Making a great film is no easy task, but if a director gets it right, he will still depend on one thing: the ending. How are you going to let the public out of your story? What do you want them to think about when they leave the theater? What feeling do you want to keep in them? Bringing it all to the conclusion of your story can be tricky, and more often than not, the ending is more of a footnote than anything else that isn't as memorable as what came before.
Oh and of course there isspoilers - carefully.
Psycho (1960)
BeforeM. Night Shyamalan or"The Coen Brothers" wasAlfred Hitchcock – and the boy knew how to end the film. Obviously, the most famous Hitchcock ending of all time isPsycho, which not only causes the audience to get stuck at the end of the first act by killing the intended protagonist Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), but also offers a wacky joke. spin at the end of the movie. Viewers are led to believe that Norman Bates' mother (Anthony Perkins) killed Marion in the shower at the beginning of the film, and thus the tension continues to build. But when SamJohn Gavin) and Leela (Faith Miles)) head to the Bates Motel to interrogate Norman's mother, it is revealed that Norman's mother is nothing more than a rotting corpse on a chair.
Hitchcock was an unsurpassed artist, andPsycho is a perfect example of how the director used all the tricks from the book to take his audience on an exciting journey from start to finish. Not only does the twist ending make perfect sense (it was inspired by real-life serial killer Ed Gein), but it also leaves audiences jaw-dropping on the floor when the lights go on in the theater.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
A broken heart is hell and a memory is a cage that keeps us there, but can we ever escape the lure of love, lust and all its dangers, even if we knew for sure that we were doomed to failure? Probably no. V "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" Joel (Jim carrey) and Clem (Kate Winslet)only discovers that after a devastating breakup, an impulsive Clem forces Joel to be permanently erased from her memory with a new experimental procedure. Naturally, Joel decides to do the same, and the bulk of the movie follows his desperate attempts to thwart that decision as his memories of the woman he loves fade away one by one. At the end of the film, Joel and Clem stand face to face with no memory of their relationship, but with the knowledge that they were once in love and an overwhelming desire to give it another chance. They know that they will almost certainly end in pain, that they are proven to be a poor fit, and that trying again will only break their hearts. Okay. Laughing, crying and desperate not to feel lost and alone, they accept it. This is fine. That's the price you risk for love, and that's ”Eternal Sunshine boasts plenty of clever camera work and narrative innovations, but the simple, heartfelt emotional truth of the final shots cements it as a classic.
Beginning (2010)
The movie that spawned thousands of theories on Reddit.Christopher Nolan known for his twisted tales, butInception pushed it to the limit as Nolan presents four stories happening at the same time at vastly different paces, tracking a team of "extractors" into the mind of a corporate heir. The emotional line of the filmLeonardo DiCaprio.Dom Cobb, who lives in exile when his wife accused him of murder in the US. He dreams of seeing his children again, and at the end of the film, with the team seemingly successful in their mission, Dom is finally reunited with his children. The camera pans to the spinning top - a sign that the person is still dreaming - but turns black before the audience ever knows for sure if he will fall. What is important here is not whether the House is dreaming or not, but what he feels. That's the beauty of this ending - in narrative it offers a sinister conclusion, but emotionally it's 100% satisfying. The house is happy. Whether he is locked in dreamland or not, he has finally found peace.
Alien (1982)
Alien - Steven Spielberg at the top of his game and he's a living legend. It's not just that the ending is emotional or powerful. The thing is, the whole movie earns a goodbye between ET and Elliott, so as it races to its climactic end and heartfelt goodbye between its two main characters, you can get a feel for what has been gained and lost in the moment. The scene is also the climax of the film's plots, where Elliott finds some reconciliation with his parents' divorce, learning how he can "be good" and still love even when the one he loves leaves him. Absolutely beautiful.
