Stories without explanation

I'm fine with some major things not being explained in movies, not so much in books. That's because of the medium though, in a book it's easier for me to infer where something comes from.

ShaunHorton said:

So, I'm curious about people's thoughts on stories where pretty major plot points are never really explained.

For example, in the Halloween series, Michael Myers is shot and stabbed, and yet he just gets up and keeps going, and why or how he manages that is never addressed to my knowledge. Being immortal is portrayed almost like it's just a fact of his existence and nothing more need be said.

In Tim Curran's Worm, the origin of the buggers is never addressed. They just pop up from underground and start eating people.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it. I view as a mark of a story that's more "fun" than anything else, but I don't doubt it does get to some people. I dunno if I could ever write anything leaving such facts unexplained.

Thoughts?

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I think most stuff has an explanation of some sort, even if the explanation is 'was underground and we never noticed!' What bugs me is when things that are just for fun attempt to be serious and attempt to have some serious, scientific logical explanation, yet produce utter nonsense.

Stuff meant to be outside logic, or hone to its internal logic, doesn't bug me. The like, irradiated giant spider movies and stuff didn't make sense, but had a story and didn't take themselves seriously. The explanation for why giant, carnivorous bunnies are overrunning the town should not be in-depth, and it wasn't. Zombie stuff tends to have some vague 'people started becoming zombies and it spread.'

The movie 2012, otoh, had just pages of insane, nonsensical, ridiculous explanations for things. That was irritating. Just make up something stupid, or go with one or two of the conspiracy theories and be done with it. Microwaves boiling the planet because I don't even remember what, plus etc., etc., etc., were just like, 'please, stop with this nonsense and blow stuff up.'

I don't think Meyers was meant to be immortal so much as deranged; he kept being like, injured and stuff and fixed up for the next installment. I don't mean it all held to human logic or reason, heh, just that I think they sort of tried.

I think it's okay (in books and in films) if some things in some stories don't get fully explained. For instance, there can be speculation. A good example of explanation ruining a story is It, by Stephen King. Watching it late at night creeped me out a bit (at least Pennywise did). However, once the reveal and explanation took place It was more funny than anything else. I think that there can be ambiguous evil. We don't always get clear explanations in real life about certain events.

On the flip side, I think he (King) gets it right in The Sun Dog (read it if you haven't). I don't remember a clear explanation of why what's happening is happening, but if someone one gave me an item like that, I would burn it in a second. Lol.