MovieChat Forums > Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Discussion > (MAJOR SPOILER) Wouldn't the end twist h...

(MAJOR SPOILER) Wouldn't the end twist have been better if...

posted 16 years ago by j-taylor-goddard
20 replies | jump to latest

... Neville hadn't killed Michael in the elevator just before breaking into Laura's room?

The fact that he and Michael were in the elevator together, you saw one kill the other through Laura, and then Neville breaking in made it obvious he was the killer, thus making his monolgue pointless.

If Neville had just turned up normally as she was expecting, started telling Laura about Tommy's motive as normal, then her realisation that something was wrong with him would have made Tommy Lee's speech alone be the giveaway - would have been more chilling I think, as we the viewers slowly realise along with Laura that he is the killer.

As it plays in the film, Tommy Lee's speech is only there to tell Laura's character he is the killer, as we the viewers already know it!

[–] jrs-8 16 years ago

Frankly I thought it was quite easy to figure out the killer's identity. This film needed another script re-write (or two) and a solution that was pretty obvious at the hour mark.

[–] The_King_of_Cool 16 years ago

By that time I thought it was obvious who the killer was. Any other possible suspcect was dead. Well Raul Julia was alive until that point, but I don't think we knew he wasn't the killer at that point.

What I love is how Neville was so normal until the final mintues. I just love that in movies when the killer is so normal though the movie and when that person is revealed as the killer suddenly they are totally psychotic with no grasp on reality

The phone is dead. Do you hear that, Vitus? Even the phone is dead.

[–] kwalstedt-1 16 years ago

I think it's a double edged sword. It's necessary for them to seem normal until the very last, but if it's too abrupt it isn't plausible. However, they did plant a bunch of clues for us throughout, and luckily they weren't overly obvious. At least not to me. Of course, I love this film irrationally despite its flaws due to the huge amount of nostalgia I feel for that time in New York. But upon this (fifth?) viewing I watched carefully in the scene where he killed the woman on the stairs and you could see through Laura's eyes that the killer was wearing grey slacks, brown dress shoes and a tan coat with turned up cuffs. Soon afterwards you see Neville and that is what he is wearing.

[–] jovi-greatturtle 16 years ago

Wow.....never noticed that until I just read your post now! I love the campy-ness of this film.....it was obvious who the killer was. But it still takes me back to my disco-childhood!!!

[–] puravida27 16 years ago

I disagree. i wasn't obvious who the killer was. I doubted at the end whether it was tommy lee jones or Raul Julia. The ending elevator scene added real suspense to the movie. I always thought it was the phycho guy. great movie.

[–] ultrastructure 15 years ago

I couldn't agree more. I was enjoying this film up until it was clear that Neville was the killer and had split personality. Besides being a really rare condition, it is not something that can be controlled so that the killer can be a respectable detective and caring lover when he wants to. As my husband said, "Mental illness is not that cooperative."

[–] dark_frances 13 years ago

What I love is how Neville was so normal until the final mintues. I just love that in movies when the killer is so normal though the movie and when that person is revealed as the killer suddenly they are totally psychotic with no grasp on reality

That makes me think of the scenes in cartoons where characters are calmly walking on thin air and only start falling when they become aware of it.

there's a highway that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder

[–] Isaac5855 16 years ago

The moment when John and Michael encounter each other in the elevator should have been left out, it telegraphed the reveal and made Tommy Lee's final monologue pointless.

[–] punchinello 16 years ago

Nah. It's the other way around. Since the whole story is predicated on Laura's visions, it should be her visions—not John's monolog—that tell her who the killer is. It's the monolog that's unnecessary (structurally, that is; it's necessary for the character's arc). She should know that whoever comes thru the door is the killer, since she just saw a man murdered in the elevator.

Of course, John coming thru the balcony glass makes no sense at all in any context. It's only there to keep the audience thinking that Michael is coming to get her. But *she* must know that the killer isn't Michael because he must have been *leaving* her apartment in order for him to be in the elevator when it gets to the first floor for John to get on. Or at least that's what I thought when I saw him in the elevator.

