Se7en - Endings are so important

#1

By way of aside.

I was just catching up on my weekly intake of Narrative First and came across Jim Hull’s discussion of Se7en and its ending that was nearly destroyed.

I am SO glad that it didn’t go the way of “I am Legend” - where the studio changed an ending that was the logical and emotional conclusion of what has gone before with one that is more “audience palatable” yet ultimately meaningless.

Its was fortuitous that Fincher got sent the wrong script, but it does go to show that people know when a story works, and when the ending “fits” the rest of the narrative. They might not be able to articulate why - but they get it.

#2

There’s a similar case with the 1928 silent film The Wind in which MGM demanded the original tragic ending be changed for a happier one. Many people now criticise the final 3-5 minutes because it makes very little narrative sense when applied to the context of everything that came before. It’s an entirely different tone.

Audiences know when the ending works and when it doesn’t, it’s quite impressive.