Lawrence Coates said of endings:
>>I tend to like endings that deviate from what's
expected
in some way. I'm not necessarily saying that I loved the way
"No Country for Old Men"
closed, but I would be disappointed by a film that
ended in an updated version of a shootout
between the guy wearing a white hat and the guy wearing
a black hat.<<
I like to be surprised by the ending too, but the long
philosophical denouement lecture about the way things were in
*No Country* does not seem to me to be a good way to end a
story--although I couldn't stop reading even though I knew
that nothing more would happen.
Neither am I happy about having not particularly interesting
and almost superman of a villain survive to be the bad guy
again, or killing off a truly sypathetic character--although
I believe the latter is the escense of noir.
As to the black hat / white hat ending? I think it is the
same in all of the most popular fiction whether on film, TV,
or in books.
The chase that we see in so many action films is BH/WH,
whether the good guy is the chaser or the chased. Ninty-nine
percent of romanceces end in a psedo happily-ever-after plot.
In most mysteries, the sleuth wins. In spy-type stuff, the
good guy gets away. (See any Bourne)
A piece of noir we haven't discussed much, maybe because is
it not truly a mystery is *The Spy Who Came in From the
Cold,* talk about a guy being screwed?
Anyhow, Welcome Lawrence, your in for a great ride, and
according to how strong your opinions, maybe a bumpy one. A
lot of newbies don't stick around. You have to be able to
stand the heat.
Jack Bludis
http://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JackBludis
http://jackbludis.com/
Recent Story at http://backalleywebzine.com/
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