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Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Simon Brew & Martin Anderson
Movies with truly great endings are in short supply. So let's make sure we celebrate this lot...
Published on Nov 15, 2007
Back To The Future Part II
Some would say the original Back to the Future is the one that should be listed here, and truthfully, it was a swine of a decision as to which to opt for. But I can’t help but lean towards the end of Part II first, where the Delorean has gone, Marty receives the letter from 70 years ago, and he instantly tracks down the 1955 Doc Brown to kick start the third film. It was a terrific cliffhanger, and one that left this writer salivating for the next film…
Back To The Future
But heck, it’s our site, why not cop out and include part one in here too? Not content with providing a rollicking ride for the best part of two hours, we get “Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads”, as Marty, Jennifer and the Doc zoom off into the future - with that shot of the flying car - to sort out Marty’s kids. Of course, a sequel was never intended: screenwriter Bob Gale has since said that if they know there was a part two afterwards, they’d have never have stuck Jennifer in the car.
Magnolia
So passionately do I love Magnolia as a film that my obsession has turned towards geekdom. And that means I can include it here. That counts for Before Sunrise, too. As daring, fascinating and downright brilliant as everything that has gone before it is, the sheer balls of Paul Thomas Anderson to end his ensemble epic on a smile creeping onto Melora Walters face deserves immense credit. A cracking end to a stunning film.
Before Sunrise
Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke’s walk through a day in Paris is supposed, under the law of the love story, to end with a big smooch and them walking away into the sunset. But no: here they go their separate ways, leaving us to ache and wonder what happened. Shockingly, a sequel, Before Sunset, picks the story up and proves every bit the original’s equal. Richard Linklater will never make a better pair of films.
The Game
We’ve classed this as a ‘Mindf**k’ movie before, and The Game has a divisive ending. Certainly the screening I caught the film at had a mixed audience response, between those almost applauding the tenacity of it, and those feeling a bit cheated. Count me firmly in the former camp, and give David Fincher some awards or something.
The Vanishing
Not the crappy remake: we’re talking about the sinister Dutch original, where the haunting initial premise ends in a logical conclusion that’s guaranteed to stick in your brain for ages afterwards. Bizarrely, it was all watered down – by the same director! – for the shitty American version.
The Italian Job
Shame on us for leaving this out first time. The bus, the cliff and a whole lot of gold makes for one of the finest endings British cinema has committed to film in its entire existence. It was explained away in interviews afterwards, incidentally: basically they’d get out of it by running the engine of the bus until the fuel ran out, which would adjust the weight balance of the vehicle. They could then get out, bus would spread the gold below, and the sequel was due to start right there.
Planet Of The Apes
The sight of Chuck Heston banging his head on the shore, in a loincloth, under the post-nuclear statue of liberty is probably the most iconic ending to any sci-fi film - it’s even ended up skitted in The Simpsons. Heston realises that the backward, alien Monkey-planet is actually all that’s left of foolish old cold-war earth after it pulled the pin. Doh!
Keep your suggestions coming in the comments field, ready for a third installment...!
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Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By cjlines 1 November 15, 2007 01:47:39 PM
Weird. I would've put Magnolia and The Game down as two otherwise decent enough movies that were utterly destroyed by appalling endings. The latter is one step above "It was all a dream" which is VERBOTEN.
Magnolia is more just the equivalent of "Hmm, I've written a script that goes nowhere and I need a big finish. Now, what's the most random thing I can think of?"
Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By DuncanMonkey 1 November 15, 2007 02:15:42 PM
Kudos for including The Game, I was just this week saying how much I loved it especially as, Fincher aside, I knew nothing about it the first time I saw it at the cinema. The ending wasn't a problem for me at all and I loved the After Hours feeling to the movie which is something there isn't nearly enough of... Hmm I now strangely want to watch Vamp again too...
Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By twosheds 1 November 15, 2007 03:20:16 PM
I have a horrible feeling Vamp won't have improved with age.
Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By cjlines 1 November 15, 2007 03:22:17 PM
See, I love After Hours and Vamp. But The Game sucks.
Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By DuncanMonkey 1 November 15, 2007 04:33:29 PM
I have now filled the back of my left hand with 80s movies to (re-)watch...
Re: Great Geek Movie Endings: Part Deux
Posted By SebTombs 1 November 20, 2007 08:35:02 AM
Write your comment here... not dialogue, but a caption: Animal House: 'Senator and Mrs John Blutarsky, Washington, dc'
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Back to the Future. One franchise, two great endings.
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