr.Nobody on October 17, 2008, 09:26:15 PM
'About Schmidt'
The last 10 seconds alone should have earned Nicholson the Oscar.
Bah! Was not a fan of that movie.
Nice avatar btw.
Quote from: itsjuststeffnow on October 17, 2008, 09:30:15 PM
Quote from: Mr.Nobody on October 17, 2008, 09:26:15 PM
'About Schmidt'
The last 10 seconds alone should have earned Nicholson the Oscar.
Bah! Was not a fan of that movie.
Nice avatar btw.
I'm not a huge fan of the movie although I did enjoy it, but I still found the ending incredibly powerful. The whole thing is a build up to the last 2 minutes
Burn After Reading.
Quote from: ScottH on October 18, 2008, 05:17:05 PM
Burn After Reading.
Winner.
Also, with About Schmidt, I really enjoyed the movie, and the ending was indeed quite moving. Mostly, I think, because of his facial expression.
"Matchpoint" and "In the Bedroom" were movies I wasn't very fond of while watching until I got the ending. That's not saying that the movies were bad before the endings, but I just wasn't that interested (especially Matchpoint, as I'm rarely interested about tales of infidelity.)
Also, as I mentioned in the scary movie moments thread, I LOVE the ending to Roman Polanski's "the Tenant". Rent it this Halloween.
Momento, although I'm not sure if you'd count the beginning at the end or the ending as the end. ;D
Saw.
I totally didn't see it coming and was actually kind of pissed off at what I thought was a weak ending.
Planet of the Apes (do I have to point out I mean the original?)
Quote from: Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck on October 17, 2008, 01:01:47 PM
Targets (Karloff - check it out sometime)
Targets is such an awesome movie... Karloff was pretty ill when he made it, but it's so good... from the scene where he's startled by his appearance in the mirror (classic!) to the end where he bitch-slaps that guy... Targets is well worth finding. Anybody who's never been to a drive-in movie should see it too...
Oh and for a classic ending, see
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (Peter Fonda, Susan George)