# Movies with alternate endings **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 15, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974 "2011-11-15T04:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/1 "2011-11-15T04:07:35Z")
would you watch a movie with distinct, and random endings (presumably one happy, one sad)? that is, walking into the cinema you would have no idea which version you’ll get. this has already happened in games. i would love this as the outcome would not be assured and, should it be a great movie, i would get the dvd to see both endings. i’m adding this to the other idea posted here where movies were played with random takes. that is, the story remains the same but multiple takes of the same scene would be chosen at random; such that though it is the same movie, it won’t actually be the _same_. it’s the digital age. it will happen eventually. right? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/2 "2011-11-15T04:09:57Z")
_Clue_ did most if not all of what you mention, although it preceded DVD. The DVD has options to pick a random one. > [@Wikipedia](#): > > At this point, the story proceeds to one of three endings: A, B, or C. In the film’s initial theatrical run, some theaters announced which ending the viewer would see.[3] In the VHS home video and releases, and most television broadcasts, the three endings are shown sequentially, with the first two characterized as possible endings, but ending C being the true one. The DVD home release also provides the option of a random single ending. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/3 "2011-11-15T04:10:58Z")
[It’s been done](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clue_%28film%29), more or less, with the movie Clue: > [@](#): > > In keeping with the nature of the board game, in theatrical release the movie was shown with one of three possible endings, with different theaters receiving each ending. (In the film’s home video release, all three endings were included.) As for me, it sounds too gimmicky. The nice thing with games is that you control the ending. With a movie, I lack the control, so I’d rather the artist make the best possible ending. edit: shakesfists ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/4 "2011-11-15T04:34:51Z")
1985! maybe with the popularity of “reality” tv, they should give it another shot. > [@](#): > > … In the film’s initial theatrical run, some theaters announced which ending the viewer would see.[3] … that kind of defeat the entire purpose of having multiple endings.. yeah it would probably be gimmicky. however, if it is done well, they would have the freedom to explore the darker side of a story and maybe kill off characters that would otherwise be invincible because “the test group rejected the sad ending”. this way, the artist would have his preferred ending while also having the ‘safe’ ending to please the suits. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/5 "2011-11-15T04:36:44Z")
I hear the movie Clue did this… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/6 "2011-11-15T08:59:03Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > As for me, it sounds too gimmicky. The nice thing with games is that you control the ending. With a movie, I lack the control, so I’d rather the artist make the best possible ending. I’d have felt shortchanged if I’d seen just one ending at the cinema. Watching all three endings on the DVD works perfectly given that it’s adapted from the boardgame, with the final one being the best. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/7 "2011-11-15T09:34:51Z")
Slight hijack but is it common for studios to now shoot alternate endings with a view to the DVD/Blu-Ray market? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/8 "2011-11-15T10:09:31Z")
Not sure how many people know about this, but briefly for a time during the mid-1990s United Artists (The theater chain, not the film company) was involved in something I completely forget the name of (and desperate Google searches failed me) but was essentially a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to movies. At a manager’s conference in Sacramento, California we were the first to take part in experiencing this “groundbreaking” technology. Essentially, on your armrest was a joystick/keypad with three buttons: A, B, C. At any given point in the film you could supposedly choose which way you wanted the story to continue. The sample film we were shown starred Christopher Lloyd (yes, THAT Christopher Lloyd, and I’ve searched his IMDB page and can’t find hide nor hair of this) but it consisted of things where “this happened” then he’d say “What happens next?” and you’re given three choices. You punch your fave and the fave of the audience then plays out. The bizarre thing is…this was being done when most theaters were still showing FILM movies. You would need multiple projectors aimed at the same screen and multiple prints to even consider such a thing. (Everything’s digital now, according to a friend who still works in the industry. You enter a code proving you’re allowed to/have paid for rights to that film then transfer the info to the projector via memory stick.) So needless to say this never caught on. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/9 "2011-11-15T10:49:00Z")
Not quite what the OP was talking about, but the DVD of _Scott Pilgrim vs The World_ including an alternate ending that basically changed the plot of the entire movie. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/10 "2011-11-15T12:34:20Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > Not sure how many people know about this, but briefly for a time during the mid-1990s United Artists (The theater chain, not the film company) was involved in something I completely forget the name of (and desperate Google searches failed me) but was essentially a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to movies. At a manager’s conference in Sacramento, California we were the first to take part in experiencing this “groundbreaking” technology. > > Essentially, on your armrest was a joystick/keypad with three buttons: A, B, C. At any given point in the film you could supposedly choose which way you wanted the story to continue. The sample film we were shown starred Christopher Lloyd (yes, THAT Christopher Lloyd, and I’ve searched his IMDB page and can’t find hide nor hair of this) but it consisted of things where “this happened” then he’d say “What happens next?” and you’re given three choices. You