What do you do when you come to the conclusion that the third act of your script

[The Fake Shemp]

SUCKS.

I had one idea that was pretty great.  It was supposed to be my second, finished screenplay.  But I cannot end the fucker.  I've tried six different endings.  The story and characters are fun and entertaining, but the third act is just awful and underwhelming - no matter how I try and finish it.  It's reminiscent, to me at least, of Hellboy.  Where it starts off so fun and awesome and builds up to... Rasputin turning into a Cthulu knockoff that is defeated in two minutes?  Meh.  I don't want my script to end with a MEH climax.  I'm thinking about locking it away and addressing it later, maybe even re-writing it completely at a later date.

I'm going to move on to my next idea.

[FlameOfCallandor]

Good idea, Move on for now and in a few weeks something will come to you.

Can you give out any more details? Maybe we can help you?

Writing is tough and it scares the shit out of me. I admire anyone who even attempts to write.

[Cyanista]

A good ending is always the hardest part.  Putting it down for awhile is probably the best idea.  You need to look at it from the angle of whomever you want to enjoy the thing, and it's hard to do that when you are eyeball deep in the material.

[The Fake Shemp]

It was a very pulpy, macabre action/adventure that is reminiscent of Monster Squad as it deals with young adults battling the supernatural.  Kind of a fun, dark action/adventure that I don't think many studios make or anybody writes anymore.  Yes, there is indeed a bona fide McGuffin, but I find realizing it in any form thus far a major letdown from the build up I present in the story.  I want it to end on a strong note, not having people walk away going, "Yeah, it was alright, I had fun."  That's the worst reaction in my book.

[demi]

Put Nick Frost in it

[The Fake Shemp]

I think the script I was working on would have a part PERFECT for Nick Frost.  I would pay him TEN MILLION DOLLARS a DAY.

[Ichirou]

It was a very pulpy, macabre action/adventure that is reminiscent of Monster Squad as it deals with young adults battling the supernatural.  Kind of a fun, dark action/adventure that I don't think many studios make or anybody writes anymore.  Yes, there is indeed a bona fide McGuffin, but I find realizing it in any form thus far a major letdown from the build up I present in the story.  I want it to end on a strong note, not having people walk away going, "Yeah, it was alright, I had fun."  That's the worst reaction in my book.

This reminds me of the interview with Dan O'Bannon in the Alien Quadrilogy documentary, where he talks about how disappointed he was with his script's ending for Alien because he couldn't come up with some sort of big reveal that would leave everyone talking when they left the theaters, and just had to settle for blowing up the ship.

[GilloD]

What if everything was a dream? Try that one.

[The Fake Shemp]

Dan O'Bannon is a cool cat.  He wears a bowtie.  And he made Return of the Living Dead.  I like him a lot.

And it's not like I want a big twist ending or crazy reveal, just a satisfying ending.  I'm not delusional enough to think that I can create some ending that will LEAVE EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.  I just want people to walk out and be like, "Fuck yeah, that was fun!  Let's go see it again!"

And - fuck no! - I will never pull the rug out from everyone with a cliche daydream bit.

[Ichirou]

How about you have the script end with the character waking up and THINKING it was all a dream and then, like, the monster's hand punches through the door and you end with that shocking moment!!!!

[TVC15]

Dan O'Bannon is a cool cat.  He wears a bowtie.  And he made Return of the Living Dead.  I like him a lot.

He also worked on Alejandro Jodorowsky's shitcanned version of Dune.

[Ichirou]

Dude, have you seen some of Jodorowsky's notes and sketches from that project?  I love Lynch's version, but Jodorowsky's Dune would have been like a drug-induced nightmare of awesomeness.

[TVC15]

Dude, have you seen some of Jodorowsky's notes and sketches from that project?  I love Lynch's version, but Jodorowsky's Dune would have been like a drug-induced nightmare of awesomeness.

I've never seen the sketches.  Any links?  After watching El Topo, and seeing the list of talent Jodorowsky had lined up (Pink Floyd?  H.R. Giger? Salvador Dali?  David Carradine?), I have no doubt that he could've done something great if given a budget.

[Ichirou]

There's pictures of them on a bootleg version of the long version of Lynch's Dune...lemme see if I can find them online.

[TVC15]

Here are some of Giger's designs when he was attached to the project:

http://www.duneinfo.com/unseen/giger.asp

Hahaha:

Giger started designing the Harkonnen Castle based on Moebius' storyboards and Dali was to play the role of the Emperor for a reported $100,000 an hour.

Shite, Orson Welles and Gloria Swanson were also involved.  This would've been the BEST MOVIE EVER.

[Ichirou]

Orson Welles was going to play Baron Harkonnen.  That would have been PERFECT CASTING.

These aren't the same sketches I saw...the stuff I saw were costume sketches...still looking for those.

God, I love the art direction in Lynch's version but imagining a Dune that looks like this...

EDIT: http://www.duneinfo.com/unseen/jodorowsky.asp The pictures I saw are here.

[TVC15]

Baron Harkonnen looks like G in Jodorowsky's sketch!

[Ichirou]

I can think of no better casting for Baron Harkonnen, now that Orson Welles has passed on. 

EDIT:

I guess Moebius was the actual costume designer, working off of Jodorowsky's ideas.

 http://www.duneinfo.com/unseen/moebius.asp

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I'm sad we never got the Kirby Lord of Light. Or any Lord of Light.