What's the most downer movie ending you've ever seen?

DavidBrett · Jun 18, 2012

robeiae said:
Also, the downer ending that just had to be: John Carpenter's The Thing.

You mean it 'just had to be' because the ending is given away five minutes into the movie for everyone who speaks Norwegian? I wish I was joking...

http://www.cracked.com/article_19210_7-insane-easter-eggs-hidden-in-movies-tv-shows.html

Back on subject, a movie with a downer ending? Hmm... Oh! Knowing! What the hell kind of absurdist 180 'twist' was that?!

The ending to the original Night of the Living Dead was surprising, but hardly a downer IMO. It was supposed to be symbolic/metaphoric about the state of race relations, or something... The only thing depressing about it for me that it created the awful 'black guy always dies (first)' horror movie cliche. So predictable...

Zoombie · Jun 18, 2012

Um...I think you have it backwards, DB. Night of the Living Dead was so landmark because Ben was A) black and B) the HERO, while the white family man was the huge douchebag of the film? Ben survives where everyone else dies horribly...which is a reversal of the normal trend in horror movies that the black guy dies first.

And then he dies too. Because Night of the Living Dead remains one of the most astoundingly tight, awesomely directed and written horror films ever made. Seriously, I could talk for hours about how much I love it.

Now...for me, the most downer film ending ever would be the ending of this video. (Warning, violent and sad with blood and zombies)

Which is, ironically, the beginning of the video! Now, you might say, "Pff, that's not a movie, that's an ad for a video game!"

To which I rejoinder by saying...

A) It tells a cohesive story in a short format. Films can do this.

B) It was made by a completely different set of people than those who made the game.

C) It has almost NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GAME IT WAS MADE FOR.

So, while it is a terrible trailer (well, it's a good trailer, but a dishonest one), it is also the best short zombie film ever made.

Yes, even better than the one at the end of Super 8.

Archerbird · Jun 19, 2012

House of Sand and Fog, wtf. That's seriously depressing.

I've never read the book and now I'm pretty sure I won't ever.

DavidBrett · Jun 19, 2012

Zoombie said:
Um...I think you have it backwards, DB. Night of the Living Dead was so landmark because Ben was A) black and B) the HERO, while the white family man was the huge douchebag of the film? Ben survives where everyone else dies horribly...which is a reversal of the normal trend in horror movies that the black guy dies first.

And then he dies too. Because Night of the Living Dead remains one of the most astoundingly tight, awesomely directed and written horror films ever made. Seriously, I could talk for hours about how much I love it.

Maybe I am wrong - my Film Studies tutor had a LOT if weird ideas regarding movies...

Katrina S. Forest · Jun 19, 2012

pandaponies said:
I vote for Grave of the Fireflies. People look at it and are all, "Oh, it's a cartoon, how depressing could it possibly be?"

...........

Oh, gosh, that movie is depressing. There isn't a speck of hope in it. It's just a downward spiral of sad things. There isn't even a real villain to hate. It's an excellent movie, I strongly recommend it, but I can never watch it again. (I can't even look at the "drop" candy whenever I see it an Asian candy store. Seriously, that candy company should be able to sue for lost sales.)

I've heard the anime Now and Then, Here and There compared to Grave of the Fireflies, but in my mind, at least Now and Then makes you feel like things *might* get better. Actually, I recommend that above Grave of the Fireflies. You'll leave without hating humanity.

comped · Jun 19, 2012

Nah. THE most depressing film endings are in this order:

1. the anime of the books based off the US atomic bombing in Japan.
2. Les Miserables (EVERYONE (minus two kinda main characters, and 2 villeins) DIES!

comped

DidiBlue · Jun 19, 2012

Two of the most depressing ones I can think of for me are Open Water and Revenge (with Kevin Costner). I'm sure there are some more, but they've probably already been mentioned. Sorry if these ones already have.

pandaponies · Jun 20, 2012

comped said:
Nah. THE most depressing film endings are in this order:

1. the anime of the books based off the US atomic bombing in Japan

Do you have a title for this? Because it sounds like it might actually be Grave of the Fireflies, what Katrina S. and I are talking about.

Katrina - Thanks for the recommendation, might look that up, because YEP, Grave of the Fireflies pretty much obliterates all will to live. /wrists

I'm pretty sure I just stared at the screen in shock and horror for like five minutes after it ended. I don't intend to ever watch it again either. Don't want to subject my already fragile psyche to it again.

Katrina S. Forest · Jun 20, 2012

If you're in the US, you can watch all 13 episodes of Now and Then on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/now-and-then-here-and-there

A ton of crap still happens to the characters, and it's not all warm and fuzzy in the end, but like I said, there's hope. I think I scared my anime club when I recommended it, as I was kind of known for watching magical girl anime and nothing else. ^_^

I still haven't seen Les Miserables. Actually, now that I think about it, there's a lot of iconic films I haven't seen. (Runs off to go be more cultured.)

thebloodfiend · Jun 20, 2012

My sister wouldn't let me finish watching Now and Then. We got to episode 5 before she forbade me from ever playing it again. I might finish watching on my own time.

Grave of the Fireflies is probably the saddest movie I've ever watched. Les Mis was entertaining, but I didn't think it was particularly sad.

bearilou · Jun 20, 2012

thebloodfiend said:
My sister wouldn't let me finish watching Now and Then. We got to episode 5 before she forbade me from ever playing it again. I might finish watching on my own time.