punch your fave and the fave of the audience then plays out. > > The bizarre thing is…this was being done when most theaters were still showing FILM movies. You would need multiple projectors aimed at the same screen and multiple prints to even consider such a thing. (Everything’s digital now, according to a friend who still works in the industry. You enter a code proving you’re allowed to/have paid for rights to that film then transfer the info to the projector via memory stick.) > > So needless to say this never caught on. This reminds me of the 1961 William Castle film _Mr. Sardonicus_. At a point late in the movie when the villian is due his comeuppance the action is stopped and Mr. Castle appears on screen, telling the audience that they will now vote on whether the villain will get off lightly, or receive a harsh punishment for his actions. Mr. Castle knew what kind of people went to his movies, though-he never filmed the alternate ending where the title character got off lightly. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/11 "2011-11-15T12:42:09Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > Not sure how many people know about this, but briefly for a time during the mid-1990s United Artists (The theater chain, not the film company) was involved in something I completely forget the name of (and desperate Google searches failed me) but was essentially a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to movies. … > So needless to say this never caught on. I vaguely remember a version of this at either Hollywood Studios or Universal Studios (the theme parks in Orlando) at about that same time frame. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/12 "2011-11-15T12:50:33Z")
At Expo 67 in Montreal there was an attraction like this – they had a movie with many “branch points” at which the audience could vote for which of two ways the plot could go. There weren’t as many choices as you’d think, because although there were N branch points, the teo choices both lead to the same next branch point. In other words, if the segments were a, b, c, etc. in order, there were only two segment a’s, two segment b’s, two distinct segment c’s, and so on, instead of 2 segment a’s, leading to 4 different segment b’s, leading to 8 different segment c’s, and so on. Even so, there were just as many possible combinations (although they would have been pretty repetitious to watch). ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/13 "2011-11-15T13:01:18Z")
Not a movie, but there is the musical [Drood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drood). Charles Dickens wrote the book **The Mystery of Edwin Drood** but died before completing it, so in the play, there is a break before the end to vote on various topics, including the whodunnit part, and then the actors reassemble on stage to complete the story. (And I did see it on Broadway, so that’s a tentative “yes” vote from me - depending on the film, I might in fact choose to see it.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/14 "2011-11-15T13:40:06Z")
Here’s the Expo 67 movie, from the Czech pasvilion. You have to scroll down to the bottom of the page: > **[Expo 67 - Czechoslovakia](https://www.westland.net/expo67/map-docs/czech.htm)** > [@](#): > > Kino-automat was an experimental theater where six times a day, groups of 127 spectators watched a 45 minute movie. As the cinematic tale unfolds, it poses a dilemma. Should he or shouldn’t he? The film stops, the lights go up and the actor appears. The audience votes for the choice from buttons beside their seats and computers tally the scores on boards on the side of the screen. The film proceeds according to the choice made by the collective audience. Choices are made five times during the unique show. ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/15 "2011-11-15T15:23:08Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Not quite what the OP was talking about, but the DVD of _Scott Pilgrim vs The World_ including an alternate ending that basically changed the plot of the entire movie. And there are certainly others. I remember that the _Training Day_ DVD had an alternate or extended ending, though I don’t recall whether it was much of a change from the ending in the theater version. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/16 "2011-11-15T17:17:24Z")
The Ayn Rand courtroom play, _The Night of January 16_ starts with twelve members of the audience being drawn to serve as the jury. Their verdict determines the outcome. No hung juries here, it doesn’t have to be unanimous, a simple majority rules. ---
**Author:** ![Cabot\_Covian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aca169/32.png) [@Cabot\_Covian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabot_Covian)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/17 "2011-11-15T17:46:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **voguevixen** > Not sure how many people know about this, but briefly for a time during the mid-1990s United Artists (The theater chain, not the film company) was involved in something I completely forget the name of (and desperate Google searches failed me) but was essentially a “Choose Your Own Adventure” approach to movies. … > So needless to say this never caught on. That was [Mr. Payback](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Payback), with Billy Warlock as the main character, a revenge-for-hire android. Every few minutes the audience would be faced with one of three choices (which villain to humiliate/how to do so, etc.), and would press the corresponding button on an armchair joypad to vote - majority rules. After 30 or so seconds the scenario with the most votes would play out. Two friends and I were part of a beta test, where watched the movie about 5 times in one night and played with different scenarios. We loved it, but we were also 14 and loud, which definitely helped the experience. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t made it to DVD yet, although there are other DVD Choose Your Own Adventure style movies out there. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-with-alternate-endings/602974/18 "2011-11-15T19:00:01Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > The Ayn Rand courtroom play, _The Night of January 16_ starts with twelve members of the audience being drawn to serve as the jury. Their verdict determines the outcome. No hung juries here, it doesn’t have to be unanimous, a simple majority rules. What happens if the “jury” ties 6 to 6?