Seven (1995)
Come on, say it, you know what you want. We can do it together. "What is in the box?!" endingSe7en has become a cult classic and endlessly quoted because it's a beautifully crafted climax to an intricate movie that anchors John Doe.Kevin Spacey) one of the best movie villains of all time. Scenario byAndrew Kevin Walker and directorDavid Fincher, Se7en starsBrad Pitt andMorgan Freemanas Taylor and Somerset, two detectives on the hunt for biblical serial killer John Doe, who tracks down his victims according to the seven deadly sins. Methodical and precise, and always one step ahead, John Doe leaves behind a series of deviant scenes inspired by the deadly sins of his victim, and saves the best for later. When the detectives think they have the upper hand, Dow shows his full hand - they've always been in his trap. He wins. And they become the last pieces to complete the terrible work of his life. A box is delivered containing the decapitated head of Taylor's wife. In this case, he becomes the Fury and, in step with the killer's plan, executes John Doe in cold blood, a fate that Doe has decreed for himself, punishment for his sins of Envy.
It's suspenseful and artfully crafted, and it's easy to see why it's become one of the most famous "twist" endings of all time. It's also easy to see why the studio required the following short encoding, which is an ointment in the form of a Hemingway quote. Fincher fought to have the film end black; he wanted the audience to sit with brutality. But he need not worry, because the endingSeventh stays with you for years to come.
Oil (2008)
This is what is called "microphone drop".Paul Thomas Anderson already created one pretty awesome (andbig) ending "Boogie nights»but when it came to closing his 2008 opus " There will be blood."he took no prisoners. After spending more than two hours withDaniel Day-Lewis Daniel Plainview, the audience is beginning to understand what makes this bad guy tick. We see it ebb and flow in life, and the film's final act shifts back in time to when Plainview becomes a wealthy - albeit lonely - oil tycoon. But visitPaul DanoEli Sunday lifts his spirits in the most nefarious way, and the longstanding tension between the two characters comes to a bloody end. “I'm out of breath!” remains one of the best and most brilliant closing lines in film history to this day.
One of the most skillfully crafted films in recent times,"Social network" permeated from beginning to end. While many objected toDavid Fincher andAaron Sorkin, who decided to do the "Facebook movie", the finished movie is a prophetic tale of power games in the 21st century: the movers and shakers are not men of fifty, they are teenage geniuses thrown into the deep end without the emotional maturity to handle such dangerous water. At the end of the movieJesse EisenbergMark Zuckerberg is rich and powerful, the camera lingers as he updates (and updates and updates) his ex-girlfriend's Facebook page. Someone whose breakup may or may not have propelled something within him to create one of the most successful ventures in history. He may have all the money and power in the world, but at what cost? For what purpose?
Devils (1955)
Les Diaboliques is a set of film twists and an important thriller that set the stage for future generations of mystery and noir.In French movieHenri-Georges Clouzot 1955 removed Michel Delassalle (Paul Meurisse) as a cruel, tyrannical director hated by his wife ( Vera Clouseau) and mistress ( Simon Signoretwho conspired to kill him. But his body goes missing, jokes follow, and it turns out that Michel was never dead; instead, he and his mistress conspired all along, setting the stage to summon his wife's weak heart and literally scare her to death. While Les Diaboliquesthe ending was revolutionary and mind-blowing (and still impressive today), and it became the basis for countless twisty tales of deceit, from countless classic film noir towild things .
Vertigo (1958)
Possibly Hitchcock's most intricate film, the culmination of his fascinating exploration of the male gaze (ScottyJames Stewart - the epitome of the male gaze, and yet Hitchcock is also to blame for this obsession) ends when our hero apparently gets everything he wants - the woman he loves is alive, he has conquered his Vertigo, he has solved the mystery - and yet due to foolish luck and circumstances, she falls to her death. His obsession and guilt will never stop and he will always be consumed. It is a powerful metaphor for the nature of cinema as both the viewer and the artist.
Scream (1996)
The endings of the Slasher movies have become so predictable andCarol Clover wrote a whole book about itMen, women and chainsaws") and coined the phrase "last girl"; A horror that continues to this day. Written by the screenwriterKevin Williamson, meta slasherWes Craven 1996's Scream was created by a creative team that knew these tricks, taking them and breaking them down as needed, culminating in a final act that reveals layers of surprise and holds the ground with a subtle, clever deconstruction of your standard slasher confrontation. Not one killer, but two! Including the last girl's supposedly dead boyfriend! Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is "the last girl", but in her film she can break the rules and live anyway, giving "Creek" a refreshing distance from the inherent puritanical leanings of the traditional moral indicators of horror, and in turn genuinely surprising the audience. Slashers have never been the same since "Scream", and the unmistakable ending is proof that self-reflective horror can be more than a gimmick - in fact, it can change all the rules.
