As a counterpoint to the other thread about fictional works where revealing the mystery ruins things, are there any where the revealing turns out to be awesome instead? I’m thinking of mystery in the broader sense, like Lost rather than just whodunnits, though we can include those too.
I kind of liked the reveal in Sphere, enough so that removing it from the film ruined it for me. I thought the myth arc mysteries in Babylon 5 ended up being pretty satisfying.
Memento? The Sixth Sense (I’ll admit I may the only one who truly did not see it coming and thoroughly enjoyed the twist)? Planet of the Apes?
Or are you looking for more grandiose mysteries?
We just watched this amateurish (in the best possible way) silent Call of Chthulu yesterday - I will not reveal how they did the R’lyeh scenes, but it was AWESOME.
Science Fiction “Sense of Wonder” moments fulfill your requirement. Here are a few:
Forbiden Planet – the scenes after the wall opens in Morbius’ study, and they visit the Krel laboratory and power plants.
E.E. Smith’sd “Lensman” Series – at the end of every volume, the scale of the epic increases
The Matrix, after Neo takes the red pill (specifically after the “liquid mirror” pours into his mouth).
Sarah Waters’ “Fingersmith.”
In LOTR, the West. It’s not explained very well at all in LOTR proper and I was sure it would be a disappointment once I read the Silmarillion. But it just made it that much more awesome.
The Secret History, by Donna Tartt. You spend the first half of the book frantically trying to work out WTF has happened, and when you find out, it’s the only thing that could possibly live up to the buildup, and it’s brilliantly done.
I came in to mention The Matrix andThe Sixth Sense as well.
Was the big reveal in Planet of the Apes surprising? I’d already knew the “twist” before I had watched it, the movie being well before my time.
There’s also the poignant “Rosebud” in Citizen Kane.
Also, Psycho.
Usual Suspects
The man with the harmonica’s motive
That’s what I was going to post when I read the OP. Certainly not you’re traditional whodunit and even if you want to treat it like one the ‘who’ is more of a puppet master. What makes it awesome is how said puppet master plays into the story.
“The Acquisitive Chuckle” and The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov
Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold
“A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
I’ll probably post again with more…
Ira Levin scored twice with Rosemary’s Baby (He has His Father’s eyes) and A Kiss Before Dying.
Oldboy. I don’t need to say anymore.
The reveal to William Hurt’s character (and us) about the nature of the city in Dark City.
I still get chills to this day during Vertigo when “Judy Barton” has convinced Scottie that she’s not who he thinks she is, then suddenly it shows a flashback to the bell tower in the Mission church.
Jean De Florette / Manon Des Source. The reveal took two movies to develop, and turned on just one lost letter to a solider, but it had the power to completely devastate the main character.
Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith.
I found the big reveal to be very well done and somewhat devastating.
It was recommended to me by Dopers for this very reason.
Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
The reveals, twists, and resolutions were great and satisfying.
Another Lovecraft one: I saw the twist in “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” coming from a mile away, but I STILL had to take a minute to spazz the hell out after I’d read it.
Actually, most of Lovecraft’s twists are like that; modern audiences have seen them all before (and most probably even predate HPL himself), but they’re still perfect.
Though everyone knows about it know, I would imagine the “she’s my daughter, she’s my sister” reveal in Chinatownwas probably a gobsmacker when it first ran.