The Art of the Sudden Ending

I am highly interested in creating a sudden, blunt ending, which will present an ironic twist in the narrative. My favourite film makers have frequently done it, from Paul Thomas Anderson to the Coen Brothers.


'Meat Love' - Jan Svankmajer

I will start with 'Meat Love', which features a sudden ending, in which the two meat steaks are suddenly thrown into the pan after (what seems) a passionate and meaningful day together.

This totally messes with the audiences expectations, and in doing so, creates a darkly comic effect. Yet it also raises the question, 'what do you think was going to happen to them?!'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQkWrZw05P4


'Blood Simple' - Joel and Ethan Coen

The Coen Brothers electrifying debut features an abrupt ending scene, involving a dying man and a drop of water from a sink. The film climaxes with him looking up wondering if the drop will ever fall, and cuts off right before it does to the sound of the Four Tops and leading straight onto the credits.
This also creates a build up of excitement, and ends a terrific film with an equally dynamic ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDga0HwieRY  ( start watching from around 5:30)

'A Serious Man' - Joel and Ethan Coen

Another entry from the Coen Brothers ends so suddenly and ambiguously, it is left to much interpretation. In a similar way to 'Blood Simple', the scene is cut before a incoming twister is heading towards a school, and the credits roll to the sounds of 'Jefferson Airplane'. The Coen Brother's music choice is simply inspiring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qmK1T-GCaY&feature=related

'There Will Be Blood' - Paul Thomas Anderson

This modern masterpiece features one of the most memorable endings in recent times, in which Daniel Day- Lewis' character violently kills another man with a bowling pin, and the film suddenly with a growl of 'I'm finished!'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjJMub2Whs4&feature=fvsr