Before Sunset (2004)
«Before Sunset" - the most incredible sequel in history.Richard Linklater revisiting his characters Jessie (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) nine years after the events of "Before Sunrise", this time tracking their daily conversation in real time. Movie sets before the clock is ticking—the plane of Jesse must catch—what makes every word of their conversation precious, and as we watch these characters fall back in love (or realize they've alwayswerein love), the pain of their inevitable separation persists. But Linklater, Hawke, and Delpiter brilliantly refuse to take the obvious path for the film's conclusion, and Jessie followed Selina back to her seat and settled into a relaxed position, minutes before hemust leave. Celine's last words - "Baby, you'll miss this plane" - are music to the public's ears as we see that maybe the two will eventually end up together.
La La Land (2016)
It's been two years since "La La Land» hit theaters and I'm sure that's time enough to say with confidence that it has one of the best movie endings. The musical romance takes a shocking turn in its third act, moving into an epilogue in which our main romantic duo is no longer together and hasn't been for some time. Mia fromEmma Stone, now a famous actress, is on her way to dinner with her husband when they stumble upon a popular jazz club, Sebastian's (Ryan Gosling) Seb's. But instead of moving on to a "happy" ending where Mia and Sebastian end up together, the writer/directorDamien Chazelle.instead prefers to show us what their life would be like if they made a few other decisions - apparently in musical form. This is one of the most emotional moments of cinema in recent times, and the agony of regret and "what could have been" is verystrongly bitten. But it's that closeness that makes this ending so damn effective.
Fargo (1996)
"For what? A little money." Conclusion of a dark morality playFargo shows the true north of Marge Gunderson, a woman who is oblivious and not naive about the darkness of the world, but ultimately too good from a human point of view to fully understand what will make one person put another. into a wood chipper. And yet, even when faced with such darkness, she does not allow it to distort or corrupt her. Instead, she gets into bed with her husband, they comfort each other and find peace in their simple lives. This is wonderful.
The Godfather (1972)
The end of Michael Corleone's journey is almost bittersweet. He begins with the belief that he will be different from his family and finds that he is the best person to lead their dark legacy. Every time he tries to escape, he only finds himself getting deeper and more skillful as a mafia boss. So it's especially scary when he becomes the "Godfather", lies to Kay with a straight face, and then with a powerful shot the door closes between them, Michael lives a life of crime with one family, and his real family is on the shore. Other.
Haze (2007)
Darabont 'sFog is an exciting, densely crafted parable by B-movie features creatures that updateStephen King 's 1980s short story and action plants are firmly established in America after the 9/11 culture of fear, anger and blind panic. Darabont once described the film as a "wounded, angry scream" and it is never clearer than in the film's final moments, which have earned a bad reputation as one of the most abrupt and violent film endings of all time. The King's Tale ends literally with hope; Darabont's film ends with a crushing defeat - the abandonment of hope. Thisredemption againstShawshank. King himself described it as "the most shocking ending ever" and said, "A law should be passed stating that anyone who reveals the last five minutes of this film should be hanged by the neck to death." So no spoilers for this one, even ten years later.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Nominated for 11 Academy Awards upon release in 1950, "Sunset Boulevard passed test of time as a classic film that remains incredibly successful to this day. Moreover, despite the evolution of audience tastes and trends, the noir finaleBilly Wilder remains extremely effective - it is the embodiment of evergreen art.This tale of a failed screenwriter who is drawn into the secluded home of a forgotten silent film star is filled with tension and heightened emotion, but Wilder tells the audience ahead of time that you're not in for a happy ending - the film begins with our main character. lay dead in the pool. By the end of the film, we sympathize with poor Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) even as she commits murder, turning her final line "Okay, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for the close-up" not an illusion or madness, but a tragedy.
