Top 10: Alternate End #1

Last Updated on July 27, 2021

Everybody has got their favorite feature
when watching a DVD. Some enjoy the commentaries, others enjoy the deleted
scenes, I, myself particularly enjoy watching the alternate ending feature.
Although, most times I am extremely disappointed from what I see.

In most cases, I rush to buy a
DVD with the words “SHOCKING ALTERNATE ENDING” plastered over the cover, only to
discover there’s nothing shocking or different about the new ending. (*Cough
Scream 3 and Wicker Man remake cough*) The ending just usually involves
alternate takes and extended shots that weren’t used in the theatrical version.
(LAME!)

But, in very few cases, some
DVDS will have an ending so different from the theatrical version, that it
completely changes the tone and outcome of the film. Here is my list of
alternate endings to look out for on DVD. They may not all be superior to the
original film, but they are all entertaining to watch.

WARNING – SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!

10.
Terminator 2

This amazing film
is on my personal top ten list of all time favorite films. Even though the
ending was dark, I wouldn’t have changed it, because it felt right for the tone
of the film. It left viewers thinking there was a better hope for the future.
Unfortunately, it also left the door open to make the disappointing and inferior
T3, which I still wish I could erase from my memory. I recently saw a tagged on
ending for T2 that had Sarah Connor and John Connor in the future living a
normal and happy life. Sure, it’s cheesy. But, if they kept that ending, there
would never have been an inferior second sequel.

9. Final
Destination

The original
ending for this film was actually quite depressing. Alex ends up dying to
save a pregnant Clear, who then has Alex’s baby, (a subplot that was ignored
in the theatrical version) thus breaking Death’s plan. When I had first
watched this alternate ending, I was very happy the studio stuck to the fun
and flashier ending seen in theatres. Although, after watching FD2 and
seeing Alex’s character bumped off so effortlessly, I changed my mind. I’d
rather see this character go out in a blaze of glory, instead of getting
knocked off by a falling brick off screen.

8.
They

Despite the fact
this is not a very memorable film, I do remember liking the alternate ending
much better than the dreary and weird theatrical ending. In the theatrical
ending, Julia (Laura “ I die in every horror film I’m in” Regan) gets taken away
by the night terrors in her hospital room. In the alternate ending, it suggests
that she imagined everything in her head, and she was going crazy. Sure, it’s a
predictable “twist” ending, but that ending filled in a lot of plot holes that
the theatrical version didn’t.

7. 28 Days
Later

I love the
original ending for this film, but it just didn’t feel right to me that Jim (Cillian
Murphy) lived. I always preferred the alternate ending of Jim dying because it
worked better cinematically. I liked the fact that Jim’s story started and ended
in a hospital bed. I also liked the fact that Jim started out only caring to
save his own ass, but ended up sacrificing his life to save his friends. The
original ending just seemed way too happy for such a dark and bleak film.

6. Jaws 4

Don’t ask me why,
but when I was little I LOVED watching this movie. Although, I would HATE
watching the scene when the mighty fine Mario Van Peebles gets eaten by the
shark near the end of the film. It upset me almost as much as seeing Johnny 5
get his ass kicked in Short Circuit 2. (Anyone who knows me, KNOWS how
traumatized I was after that.) I used to wish the ending to Jaws 4 was
different every time I watched it. Imagine my surprise when one day I watched
the movie and Mario actually gets back on the boat safely. It blew my mind!
Being six years old at the time, that was a total mind f*ck! I actually thought
I could change the endings of movies with my mind for a while.

PART 2 OF THIS LIST IS COMING SOON!