Comments on: What’s the greatest final shot of a feature film?

By: opus

opus — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:50:58 +0000

A few personal favorites…

“Last Life In The Universe” - Is it all merely a dream?
“A Boy And His Dog” - Incredibly twisted, but just perfect.
“The Iron Giant” - “Superman…” (Tears me up every time I think about it.)
“The Sacrifice” - Both the shots of the burning house and the young boy’s question.
“Children Of Nature” - A perfect fairy tale ending for a fairy tale about senior citizens.

By: jacqo

jacqo — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:36:54 +0000

Whoa!!!Great list Jeffrey, and a big thanks to for all 31 preceding each mention simply steller and so transporting to revisit again in the minds eye truly a nice ride !

though not deemed great by most each linger still as well.

Cinema Paradisio- for the love of film
The Elephant Man- for the eyes of the heart
Shadowlands- for the end voiceover
and Shawshank Redemption-for the same
Harvey- for the substance of things unseen
A River Runs through IT- for the words
FisherKing-for friendship

By: oregonmuse

oregonmuse — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:20:05 +0000

This is late but:

City Lights by Charlie Chaplin. By far and away the best closing, ever.

The entire movie is pretty much a set-up for the final scene. It brings tears to my eyes every time I see it, no matter how often I’ve seen it.

By: jeremylandes

jeremylandes — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:07:41 +0000

“Gordo Cooper was the greatest pilot that anyone had ever seen!”–Levon Helm’s folksy narration is a delight as the space shuttle lifts off at the end of The Right Stuff and Bill Conti’s score kicks in.

Always hoped to figure out who that last solitary man was at the tail end of Schindler’s List, standing before the headstone. I won’t say this is the greatest ending, though.

Thought the ending of Into the Wild was transporting.

By: lacedaemon

lacedaemon — Thu, 29 May 2008 10:15:31 +0000

I may be a little late with my comment, but here are some fabulous endings which I don’t think anyone’s mentioned:

Cries and Whispers - a searing, aching masterpiece from Ingmar Bergman. The final scene offers redemption and beauty, and is one of the most moving I have ever encountered.

The Seventh Seal - Bergman’s most famous and influential film. The ‘Dance of Death’ at the end is iconic. (And the circumstances in which it was filmed are amazing…

The Third Man - it has the best entrance scene in the movies (Harry Lime), and the ending is one of the best exit scenes. Haunting and brooding and unforgettable.

Wings of Desire - I find the closing monologue incredibly powerful. I actually came to this film through reading the script, and I remember thinking: ‘If only Hollywood could write romance like this!’ The whole film is wonderful, but this scene is something really special.

By: kramerswall

kramerswall — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:29:34 +0000

Perhaps a controversial choice, but I’m going with The Last Temptation of Christ: “It is accomplished! It is accomplished!” Then the camera literally reaches the end of the film reel as Peter Gabriels majestic, mysterious score soars to its greatest heights.

I also have to pick Braveheart (no matter how cliche it has become), because it’s my favorite movie and I love the phrase “warrior poets.”

The Royal Tenenbaums is terrific: “Died tragically rescuing his family from the remains of a destroyed sinking battleship.” It has the distinction of being both a lie and the truth at the same time.

One more for the road is Unbreakable: “They called me Mr. Glass.” For some reason this scene makes me tear up a little. Don’t ask me why…I won’t be able to answer.

By: pwaldron

pwaldron — Mon, 12 May 2008 05:58:09 +0000

What, no love for the old school?
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”?
“Throw that junk in” and Rosebud burns?
“Dr. Strangelove’s” montage of mushroom clouds to the tune of “We’ll Meet Again”?
And even if you leave the old school behind, you still have Peter Weir’s haunting freeze-frame from “Gallipoli” or Salieri leaving the horrified priest to become the patron saint of mediocrities in “Amadeus.”
I give up; there are too many.

By: christopherlake

christopherlake — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:36:14 +0000

The closing shot and fade-out of La Dolce Vita. Absolutely unforgettable! Goodbye to innocence and beauty. Long live innocence and beauty!

By: hsinya

hsinya — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:21:50 +0000

I don’t have the greatest memory when it comes to movie endings either, but one that jumps into my mind is a Korean movie called “Maundy Thursday” (a.k.a. Our Happy Time). I don’t want to give the plot away, but this is a story about a man and a woman, and how they come to know each other at the lowest points of their lives. At the end of the movie, the camera zooms in on a polaroid picture the woman took for the man, with her reflection on the glass window showing. This is also one of my favorite movies, and it made me cry so hard!

By the way, I also liked the ending shot (or rather, line) of Iron Man

By: besidethequeue

besidethequeue — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:09:38 +0000

I’m with Brett, the end of “The New World” is amazing. The whole montage at the end is stunningly beautiful. And he also mentioned “The Searchers.” The final shot is one of my favorites. John Wayne walk away, out into the desert, as the door shuts and we fade to black.

And what about the ending to the Dardenne’s film “L’enfant?” The scene in the prison where the couple is crying. Heartbreaking.

And finally, the ending to “Bicycle Thieves.” The whole sequence where he attempts to steal the bike is amazing but especially the final shots where the son and the father knowingly look at eachother, as hand in hand they walk away home.