it does leave things open for a movie, you are right. but the more i think about it, the ending was brilliant. i am watching the ep again as i type.
I also heard the shirt thing, so I went to watch it again. It is actually very easy to think it is a different shirt. He walks in wearing a leather jacket which reveals a small portion of a gray shirt. The next scene he is not wearing the leather jacket, and you see a short sleeve shirt with a gray center, black accents and white sides and back. It is actually the same shirt.
I was going to post the same thing, I watched it again last night.
Also, you were right Mike C, it is “Don’t stop” that you hear just as it cuts to black. No scene of Meadow coming through the door, just Tony looking up to the door as someone comes in. You assume it’s Meadow because you just saw here run across the street and on to the sidewalk outside the door.
Upfront, I’ll admit I haven’t watched the Sopranos for a few seasons, mainly because of how frustrating to me it was becoming with plot lines that went nowhere, etc. Besides, with Ralphie Cifaretto gone (done in by Tony), what was the point?
But I had my better half record it on the DVR Sunday night and I got around to watching it yesterday, and I have to say it was a very satisfying ending, and perfectly in keeping with Chase’s point about how Tony’s life could be both exciting and mundane and banal, all at the same time.
I think he laid out Tony’s fate pretty clearly during the last episode. With his man Carlo going over to the Feds because of the arrest of his son, Jason, for sale of Ecstasy, Tony looks certain to be indicted for any number of serious crimes. I think Chase was spot-on with his use of the Journey song (I notice that his use of various songs to highlight certain scenes was a key part of the series’ episodes).
I didn’t really note anything too ominous about the folks in the diner. They, to me, just appeared to be everyday people, going about the business of living. With Tony’s family and the New York family coming to an agreement as it relates to Phil (and with Phil so bloodily dispatched to the hereafter), most of the “loose ends” were tied up, especially given that Phil’s two button men were in on the meet between Tony and the New York boys. Chase left it, rightly, to us to discern any hidden meaning in the diner scene. And it, for me, was ultimately satisfying that he did in fact leave it that way.
The series really had its ups-and-downs, but I was pleased enough by the last episode to concede the inevitable and have my wife promise that she’d get me the whole run of seasons, once they’re all out on DVD.
Regards,
T.
What is utterly creepy to me, is realizing that when Tony walks in, he (Leather Jacket Tony) sees Bowling shirt Tony sitting in the restaurant. David Chase has hinted in one interview that there is a lot of important detail in that scene…I am guessing that maybe Tony gets whacked when he steps thru the door, and the rest of the scene represents purgatory, where he will stay forever in that dream state…maybe I drank too much coffee today…
Someone said that last night at masters too. I think that is just a quick cut to him in the booth.
I missed it on the weekend, but now that I’ve seen it, I think it was pretty clear that Tony got a bullet to the brain. Someone mentioned the earlier conversation where the lights just go out, and I believe that his father also died in a resturante. All the shady charcters in the resturante were for us to guess which one…Phil went out the same way, one second blowing kisses to grandkids, then darkness. It’s the way a lot of mob guys go out, in an instant. I think he reflected that perfectly in the ending. I even think TOny had some idea that it was coming, by his glances around the diner. He was aware, but didn’t seem too afraid. I think he was making a decision between spending the rest of his life in jail, and a quick, clean ending, if that was in the cards…Great show, and if he comes out in a movie later on, then I eat all my words here…
See, I had the complete opposite reaction after watching it again. Watch it one more time. Once you know what happens (and granted, maybe that is the problem) the people in the diner are just innocent people. Only the guy in the member’s only jacket even looks Tony’s way, and there is one scene of Carmela and AJ, and you can see MO guy looking at them with this kind of smile/look on his face that says “what a nice family”, or “i sure do miss my time with my family like that”, more of an envious look than “i am getting ready to blow your brains out”. The black kids don’t even look into the restaurant when they come in, they go straight to the jukebox or whatever that was, and the truck driver looking dude just goes straight to a table. Not saying a hit man wouldn’t do this, but the temptation to glance at your prey would be overwhelming I would think.
