# Anyone else remember the alternate ending to "Big"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [April 16, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864 "2002-04-16T02:03:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/1 "2002-04-16T02:03:28Z")
I was telling a friend the other day that I remembered the Tom Hanks movie ending different when I was younger. I saw it on video when it first came out and swear there is a different ending. In the version we all have seen, it ends with Josh and his friend walking down the street. Fade to Black. In the version I remember, it cuts to school and Josh is in class. The teacher introduces a new student named… the girl Josh was in love with. Yep, she went to the fair and asked the machine to become Josh’s age. Josh and her have eye contact and they laugh. Fade to black. The imdb lists this as a possible alternate version in the New Zealand video release. I distinctly remember this(shot for show) in the U.S. [http://us.imdb.com/AlternateVersions?0094737](http://us.imdb.com/AlternateVersions?0094737) Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Blind\_Guardian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@Blind\_Guardian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blind_Guardian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/2 "2002-04-16T04:27:56Z")
You may be confusing two movies. Big came out around the same time as three other movies with similar themes. Every Sunday night, ABC used to show a family-friendly Disney movie. One of these was quite similar to Big. The title escapes me at the moment, but the basic plot is this: -Boy’s geeky friend invents machine designed to age seeds into full grown fruits and vegetables. -Boy uses machine to make self into an adult, and impersonates the new principal of his school. -Hilarity ensues he implements the sort of changes a mental 11 or 12 year old would make, were he running a school. -Boy falls in love with his beautiful teacher -I’m kind of foggy about what makes him decide to change back, but I’m sure some valuable life lessons were learned. -Boy reverts to normal age, comes into class the next day to find out that hot teacher has likewise used the machine to regress to his age, and is now a new student in his class. -Boy’s geeky friend shows up as a new science teacher If anyone else recalls this movie, I’m sure they’ll be able to provide the name of the movie and more details. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I know I’m not hallucinating this. ---
**Author:** ![Kipper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Kipper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kipper)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/3 "2002-04-16T09:13:53Z")
From what I remember, it’s been a long time since I saw Big on video, it ends with the same scene as you have described as in the US version here in Kiwiland. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/4 "2002-04-16T10:04:45Z")
Possible “Vice Versa” with Fred Savage? ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/5 "2002-04-16T13:31:00Z")
**Mahaloth** , I distinctly remember that alternate ending too. And I’m in the US. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/6 "2002-04-16T14:52:57Z")
It’s the ending I remember airing on television. And I live in Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/7 "2002-04-16T15:12:19Z")
I dimly remember reading they contemplated an ending where either the Toms Hanks character stays as an adult (but they didn’t want the worried mom casting a pall over the ending) or the Elizabeth Perkins character becoming a girl again so they could grow up together (either not the point of the story, or not believable). In any case, Elizabeth Perkins should have become a Major Star from this movie. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/8 "2002-04-16T15:14:02Z")
TOM Hanks, not “Toms.” Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/9 "2002-04-16T15:24:05Z")
From the IMDb ([www.imdb.com](http://www.imdb.com)): > [@](#): > > A home video release of this movie in New Zealand is rumored to have included an alternate ending. The alternate ending shows young Josh sitting in his classroom at school when he turns around to notice a young female classmate of whom he recognises as Susan - who went back to the fairground machine and wished that she was Josh’s age. The US DVD release of this film simply shows Josh and Billy walking up their street, then the credits roll in. No real details, and I suspect that if this were really filmed it would have shown up in the US DVD release. My guess is that it’s a misremembered ending from a similar movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/10 "2002-04-16T16:12:18Z")
Well, see, I don’t think I’m crazy. I do remember this ending, and it was definitely for _Big_. According to the [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd/B00000K3CR/tech-info/104-7043342-8393506), the DVD doesn’t have many special features. Just a trailer and letterbox formatting. If they released a Special Edition of the DVD that didn’t include the alternate ending, I’d then be more inclined to think that we’re all insane. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/11 "2002-04-16T16:57:45Z")
And I just noticed that the OP had all that stuff from IMDb. Never mind. Anyone in NZ out there? This should be pretty easy to verify. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/12 "2002-04-16T19:54:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Theological Ninja \* > \*\*If anyone else recalls this movie, I’m sure they’ll be able to provide the name of the movie and more details. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I know I’m not hallucinating this. \*\* I remember that movie too, but not the title. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/13 "2002-04-16T21:12:40Z")
Let me put it this way. I am 100% sure this ending exists for “Big”, but am looking for others who have seen it. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/14 "2002-04-17T00:46:24Z")
Is [this](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0094592) the movie you’re talking about? “14 going on 30” ---
**Author:** ![Darren1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Darren1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren1)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/15 "2011-12-25T20:51:54Z")
as said above the film is called 14 going on 30 and has that ending and was made the same year as Big here is the youtube link for the ending… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6783tkwbZw0/hqdefault.jpg "Re: 14 going on 30 - PART-9 Final") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6783tkwbZw0) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/16 "2011-12-25T21:29:56Z")
Big was my favorite movie as a kid, I watched it hundreds of times. I don’t recall ever seeing this alternate ending for it. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/17 "2011-12-25T21:41:09Z")
> [@Darren1](#): > > as said above the film is called 14 going on 30 and has that ending and was made the same year as Big here is the youtube link for the ending… > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6783tkwbZw0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6783tkwbZw0) That ending sure fits the OP’s description. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/18 "2011-12-25T23:13:09Z")
Am I the only one who remembers the OTHER alternate ending, in which they both get turned into Zombies? Joe ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/19 "2011-12-25T23:24:03Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > That ending sure fits the OP’s description. Huh? There’s no announcement that there’s a new student, and the focus of the scene is on the new teacher. In fact, the first part makes the whole thing seem really weird. How does someone get into a class without being the new student? ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864/20 "2011-12-25T23:33:31Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Am I the only one who remembers the OTHER alternate ending, in which they both get turned into Zombies? > > Joe :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-remember-the-alternate-ending-to-big/103864.md?page=2)