After all, filmmaking is one of the most collaborative processes around, with everyone wanting their input.
Inevitably, there are spoilers ahead.
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49.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
Heres an example of less being definitely more.
It was cinematic immortality.
Director Hood explained the choosing of the ambiguous ending in the following way.
In terms of choosing which ending to use, the big thing was which ending made people talk more.
Then the natural question is, Well, what do you think should happen?
And that question kept people talking for far longer after screenings than either of the other endings.
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46.
DirectorRidley Scotthas stated this is meant to show the symbolic corruption of the boy.
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44.
Ronin
An ending to debate over, this one.
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43.
In The Mood For Love
The ending ofIn The Mood for Loveis beautiful, elegiac, and heartrending.
In this alternate and impossible ending, Chow bumps into her while in Angkor Wat.
Its a sad scene, with nothing more to add for the pair, and questions unanswered.
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42.
Weve been on this journey for many days.
The next scene shows a happy Elliot playing with other children.
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40.
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Standhad a number of different endings.
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39.
The destruction says it all Donnie has put right the timeline in a poignant sacrifice.
Yes, youve read that correctly.
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Its much better the way it is now, with the sensation of flight and freedom.
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36.
In the international ending, Lee defeats the evil Dr Land, and rescues Ann.
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35.
When the police arrive, they eventually shoot a spaced out knife wielding Katie.
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34.
Suspicion
Proof here that focus groups and studios bowing to the wishes of the mainstream audience arent new concepts.
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32.
Dawn of the Dead
A really interesting one from Romeros original zombie film.
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29.
Kudos toSly Stallonefor choosing the right path.
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Sweet Home Alabama
I place this in here as an example of the utter insanity that exists in Hollywood.
How could anyone genuinely think this would have been a good idea to put on screen?
They then ask for a slow dance and everyone lives happily ever after.
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27.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
The original ending ofDodgeballwas darkly hilarious.
Good guy wins, bad guy loses.
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26.
Pineapple Express
Quite simply, this is the ending that should have happened.
The temporal shenanigans make my head hurt.
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24.
True Romance
The late, great Tony Scott has left us with this classic amongst many others.
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23.
In this version however, Esther escapes the film alive and well.
Tracy comes to visit him to make it test drive a car.
Both offer an apology for their actions, before Tracy asks her former teacher to sign her empty yearbook.
The Birds
I loveThe Birds.
Like all ofAlfred Hitchcocks work, its a superbly made film, offering endless iconic shots and great performances.
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20.
Sometimes, they can completely change the film and everything youve seen.
Which makes no sense.
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18.
First Blood
How I personally wish the film had ended this way.
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16.
Its a bleak, take-no-prisoners curtain call which was totally unexpected.
I thought at least one of them would make it out alive after all wed invested.
But then I thought it was amazing and a real brave choice.
Heres to the original and best.
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15.
Clerks
SoClerks, hey?
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14.
All of these involved poor Jim dying.
Selena and Hannah then leave, with the hospital doors swinging behind them and an ominous fade to black.
Instead Selena talks to a chicken.
Rather the survivors discover the medical base from the beginning of the movie, where the virus was created.
Cue Jim sacrificing himself and being left strapped to a table full of rage virus.
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12.
But what if the filmmakers had decided to use this smart and compelling alternate ending instead?
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Yep, thats in there.
Then she reveals that John Connor became a Senator.
But how could he even be alive without Judgment Day happening?
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10.
Titanic
Easily my favorite alternate ending on the list, James Cameron actually filmed this travesty.
(Yep, the dialogue is that bad.)
before Bill Paxton laughs maniacally at the sky.
Pretty Woman
A much-loved romantic classic that teaches us to look for love in the most unlikely of places?
Well not if theyd gone with the original and horribly misogynistic script, entitled $3,000.
In it, Edward is a complete and utter horrible bastard, while Vivian is a crack-addicted prostitute.
She then goes to Disneyland.
Heres an example of the delightful prose…
EDWARD
Dont make me regret ever picking you up.
Now hey, get out of the car.
I have to go.
Edward grabs her by the hand and starts to pull her from the car.
Vivian explodes again and starts hitting and kicking him.
Edward forcibly drags her from the car and then throws her to the ground.
He slams the door shut.
As Vivian hits the ground she begins to cry again, too weak to fight anymore.
Edward looks down at her.
He takes the money envelope from his jacket and holds it out to her.
Here, take it.
VIVIAN
(sobbing in fits)
I dont want it.
Theres more of that righthere, its quite the read.
Do I need to say more?
Only after Gilliam conducted unauthorised screenings and won awards did the studio relent and allow this ending out.
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5.
Finally, theyd break the fourth wall, seemingly crashing through the cinema screen to attack the audience.
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4.
Then he screams with anguish and the movie ends.
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2.
Clue
There are three endings for the price of one in this whodunnit classic.
It fits the film perfectly, leaves the door open to debate the is Deckard a replicant or not?
question, and doesnt feel like a tacked on studio ending.
Which is exactly what the original ending was.
If alternate endings didnt exist, wed have been stuck with it.
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