The Black Sleep ending explained
Spoiler summary page for informational search intent.
What happens at the end?
In 19th century England, a noted brain surgeon rescues a former student from being hanged on a false conviction for murder, and spirits him away to an ancient, repurposed abbey far in the countryside. There, he connives his pupil into assisting him in mapping the functions of the various parts of the human brain, using living subjects who are under a terrible animation-suspending drug called "black sleep". Subsequently, the student, along with the daughter of one of the subjects, discover that most of these subjects have survived but are being kept in a dungeon-like cellar, in various stages of physical and mental derangement...
Why it matters
The ending resolves the main conflict and sets up the emotional takeaway of the story. As the index grows, this block can be auto-generated with more detailed scene-level commentary.
FAQ
Does this page contain spoilers?
Yes. The explanation summarizes major ending events and interpretation.
Where can I find similar endings and themes?
Check the similar movies page for related tone and narrative structure.