Just because a movie hits theaters doesn’t mean it’s hit theaters as intended. When a film has to go back for reshoots, it can be for any number of reasons, all of which serve to indicate a test group’s dissatisfaction. And, of course, the last thing a test audience is going to see is the film’s conclusion.
So, if the conclusion ruffles the wrong feathers, it doesn’t matter how solid everything that came before is, the film’s going to be remembered more for the divisive conclusion than anything else. These movies had their endings changed somewhere down the line prior to theatrical release, but not all that’s lost stays that way.
20Blade Runner (1982)
Ridley Scott’sBlade Runneralmost fell victim to amisguided focus group’s opinion, but with a few decades passing, and a few versions released, audiences finally have the version as intended. And there were alotof versions, including one fueled by a remarkably terrible Harrison Ford narration.
But thetrueending is to have Ford’s Deckard exit his apartment with replicant Rachel by his side. Right outside the door he finds an origami unicorn, which then makes the audience question whether he’s more like Rachel than he knows. Of course, this is infinitely superior to the revised ending, where the studio just spliced in the countryside opening of Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shining(released two years prior) and called it a day.
19Pretty in Pink (1986)
Pretty in Pinkwas directed by Howard Deutch, but it might as well have been helmed by its screenwriter: John Hughes. And, like many Hughes projects, it was about finding love, which is precisely what Molly Ringwald’s Andie Walsh has to do. And she has a choice in how she does it.
Specifically, there’s the stereotypically attractive Blaine (Andrew McCarthy) and the oddball Duckie (Jon Cryer). The way Hughes had written it, Duckie gets the girl, whereas in the released version Duckie encourages Andie to go for Blaine and be happy. Audiences are divided on which is better, but the former natural feels more Hughesian.
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18Fatal Attraction (1987)
Adrian Lyne, a master ofthe erotic thriller, had his biggest hit withFatal Attraction. It’s a film that swiftly became a cultural event more than it was a movie, but it could have ended on a far grimmer, less box-office-friendly note.
Initially, Glenn Close’s Alex was to take her own life, but not before making it look as though Michael Douglas' Dan did it. Instead, the audience gets a crowd-pleasing ending where Alex seemingly becomes supernatural, surviving getting drowned in a bathtub only so she can get shot in the head in a final jump scare (which doesn’t even work). Thankfully, the original ending is readily available on home media.
17Army of Darkness (1992)
Sam Raimi closed out hisEvil Deadtrilogy withArmy of Darkness, an ambitiousif not also slightly weaker film. The plot takes Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams from the modern era all the way back to medieval times, but unfortunately, no matter where or when he goes there still seems to be an army of Deadites.
The original ending had Ash reverse his time travel course but by a bit too far. Instead of coming back to his life in modern times, he oversleeps and wakes up in a decimated future where cities lie in ruins and there’s no one to help him.
16Clerks (1994)
Kevin Smith’s directorial debutClerksremains his best film, and that doesn’t look to be changed.Chasing Amyhad a similarly warped look at life in New Jersey, and even came equipped with a stronger plot, but there’s just something about the lackadaisical duo ofClerks.
The original ending, however, features Dante being shot and killed by an armed robber. It’s jarring, but unforgettable and accessible viaClerks X.
15Se7en (1995)
David Fincher’squintessential ’90s crime thrillerSe7enis not only one of the decade’s darkest movies but one of the darkest movies as a whole. But, unbelievably, it and its jaw-dropping ending could have been even more shocking.
As it stands, the movie ends with Brad Pitt’s Detective Mills shooting John Doe in the head, then he’s placed in the back of a black-and-white, and Morgan Freeman’s Detective Somerset quotes Hemingway. Originally, the second two parts were non-entities, so the movie had Mills pull the trigger, then it immediately cut to the credits. Is it jarring? Sure. But it’s how the movie should have been, and isn’t the worst way to watch it on home media.
14Snake Eyes (1998)
Snake Eyesdoesn’t land high up on manyBrian De Palma ranking lists, but at least it is bolstered by a committed Nicolas Cage performance. It also could have ended with what amounts to a biblical allegory, instead of the fairly standard “You’re busted” ending audiences have now.
Specifically, a tidal wave was to strike the casino, killing the trio of thieving villains. But this didn’t go well with test audiences, so instead Gary Sinise’s bad guy kills the other two before getting caught and doing the same to himself.
13Election (1999)
Of all the surprising legacy comedy sequels,a follow-up to Alexander Payne’sElectiontakes the cake. But the original is one of the late ’90s smartest comedies, and helped signal the arrival of an auteur. But, Payne can be a sardonic auteur, as much ofElectionshows, but this wasn’t the case in the original ending, and it was a bit too much of a tonal departure for test audiences.
Matthew Broderick’s depressed, scheming teacher Mr. McAllister and Reese Witherspoon’s overambitious Tracy Flick originally were to let sleeping dogs lie and exchanged forgiveness. The ending audiences have now has Mr. McAllister moving on, finding a new job, seeing Tracy out on the street, throwing a milkshake at her car, and scampering away pathetically. It’s perfectly in line with the character who has been built throughout the movie’s events.
12Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Renny Harlin’s fast-paced, teeth-gnashingDeep Blue Seais a pretty wild ride, and it even comes equipped with a fairly high body count. However, that count was initially decreased by one.
As it stands, the film has Thomas Jane’s Carter Blake and LL Cool J’s Preacher as the only survivors. But, the cut that was screened for test audiences also had Saffron Burrows' well-meaning but misguided Dr. Susan McAlester swimming away unharmed. The test audience wanted her dead, so dead she became. It’s a scene that feels a bit tacked on, but it’s understandable that the test viewers would want McAlester to find some comeuppance, given she was effectively responsible for every death that’s occupied the film’s runtime.
11Final Destination (2000)
2000’sFinal Destinationkicked off a humor-and-guts-fueled franchise that continues to this day. While it’s debatable whether the film is one ofthe 2000s' scariest, it’s certainly one of the most creative.
And, in classic horror tradition, it ends with a kill, but not the one either Death or the film’s creators intended. Specifically, it was supposed to be the film’s protagonist Alex (Devon Sawa), but after test audiences were upset by this, it was switched over to Kerr Smith’s Carter. The massive swinging sign is a memorable send-off for the film, and Carter wasn’t the most likable character anyway, but given the fact Sawa didn’t return for the sequel, they might as well have just swung for the fences and killed off Alex.