I didn't even get as far as episode 5 before I quietly put it back on the shelf, never to be viewed by me again.

Alexys · Jun 20, 2012

I believe there is at least one other anime that qualifies as "based on a book about the US atomic bombing in Japan": Barefoot Gen (which I admit I've never actually seen, only heard of).

Grave of the Fireflies, though . . . yeah. Only movie that's ever caused me to cry hysterically. For half an hour after it was done. And I don't even like kids.

Now and Then, Here and There's ending is positively upbeat by comparison.

comped · Jun 22, 2012

Alexys said:
I believe there is at least one other anime that qualifies as "based on a book about the US atomic bombing in Japan": Barefoot Gen (which I admit I've never actually seen, only heard of).

YES! that was the books/movies that I was thinking of!

comped

Calla Lily · Jun 22, 2012

I don't know if the movie is as horrifically wrist-slitting as the play, but 'Night, Mother. It's a 2-character play and I saw it in a small theater. The author has the MC tell the other MC how she will end the evening. The play progresses through family angst, arguments, reminiscences, etc. MASSIVE AND COMPLETE SPOILER: The MC, the daughter, says at the beginning that she's going to kill herself. She lives with her mother, and tells her mother what to do and who to contact after she does it. [insert 90 minutes of drama, during which the mother disbelieves, then argues, then continues on as tho everything will be all right in the morning] At the end, the daughter says "'Night, Mother," runs into her room and locks the door. The mother leaps into action, screaming, banging on the door, freaking out. Then: BANG! Then silence. The entire small theater sat there in the same stunned silence. The mother, leaning against the door, sinks down on the floor, sobbing. After a minute, she gets up and does exactly what her daughter told her to do: Call her son and wash out the pan they'd made hot cocoa in. Then the stage went black. Nobody applauded. We just sat there, horrified and drained. The lights came up and the woman playing the mother looked out at us, puzzled. The daughter came out from behind the door, the same expression on her face. Finally someone started to clap, then slowly the rest of us stood and applauded for several minutes.

If the movie is half as powerful and you can handle the intensity, I recommend it. But watch it on a sunny day or with your best friend--anything to counteract it.

BigWords · Jun 22, 2012

The Barefoot Gen manga is much, much worse than the movie. The images get stuck in your head, no matter how hard you try to shake them... There's one edition with a very descriptive foreword which will keep you awake for days - a massively important text, but one which really ought to come with a warning.

Calla Lily · Jun 22, 2012

Thanks, everyone, BTW. I like my manga and anime to be action-filled and violent, often horrifying, with a touch of humor and romance if possible. BUT with non-wrist-slitting endings. I still remember reading the graphic novel When the Wind Blows and being depressed for days. That was about 15 years ago.

I've heard Grave and Barefoot are brilliant, but I won't be seeing them.

dclary · Jun 24, 2012

Biggest downer ending ever: The Mission with Jeremy Irons and Robert DeNiro. Quite literally everybody dies in the end.

reiver33 · Jun 24, 2012

Murphy's War (1971) - Peter O'Toole. I'd read the book and the film has a radically different ending (everybody dies) - which came as a real shock.

J.S.F. · Jun 25, 2012

I don't know if anyone's mentioned it, but Se7en had to have the most horrifying and depressing, yet absurdly logical, ending I've seen. I've never been a Brad Pitt fan but when he wants/doesn't want to look in the box and knows (or is pretty sure) what's in there, it really spooked me. A good movie--sick--but good.

RudyValentina · Jun 30, 2012

I have to agree with City of Angels, very depressing at the end. Also, Forest Gump was a bummer ending for me, after all the years he yeared to be with Jenny she goes and dies months after they get married and he's alone again ( ok, with son, but still depression ).

night-flyer · Jun 30, 2012

A.I. Artificial Intelligence. I never thought I'd feel so sad over a robot...

BigWords · Jul 1, 2012

night-flyer said:
A.I. Artificial Intelligence. I never thought I'd feel so sad over a robot...

Watch the full first season of Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, then try and tell me you didn't feel a tug at your heart when the shit hits the fan - [massive, massive spoilers] the moment when the Tachikoma which has been reassigned to the old folks home, rushes into battle with a dud missile taken from one of the former soldiers, and is promptly torn apart by the massive mech's superior firepower, anyone who has even the slightest emotional attachment to them from the preceding events should be utterly distraught. It stands as one of the most effective scenes with robots ever filmed, and even though it is "just a cartoon" it is a moment which is more powerful than any other SF I have seen on television. There are other robots which I would have thought were more skillfully handled than the overly-mawkish and sentimental Spielberg kid, but it seems popular elsewhere as well...

FWIW, I'm still annoyed that Kubrick went and died before he could have shot AI himself, leaving the abysmal Eyes Wide Shut as his final film. Ugh.

night-flyer · Jul 1, 2012

The robot kid was very sad, BW

Okay, I'll try to find the one you're talking about, I rarely watch cartoons, but if you say it's sad, then I'll check it out. I have faith in your judgement, most of the time.

abbie in wonderland · Jul 8, 2012

Radio flyer. I didn't get the ending as a kid but now...too sad.

CatharsisChild · Jul 8, 2012

To Live and Die in L.A. anyone?

"You're working for me now."

What's the most downer movie ending you've ever seen?

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Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

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in ur boardz, correctin ur grammar

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off with their heads!