Movies that DIDN'T have a happy ending

[Guest JangoFett4Hire]

Just a note, wouldnt the Topic of this thread indicate that spoilers would be present?

Enter at your own risk...

[Guest The Hamburglar]

A.I had an unhappy ending. Unfortunately it was misunderstood by the vast majority of those who saw it and couldn't get over their preconceptions of the director. On the surface, its a schmalzy Spielberg ending. In the context of the rest of the film its tragic.

 

Minority Report on the other hand was a dark Spielberg film that did have a schmalzy ending. Although there is a way to view it as being very cleverly disturbing, that idea simply isn't given enough prominence. To clarify, some thought Minority Report's ending was an homage to Gilliam's Brazil. Which of course completely turns the ending on its head.

[Guest cabbageboy]

How about some old WWI movies? All Quiet on the Western Front is possibly the most downbeat and depressing movie I've ever seen. Hell's Angels is sad as well.

 

I can't believe no one has said either version of Of Mice and Men.

[Guest Mole]

A.I had an unhappy ending. Unfortunately it was misunderstood by the vast majority of those who saw it and couldn't get over their preconceptions of the director. On the surface, its a schmalzy Spielberg ending. In the context of the rest of the film its tragic.

 

Are you kidding me? This movie defiently had an happy ending.

 

Spoilers for AI...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've only seen the movie once, but from what I remember he got to spend one last day with his mother, and that is all the boy wanted. How is that not happy? Maybe it is bittersweet, but it defiently isn't sad.

[Guest JangoFett4Hire]

What about Saving Private Ryan? Not that the rest of the movie was upbeat...

Spolier for WWII...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Allies won, Hitler killed himself, and Germany was divided into 2 seperate countries...

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre... that just had an insane ending

SPOILER (although if you haven't seen TCM by now, you're never going to so I shouldn't worry about spoiling the ending, but I don't want to incur the rage of the spoiler-police)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is this an unhappy ending? I haven't seen it in years so might be forgetting certain aspects, but unless you're rooting for Leatherface and family it seems like it's an OK ending.

Well, actually I was rooting for Leatherface and the gang, but aside from that, I still don't think it's a happy ending. They killed everybody except Sally, who barely escaped, and she lost her mind. Look at her in the truck as she's laughing/crying. She's gone. And the Sawyer family met no consequence, or retribution. They just lost a meal. So yeah, i don't think that's really an upper of an ending.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I was kind of pissed at the ending of Spiderman.......why the hell did he tell her he just wanted to be friends???

Guys, try not to spoil any recent films...k.

 

As for Spidey, although it bothered me slightly that he didn't take Mary Jane when she offered herself to him....all he could think about is how much danger he'd put her in if he did, so I can understand that.

 

Dames

I hate it when people just don't get this ending. He had just saved her from a maniac who wanted to use her as bait. His whole life is built on RESPONSIBILITY. He can' take responsibility for her life in the way other couples can because of his unique profession.

 

 

 

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Braveheart's ending WAS happy, in that he never buckled, he died with honor. It's a very Norese mythological concept. Victory isn't in defeating evil, but in battling as long as possible.

[Guest notJames]

I was kind of pissed at the ending of Spiderman.......why the hell did he tell her he just wanted to be friends???

Guys, try not to spoil any recent films...k.

 

As for Spidey, although it bothered me slightly that he didn't take Mary Jane when she offered herself to him....all he could think about is how much danger he'd put her in if he did, so I can understand that.

 

Dames

I hate it when people just don't get this ending. He had just saved her from a maniac who wanted to use her as bait. His whole life is built on RESPONSIBILITY. He can' take responsibility for her life in the way other couples can because of his unique profession.

Hear hear. I thought that was pretty obvious.

 

For all you old-school '80s teen sex comedy fans, The Last American Virgin has an ending that will make HHH's political victims look like Publishers Clearing House winners. Nothing happy at all.

 

Doom Generation had a sick, gory ending that definitely cannot be described as happy.

 

And if you didn't laugh your ass off at the ending of Very Bad Things, you have no business watching it. What a romp!

 

And I wouldn't go so far as to say My Girl had an unhappy ending. She reconciles with her dad's girlfriend, makes peace with her dead best friend, accepts her crush's impending nuptials, and reunites with an old friend. How is that not happy?

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

**SPOILERS**

 

 

Alien 3 had a bittersweet ending, as it had its defeats and its triumphs.

 

On one hand, the alien organisms finally got Ripley. It took them about 60 years, but they finally got the bitch. On the other hand, Weyland-Yutani doesn't have the organism, which is what they've wanted since the Nostromo mission to Acheron LV-426.

