Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
05-10-09, 12:38 AM
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Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Inspired by KillerCannibal's 'best ending' thread, I was wondering what films end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
For example, The Silence of the Lambs ends with a long take of pedestrians, well after the principle character is gone.
ps. What I mean by a "non-narrative space' is a closure that does not play in the story. For example, a film tells a story of a family, then it ends with slides of their family photo album in plain black background.
For example, The Silence of the Lambs ends with a long take of pedestrians, well after the principle character is gone.
ps. What I mean by a "non-narrative space' is a closure that does not play in the story. For example, a film tells a story of a family, then it ends with slides of their family photo album in plain black background.
Last edited by Apone; 05-10-09 at 12:47 AM.
05-10-09, 01:31 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Alien3
Raiders of the Lost Ark (I'm not spoilerizing this, come on) - It ends with the guy pushing the crate carrying the Ark into a huge warehouse, and the camera pans back.
Spoiler:
Raiders of the Lost Ark (I'm not spoilerizing this, come on) - It ends with the guy pushing the crate carrying the Ark into a huge warehouse, and the camera pans back.
Last edited by Rockmjd23; 05-10-09 at 01:34 AM.
05-10-09, 02:09 AM
#3
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Schindler's List ends with the real surviving family members placing stones on the real Schindler's gravesite.
40 Year Old Virgin has the entire cast singing "Aquarius" outside in a sunny field.
Sunshine ends on Earth, having spent the entire movie on a space ship.
40 Year Old Virgin has the entire cast singing "Aquarius" outside in a sunny field.
Sunshine ends on Earth, having spent the entire movie on a space ship.
Last edited by FinkPish; 05-10-09 at 02:12 AM.
05-10-09, 03:12 AM
#4
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
How about Braveheart and the Truman Show?
Spoilers ahead...(do we need spoilrs in a thread discussing the endings of films?)
Braveheart ends with Robert the Bruce leading the army to victory.
The Truman Show SHOULD have ended with Truman waving to the camera and exiting the world, but instead we get some lame shot of his girlfriend's reaction to him leaving.
Spoilers ahead...(do we need spoilrs in a thread discussing the endings of films?)
Braveheart ends with Robert the Bruce leading the army to victory.
The Truman Show SHOULD have ended with Truman waving to the camera and exiting the world, but instead we get some lame shot of his girlfriend's reaction to him leaving.
05-10-09, 03:51 AM
#5
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
The Truman Show ends with the Security Guards changing the "tv's" channel to see what else is on. In a way, ending it with Truman makes the movie-viewer the audience, but because the film switches from Truman's life/the real world and the tv show/audience, it wouldn't work IMO. If Weir has made it solely about the show, I would have loved that ending. I think the current one works because of the commentary on tv viewers than just a tv show.
Heaven's Gate ends with a long montage of Kris Kristofferson quietly looking at the sunset off his steamboat.
Some others I thought of: Men on Fire(2004) ends with Giancarlo Giannini's character killing "La Voz," although the prior scene has Denzel's character's name, DOB, and DOD juxtaposed against the Popocatépetl Volcano near Mexico City. I think Looker ends with a commercial from the film and that the VHS version has a voice-over of James Coburn's character discussing how people will always listen to whatever an advertisement is telling them. And Body Snatchers(94) has dialogue from earlier in the film played at half the speed while the film, depicting an Air Force traffic controller waving some light cones, is also slowed.
Heaven's Gate ends with a long montage of Kris Kristofferson quietly looking at the sunset off his steamboat.
Some others I thought of: Men on Fire(2004) ends with Giancarlo Giannini's character killing "La Voz," although the prior scene has Denzel's character's name, DOB, and DOD juxtaposed against the Popocatépetl Volcano near Mexico City. I think Looker ends with a commercial from the film and that the VHS version has a voice-over of James Coburn's character discussing how people will always listen to whatever an advertisement is telling them. And Body Snatchers(94) has dialogue from earlier in the film played at half the speed while the film, depicting an Air Force traffic controller waving some light cones, is also slowed.
Last edited by gmanca; 05-10-09 at 04:16 AM.
05-10-09, 03:52 AM
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Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
on topic: makes me think of the original studio release of Blade Runner, which I think ended with an aerial shot that was lifted from The Shining (iirc) of some green landscape.
off topic:
I agree with this one and this is probably a topic for a separate but similar thread, but some movies seem to go one shot or scene too long. I'm thinking of The Shawkshank Redemption where you actually see Red meet Andy on the beach in Mexico. I always thought the movie should've faded to black on the shot of Red riding on the bus heading to meet him.
off topic:
The Truman Show SHOULD have ended with Truman waving to the camera and exiting the world, but instead we get some lame shot of his girlfriend's reaction to him leaving.
