8 Responses to “Sometimes, the Original Ending Sucks”

1. Osbo Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 12:55 pm

   1 In this original ending to Clerks, Dante is killed in a store robbery. WHA? Although arguably a more realistic ending, it’s completely out of left field and totally subverts the tone of the film. I never understood why ending a story by one killing the other is ever “realistic”. Homicide accounts for less than 2% of index crimes, after all. In fact, most people who are committing robberies wouldn’t kill the clerk immediately, since that elevates their crime significantly from robbery to homicide, and that’s not good in the day and age of the death penalty. It’s usually the kind of ending that happens when a writer runs out of ideas and needs to be finished at some point. Happens a lot in amateur improvs, too. You’d have two characters pursue their goals, and if there’s no end in sight, one kills the other… …and scene. You’re right, it isn’t a strong ending, comes out of left field, and there is no plant for it at all. The closest thing is “I’m not even supposed to be here today,” but that’s not a plant. Maybe scenes here and there with people discussing armed robberies in newspapers, etc. But that didn’t happen. It’s funny that “realistic” seems to be a way of saying “violent” or “dark” or “grim” or “death”. Sure, random homicides happen, but not in the frequency they do in movies. Great selection of original endings.

2. Chris Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 1:22 pm

   2 See, I read the script book before I saw Clerks… and the ending makes perfect sense. It doesn’t just happen out of nowhere, there’s a whole plotline about the guy with the gun, trying to buy drugs off Jay and Silent Bob, but he’s out of cash, but he needs to score… so he shoots the guy who’s just had the worst day of his life, they guy who wasn;t even meant to be there that day. I also like the original ending to Dodgeball, which is at least 9,000% more shocking.

3. Jami Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 1:31 pm

   3 Author Comment In that context, it certainly makes sense. But without that subplot, it doesn’t work at all.

4. kindless Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 5:15 pm

   4 I preferred the original ending to the Butterfly Effect, and I preferred the theater version to I Am Legend. I guess because I don’t care for hollywood happy endings.

5. Jack T Robyn Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 6:35 pm

   5 I KNEW IT! I thought I was insane (but I digress), but I was POSITIVE I remembered the potion and the drops from the first time I saw Army of Darkness, when I was like 12. Bwahahahaha! I am sane, SANE I TELL YOU! WHAHAHA!

6. Jack T Robyn Posted: Apr 21st, 2008 at 7:00 pm

   6 Now that I’ve watched them: -definitely- prefer the original ending to I Am Legend. I was dissapointed, in the original, that he never figured out why the big guy was so intently after him (even though it was obvious to the rest of us).

7. Drezz Posted: Apr 23rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm

   7 These three endings are cop outs. The Army of Darkness one was just pure silliness, Clerks was unnecessary, and T2 was such a patronizing way to end it all. I’ve noticed that screenplays since the 70s have always been set up in a way that allows for sequels to occur. Its good marketing and money-making. Movies that are based off of stories with definitive beginnings and ends generally do well - but it always leaves people wanting more - if the story is left open, it allows the imagination of people to keep going and fuel the hope of a sequel. The dynamics of the movie marketing machine may seem like this cookie cutter thing - but its so complex and interesting - the way they manipulate minds into continuing stories in the hopes of closure.

8. Xenos Posted: Apr 26th, 2008 at 1:00 am

   8 Bah. Neither of the endings to I Am Legend were good. Both of them were tacked on happy Hollywood endings. Don’t kid yourself. A roommate watched it the other night and I subjected myself to it too. The start wasn’t bad despite changes, but the last 1/3 or so fell apart. The last line about his ‘legend’ made me scream at the TV. (Not a good thing when it was 2AM.) Hell, they even tossed in some right wing holly roller bit about God and the ending has her going to church practically. What bull crap! Not only does Neville die, but the ‘monsters’ take over the planet. THE END. No cure. The legend is that he was some fossil, some monster that was killing the new race of people. Imagine if some ancient monster went around hunting down people for no reason we could determine. That was his legend. The bastards changed the name of the book.