[–] GloriaMundy 14 years ago

I agree with you, that it should be through Laura's eyes the killer is revealed and that the monologue is somewhat unnecessary. But what we should have seen, was Neville entering the elevator, and as the doors were closing, Michael reached his hand out, the doors opening again, the two realizing they both are on their way up to Laura, with the elevatordoors closing. Then we see Laura having a vision of one of them killing the other, and the other one coming towards her front door. She is rushing to lock it, and as the door stops shaking, and she stops screaming, she stands still for a minute. Then, for the last time, we see Laura through her own visions, as she is realizing that the killer can see her, and that the killer is outside her window. As she is screaming, John comes crushing through her window, and she can see that the killer is in fact John Neville, her love interest. THEN, with Laura in shock, running towards her bedroom, asking him why?, John can have his monologue, telling her everything, smashing her bedroom mirror, finally asking her "if you love me, kill me" - wich she ends up doing. Now THAT would have made sense and would make me guess right up to the bitter end :-) !

[–] beauedson 14 years ago

if it's between two people who are the only possibilities there's no real surprise unless you misdirect one way then reverse the other within back to back scenes or intrascene. the way you describe the possible scene, without any additions, wouldn't have been surprising. and frankly in this movie, without changing many of the earlier events, even if you used misdirection late, i think it'd be difficult to generate a feeling of surprise

[–] bing-57 10 years ago

> if it's between two people who are the only possibilities there's no real surprise

You underestimate Hollywood. Suppose there were two elevators and the killer was in a different one?

--
What Would Jesus Do For A Klondike Bar (WWJDFAKB)?

[–] TheManInOil 13 years ago

You're supposed to realize it before she does.

What WOULD have made it better is if it wasn't obvious from way early on.

"I'll book you. I'll book you on something. I'll find something in the book to book you on."

[–] xdayton 13 years ago

The window entrance and the COMPLETE LACK OF BLOOD on the killer (after just stabbing someone's hand and eyes in the elevator) make the entire last five minutes of an absurd film even more absurd.

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 13 years ago

It could have done without that, but I pretty much knew it was Tommy Lee Jones long before that. And I think watching this today, after you've seen as many thrillers as I have, it was especially obvious right from the scene where TLJ is showing Laura how to kill the attacker and made some comment about the dead girls "having police protection". Then ofcourse it was obvious when he was trying to pin it on Brad Douriff.

"Say anything about me, dahling, as long as it isn't boring."-Tallulah Bankhead

[–] Yorick_Brown 12 years ago

I didn't think I'd bump into you here. I just caught this film earlier tonight.

I sort of knew that Jones was the killer because I didn't think anybody else we saw on screen was. But I shrugged off my suspicions because I didn't think the writers would go for there. But that quick encounter in the elevator between Jones and Raul Julia confirmed my suspicions.

It's 8 A.M.
The hell I'm in
Your voice is strong
Now right the wrong

-Shinedown

[–] Rena_Mahone 12 years ago

What twist? It was clear who the killer was right from the start.

Boycott movies that involve real animal violence! (and their directors too)

[–] thecultofhorror 11 years ago

The speech was needed at the end to explain motive. It did switch perspectives which was interesting and well, Tommy Lee is good at pretty much any role he does.

www.thecultofhorror.blogspot.com

[–] fullmoon7461-908-439866 11 years ago

it's been a while since I have watched it... but I love that monologue at the end so much, it would be a pity to not have it. (back in the early computer days, I had John Neville's "it's me, I'm the one you want" as my start up sound)

and the perspective actually does change as we first see him talking to her then the focus shifts to the mirror (or the other way around, as I said it's been a while since I have seen it) nice choice of camera work

yes, this is the film that made little 17 year-old me fall in love with Tommy Lee Jones!!! sigh.. I still think he's sexy as hell and his voice makes my knees weak!!

and yeah, by today's standards, this film is probably pretty easy to figure out, but I don't know if that takes away the tension and general creepiness of the film.