[Spoilers]Greatest End Scenes Ever

A_Sober_Paddy · 23-09-2012 6:32am #1

So as I was taken my laptop apart at this very late hour, movie endings were running through my head. And for me there was two movies which seem to be a toss up for best final scenes.

My two are:
2001
Last of the Mochicans

*Note* if your going to talk about the films ending use spoiler tags for anyone who hasn't seen the movies

2001

I just found the whole moving refitting and the ending is so bizzare and brilliant it really stuck with me. Also an ending that has been the fuel to many a discussion among friends

Last of the Mochicans

Just the whole chase at the end with the fantastic movie, so epic and really builds up the suspense. The final words spoken by the last of the mochicans as the movie draws to a close are fantastic too

Should probably get some sleep now that I've gotten that off my mind and the laptop is in one piece again:)

Old Ben · 23-09-2012 8:15am

I loved the end of Silence of the Lambs.... Chilton goes on holiday in a place where the food is going to be a little too familiar!!

The ending of my favourite movie ever... also great, always remembered by everyone who sees it. Casablanca. The problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world!!

But there are so many. I'm sure we're going to get a long list... nice thread, Paddy.

Tipsy McSwagger · 23-09-2012 10:05am

Out For Justice
Seagal kicks your man in the nuts and the puppy pisses on him.

horgan_p · 23-09-2012 10:16am

The usual suspects , inception, the sixth sense.

All of them are real wtf endings , I just had to watch the films again after seeing them.

MakeEmLaugh · 23-09-2012 10:42am

Not to be contrarian, but isn't trying to list the greatest ending scenes a bit like listing the greatest movies in colour? There are literally hundreds of great ending scenes. Most of my favourite films have great ending scenes.

I do think The Usual Suspects has one of the most powerful endings of all time, in terms of pulling the rug from under the viewer.

The ending of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto.

After two hours exclusively depicting Maya civilisation, the arrival of the Spanish fleet on the shores of pre-colonised Mexico is quite startling.

The final scene of Andrew Dominick's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford I find, very beautiful. Great musical score, great voiceover.

The Godfather Part II:

The final flashback to the birthday dinner for Vito Corleone, where Michael (Al Pacino) reveals he has dropped out of the college, despite all the effort it took his father to ensure him a place there, and enlisted in the Marines. Michael says, "I have my own plans for my future", though we know of his subsequent rise to the top of the Corleone crime family, and his ruthlessness to the point of having his own brother killed. Very powerful stuff.

Jaws, I saw recently at an outdoor screening as part of the Tall Ships festival.

The cheer that the audience let out when the shark was finally killed was exhilarating. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a screening more.

But really, there are hundreds to choose from.

qz · 23-09-2012 10:53am

This thread will be ruinous if there isn't iron-fist moderation!

ToadVine · 23-09-2012 10:58am

CarrIe - for the terror moment

Dark Star - I quote the ending line from the smart bomb often!

Melancholia - the ending was predictable I suppose but amazing

mike65 · 23-09-2012 11:00am

Obviously Planet of the Apes (1968) esp if you are too young to cop the hint shot before the full reveal.

Dr Strangelove (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb) (1964) Yeeharrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The Third Man (1950) for its bitter poignancy.

The "good guy" is blanked by the woman who still loves another man who was a total bastard. Its an ending which remarkably is better than that of the book

.

krudler · 23-09-2012 11:45am

Se7en, complete gutpunch of a finale.

The King of Moo · 23-09-2012 12:54pm

Umberto

While watching Umberto try to kill Flike, his dog, on the train tracks is tough enough, what's even harder for me to deal with emotionally, is when Flike is terrified of him and running away from him afterwards. After everything he went through throughout the film, to have his closest, most loving companion, turn his back on him is gut-wrenching.
When Flike eventually comes round and they walk off into the distance playing together it's such a relief. Whatever else happens, they've got each other.
It should seem too sentimental, but it works and comes across as completely genuine.
*sniff*

Icarus Wings · 23-09-2012 1:16pm

The Assassination of Jesse James - An incredibly elegant and poignant ending. Once again, all of the movie's fine components - the cinematography, acting, narration and score - come together to simply create poetry in motion.

The Prestige - An unsettling scene takes place underground, with a brief glimpse of how the conflict between the two men can result in the loss of one's humanity. Turns the stomach...

SimonTemplar · 23-09-2012 6:23pm

The ending of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Classic cinema.

