Of endings involving good and evil
Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:55 amThis is a strange poll. I will first explain WHAT I mean, and then WHY. First off I am talking about any kind of story (book, comic, movie) that involves a 'classic' confrontation between good and evil.
The 'standard good ending', means that the main characters do not die, and good triumphs over evil.
The 'bitter-sweet ending' involves main character(s) dying, but good still triumphs over evil.
The rare 'evil triumphs ending' where the hero(s) are defeated.
Each choice would include the choices above it. If that doesn't apply to you (you don't like endings where the hero wins), say so!
As to the why, I have found that there is a large divide along these fronts, where some people consider the 'evil triumphs' ending, or even the 'bitter-sweet' ending to be wastes of time. Some feel the world is evil enough to have a story where good does not triumph.
Specifically, I was re-watching the Twin Peaks series again, and coming to terms with the fact that I actually like the ending. It doesn't mean I enjoy seeing evil triumph over good, but feel that sometimes it is appropriate in story telling. Also, in the Italian western 'The Great Silence', evil triumphs over good, and this only seems to exemplify the the nature of the hero who may have to fight the good fight, even when victory is impossible.
In the case of 'The Great Silence', this downer ending was censored by some countries and an alternate ending had to be created. For Twin Peaks, many consider the ending to be nothing more than the directors screwing around because they knew it had been canceled. Why do I still feel passionate about it then?
I have heard from some that even the bitter-sweet ending of Leo is thought a bad ending (and in Onward Leo!, all the deaths are reversed.)
This strong opposition toward 'downer' endings (it is striking when you watch such a film with a friend and see strong reactions such as "that ending was wrong!") has made me curious enough to make a poll.
Of the movies that involve good versus evil, what kind of endings are you capable of enjoying. Or even, which endings would you absolutely reject and consider a waste of your time?
P.S. I also think there's a whole other issue about moral ambiguity, and one that Tezuka seems to employ quite often, but for simplicities sake, I want to skip that for now.
The 'standard good ending', means that the main characters do not die, and good triumphs over evil.
The 'bitter-sweet ending' involves main character(s) dying, but good still triumphs over evil.
The rare 'evil triumphs ending' where the hero(s) are defeated.
Each choice would include the choices above it. If that doesn't apply to you (you don't like endings where the hero wins), say so!
As to the why, I have found that there is a large divide along these fronts, where some people consider the 'evil triumphs' ending, or even the 'bitter-sweet' ending to be wastes of time. Some feel the world is evil enough to have a story where good does not triumph.
Specifically, I was re-watching the Twin Peaks series again, and coming to terms with the fact that I actually like the ending. It doesn't mean I enjoy seeing evil triumph over good, but feel that sometimes it is appropriate in story telling. Also, in the Italian western 'The Great Silence', evil triumphs over good, and this only seems to exemplify the the nature of the hero who may have to fight the good fight, even when victory is impossible.
In the case of 'The Great Silence', this downer ending was censored by some countries and an alternate ending had to be created. For Twin Peaks, many consider the ending to be nothing more than the directors screwing around because they knew it had been canceled. Why do I still feel passionate about it then?
I have heard from some that even the bitter-sweet ending of Leo is thought a bad ending (and in Onward Leo!, all the deaths are reversed.)
This strong opposition toward 'downer' endings (it is striking when you watch such a film with a friend and see strong reactions such as "that ending was wrong!") has made me curious enough to make a poll.
Of the movies that involve good versus evil, what kind of endings are you capable of enjoying. Or even, which endings would you absolutely reject and consider a waste of your time?
P.S. I also think there's a whole other issue about moral ambiguity, and one that Tezuka seems to employ quite often, but for simplicities sake, I want to skip that for now.