Almost Famous (2000)
IfCameron Crowe never made a great movie after"Almost famous", he would still be considered one of the greats. That's how good"Almost Famous" . His 2000 semi-autobiographical comedy-drama is a true masterpiece, following the exploits of a teenage journalist on tour with a rock band in the 1970s. It captures all of your traditional growing up images like young love, sex and insecurity, albeit against the backdrop of superstardom, fame and ego. It is this perfect blend that comes to an end in William's bedroom (Patrick Fugit), where he was visited by the eminent Stillwater Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), tofinallycomplete the interview he promised. They have an intimate relationship that miraculously avoids saccharine and feels intimate instead, while we can also take a look at Penny Lane heading to Morocco. "For starters, about everything."
Murder Act (2012)
"Act of Murder" is an extremely difficult film to watch, and it really increases the perspective in filmmaking. It may seem dramatic, but this unconventional documentary tells the story of genocide and human brutality in a way that breaks down the walls of protection we've built for the horrors of the world and makes them feel fresher and more terrifying than ever. Even those who made them.
Do"Act of Murder" directorJoshua Oppenheimerspent years alongside the people responsible for the untold violence and death during the Indonesian genocide. Oppenheimer goes into the standard documentary format, having these people re-create their crimes on camera from their point of view, offering a searing look into the deluded and horrifying thought processes of these random killers. They laugh and brag about their crimes, reveling in the details of their memories, until the film's final scene, in which one of these men finally confronts the extent of their crimes. He chokes and shudders, he vomits on the roof where he once brutally executed innocent people. "Have I sinned?" he asks as his body arches and heaves. This is a shocking moment of sympathy from the side of the monster and sympathy for the monster, which falls upon you with the full weight of inhuman cruelty.
All That Jazz (1979)
The Tortured Artist has become a Hollywood cliché, but what happens when a tormented artist makes an incredibly self-aware autobiographical biopic? This is a musical masterpiece.Bob FosseAll That Jazz, in which throughRoy Scheider narrates about the good, the bad and the ugly in the life of a director, writer and choreographer. As the film draws to a close, Scheider's protagonist is on his deathbed, the five stages of grief provide a grand musical finale that features figures from all times of his life. It's incredibly selfish, apologetic, outgoing, and beautiful at the same time, and ends with a snappy closing shot that brings us closer to reality. This is truly an unforgettable event and one of the greatest "grand finals" of all time.
Graduate (1967)
I love this ending. The false head is that Benjamin and Elaine will run away together and live happily ever after, but the directorMike Nichols Deftly brings it back to where the movie began: Benjamin is dragged along, wondering if his life will have any meaning or even be different from the one his parents had. allowgraduate just sitting with these two characters when their impulsiveness slips away and they're forced to just sit with their choices is an ending powerhouse that should never raise its voice.
Sixth Sense (1999)
Yes,Bruce Willis been dead all this time. This is joked about so many times that one would think that revealing would no longer hold power, but the filmM. Night Shyamalan still holding on because revealing isn't really the point of the movie. It's shocking and it's become the director's trademark, but what gives the finale its power is the emotional resolution between Malcolm and Anna when he gets to say goodbye to his wife. Like"Usual suspects"They both have amazing twists of all time, but the ending cements the overall film as great rather than just showing a "gotcha" moment.
Obsession (2014)
Sacrifice is the price of greatness. It takes pain and practice to become a legend, and the obsession with perfection is its own toxin. That's the pointWhiplash, amazing thrillerDamien Chazelle about the music student going down the rabbit hole of ambition and the demanding, demeaning instructor who is like gasoline to his fire. Most ofWhiplash looks like a battle of wills between Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a young drummer with a hunger for greatness, and his abusive mentor Fletcher (J. K. Simmons).), and in the film's closing moments, after violent clashes and a purposeful effort by both to destroy each other's careers, Neiman and Fletcher find themselves on stage together, locked in a confrontational performance that becomes part of a frenetic, enthusiastic collaboration as their passions merge and collide in a lengthy drum solo. It's the perfect outlet for all of the film's built-in tension, such as the high after a particularly grueling run, and sends the audience into a manic, intoxicating euphoria that we know can't be contained.
