Top 8 Greatest Final Movie Scenes Ever

There are quite a few ways to make a movie memorable. Some go from the flair of explosions and never-before-seen CG effects, others create unforgettable quotes and characters, but some movie makers leave the best for last. What the viewers see in the final scene of the movie usually makes the most impact and, if done correctly, will stick in people’s head for decades!

Here are, arguably, the 8 greatest final movie scenes of all time.

1. “Planet of the Apes” (1974)
How to make a mediocre movie worthy of a “cult classic” badge? Make sure it has a bombastic ending no-one would ever expect. Yes, I think “Planet of the Apes” is “meh” at best, but that ending makes it all worthwhile. In the end our heroes realize they’ve been on Earth this whole time, and the visuals of the half-destroyed statue of Liberty only add to the depressing feeling of helplessness. “You maniacs! You blew it up! God damn you! God dam you all to hell!”… man, now that’s a quotable line.

2. “Psycho” (1960)
Another amazing plot twist! Turns out Norman Bates wearing his mother’s clothes killed all those people, but we’re still not done with surprises. After that huge reveal Alfred Hitchcock shows Bates in a room, as we hear the voice of his mother telling him he wouldn’t even hurt a fly. After that he straight out breaks the 4th wall and looks into your eyes, while his grimace dissolves into a skeleton, and the scene transitions to show Marion’s car being pulled out of the swamp. Still gives me the chills.

3. “Memento” (2000)
I don’t even know where to begin with this masterpiece. The main character Lenny has a severe short term memory loss condition, so after a few minutes he forgets everything that happened. This in itself is a bold move for a story teller such a Christopher Nolan, but he builds up on this basis, making Memento one of the greatest movies ever made. I seriously cannot go into details why, but you will agree with my opinion if you saw it. And if you did see it, then you’d not understand the explanation anyway! Let’s just put it this way: the last scene of Memento, is not actually the last scene. Curious? Go watch it!