cliffhangers

Introduce yourself to the community or chat with other users about whatever is on your mind
ribcage
Posts: 195
4173 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:13 pm

cliffhangers

Post by ribcage »

Watching back to the future 2 today got me thinking about movies with cliffhangers. They're super common now obviously so i was trying to think of others pre-2000 or pre Matrix Reloaded which is the last movie i saw without knowing going into it that its story would be told over two films( at least to my memory...perhaps i knew but i still remember being very shocked as i left the theater). Im considering specifically cliffhangers that actually got a sequel, not films that hopefully set themselves up for one that never got greenlit. The only other cliffhanger i can think of that had a followup is Empire Strikes Back. There must be at least a few more? Or any really striking or surprising ones post-2000?

Stewball
Posts: 3009
2188 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:18 pm

Re: cliffhangers

Post by Stewball »

It appears you're only looking for quality sequels that were at least as good or better than the original. Going through my 90-100 rated films, i only came across 2--The Bourne Legacy (which were all good but I liked that one the best), and Rambo (which was much better than anything that preceded it). The Matrix, Toy Story and Cars had sequels, but not up to the originals IMNTBHO, and the first two were pre-2000 anyway. It is surprising how incredibly few of my top stuff was sequeled.

MacSwell
Posts: 1721
2706 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:03 am

Re: cliffhangers

Post by MacSwell »

Flash Gordon was left on a bit of a cliffhanger with "THE END?" - apparently the sequel was supposed to be on Mars but never materialized.

philamental
Posts: 1413
1717 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 8:56 pm

Re: cliffhangers

Post by philamental »

That's a really good question but there doesn't seem to be many films that that qualify against all of your criteria. I think the main reason is the how difficult it can be to finance a film means that a sequel is rarely guaranteed, so if a film maker has a chance to tell a story, they play it safe and tell a complete story rather than one that ends without a cliffhanger which can often leave audiences unsatisfied.

The original films of both the Matrix and BTTF series were so successful that they had two sequels greenlit and they shot them back to back so they could afford the luxury of a cliffhanger ending as audiences knew they were watching the second part of a trilogy. Empire was following the success of Star Wars so the same logic applies even if they didn't shoot the sequels back to back.

There must be some more obscure films that meet the criteria but I can't think of any right now. THE definitive example of a cliffhanger ending is The Italian Job and apparently a sequel was considered but never made. Many horror films have sequels that pick up exactly where the last film ended, but they don't often continue from a true cliffhanger. Halloween 1 and 2 spring to mind here. I'll be interested to see if anybody comes up with any good examples of what you are looking for.

Mentaculus
Posts: 215
3438 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:17 am

Re: cliffhangers

Post by Mentaculus »

Yeah this is a tough question - cliffhangers would appear to be more in recent genre material (kids' films, sci-fi, horror) than older, dramatic fare.

The two original, immediate Star Trek sequels, Wrath of Khan and Search For Spock, may qualify. Technically Wenders' Wings of Desire ended with a "To Be Continued" and got a sequel, although it was less known and appreciated.

ribcage
Posts: 195
4173 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:13 pm

Re: cliffhangers

Post by ribcage »

I was mostly wondering if they had been the rarity i imagined them to be or if my recall was spotty.

Star Trek did definitely have a very good interconnected trilogy i think although they lacked that "oh shit what next?" sting.

Wasn't a big Bourne fan but hadn't thought of part 2s ending being a really good cliffhanger setup and also coming out before the franchise building.

Now Im just thinking about the newer films and obviously you can't avoid sequel buzz anymore and even if you could most put "part 1" in the title, but even still i can't think of any cliffhanger endings that grabbed me like bttf or empire strikes back. Although then again the entire film preceding most of those moments haven't been very good films so maybe that's more of the problem.

In any case i appear to be rambling now

MacSwell
Posts: 1721
2706 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:03 am

Re: cliffhangers

Post by MacSwell »

Can't believe I didn't think of Lock Stock when this thread first appeared. Great cliffhanger (or more accurately "bridgehanger") ending.

bowfinger
Posts: 939
2839 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:15 pm

Re: cliffhangers

Post by bowfinger »

Maaxwell wrote:Can't believe I didn't think of Lock Stock when this thread first appeared. Great cliffhanger (or more accurately "bridgehanger") ending.


"What do I know about diamonds? Don't they come from Antwerp?"

PeaceAnarchy
Posts: 654
7005 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:47 am

Re: cliffhangers

Post by PeaceAnarchy »

Lang's The Tiger of Eschnapur/The Indian Tomb is a good older example. There are a few others out there that aren't coming to mind at the moment, but yeah it was pretty rare before the 90s

MacSwell
Posts: 1721
2706 Ratings
Your TCI: na
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:03 am

Re: cliffhangers

Post by MacSwell »

I haven't seen Kind Hearts and Coronets since I was very young, but I seem to remember it ending with the protagonist unsure as to whether his memoirs, which describe his crimes in detail, will be discovered by the authorities.

Post Reply