 

None of the Phantasm films have a happy ending (although that's rather cliché in horror movies). Each one leads directly into the next one, too.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

What about Casablanca? Bogie has to sacrifice the love of his life; the girl who he swore to, and who swore to him, that they would never be seperated again. He has to give her up, and along with her a chance at escape to America. I cry everytime I watch it.

[Guest godthedog]

it seems to me there's 3 main types of endings: up, down, and ambiguous. some movies have combinations of them, but i'm just gonna cover movies that aren't up:

 

any jean-luc godard movie (except 'a woman is a woman' and 'alphaville').

 

all truffuat's first 3 movies: '400 blows', 'shoot the piano player', 'jules & jim'.

 

'ghost world'.

 

'chimes at midnight', the end of which is 10 of the saddest minutes i've ever seen.

 

'reservoir dogs'.

 

'waking life'.

 

'citizen kane'.

 

'a clockwork orange'.

 

the first two godfathers (can't believe no one's mentioned those yet).

 

and of course, the mother of all downer endings...........

 

'MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE'!

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

Personally, I find Clockwork Orange to have an upper ending. Over the course of the film, I grew to identify with Alex, and despite his many faults, I hoped he would prosper in the end.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Spolier for WWII...

best line in the thread...

 

 

how come nobody's mentioned Un Chien Andalou?! That ending was so sad, I was crying into my shoes!

 

Un Chien Andalou spoilers!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

she has to kill herself so that her baby can live, but the baby has head cancer, so it dies, too. That's just tragic right there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

END SPOILERS!!!!!

 

 

 

 

Mermaid in a Manhole was kinda sad.

[Guest Scarlet Pimpernel]

Pinnochio

 

The ending in the film was all happy. Pinnochio became a real boy and all...but the fact is, 3/4 of the film was all dark and depressing, and 5 mins of happiness at the end just isn't enough payoff. Still, the best animation film to date, IMO

[Guest RevEvil]

From Dusk till Dawn

Johnny got his gun

Falling Down

Blair Witch Project

Monty Python and the holy grail

[Guest godthedog]

Personally, I find Clockwork Orange to have an upper ending. Over the course of the film, I grew to identify with Alex, and despite his many faults, I hoped he would prosper in the end.

that's scary. that's like if 'happiness' had ended with the pedophile not getting caught & continuing to molest young boys, and someone said "oh, i'm so glad nothing bad happened to him."

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

Personally, I find Clockwork Orange to have an upper ending. Over the course of the film, I grew to identify with Alex, and despite his many faults, I hoped he would prosper in the end.

that's scary. that's like if 'happiness' had ended with the pedophile not getting caught & continuing to molest young boys, and someone said "oh, i'm so glad nothing bad happened to him."

Eh, it was just a movie, and Malcolm McDowell is a charismatic guy. I wouldn't feel the same if it was reality.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Evil Dead: Ash discovers that he did not destroy the evil after all, and is attacked by the Evil Dead.

 

Evil Dead 2: Ash is warped back to 13th century England where he discovers he is the chosen one, and thus, must battle the Evil Dead again.

 

Army of Darkness (Original Ending): Ash sleeps too long and wakes up in bombed-out post-apocylptic England.

 

Unbreakable: Raincoat Man discovers his best friend and confidant is really his greatest enemey.

 

The Twilight Zone: John Lithgow's character survives the plane ride from hell... only to presumably be killed by the demon from the film's opening.

 

Citizen Kane: The mystery of Rosebud is lost forever

 

Goodfellas: Harry sacrifices everything he's ever stood for to save his life.

 

Bonnie and Clyde: Bonnie and Clyde are killed

 

The Empire Strikes Back: Han is screwed, Luke is maimed and we finally learn who Darth really is...

 

Das Boot: The ship which was so vital is casually destroyed in a bombing raid after the crew returns to Germany.

 

Unforgiven: William Munny relinqueshes salvation to avenge the murder of Ned Logan.

 

On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Tracy Bond dies.

 

Big Trouble in Little China: Jack isn't out of the woods yet...

 

The Killer: Jeffery's redemption is destroyed by the villian.

 

El Mariachi: The Singer's girlfriend dies.

 

Godfather 2: Michael recieves justice. in his rush to protect the family, he destroys it.

[Guest GameCop]

THE PROFESSIONAL (Leon), starring Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, and Gary Oldman had a sad ending, too. Great movie, though.

[Guest The Hollywood Fashion Plate]

Friday the 13th Part 3. Everyone is dead except for the heroine, and she's lost her mind because of what she's seen. One of the best in the series, though.

 

Oh, and Nightmare on Elm Street's theatrical ending and one of the unused alternate endings. Heather Langenkamp and friends get trapped in the Freddy-mobile and the mother is pulled through the window by Freddy's arm.

