Okay, I'm just wrapping up a script, the first thing I've ever written I think might have a shot at actual release. It's film noir, with a dramatic concluding scene at the Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls. I read today that some guy with a movie called "The Falls" has just been accepted into the IFP festival. You guessed it -- it's film noir with a dramatic conclusion set in the Cave of the Winds.

My question, should I change the setting? I'm afraid that either his film will hit and I'll look like a copy cat, or it must be a cliche if we both thought of it. I suspect we both got the idea from the same source "Niagara" with Marilyn Monroe. Mine was intended to be a mild homage, even though "Niagara" is kind of a crappy movie.

Am I being too worried about this? Maybe it's like shooting a western in Monument Valley.

Anyway, whatcha all think?

If it isn't integral to your plot, and you think your film is going to go somewhere.... I'd change the location.
If not, I'd keep it.

Ouch. Just like no one is ever going to shoot an ending at Mount Rushmore I would change it. If it was a different genre I wouldn't. If there was a different format or length I wouldn't change it.

I think it would be possible for someone to shoot an ending at Mt. Rushmore, but it would clearly be seen as a reference to Hitchcock. In my case, we were going to play up the "Niagara" connection. I was hoping to shoot at the same hotel, maybe even the same room (they continue to rent the Marilyn suite). Since the movie is essentially a road trip film from Albany to Buffalo, and they talk about the falls the whole way over there, I don't know how I can cut it entirely. Maybe I'll just lose the Cave of the Winds. It would be really tough to steal shots there anyway.

Marco
I think if your story is strong enough you could definitely do it. How many people said “Reservoir Dogs” was a disappointment because the ending used “The Good The Bad and The Ugly’s” ending as its inspiration. How many great movies have ripped off other movies for pivotal scenes – The baby carriage scene in “The Untouchables” was homage to “The Battleship Potemkin” by Eisenstein. The “Star Wars’s”, cantina scene when an Obi-Wan cuts off the arm of a disgruntled alien, is direct rip off of Akira Kurosawa’s “Yojimbo”. In fact Star Wars is complete homage to Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress”. If your can story can stand on its own then you could name your main character “Frodo” and it wouldn’t matter.

MikeC

Forget the Cave of the Winds- How about the Maid of the Mist? Awesome! And you could have the boat get to close to the falls and sink! Just remember a raincoat for your cam...