Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Ralph Keyes' Retroterm of the Day: Cliffhanger

Those who filmed oldtime weekly movie serials knew moviegoers were likely to return if they left their hero or heroine in dire distress at the end of each segment—tied to railroad tracks as a train approached, sinking in quicksand, or hanging from a cliff. From this comes the term “cliffhanger” to characterize any dramatic, unresolved situation.

Reposted with permission: RalphKeyes.com

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