 

-(They filmed 3 endings: one where Heather leaves peacefully and her mother is unharmed, one where she drives and the mother is attacked, and the one I already mentioned. Wes Craven wanted the 'nothing happens' ending, so that the audience would be unsure if everything had just been a dream or not, but the studio rejected the idea.)

[Guest Kuyzer Soze]

Die Hard, Hans Gruber dies, and he kicked ass!

 

American History X

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

How about Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan? That was a downer.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Here's an intresting factoid about the greatest unhappy ending of all-time: PLANET OF THE APES:

 

The man who penned the screenplay, and included that VICOUS suprise at the end is none other than Rod Serling. If you think that name sounds familiar, it should. Rod Serling created THE TWILIGHT ZONE and NIGHT GALLERY thus making him the king of the twist ending.

[Guest Lethargic]

Here's an intresting factoid about the greatest unhappy ending of all-time: PLANET OF THE APES:

 

The man who penned the screenplay, and included that VICOUS suprise at the end is none other than Rod Serling. If you think that name sounds familiar, it should. Rod Serling created THE TWILIGHT ZONE and NIGHT GALLERY thus making him the king of the twist ending.

Thanks for the lesson, Captain Obvious.

 

I've just been watching all the Ape movies this week. I think Escape has the most unhappy ending. First was just shocking. Escape ends with death and murder.

 

I'll add a vote for Two-Lane Blacktop. I loved the ending to that movie.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

Here's an intresting factoid about the greatest unhappy ending of all-time: PLANET OF THE APES:

 

The man who penned the screenplay, and included that VICOUS suprise at the end is none other than Rod Serling. If you think that name sounds familiar, it should. Rod Serling created THE TWILIGHT ZONE and NIGHT GALLERY thus making him the king of the twist ending.

Thanks for the lesson, Captain Obvious.

 

I've just been watching all the Ape movies this week. I think Escape has the most unhappy ending. First was just shocking. Escape ends with death and murder.

 

I'll add a vote for Two-Lane Blacktop. I loved the ending to that movie.

Lethargic: Can it, you fucking clownshoes.

 

Maybe not everyone has put so much thought into the research of a cheesy series of sci-fi films from the 70's, of which, only the first one is good.

[Guest IDrinkRatsMilk]

I didn't know he wrote it. I appreciate the factoid, Zsasz. However, I think most do know who Rod Serling is by name.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

I didn't know he wrote it. I appreciate the factoid, Zsasz. However, I think most do know who Rod Serling is by name.

Really? because I'd bet, judging by my high school and general knowledge of those I know outside of HS, that 9 out of 10 people don't know who the fuck Rod Serling is. And even if they do, very few know that he wrote Planet of the Apes. Fuck, I bet none of them know what the fuck Night Gallery is.

[Guest Lethargic]

Here's an intresting factoid about the greatest unhappy ending of all-time: PLANET OF THE APES:

 

The man who penned the screenplay, and included that VICOUS suprise at the end is none other than Rod Serling. If you think that name sounds familiar, it should. Rod Serling created THE TWILIGHT ZONE and NIGHT GALLERY thus making him the king of the twist ending.

Thanks for the lesson, Captain Obvious.

 

I've just been watching all the Ape movies this week. I think Escape has the most unhappy ending. First was just shocking. Escape ends with death and murder.

 

I'll add a vote for Two-Lane Blacktop. I loved the ending to that movie.

Lethargic: Can it, you fucking clownshoes.

 

Maybe not everyone has put so much thought into the research of a cheesy series of sci-fi films from the 70's, of which, only the first one is good.

So much thought and research? All I said is that that one had a sadder ending in my opinion. It just so happens I'm watching those movies for the first time ever this week, I wasn't watching them for research. The first one ends and basically what it comes down to is that Heston is stuck all alone with a really hot chick that can't talk. That sounds happy to me. Escape ends with the two main characters from the first three movies being murdered and that's it, the end. That kinda shocked me. Didn't keep the movie from sucking though. I can't believe that series actually got to 5 movies.

[Guest Lethargic]

I didn't know he wrote it. I appreciate the factoid, Zsasz. However, I think most do know who Rod Serling is by name.

Really? because I'd bet, judging by my high school and general knowledge of those I know outside of HS, that 9 out of 10 people don't know who the fuck Rod Serling is. And even if they do, very few know that he wrote Planet of the Apes. Fuck, I bet none of them know what the fuck Night Gallery is.

I'm sure they don't know what Night Gallery is. Why would they? It's not like it comes on anywhere but the Mystery channel which next to nobody has. It's not like it's one of Serling's greatest creations or anything, it was one of his worst. I wish I could go back in time and NOT know what Night Gallery is. That show was horrible. Rod Serling himself hated that show and only did it as long as he did because he couldn't get out of his contract.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Night Gallery was the one with the paintings that had something to do with that episode, right? Yeah, that was on Sci-Fi channel a while ago