MovieChat Forums > Fright Night (1985) Discussion > The ending ignores Ed's highly inappropr...

The ending ignores Ed's highly inappropriate and discomfiting death

posted a year ago by TM1617-2 (642)
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This movie is a fun presentation of monsters that alternates between comedy and general intensity. The way that Ed dies is very upsetting. A scene that sad has no place in this kind of film. The ending is intended to be happy, so in it the jester should be not just alive but human. There is no reason why he can't be saved like Amy is. One of Ed's lines is replayed in the final minute. If he is going to be heard in that instant anyway, then it ought to be his voice in real time. He could be playing another prank on Charley, which would make a perfect conclusion. The latter boy does not seem to care that his best friend is dead when the movie wraps, or that his new and special friend has been forced to cause the death. This also has no effect on Amy who has had a close relationship with Ed, and Peter seems to have forgotten the matter during his last appearance. Tom Holland expects the audience to pretend that Ed has never existed and accept the façade of a cheerful ending.

[–] scannerdarkly (1376) a year ago

That scene was both unsettling and may be more going on there with the death. The way Ed reaches out to Peter Vincent in a pleading way and Peter reaches out in compassion but hesitates and stops always makes me feel something. Peter wanted to hold his hand in his last moments to help ease the pain but he's scared and might even think it could be a trick, as Ed had already tricked him twice in this movie! Also the slow change from monster to human while dying, with Ed even losing his burn mark of the cross seemed to indicate that Ed's innocence was fully restored upon death. Were his sins forgiven upon death? Why show us that there is no monster left in him as he lays there dead? Is the movie telling us that the bite, the supernatural change to monster is more a possession by an evil spirit rather than an actual transformation? Could this mean redemption is possible for the tormented person? I actually like that idea, that it tells us that no matter how monstrous we always have a chance to be redeemed or saved. This same subtle touch was added to the remake by the way. SPOILERS When Ed dies in the remake he actually says "thank you charlie" and for just an instant you see Eds face in this innocent, albeit scared yet thankful, look on his face before turning to dust. Even Jerry (played by Colin Farrel) has this same look before turning to dust in the remake. END SPOILER

I will post a second time as I am running out of space.

[–] scannerdarkly (1376) a year ago

The ending of this film, where everyone moves on and is happy, despite their best friend dying is a bit of a good thing. As we all need to move on with our lives even when a loved one dies. We cannot stay stuck in the past. From experience I write that. One addition that could solve the dislike you have in just wrapping it up is they could have had a short memorial service scene with the main characters standing at the grave and a picture of Ed smiling on a large photo nearby or even charlie holding a small picture alongside Amy that shows all three with arms wrapped around eachother and smiling. We could still have the scene at the end with glowing eyes in the house next door, but leave out Ed's line. Yet I really like that they use that line as I enjoyed that line and found it funny during the movie that Amy got so mad at Charlie and Ed just laughs at the stupidity of his best friend Charlie
^_^ "You're so COOL Brewster"!

Also the glowing eyes still next door could be an indication that evil still lurks and we must remain sober and vigilant else it will creep into our lives!

To summarize, we can always be saved yet its a constant struggle and we fight evil our entire lives. Thats my take on these scenes. Thanks for coaxing that out of me!

[–] Electone (40) a year ago

Ed was hardly Charlie or Amy's best friend.

[–] scannerdarkly (1376) a year ago

Would a random classmate show up to your house when you are having a nervous breakdown claiming a monster lives next door, let alone continue to stick around after opening your door to find dozens of lit candles with you sharpening a stick? Then after that go out and track down your movie idol to get his help for you to snap out of this downward spiral you are on?

Granted Amy was insisting Ed help, and she was the one who paid Peter Vincent to be there, but Ed still stuck around and tried to help Charlie.

We dont see any other people Charlie would call friends? Why dont you think Ed wasnt a best friend?

[–] TM1617-2 (642) a year ago

Thank you, scannerdarkly. Your suggestion would at least acknowledge Ed at the end, but as I have said, there is no reason for him to die in the first place. It doesn't work in this movie. I know that many people want to eventually move past grieving, but that does not happen overnight.

[–] scannerdarkly (1376) a year ago

If you didnt want him to die, and it be a happier ending, how would you have resolved the fight between Ed and Peter Vincent so that Vincent doesnt stake him and kill him? I know we can kill the master vampire Jerry and the people turned will turn back to normal, as what happened with Amy's humanity restored. But how would you get to that scene, take Ed out of the fight but not kill him?

I understand you think his death goes against the spirit of the movie, but Ed dying does raise the stakes (ha) and have the audience feel the tension of how dangerous this has all become for our protagonists.

Grieving does take time. Do we get an indication how long time has passed since the films climax? I always assumed at least a few weeks have passed.

[–] TM1617-2 (642) a year ago

Ed should not turn in to a wolf. That is too threatening a creature for the movie. Peter ought to have a bottle of holy water for himself to indicate that he has considered that Charley's story could be true and use it against Ed's vampire form just to chase the boy away again. The scene should take place outside instead of the actor stupidly trying to call the police and barging into a house where Charley's friend could be hiding or Mrs. Brewster could do something to him out of shock and fright. The rest of the events in Jerry and Billy's house could remain, but Ed would appear in the basement after the coffin is opened and start to advance on Peter. After the master vampire dies, the large hug that occurs would include the fourth friend. At the end, the red eyes could be followed by Ed walking into Charley's room holding special flashlights to show that he is the one who has made the 'alien' and saying, with his signature laughter, "Oh, you're so cool, Brewster!".