Cabin in the woods (2012)
"Shed in a woods" lets us know that this isn't your standard kick from the start, when viewers find themselves in an underground facility where a government operation mysteriously brings horror movies to life. Above ground Dana ( Kristen Connolly), Marty ( Fran Krantz) and their friends travel to a remote cabin, unaware that the organization has marked them as victims. But why? For what? Well, after a series of clever genre subversions and horror fan jokes, the writer-director Drew Goddard (who wrote the script along with Joss Whedon) answers all your questions in the smartest, craziest endings to come since horror-aware.
It turns out that Dana and her friends are lambs to the slaughter, resulting in their deaths, like many of them before them, to keep the literally gigantic angry gods strong enough so they can't destroy the earth. Except that Dana and Marty's determination to survive derails the victim and the vengeful gods resurface. It's a refreshingly offbeat ending, taken from the pages of Lovecraft and updated for a new generation, but with the self-referential wit of Goddard and Whedon embedded throughout the film, it also becomes part of a meta-commentary on the very horror and demands of society. an audience that devours it. In the end, we are all angry gods, entertain us or perish.
Wicker Man (1973)
ForgetNicolas Cage, forget the bees; At the infamous remake"The Wicker Man" may be one of the most ironically famous endings of all time, but the original filmRobin Hardy 1973 is one of the best. A sun-drenched, slow crawling horror film based on a detective mystery,"The Wicker Man" playsEdward Woodward as Sargeant Howie, a Christian detective who travels to the remote pagan island of Summersile to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Only now the locals claim that when he gets there, it never existed. As the investigation progresses, Howie's indecision and anxiety escalate as the locals revel in the ritual and seem to play with it whenever possible.
After some digging, Sergeant learns that the islanders are turning to human sacrifice when the harvest is bad and comes to the conclusion that this must be the missing girl's plan, but his supposed heroic rescue leads him straight into a trap: the girl was never the intended victim. , and, encased in a giant wicker statue, Sergeant Howie burns to death, praying and screaming to his god, while the islanders sacrifice him to their god."The Wicker Man" underlined by folk hymns and humming percussion, reflects the horror of religious fanaticism and the eternal danger of blind faith and erroneous ideology.
Suspicious Persons (1995)
A good twist ending works even if you know the twist."Suspicious Faces" - it's all the time, of course, with the slow reveal that Verbal Kint is Keyser Soz, but it's a masterful climax to the performanceKevin Spacey, brilliant score and editingJohn Ottman and smart scriptChristopher McQuarrie . It's an ending that will make your jaw drop when you first see it, and then you'll be thrilled every time you watch it after that.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
George A. Romero revered as the king of horror, but he doesn't always get the recognition he deserves as a renegade indie filmmaker."Night of the Living Dead" kicked off the modern zombie genre, but besides being terrifying, it's also one of the most heartfelt and thoughtful films of all time. The film revolves around a group of survivors in the midst of a zombie plague, hiding together in a state of panic. As their interpersonal squabbles and acts of selfishness tear the survivors apart, the undead break through into their hideout, with only Ben (Duane Jones) remains a steady voice of reason. He is a hero, which is what makes him so shocking when he is shot dead by a group of armed "good guys" clearing the area of the living dead. Because Romero chose a black male as his hero (a subversive move in itself), the ending also contained measured tones of racial commentary, and while the ending itself is shocking enough, the added layer of social terror cemented the film's ending moments as one of its most iconic and influential. endings in the history of cinema.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Han Solo might be dead! Darth Vader is Luke's father! Luke is missing an arm! The final "Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" is a classic, and although in retrospect it does not seemtoo much gloomy, then for the public, who did not know how it all ends in "Return of the Jedi", it was an oppressor. But it's an exciting way to end a movie if you know you're getting close to the final chapter, andGeorge Lucas allows fans to delay important events in the story as they must waitReturn of the Jed.to see what comes next. Today, of course, you can just pop in the next Blu-ray disc, but even so, the ending looks grand - and filmmakers have been trying to emulate it for years.
