What are your favourite movie endings? One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Dead Poets Society? Casablanca? On the basis of the clips I show in class, these seem to have an enduring and largely universal appeal.
Of the more recent films, my favourites would include Dead Man Walking, Brokeback Mountain, Lars and the Real Girl, and the German Oscar-winning film, The Lives of Others. They all do it for me (and, in television, I’d give a special mention to the end of the Danish TV Series The Bridge Season 1 – which made me sob).
What’s going on in these great movies (and TV shows) that elevates their endings above the rest?
Over the next ten days, I am going to try to identify the things that tend to happen in the final reel of a truly Transcendent Story.
Great Endings #1: Hero Shouldn’t Get What They Wanted
Great Endings #2: Hero should get something more valuable
Great Endings #3: Hero should face difficult choice at climax
Great Endings #4: Hero can do in Act 3 what they couldn’t in Act 1
Great Endings #5: What sort of transformation moves us?
Great Endings #6: Two key moments that set up your ending
Great Endings #7: Want a massive high? First you’ll need a shattering low
Great Endings #8: What does your hero sacrifice?
Great Endings #9: Does your screenplay have a Bow and Arrow Moment?
Great Endings #10: The Ultimate Test
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, so happy to see you blogging again, bring it on!
Allen, this series of posts are f***ing great!! Excuse my language, but I’ve learned so much reading your 9 posts (looking forward to next) to make my own writing better. I actually understand what you’re talking about. I can implement it to my own stuff, and it feels exhilarating to be able to do that. Thanks, all the way from Sweden. 🙂
Lovely to hear, Michi.
Mr. Palmer, I just wanted to say how incredibly grateful I am for your blog, and these posts especially. I have returned again and again to your words over the years — they have been an invaluable resource, and I consider these, along with your New Character-Driven Hero’s Journey and that shattering post about Midpoints, to be the single most useful, accurate, transformative method by which to test and elevate stories. You’ve helped me more than I can say! Thank you!