I don't think I've ever shared this story, but the first movie ending I ever guessed correctly was The Others and it was purely by accident. SPOILER FOR THE OTHERS AFTER THIS BOLDED PART When I started the movie, I started thinking how cool it'd be to see a movie where the story is told from the POV of the ghost. And. . .yeah, that's exactly what The Others is. I remember liking the ending very much and also patting myself on the back. (And thus began my egotistical quest of figuring out your twist, Movie Studio Marketing Team.) Sometimes I get these weird, I don't know, "vibes" or I tap into the wave-length of the movie (or tv show) and can predict where it's leading, versus following the "clues" deliberately left by the creators.
The fact that the girls actually fight back/run away was a big deal at the time, but now it's easier to see as just a different form of exploitation.
See, I'd separate Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween from Last House and I Spit on Your Grave because at least with the former two the Final Girl is usually terrorized and just wants to survive. The latter is the Final Girl (or girl) is brutalized horribly and then REVENGE is had by her or other people defending her. I'm okay with doing whatever it takes to survive; but I get depressed when the survival is prompted by a sexual assault of some kind. The last two movies it feels like the "evil" gets passed into the victim(s), which allows them to turn the tables on the attackers, and it's almost celebrated that they've "sunk" to the attackers' level. (I Spit on Your Grave more so than Last House. Just. . .Grave (the remake) left me wanting to take a shower for many reasons.)
And when I do, I feel weirdly disappointed, because I was hoping to be surprised.
That right there is why movie studios need to quit with the "surprise ending" marketing angle. Because 1) You're going either guess the ending and a) feel vindicated (me), b) leave disappointed, or c) a combo of both*, or 2) You don't guess the ending and get the surprise feeling the studio is aiming for, depending on how satisfying the "twist" is, of course.
*Sometimes I'm like this, but mostly I'm like, "Suck it, Movie Studio, I guessed the ending correctly. THANK YOU FOR FEEDING MY EGO."
About High Tension: I haven't seen the movie, but it was on my list to-watch, and then I found out the ending and it's very "wait. . .what?" And most people who talk about the movie say that the ending ruined it for them. So YMMV, but I've seen a lot of "this movie was good. . .until the ending" opinions.
Yeah, I don't know why if you like a movie, you don't re-watch it. There are movies I re-watch on occasion for comfort and then there are some where I can't know they're on otherwise I WILL re-watch it no matter how many times I've seen it. (Showtime had Sleepy Hollow playing a few months ago, and I swear I saw it three times within a week because I have no shame.)
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-03-05 05:05 pm (UTC)The fact that the girls actually fight back/run away was a big deal at the time, but now it's easier to see as just a different form of exploitation.
See, I'd separate Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween from Last House and I Spit on Your Grave because at least with the former two the Final Girl is usually terrorized and just wants to survive. The latter is the Final Girl (or girl) is brutalized horribly and then REVENGE is had by her or other people defending her. I'm okay with doing whatever it takes to survive; but I get depressed when the survival is prompted by a sexual assault of some kind. The last two movies it feels like the "evil" gets passed into the victim(s), which allows them to turn the tables on the attackers, and it's almost celebrated that they've "sunk" to the attackers' level. (I Spit on Your Grave more so than Last House. Just. . .Grave (the remake) left me wanting to take a shower for many reasons.)
And when I do, I feel weirdly disappointed, because I was hoping to be surprised.
That right there is why movie studios need to quit with the "surprise ending" marketing angle. Because 1) You're going either guess the ending and a) feel vindicated (me), b) leave disappointed, or c) a combo of both*, or 2) You don't guess the ending and get the surprise feeling the studio is aiming for, depending on how satisfying the "twist" is, of course.
*Sometimes I'm like this, but mostly I'm like, "Suck it, Movie Studio, I guessed the ending correctly. THANK YOU FOR FEEDING MY EGO."
About High Tension: I haven't seen the movie, but it was on my list to-watch, and then I found out the ending and it's very "wait. . .what?" And most people who talk about the movie say that the ending ruined it for them. So YMMV, but I've seen a lot of "this movie was good. . .until the ending" opinions.
Yeah, I don't know why if you like a movie, you don't re-watch it. There are movies I re-watch on occasion for comfort and then there are some where I can't know they're on otherwise I WILL re-watch it no matter how many times I've seen it. (Showtime had Sleepy Hollow playing a few months ago, and I swear I saw it three times within a week because I have no shame.)