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The rarely updated blog of Joel Dixon
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Top 5 non-Hollywood movie endings
# Posted by Joel Dixon at 24/10/2007 11:08:25I was watching Without a Paddle the other day (I'm a Seth Green fan) and it wasn't too bad. But throughout the film, no matter how dim the future looked for the main characters, I knew it was all going to work out OK. A lot of movies coming out of Hollywood seem to spend most of the time trying desperately to fool you into thinking the story will end in a disaster, then do a spectacular switch-a-roo at the end.
I'm also reminded of the time I watched Pirates of the Caribbean with Bell, I was really enjoying the movie until they pulled a complete Disney ending and everyone was happy (except for the bad characters). It's made me think back to the movies I've enjoyed because of an unexpectedly sad or weird ending.
The death of the main character isn't enough for me, as they can be quite common especially in mafia / crime movies. There are also a lot of movies where the main character does die at the end, but everyone learns a life lesson and the world is a better place. Movies with a moral to the story don't count no matter how tragic (think Romeo and Juliet). I'm after the unexpected, coming-out-of-nowhere and for no good reason endings which aren't just a logical progression of the storyline.
We need these unexpected tragic endings from time to time, to keep us honest. If there is the real threat that all of the characters contract rabies and die from a freak electric can-opener accident - you are more invested while watching the film.
I will note that I am probably missing out on many other great non-Hollywood movie endings. There's many movies I've never watched (which I'm currently rectifying), so some killer endings are probably missing. If you know of any - please comment to this entry and let me know - I would be very interested.
Here are my personal top 5 non-Hollywoodland movie endings:
Bambi didn't make the final list - as I don't remember anything about the actual movie (including the ending). It does however get a honorable mention because I can still remember that I was extremely upset by the movie at the time. After checking out a synopsis on the Internet I can confirm - yeah, that would have upset me.
A great movie that makes you think, and definitely needs to be watched twice. Guy Pearce plays a man with a weird form of amnesia in which his brain is unable to store new memories. For assistance he leaves himself a series of notes and has a number of tattoos on his body with various facts he feels are important. It wasn't the easiest movie to understand or try to guess what was coming up - but I still think the ending was notably unexpected.
A top movie written by a pair of Melbourne boys - directed by one of them and the other played a main character - I blogged about this movie when I first watched it. As I said then, one of the better twist endings and completely unexpected. It's a horror movie, so you know people are going to die at the end, but there was one aspect of the finale that forced an audible gasp from me.
I have to admit I didn't see the twist ending of this movie coming, and I think that was the same for a lot of people. This movie really kick started another round of the surprise twist ending for mainstream films - and at it's time of release it caught many people by surprise. This is another movie where it pays to watch it twice.
This movie would easily be number 1, if they had have kept the original ending. I've kept it in my list because they have preserved the original ending in the DVD as a special feature (be sure to check it out). The story is that Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and director Rawson Marshall Thurber were very happy with the unconventional ending, but the movie studios wouldn't allow it (instead creating the bubblegum ending in place now). See the movie's Wikipedia entry for more.
Easy Rider is a great movie that's clearly stood the test of time. Interesting story, pretty good soundtrack, and a brilliant performance by Jack Nicholson in his first big role (for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). While I had heard of this movie for a long time (as I'm sure a lot of people have), I didn't know that the ending was going to be so unexpected. You have to watch this film if you haven't already - and then you'll definitely know what I'm getting at with this blog post.