Also, the last shot of the original The Taking of Pelham 123

funnights74 · 23-09-2012 8:50pm

Primal fear, 1996, Richard Gere, Laura Linney and a then unknown Edward Norton, an absolute hum dinger of an ending.

WatchWolf · 23-09-2012 9:31pm

A more recent one is Killing Them Softly. The last line is so great.

trashcan · 23-09-2012 9:40pm

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

I do think The Usual Suspects has one of the most powerful endings of all time, in terms of pulling the rug from under the viewer.

People always say this, but the ending of Usual Suspects didn't stun me so much. Won't say I definitely had it sussed, but it had occurred to me that that might be the twist, so I wasn't that surprised. A film that has a brilliant twist, which I genuinely didn't see coming is No Way Out, with Kevin Costner.

Also loved the finale of Mystic River and the look that passes between Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn. Great film and also a superb book by Denis Lehane.

Da Shins Kelly · 23-09-2012 10:49pm

trashcan wrote: »

People always say this, but the ending of Usual Suspects didn't stun me so much. Won't say I definitely had it sussed, but it had occurred to me that that might be the twist, so I wasn't that surprised.

Even if you did suspect it, the way it's executed is pretty great.

Tipsy McSwagger · 24-09-2012 9:08am

The ending of the original Saw movie blew my socks off, I felt stunned (and stupid that i didnt question the body on the floor) with that twist.

Duggy747 · 24-09-2012 10:08am

*sniff* Who the hell is cutting onions around me!?! *sniff*

Conall Cernach · 24-09-2012 11:16am

The ending of For Whom The Bell Tolls with

Gary Cooper with a broken leg manning a Lewis Gun giving the rest of the guerrillas and his beloved Maria a chance to escape the Fascists. It ends with his internal monologue and a cloud of gun smoke.

Now that's the way to go!

kitakyushu · 24-09-2012 11:35am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL7PSlUuWPs

Loughc · 24-09-2012 12:18pm

funnights74 wrote: »

Primal fear, 1996, Richard Gere, Laura Linney and a then unknown Edward Norton, an absolute hum dinger of an ending.

Liking this just doesn't give it enough justice!! Not only is it an amazing film but the ending, ah man!! Great twist, the entire film so well acted by Edward Norton. Def having a re-watch of that soon!!

krudler · 24-09-2012 12:49pm

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

The ending of the original Saw movie blew my socks off, I felt stunned (and stupid that i didnt question the body on the floor) with that twist.

I loved the first Saw on its release, was a massive breath of fresh air for American horror films, then they just got worse with each yearly sequel, the final montage of the first film where everything falls into place is brilliant.

McGrath5 · 24-09-2012 3:09pm

Probably not the greatest ever, but I really did enjoy the ending of The Usual Suspects.
It all begins to fall into place for the detective,

as to the true identity of Keyser Söze.

jank · 24-09-2012 3:41pm

Cinema Paradiso, arguably the greatest ending ever.

Ares · 24-09-2012 4:05pm

jank wrote: »

Cinema Paradiso, arguably the greatest ending ever.

Was just about to post that.

Here if anyone wants to watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94aAPTWtcEQ

krudler · 24-09-2012 4:40pm

the finale of Sunshine, from

Capa's jump to igniting the bomb and falling into the sun seeing time and space collide together, then seeing the sun light up brighter on earth, amazing

Neil McCauleys Cooler Brother · 24-09-2012 6:11pm

McCabe & Mrs Miller is up there. Blows me away every time.

DazMarz · 24-09-2012 9:18pm

Goodfellas: "I get to live the rest of my life like a schnook..." (followed by Joe Pesci blazing into the camera).

An Officer And A Gentleman: I challenge anyone not to get a little misty-eyed as

Richard Gere walks into the factory in his Navy Ensign uniform and literally sweeps the love of his life off her feet and they exit the factory to the strains of "Up Where We Belong"

Requiem For A Dream: each of the players trapped in their own private hell, each alone and afraid... curling into the foetal position and remembering better times. Haunting and really disturbing.

Lethal Weapon 3: the massive shootout and fire in the construction site. Brilliantly flashy and mindlessly entertaining.

The Empire Strikes Back: the biggest twist in cinema history???

"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father..."
"He told me enough! He told me you killed him!"
"No... I am your father..."

Brilliant ending to a brilliant film.