The Orphanage - Can someone explain the end to me? [spoilers]

[Neil]

*** Spoilers In Replies ***

[p2501]

nicked this form imdb.

SPOILERS ... duh.
































why is it so difficult to undestand?
there was this orphanage. laura was a kid. there were many kids at the orphanage. there was also Creepy Lady with her Ugly Child. One day, after Laura leaves the orphanage to go with her new family, the kids play a prank on Ugly Child, but Ugly Child dies. Creepy Lady kill them all and throws them in the potato-sacks. Noone notices since they're orphans and nobody cares.
Years later, Laura moves in again.
Creepy Lady decides do go in again to hide the corpses, and maybe take some more revenge, but she got discovered and goes away. Laura has a child, Simon. He likes to play games. He sees the ghosts, Ugly Child and the other kids. The ghosts are nice. Ugly Child shows him his room. The party day, Simon dresses up as Ugly Child (it's him that Laura sees during the party). He throws his mommy in the bath and goes to hide in the closet. He previously has made a path for her to follow, thinking that she would follow him and rescue him (kids are dumb intelligent). She searches for him, thus blocking the closet's door. After a moment of bumping against the wall, Simon falls down the stairs and breaks his neck. Crack.
At the end, Laura follows the path, finds the children, understand that it's all her fault (if she'd had paid attention, she would have guessed that Simon wanted her to follow the path). She dies, she ends up in kinda heaven with kids, Simon, Ugly Child and the lighthouse. At the end, Useless Husband finds the necklace, understand she'd found him, smiles.
The end.

No freaking evil ghost, no mental illness of Laura, no trick, no illusion. Laura just sees Simon, even in Ugly Child clothes. Creepy Lady was mad, that's why she went around with a doll of her child.
Was it so difficult?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464141/board/nest/101039528

[Neil]

So I sort of understood it I think...

1) Don't recall seeing anything suggesting he broke his neck?
2) Why would finding the necklace suggest anything like the previous summary suggests?

I'll try and watch it again with my other half...

Beautifully shot film!

[p2501]

So I sort of understood it I think...

1) Don't recall seeing anything suggesting he broke his neck?
2) Why would finding the necklace suggest anything like the previous summary suggests?

I'll try and watch it again with my other half...

Beautifully shot film!
i dunno on both. i'm fuzzy on it. so i'll have to locate another copy and watch it again.

[Neil]

I enjoyed the film, but the last quarter all sort of went 'The Others' for me!

[Danny]

I enjoyed the film, but the last quarter all sort of went 'The Others' for me!


what didnt you like about the others?

[clanglee]

Yeah!! What's wrong with the Others?

[Neil]

what didnt you like about the others?

Didn't say I disliked the others...?

Just this film had a nice unusual slightly oppressive feel to it, and then in the last third it went a little more Hollywood'ish...

Don't get me wrong - great film, which I will definately watch again... If only to spot the two points above :)

[jbaxter16]

nicked this form imdb.

SPOILERS ... duh.
































why is it so difficult to undestand?
there was this orphanage. laura was a kid. there were many kids at the orphanage. there was also Creepy Lady with her Ugly Child. One day, after Laura leaves the orphanage to go with her new family, the kids play a prank on Ugly Child, but Ugly Child dies. Creepy Lady kill them all and throws them in the potato-sacks. Noone notices since they're orphans and nobody cares.
Years later, Laura moves in again.
Creepy Lady decides do go in again to hide the corpses, and maybe take some more revenge, but she got discovered and goes away. Laura has a child, Simon. He likes to play games. He sees the ghosts, Ugly Child and the other kids. The ghosts are nice. Ugly Child shows him his room. The party day, Simon dresses up as Ugly Child (it's him that Laura sees during the party). He throws his mommy in the bath and goes to hide in the closet. He previously has made a path for her to follow, thinking that she would follow him and rescue him (kids are dumb intelligent). She searches for him, thus blocking the closet's door. After a moment of bumping against the wall, Simon falls down the stairs and breaks his neck. Crack.
At the end, Laura follows the path, finds the children, understand that it's all her fault (if she'd had paid attention, she would have guessed that Simon wanted her to follow the path). She dies, she ends up in kinda heaven with kids, Simon, Ugly Child and the lighthouse. At the end, Useless Husband finds the necklace, understand she'd found him, smiles.
The end.

No freaking evil ghost, no mental illness of Laura, no trick, no illusion. Laura just sees Simon, even in Ugly Child clothes. Creepy Lady was mad, that's why she went around with a doll of her child.
Was it so difficult?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0464141/board/nest/101039528

What's difficult is that the movie alters seamlessly between reality and supernatural. Therefore, the movie is meant to be interpreted in many different ways. You claim Simon is the boy who pushes Laura into the tub, yet watch the scene again and listen to the sound of the boy's breathing as he draws in on Laura as he walks the length of the hallway to get to the bathroom. Snarling inspires and exhales are clearly audible which suggests that of a deformed or disfigured person-- Tomas.

Also, why do the people at the open house wear masks? What purpose or function does that serve? To me, it suggests that Benigna is hidden amongst the crowd and waits until the perfect time to exact revenge on Laura. After all, we already know that Benigna has come to the orphanage in order to sabotage her by pretending to be a social worker. We also know that she is hanging around the house the night before the open house, as Laura discovers her in the coal shed with a shovel in her hand (presumably digging up or burying the bones of the past orphans). In this scenario, I believe Benigna kidnaps Simon and kills him in the hidden basement underneath the house. She then exits the crime scene undetected-- wearing a mask. The spirits could have left the trail that Laura discovers towards the end. It's not sure that Simon left the trail

So in my opinion, Laura doesn't feel responsible for Simon's death. She just realizes that her son is dead, which is the reason she breaks down upon the discovery of her son's body. I think that IMDB's interpretation of the film is just as valid as mine. But I believe there is evidence to support both. So get off your high horse and stop acting like the film is self-explanatory and cut and dry.

Also, there is nothing to suggest that Simon broke his neck. Absolutely nothing.

[blind2d]

Agreed with all above. A great film I really ought to watch again.