Alternative Film Endings and Director's Cuts

[kato13]

Targan 05-07-2008, 01:50 AM I have been inspired to start this thread after having seen the original ending to I Am Legend, the one that was shown to US test audiences and rejected in favour of the one that made it to general release. I know, I know, I am playing with fire a bit as I am sure many of you will recall some of the *ahem* very strong responses from some around here to my criticism of I Am Legend. I think it is very unfortunate that the original ending to I Am Legend was changed. All of my friends here in Australia who have seen the original ending as well as the general release agree with me that the original ending was much better and made a lot more sense. Just goes to show that in some areas Australian and American tastes in cinema can be quite different.


Then there are director's cut versions of films. Two director's cuts that I have seen made the original films sooo much better. They were for Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now.


Comments?

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Targan 05-07-2008, 02:03 AM Oh yeah, and the director's cut of my all time favourite film Aliens. Love those automatic sentry guns.

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General Pain 05-07-2008, 03:55 AM EVIL DEAD 3


This one had 2 endings...one for europe (directors cut) and one for US (happy ending)

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copeab 05-07-2008, 04:22 AM Then there are director's cut versions of films. Two director's cuts that I have seen made the original films sooo much better. They were for Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now.


Comments?


Which director's cut for Blade Runner? I have the one without the narration and with the unicorn dream, but apparently there was another cut done in the last 3-4 years.


To go the other way, the director's cut for The Abyss was not as good as the theatrical version. I could have lived without all the preachiness of the added footage.


Brandon

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copeab 05-07-2008, 04:24 AM EVIL DEAD 3


This one had 2 endings...one for europe (directors cut) and one for US (happy ending)


I just watched the other ending on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3HBCopB7Hc


I can't really say I prefer one over the other.


Brandon

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copeab 05-07-2008, 04:29 AM Oh yeah, and the director's cut of my all time favourite film Aliens. Love those automatic sentry guns.


There is also the footage of the colony before disaster hits and the colonists who find the alien ship.


Minor trivia, but the actor (Mac MacDonald) who played a colony officer was also the captain of the Red Dwarf (BBC series).


Brandon

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Targan 05-07-2008, 05:49 AM And the guy who played Sgt Apone was in real life the first black US Marine to receive a field promotion to Sgt in the Vietnam War.

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pmulcahy 05-07-2008, 06:03 AM My personal favorite Director's Cut is the one for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

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MajorPo 05-07-2008, 06:38 AM I think I can safely say that the directors cut of any Kevin Costner movie is always a very bad thing....


I must agree with Targan, the alternative ending to I Am Legend was definitely a lot better (and closer to the original book)

I think the directors cut of Apocalypse Now was one of the best examples of how a change in editing can make a good film great.

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Targan 05-07-2008, 06:44 AM Which director's cut for Blade Runner? I have the one without the narration and with the unicorn dream, but apparently there was another cut done in the last 3-4 years.

The former was the one I meant. Haven't seen the other one.


In all things in the previous post MajorPo spoke true.

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jasonlips 05-07-2008, 07:26 AM The Directors cut of Blade Runner is a Masterpiece. Unreal. Aliens is awesome, as is Apoc Now.


The movie Brazil had two endings. The real ending used in Europe, and the 'happy' ending for the States. Brazil is an incredible film BTW.

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Targan 05-07-2008, 07:39 AM I really liked Brazil. I didn't know there was a director's cut. Thanks Jasonlips, I'm keen to find a copy.

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copeab 05-07-2008, 08:09 AM The movie Brazil had two endings. The real ending used in Europe, and the 'happy' ending for the States. Brazil is an incredible film BTW.


The ending I saw in the theatre in the US was the one where the main character had (permanently) snapped into his own fantasy world while in the torturer's chair?


If that's "happy" I'm not sure I want to see the real ending ...


Brandon

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Targan 05-07-2008, 08:20 AM I just watched the other ending on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3HBCopB7Hc


I can't really say I prefer one over the other.

That was a bummer.

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Grimace 05-08-2008, 06:01 PM I was a big fan of Aliens director's cut, but the one I liked the best in director's cut was "The Abyss". I felt it explained things a whole lot more.


And there's another one...not a "director's cut" per se, but the Criterion edition, that is just awesome.... The Seven Samurai.

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