05-10-09, 04:00 AM
#7
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Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
The Departed?
Why oh why did they have to put that extra little in there is beyond me, not to mention how heavy-handed it seemed.
Spoiler:
Why oh why did they have to put that extra little in there is beyond me, not to mention how heavy-handed it seemed.
05-10-09, 11:05 AM
#8
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
It's like he's telling the audience, "Don't bother thinking about this film once you leave the theater. FORGET ABOUT IT. See what else is on."
I don't know if Andrew Niccol had anything to do with that ending, but it certainly wasn't part of the shooting script that was published.
05-10-09, 11:12 AM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
I liked the final shot of Truman, go figure. Though that's another convo all together.
The last shot of Mulholland Drive is of a woman you see one other time during the movie. Now determining if she means everything or nothing is the tough part.
The last shot of Mulholland Drive is of a woman you see one other time during the movie. Now determining if she means everything or nothing is the tough part.
05-10-09, 11:37 AM
#10
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
L'Avventura
05-10-09, 04:29 PM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
I understand what the OP is looking for, but I don't think his Silence Of The Lambs example qualifies, since the crowd scene is merely the extension of a shot that sees Hannibal walking into the crowd and disappearing within it. The shot is all about Hannibal disappearing back into society, even if we can't see him anymore.
The Raiders example is a good example, assuming you don't consider "The Ark" a main character in the movie.
There are a few movies that end with characters not primary to the particular installment, but ones that WILL be important in other installments - like baby Luke Skywalker at the end of REVENGE OF THE SITH or baby Cesar at the end of ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES.
The Raiders example is a good example, assuming you don't consider "The Ark" a main character in the movie.
There are a few movies that end with characters not primary to the particular installment, but ones that WILL be important in other installments - like baby Luke Skywalker at the end of REVENGE OF THE SITH or baby Cesar at the end of ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES.
05-10-09, 04:34 PM
#13
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Inspired by KillerCannibal's 'best ending' thread, I was wondering what films end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
For example, The Silence of the Lambs ends with a long take of pedestrians, well after the principle character is gone.
ps. What I mean by a "non-narrative space' is a closure that does not play in the story. For example, a film tells a story of a family, then it ends with slides of their family photo album in plain black background.
For example, The Silence of the Lambs ends with a long take of pedestrians, well after the principle character is gone.
ps. What I mean by a "non-narrative space' is a closure that does not play in the story. For example, a film tells a story of a family, then it ends with slides of their family photo album in plain black background.
Spoiler:
05-10-09, 06:55 PM
#14
DVD Talk Legend
05-10-09, 07:40 PM
#15
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
I don't know if this fits with what you want, but To Live & Die in LA ends with a shot of a Truck pulling up in a driveway.. I wanted to ask Friedkin WTF at a screening, but couldn't get called on...
Last edited by hasslein; 05-10-09 at 08:05 PM.
05-10-09, 08:08 PM
#17
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Well with French Connection the "gunshot" ending made sense, because it was a "what just happened?" moment, but this truck shot is just random....
05-10-09, 10:18 PM
#18
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
I agree with this one and this is probably a topic for a separate but similar thread, but some movies seem to go one shot or scene too long. I'm thinking of The Shawkshank Redemption where you actually see Red meet Andy on the beach in Mexico. I always thought the movie should've faded to black on the shot of Red riding on the bus heading to meet him.
I absolutely love that movie, but the ending sucks.
05-11-09, 02:34 AM
#19
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Off the top of my head:
The 1930's Frankenstein ends with the butler proposing a toast.
Citizen Kane ends with people sorting through (and burning) Kane's art aquisitions.
A reccent movie, Watchmen ends with a scene in a newspaper office between two characters who haven't previously been seen.
The 1930's Frankenstein ends with the butler proposing a toast.
Citizen Kane ends with people sorting through (and burning) Kane's art aquisitions.
A reccent movie, Watchmen ends with a scene in a newspaper office between two characters who haven't previously been seen.
05-11-09, 02:35 AM
#20
Re: Films that end with a non-principle character or a non-narrative space?
Even ending on the bus would be going too far as it would imply Red is on his way to see Andy. The novella ends with Red sitting by the wall reading the note. It is the perfect ending. It's up to the reader to decided Red & Andy's fate. They only knew each other on the inside. Having Red see Andy on the outside was a typical Hollywood schmaltzy ending.
I absolutely love that movie, but the ending sucks.
I absolutely love that movie, but the ending sucks.
05-11-09, 02:37 AM
#21
DVD Talk Legend