# Posted in the General section and tagged as: Movies
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Comments
 Hoff Posts: 39 |
While i'm too hung over right now to remember a bunch of movies and their endings one movies ending has always sat really well with me. I absolutely love the ending to Rocky 1. Its so not what you would have been expecting at that point. Pity the series just got more and more hollywood as time went on. 2 I think was a great movie again... 3 and 4 a bit weak with 5 being just plain bad... still havn't seen the new one tho. Oooo how about Butterfly Effect... That was an awesome movie but damned if I can actually remember which ending is the "real" one. Ending to Empire Strikes Back has a real the bad guys won feel.  # Posted - 24/10/2007 13:40:40 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
O and your first 2 movies... Memento and Saw are Awesome! # Posted - 24/10/2007 13:41:11 |
 joeldixon   Posts: 156 |
Hoff - good to hear you survived the footy trip! It's an ongoing shame of mine that I have never watched any of the Rocky movies from start to finish. I was hoping they'd show them over here on cable but no such luck so far. I will have to rectify that in short order. And thanks for the tip on The Butterfly Effect. I didn't watch that movie either - mainly because of Ashton Kutcher. I'll add that to my "hunt down and watch" list! Saw is great - but the series definitely feels milked to me. Memento is a brilliant film - did you see the ripoff comedy sketch I linked earlier? Click here (NSFW) if not, it's very amusing.  # Posted - 24/10/2007 14:21:26 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
OOOOO MY!!! Ok first of all... what the hell! you havn't seen either Rocky or Butterfly Effect???? I'm sorry Joel but i'm trying to work with you here but i'm struggling. I guess I can at least understand the Ashton Kutcher thing... but he actually does quite a good job in this movie I felt. Nothing like his other comedys... You must watch the Rocky movies soon as you can. At least watch 1 and 2. I have only seen saw 1 and 2... the second one was just a shadow of the first and the 3rd looked a shadow of that. Hate to think what the 4th ones gonna look like. I just watched 23 a little while ago and really enjoyed it. I quite enjoyed the twist in that, even tho I did manage to pick it. Thats the one thing that sixth sense ruined for me. It made my brain go... "I'll be damned if your gonna mess with me again like that" so I find myself trying to work out the twist in advance rather then just letting it surprise me. O and I love that you got my gamertag up on posts.. very geeky but cool! # Posted - 24/10/2007 15:45:56 Last Edited - 24/10/2007 15:46:59 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
Yeah - there's no defense for missing Rocky - I'll probably have that one taken care of this year sometime. I have Saw 1, 2 and 3 on DVD - so that's the only reason I will be buying Saw 4! One a year is way too many films! That's funny - I saw The Number 23 on the second night I got here in Canada. I really liked it too - Jim Carrey does a great job in a genre he's not that well known in. I had no clue about ending - but it's rare that I pick a twist. It's actually a pissweak superpower of mine, I have an amazing ability to not spoil a movie's twist ending by guessing it. I think it's partly because I'm lazy, I just enjoy watching the film and don't bother guessing it. But it's better than that - I was told in no uncertain terms the exact twist endings of both The Sixth Sense and Fight Club before I had seen either movies. When I did eventually watch them, I was in suspense and didn't know what was coming at the end. I don't know how - but it was like I can completely forget that the movie was spoiled for me. Once each of the movies were over I did realise that I already knew the ending of the movie - but it still came as a shock to me at the time. Hard to explain - but a nice skill to have. # Posted - 24/10/2007 16:37:44 |
 Hitman Posts: 16 |
Joel. I'm a little sceptical about your choices. But number 1 - Easy Rider is a fantastic film. The ending blew me away, I had to rewind and watch it again. One of my great film endings is Spinal Tap. When Nigel Tufnel rejoins the band - one of the greatest feel good moments in film history. Some of my other choices. * Star War Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back * The Usual Suspects * Kill Bill: Volume 1 * Back to the Future: Part 1 * Rocky 1 * Chinatown * Godfather: Part 1 # Posted - 24/10/2007 19:27:43 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