Still, I don’t know what I think happened.
After watching it again I’m still not sure what happened, but one of my first thoughts was the discussion that Bobby and Tony had in the boat in the season premiere that was used again as a flashback when Bobby was killed about everything just going to black when you get whacked. My theory is that we the viewers got whacked by the guy in the Member’s Only jacket as the last shot is from our perspective as Tony looks towards the door when he hears the bell ring. Just a thought.
Ya, no way to know what Chase was really thinking, unless he actually comments on it. ANd maybe it was his intention to leave it up to us to decide what happened. I know a lot of people were pissed about it. They wanted to be spoon fed the ending, with some exact closure. Me personally, I like it when you actually have to think, and I’m always for non hollywood endings in movies and shows…My ending is the fade to black theory, and the bathroom guy comes out and pops him…
when watching my gut reaction was “he got whacked”.
even in Goodfellas, when Henry gets busted he said something that he knew they were cops because if there were gangsters he would have heard no talking, there would be nothing.
In the scene there was an impending feeling going on as Tony was looking around…it was like he was feeling paranoid but at the same time telling himself to relax. just watching it i felt on edge during that scene, even though rationally there appeared to be nothing to feel nervous about.
but that’s how it is with those guys; things may appear to be fine, but there was always some underlying current going on at every moment.
also i don’t understand why Meadow couldn’t park her car…if anything it led to a build up of anxiety, but i’m not sure if there was more going on than that.
overall, i think they left it unassuming so that a movie could be made; but for the show’s purpose, i think T got hit and Meadow arrived just in time to see it.
“also i don’t understand why Meadow couldn’t park her car…”
If ever there was a softball for a smart a$$ comeback…
I saw an article with an interview with the Member’s Only jacket guy, he says the producers told him his character had a definite purpose in the scene, but he couldn’t discuss it because of the confidentiality agreements he signed. Of course, you would think then that he was a hitman. But he could be playing us too, his purpose could have just been to look menacing, or increase the tension although being harmless. Who knows?
I love how the LOST people have jumped on the bandwagon and had to release a statement that they would never end like this.
yes, i think the LOST show will probably get canceled prior to a grand finale, or they will leave it even more ambiguous.
I read an interview with the Lost creators, and they are definitely nervous about upstaging the Sopranos ending. I will try not to watch the series, then rent rent the DVD"s later. I understand it is a very convoluted show.
discussing what happened or about to happen is fun, but it is even beyond speculation - it’s like asking what happens to Macbeth after the play is over.
It is interesting though how folks have commented how there “was an impending feeling going on as Tony was looking around…it was like he was feeling paranoid but at the same time telling himself to relax” - - it is interesting because the tension and paranoia was ONLY in the heads of the TV viewers, to T it was just another dinner out with the family, T didn’t know the series was ending.
really? he seemed uncomfortable to me. and there was a build up with Meadow not being able to park; i felt her tension, and T did seem anxious.
definitely i’ll have to watch it again to analyze it.
Meadow seemed frustrated parking, but I think she is perpetually late and doesn’t like it.
T was attentive and looking around for sure - - and he parked himself at the table so he can see the door - - but most men do this, I do this, it’s either part of our DNA or recollection from past lives.
How 'bout anyone else - -do you have to sit facing the entrance or else feel a tad not at ease?
OK, maybe you were right:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/15/television.sopranos.reut/index.html
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Thanks for the link… I just call 'em as I see 'em…
OK I know I am about 2.5 years late entering this thread. But I just watched the final episode yesterday after working through the whole series from my indoor trainer. Two questions:
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I am reading all the theories about how he must have gotten whacked when the screen went black at the end. Believable, but I have yet to hear a decent explanation for why, of all things, they were playing “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Couldn’t have been by accident!
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Now that it is over, when can I expect the crippling depression to subside?