Comments on: The Ending of Bad Times at the El Royale Explained

By: Paulto

Paulto — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 19:16:11 +0000

The movie started so well. But everything turns to shit when Billy Lee enters the picture. The author did not have enough skill to finish a nice start. The whole Billy Lee crap was a cluster that did not fit. A shame but it is what it is. More shit from Hollywood that critics think is good.

By: Gus

Gus — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 07:41:42 +0000

I really liked this movie, but the major flaw in the story was the ending. When Billy Lee asks, “Whose money is this?”, you would expect his answer to be “Given everyone else’s hands are tied, it’s mine see ya!” and hightail it back to California with the tape, the cash, Rose and the goons. No need for the killing, unless he’s supposed to be a psychopathic Manson (fitting in with the theory of purgatory).

A lot was made of the distinction between California and Nevada – didn’t really get where this fitted in to everything.

As regards the tape, note Miles says that the individual was “the only one who was nice to me” – this sounds like Robert Kennedy.

By: Clyde

Clyde — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 00:01:23 +0000

You made a mistake. You wrote
“When Dock and Darlene are threatened, Billy Lee is unable to help Dock or Darlene because he has killed too many people already (while in Vietnam).” But it was Miles Miller who’s unable to help because of his guilt.

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 01:08:20 +0000

Really good article, and really good discussions. FBI man Joh Hamm calls in to Director Hoover and tells him about all the secret surveillance filming and wire taps that he says aren’t the FBI’s? Where they really the FBI’s and Hoover was keeping him in the dark? I guess my question is, re: the managers of the El Royale back in Pennsylvania. Was it the FBI or someone else? Really liked the movie by the way

By: Val

Val — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 07:54:27 +0000

Summerspring was the girls last name. The older girl got beat by dad. Later the little girl would come out of hiding for her dad to take her (assuming bad abuse). Billie Lee resembles Manson. Rose met Billie on the beach. She got her dad’s military bag. Assuming he was killed in military (Vietnam). Rose stabbed at least one of the people on Tv, the drs murder. I believe it was a group of them that went to the drs house.

It’s purgatory from what I’ve heard. There’s so many signs. The thing that really sticks with me is Miles was the only one out of all of those men in Vietnam to live in his entire group? It makes you wonder if they are literally (physically) in purgatory, not just mentally. There’s so many great layers to this.

For those that don’t know there was a hotel just like this. The movie was based off it.

By: Nathan Downs

Nathan Downs — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 04:15:56 +0000

I think that it’s possible the film is essentially the Apple from Eden. Dock does see it and is tempted, but hands it to Darlene who resists and burns it. She saves them both in a final test at that moment. Dock has the memory issue, so it may as well be wiped clean at that moment. Not only is purgatory an ambivalent place where judgement lies in wait, but this purgatory is full of tests and trials for everyone. In a small way, I thinking even asking who would be in the video is a small test presented to the viewer.

What about the music? Unchained Melody when they are tied up. Hush when Billy Lee is saying it’s too quiet… even The Letter with a joyous Rose waiting for Billy Lee to arrive. On the surface it seems disappointing that the songs dont show the depth of musical knowledge someone like Tarntino expresses, but this is a case in point for wise popular song selection.

By: Stephen Shaw

Stephen Shaw — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 17:23:53 +0000

It seems pretty obvious to me that Rosie Killed the couple. For one, they were in CA
B: Billy asks her about the ” Thing that she did”.
C: She was obviously completely Brain-Washed by Billy’s charm and would do anything for him.
d: I need to watch the end again to hear the last name of Rosie. It seems to me that the plot set-up would mean that the couple were likely foster parents or perhaps the real parents….no, they would have had to give up both Emily and Rose. I always keep in mind that ANYTHING put in a truly well thought out film absolutely has importance to the REAL story. S. Shaw.

By: Geni

Geni — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 21:18:21 +0000

Kay,
I *did* notice the news reports & figured the news story did factor into all this. I also agree with you that every little thing in this story had meaning & I believe everything ties in some way to each of the people in the story.

I just couldn’t imagine Darlene killing anyone. If push came to shove, *maybe* she could have killed someone but I couldn’t see her killing the wife who would not have had anything to do with the harassment she was getting or had gotten from the producer.

By: Kay

Kay — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 02:48:38 +0000

I agree with Sara. I think John Hamm’s character was kind of a good guy because he defied J Edgar Hoover, and went to help whom he thought was a kidnapped girl.
But I have a question. Did anyone notice the news reports that came thru several times about the couple who had been murdered in California? Darlene got mad and switched it off at one point. It was right after we saw her in her studio session, with the awful producer harrassing her. I thought the murdered couple was maybe the producer and his wife. Did anyone else notice this? I feel like every little thing had meaning.