Yeah? Well I'm a little skeptical about your lack of gayness. (sorry, I don't take criticism very well  )I’m going to have to watch The Usual Suspects again – haven’t seen that since early high school and have forgotten the ending. I do remember it was a good movie. And you’re right about Back to the Future Part 1 – that was a hilarious ending (and really cool for a youngster like me). It was even better because they really didn’t expect that a sequel was going to follow – and they were happy to leave the audience in suspense like that. On the commentary for Part 2 they talked about how much of a hole they wrote themselves into by ending the first that way. # Posted - 25/10/2007 00:52:17 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
Hmmm I just watched an old movie "Officespace" I had seen it quite a while before but had forgotten most of it... plus it was really before I had worked in an office environment. It has a happy go lucky ending but I must admit I enjoyed the little twist they played on it. Loved it... plus it was like watching my life! ouch # Posted - 26/10/2007 11:30:46 |
| Eryc-Ads Posts: 13 |
Clio Leo- or that motorbike movie "Those guys are alright". # Posted - 26/10/2007 13:41:43 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
You're right - that was a good ending. I love that movie, the two Bobs were funny (though I saw the movie after a bit of a Scrubs marathon and kept wondering why Perry was there). # Posted - 26/10/2007 13:55:30 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
Man - I completely dropped the ball - that motorbike movie should have been number 1! # Posted - 26/10/2007 14:22:33 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
I can't believe you just called him Perry! Its Dr Cox damnit :P Perry... ack poor man. There were quite a few faces office space that have gone on to do bigger and better things. Is pretty cool when you see them em and go... oooo thats so and so from that movie! I also can't help but think that Lawrence might be the smartest man alive  I probably should hang my head in shame tho coz I have neither seen or even heard of this motorbike movie or Easy Rider woe is me  # Posted - 26/10/2007 14:41:17 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
Don't hang your head about the motorbike movie me and Eryc-Ads are talking about - it was an SBS movie that we watched in high school one late night. Eryc - do you remember the name? It was hilarious, I might see if I can download it! As for Easy Rider - I'm surprised you haven't seen it - and amazed you haven't heard of it (though to be honest - I only saw it for the first time a few weeks ago). And Lawrence certainly has a healthy perception on life # Posted - 26/10/2007 15:31:33 |
| Deep Lurker |
Random Lurker Two words: Funny Games. most unhollywood ending ever. still trying to work up the courage to bank that film again. its a bit of a psychological horror type thing, not particularly gruesome in any way, just really really unsettling. german film genius. apparently it may get the hollywood treatment shortly though, as its being remade for the subtitle dodging unwashed masses. # Posted - 26/10/2007 17:03:01 Last Edited - 23/02/2008 00:33:32 |
| Deep Lurker |
The Korean film The Host is great too, slight hollywood tip towards the very end, but has a nice heart wrenching bit of closure immediately before. solid bit of monster genre cinema. # Posted - 26/10/2007 17:07:35 Last Edited - 23/02/2008 00:32:08 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
Thanks for the tips Monsignor Lurk - I must admit my monster genre cinema viewing experience is lacking. I've never heard of Funny Games either, so I will have to check it out! And subtitle-dodgers - not as snappy an insult as shower-dodger, but I like it. # Posted - 27/10/2007 00:40:51 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
Ahhh Awesome... i've been thinking about taking the plung and getting "The Host" and now to hear someone else confirm it I'll def have to have a look. Nothing like a good Monster Flick # Posted - 29/10/2007 10:23:02 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
BTW - I see you completed the Oblivion main quest line Hoff - congrats! Are you planning on finishing the Dark Brotherhood and doing the Mages guild lines? Mages guild line was pretty average from my remembering - but you don't to use magic the whole time # Posted - 29/10/2007 16:44:04 |
Hoff Posts: 39 |
Yeah I'll probably do it, but not straight away. I would like to get the full 1000 points. Always a good sense of achievement. Will most likely finish off either Overlord or Blue Dragon next mixing it in with the odd Halo/Dead Rising AP Farming. BTW do you find having 3 conversations at once with the same person to be a little disconcerting? # Posted - 29/10/2007 16:47:43 Last Edited - 29/10/2007 16:48:28 |
joeldixon Posts: 156 |
What was really odd was that I didn't even notice that you were replying to my replies as I entered them!  # Posted - 29/10/2007 22:45:12 |
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