HAPPY ENDING? ‘Happy ending, < collywood movies appear to be the script of Return of the Jedi had something about the freeze-frame that obsessed with ‘the happy ending, _the Harrison Ford character gevting Immortalises whoever is caught in its ‘With the belief ‘itis essential that the killed about halfway through the film. eternal grip, and "t's not surprising th ‘gudience leave the cinema on a high Apparently ‘director George Lucas it should now have become something “Seeeven when the script is otherwise insisted that Han Solo not die, that he a cinematic cliche, “pesfect, the studios will try to find @ be kept alive, in part because the death But not every American film conveys Seay to turn a downbeat ending into fof the character would havea negative this message of hope and immortality. Sn uplifting finale, since it is in their impact on merchandising. Evidently, itis __ Viewers of Se7en will be forever haunt Jnterest that the film be a financial harder to sell Han Solo dolls if e's dead! by the dark and gruesome ending. Success. And harder to make a sequel. Avoiding spoilers for those who haven't ‘Aclassic example is the movie Pretty Sometimes the death of the hero seems _seen the film (Don'task what's in the ‘Woman, one of the most successful ‘inevitable, but in order toensure that ‘box ~ “you will wish you didn't know!), ‘gomantic comedies ofall time. A audiences are not left with too negative the film’s creators contemplated a ‘quintessential Cinderella story, i's a feeling, the filmmakers are careful whole range of endings before settling bout a prostitute and a businessman about how they handle the scene. Take _on the final one. The variables don’t felling in love and essentially saving ‘Thelma and Louise, the classic road Just involve that box, but who shoots ‘e2ch other. Or rather itis about Julia film, (Don’t EVER let anyone call it a ‘whom and way. With a cast of A-listers Roberts and Richard Gere falling in love, chick flick ~its universal appeal keeps _~ Pitt, Paltrow and Freeman — to play ‘and audiences falling in love with them, it outof that cubby hole.) Arter days ‘with, the filmmakers had a handful of Se. how popular would the film be if onthe run from the law, our heroines combinations to consider, choosing to Gtended with Julia Roberts’ character _—_decide to go out gloriously by driving _go with pethaps the most desolate of “geturning to the streets, rejected by their car offa cliff In the version of options. Yet dark as the ending is, ‘the “the businessman? And then dying of the film that was NOT released, the car _studio thought it was crucial that a tiny ‘3 drag overdose? Well, that was the is seen falling downward, plummeting message of hope be slipped in, which i Sginal idea, and it was only after much horribly into the canyon. However, the why there is an epilogue complete with eliberation that the producers went final image that made it to the screen _a quote from Ernest Hemingway: “The ‘with the happy ending. is of the two women in the car, frozen _world is fine place, and worth fighting en the Star Wars movies did not in the alr and In time, "as if the duo for .. And perhaps so is the happy cape this treatment, One version of _were to live forever. There is seemingly _ending. 2 A Lookat the stills from four classic films. What do DA Workin pairs and check what you know. Which you know about the plots and actors involved? word(s) in the boxis/are 1 Film? Read the article. What choice did the creators of Beso each of the four films make about the ending? 2 smething a film might have? 3 derogatory? © Read the article again. Are the statements true Le (1) or false (F)? Underline the part of the article that Aclister chick flick female protagonist helps you decide. flashback formulaic plotline 1 The article blames directors for changing sad “heist movie indie film plot twist, endings to happy ones ements pspaghett! western 2 The decision to change the ending of Pretty Woman ammeeeniversal oppeat was a difficult one. 3 George Lucas wanted Ham Solo to die at the end of the film, not in the mnie. 4. Filmmakers use the freeaeframe because they can't think of how else to-enaiaiaim. iv types of films, which do you like best 5 The makers of Se7en eamsiered many other endings |Which other genres do you enjoy? to the film.* syour favourite A-listers? 6 Hemingway appears atlime end of the film. ‘plotline necessarily a bad thing? bworking out e plot twist before 1 Discuss. 1 Which film versionsirauld you prefer to see? Why? 2. Why do people often feelthe need for a happy ending? Do you? timsexamples from films you've seen. ithe universal appeal St 2 strong plotline,VOCABULARY BANK Se eds a eh aan st L.A Match the prepositional phrases in bold with phrases a) or b). 1 The kid was on the verge of tears. @) at the point where something is about to happen 2 We went to Madrid on impulse, b)_without planning something 3. Only armed guards kept the mob at bay. a) having nothing to do 4 Iwas ata loose end and a bit bored. b) (prevent) from attacking or coming closer 5 I'min the dark just 2s much as you are. a) in the same difficult situation as others 6 Most newspapers are in the same boat. 'b) not knowing because you haven't been told 7. What's up? You're a bit out of sorts today, a) feeling ill or upset 8 The forest is out of bounds to students, b) its forbidden to go there 5 Complete the sentences with the prepositional phrases above. You need to © What is each situation change the form of one of the phrases. in Exercise 18 and who is 1 I think we're. of a full-scale riot. We can’t hold the crowd talking to whom? Complete For much longer. the person’s response for 2 Sorry, but everyone's feeling slightly today. We're all each sentence. workers and management alle, worried about losing our jobs. 1 Then we should ... 3. We were ‘on Sunday, nothing planned, so we 2 OK, give me acall decided to get in the car and head for the beach. when , 4 The border area is to journalists, completely off-limits. | have 3 Oh, youre always so... no idea why. 'm as much asyou. 4 Maybe theresa... Lesson 1.2 MONEY IDIOMS LA Cover Exercise 1B and look at the pictures. How could you complete the idioms? 8 Check your ideas. Match ioms a)-f) in bold with sentences 1-6 in Exercise 1A. a) ona shoestring: without spending much money b) strapped for cash: to have little or no money available 1 Vhedto__ 2. The —________3) Shes ©) the smart money is on/ ____ £60 for is on the driverless car. from her says: experts think this is the ticket. Its the best investment new café, its become the best choice you can make. 0 popular 4) pickup the tab: pay the bill for something, ‘especially when it’s clearly not your responsibility ©) rake in the money: to ‘make a lot of money ‘without trying too hard ) fork out: to spend money, the not because you want to tab, but because you have to Jen is travelling 6 She Berdly has any money \ atall.