Regarding No Way Out – As I recall, the first scene shows the Costner character speaking fluent Russian to a couple of Russian interrogators/handlers/debriefers, who appear to be his bosses or colleagues.
(bolded for excellent point)
Well, I’ll concede that is an interesting take on it, but unless Mr. Shyamalan has stated that that is his intent I think it’s a bit arrogant for anyone to insist that it’s so. In fact, once you’ve seen it or already know the “secret”, that is exactly how you view it. You cannot unknow the Willis character’s status so you watch the story unfold with different eyes and in a way it does make it a different film. But that doesn’t mean that we were meant to know it all along.
In the horror genre, I recommend Sleepaway Camp
I don’t believe the scene you describe happens until the very end of the movie. Or perhaps, as you suggested, the movie somehow made me completely forget that. But I don’t think so. Some people’s biggest complaint about the movie is that there are no clues leading to the twist, that it is just way too out of left field. But I don’t think that’s entirely true.
For that matter, although it’s often forgotten these days, the original Friday the 13th had a bit of a twist ending. Two, in fact.
I did have the good fortune to see The Sixth Sense early enough in its release that (1) I did not know that there was a twist and (2) almost no one in a packed theater knew either (or they hid it very well). I still vividly remember the enormous collective gasp at the reveal…
I think a proper movie twist requires that there be enough clues scattered throughout the movie that make complete sense in the un-twisted plot line, but that snap into completely different focus when the twist is revealed. Kind of like the classical mystery novel, which convention required there be enough clues given to be able to solve the case - no deus ex machina type revelations. In this sense The Sting is an excellent twist movie, but The Crying Game just contains a startling development.
A more recent twist move that I really enjoyed was The Illusionist…
Jules Verne loved twists, and worked them into his stories. Several of his books have been turned into movies.
Around the World in 80 Days contains a wonderful twist. It might seem a bit obvious today (although the headlong pace of the novel works to divert your attention from it), but when the story was first written, it was still a new idea (although Verne cribbed the idea from an Edgar Allen Poe story, and Poe, in his turn, had taken it from elsewhere). The story has been filmed at least five times (although there are countless works “inspired” by it)
Michael Strogoff: Courier to the Czar is one of Verne’s less well-known novels. It has a pretty interesting twist in it. It’s been filmed about a dozen times, with at least five recent and widely-available versions.
It’s there. You can see the first second of it at the end of the title sequence, and a Time Magazine reviewer alludes to it in the film’s Wikipedia page (scroll down to “critical reception”.)
Wild Things
A “twist” halfway through, then a set of absolute corkscrews during the credits that undo everything you thought about everything.
Many of my favorites were taken but I will add in Malice - for multiple twists and Old Boy
I think an underrated twist came from Minority Report.
Both in the whodunnit aspect and what happens at the end to one of the characters
So many great films being mentioned here. With every new post I’m reminded of a great movie I need to revisit. I don’t think I saw Shudder Island mentioned. It is one of those that many people say they figured out the twist immediately. I have no reason to doubt such people I suppose, but what a bummer. It had me totally hooked and not only was the ending a shock but thought provoking and rather sad.
Personally I think the twist in Shutter Island isn’t what people think it is. The real one is at the very very end of the movie.
Wish they’d show another minute after that title sequence. I know he was in the interrogation room but…
not speaking Russian. Thought they spoke English until the end of the movie when his handler appears.
Excuse my typo:smack: I knew it was wrong and I big fat typed it anyway.
Do you mean the part about him realizing what he’s done but letting them lobotomize him anyway by pretending he’s still delusional? That’s the part I found so thought provoking and sad because it’s ambiguous rather than twisty. Or do you have a different take on it?
You’re probably right…several the IMDB message board discussions imply this. I partly misremembered, then. Still, it’s rather audacious (IMHO), especially if you’re astute enough to notice that
later on, his Russian landlord is one of the same handlers. I never noticed this, mind you…
An oldie but a goodie: A Big Hand For The Little Lady (1966).
That’s the one.
Didn’t Woolrich use this same twist, but ended up thinking it was the other direction thus ruining the whole idea? I’m probably remembering incorrectly.
William Castle’s Homicidal has a great twist. Stay with Ryan Gosling has a good one too. I love the way the director of the latter scattered strange clues throughout the movie.