Happy Vs. Downbeat Endings

Phony Scott

I'm writing a horror script at the moment and I don't know which ending to go for, the happy one or the downbeat one . My gut feeling tells me it should be downbeat, as it is horror after all, but I also love happy endings, so I'm torn.

Also, in this topic, don't just limit to horror, make it broad. Comedies can also have downbeat endings as well etc. Any help would be great. Thanks guys

Blisterman

There's also the option C of the Friday the 13th style fake happy ending with a final downbeat twist.

bnt

I voted Other, since I don't mind being left unsure as to whether an ending is happy or not. I'm thinking of films like Watership Down, Pan's Labyrinth or Black Swan: how would I categorise those?

johnny_ultimate

All depends on the hour and a half that precedes the ending IMO. Whichever fits more naturally in your overall narrative: go with your gut. I have no bias either way, whichever works really. As long as there's no deus ex machina: if something is against the odds, then sometimes it's better not to chicken out and have the odds suddenly changed in the last five minutes. Nothing wrong with either though if it works in context. I've seen cliched happy endings work in rom-coms because I've been rooting for the characters to get together, where in some of the more generic tripe the happy ending has rung false because both protagonists are assholes. It's a fine line, but I'll just repeat to go with your gut

Just prepare for the Americans to change it on you.

ziedth

IMHO, if it's done right you just can't beat a downbeat or when the "baddie" wins ending. Because like RopeDrink said so many films go down the OTT happy ending with some kind of idealistic message burned into your eyes that the odd surprise can be top notch.

Mackman

I mainly prefer happy endings.

But i love it when there's a huge twist at the end and makes you go "HOLY ****!!" e.g.

Usual Suspects, Shutter Island

chin_grin

When you're going with the horror genre I think the stock ending is as follows.

"It's over. We're safe." <lead characters rejoicing in battling and defeating the evil>
.
.
.
.
<then there's a scene where it shows that the 'evil' isn't actually defeated. Credits roll>

Happy endings (chuckle) give good closure if you're intention is for a once-off. Although you can always back track any story and add as many elements as you'd like for a sequel.

Not sure why Event Horizon is coming to mind as being somewhere in the middle. I mean,

part of the crew gets away safe but Fishburn sacrifices himself to go to hell with the ship.

The Thing is a perfect example of letting the audience get what they want from it. We know they're pretty much f*cked. But there's a nice "ah c'mon we want to see what happens next" vibe to it. Leaves it a bit open, but you're not made feel that it's a lazy ending.

Mickeroo

Entirely depends on the movie itself. Which ever feels the most natural just go with, don't do the downbeat ending just for the sake of it. Take Switchblade Romance for example, the twisty ending completely ruined the movie, up until that I was enjoying the heroin growing some balls and beating the crap out of the baddie. In horror movies I always like when the tables are turned on the killer/killers, take The Descent(unhappy ending that worked alaso) or Aliens where the heroine ends up beating the **** out of the monsters, worked a treat!

chin_grin

Mickeroo wrote: »

Entirely depends on the movie itself. Which ever feels the most natural just go with, don't do the downbeat ending just for the sake of it. Take Switchblade Romance for example, the twisty ending completely ruined the movie, up until that I was enjoying the heroin growing some balls and beating the crap out of the baddie. In horror movies I always like when the tables are turned on the killer/killers, take The Descent(unhappy ending that worked alaso) or Aliens where the heroine ends up beating the **** out of the monsters, worked a treat!

Cof *heroine.

dark crystal

In my opinion, the downbeat endings stay with you longer than the usual 'happy ending' kind.

Endings like in Funny Games, The Mist, Se7en etc. really do pack more of a punch.

mikhail

bnt wrote: »

I voted Other, since I don't mind being left unsure as to whether an ending is happy or not. I'm thinking of films like Watership Down, Pan's Labyrinth or Black Swan: how would I categorise those?

On a similar note, I like a happy ending which has certain reservations. The Dark Knight ends with a victory, but one which has come at a hefty price. Bond wins, as always, in Casino Royale, but

he's lost the woman he loves (literally and in the sense that she betrayed him)

. Master and Commander ends with

a rather light-hearted realisation that they haven't won at all

!

liah

Often a non-happy ending makes for better viewing simply because it's more challenging to the viewer. Provided you're a good writer and know how to capture characters well, a non-happy ending can be incredibly powerful and set your film apart from the rest for taking the chance with it. A lot of the films that sit strongest with me are ones with tough endings simply because it gives me more to think about, I guess. Depends on the film, though!

Equally if you're a good writer you can pull off a happy ending.. I'd almost think it's harder to do so effectively simply because it's the 'default', so to stand out you'd need it to be exceptional.

Really it's down to what comes before the ending, though, go with whatever suits the mood of your film.

ztoical

Is the wicker man downbeat? I mean the villagers are pretty happy at the end.

Liamario

I thought the ending in the Ryan Reynolds movie 'Buried' was just plain ****. I think for certain movies, having a certain ending renders the whole movie pointless.
I'm not saying a bad ending ruins a movie, but when it changes the tone of the movie and fails to give the intended impact, the movie just becomes **** as far as i'm concerned.
The tone of the movie should dictate the ending.

Write both, film both and see which works best.

As a writer the one Piece of advice I will give you, never ever give your work to another person in the industry without first ensuring that you are protected. Register the script the second you finish the first draft and and while people will still try to take advantage at least you have some safety net in place. The industry is a nasty place, I've twice had work I was hired to do taken by a producer and touted by him as his own work. The first one was made into a feature for a certain us channel and the second is currently in productio. I'm actively attempting to pursue both for credit and money owed but it's a long process.

Phony Scott

Deleted User wrote: »

The industry is a nasty place

Amen. I've been through the wringer too. Years back I got a job with a tv company (no naming and shaming here folks), purely because of contacts, not because of any talent I may have. I am naturally a writer, but I was just coming in and was unproven, so they placed me as a gofer, who had to take care of the library and answer incoming calls. Only one time did I go out on location.

Within a short time, I was fired. Firstly I hate talking on the phone, don't know why, but it's got something to do with being unable to read what a person is thinking. I was a rubbish secretary. Good grounds for dismissal, however, their library system was an utter shambles even before I set foot through there doorway. Footage was either missing, in the wrong place and catalogued badly by the computer system. Imagine the level of stress I was under to fix the unfixable. But cry me a river, I learned loads from that awful experience. Oh, and Darko, the advice to write both and film both is a great suggestion and one I wouldn't have thought of, though obviously, it'll cost more.

Necronomicon

Far too broad a question IMO and one that's impossible to call without having read everything that leads up to it. There are plenty of great/turgid endings out there which work/don't work for a variety of reasons regardless of whether they are happy or downbeat. Maybe writing two versions and reading both from start to finish would make up your mind, because ultimately only you can do that.

Good luck!