The Vanishing- original and American versions (spoilers)

Cafe Society
1

I saw the American version of **The Vanishing ** on the shelves at Blockbuster the other day, and it got me wondering what the difference was between the original and the American version. I remember reading several times on the boards that the American version completely changes the ending to a happy one.

I’ve seen the original, but it has been so long that I don’t completely remember what happens in it either. Here’s what I think I remember: a guy and girl stop at a gas station, the girl goes missing, and the guy somehow finds out who the bad guy is who did it, and the bad guy offers to show him where the girl is, and then the guy ends up being buried alive. Is that close to right?

So could someone please tell me if that is the correct plotline for the original The Vanishing, and how it changed in the American version? This has been bugging me and I would really appreciate knowing.

2

That’s more or less the plot of the original. The only thing I’d add is that the bad guy doesn’t offer to show him where the girl is, he offers to show him what happened to her, and it turns out what happened is that the bad guy buried her alive.

I never saw the American version, so I can’t help you on that. The original version is pretty much the creepiest movie I’ve ever seen, and the only movie I’ve ever seen in my life that I’d go out of my way to avoid seeing again. Waaaay too creepy for me.

3

In the American version, hero’s new girlfriend finds him, digs him up, they kill bad guy, and all live happily ever after.

So, original movie and book = horrific ending; Hollywood/American version = happy ending

4

I’ve never seen the remake, but that’s what I’ve been told happens. I have the original, and after hearing how they bungled the ending of the American version I think that I will only watch the original version.

Of course, I thought that A.I. should have ended with the kid trapped in the submarine and the lights dimming to black. I’m a sucker for an unhappy ending.

5

It should be noted that both the Dutch and American versions of the film were directed by the same guy, George Sluizer (whose career has been pretty negligible since then).

The terrible American version is also notable for (1) having one of the rare, bad Jeff Bridges performances (he really should stay away from weird accents), and (2) giving away the buried alive detail in the freaking trailer! :rolleyes:

6

Thank you for the replies. That makes sense how Hollywood would change the ending to that.

I should rent the original again, it’s been too long since I’ve seen it, and it really is such a great movie.

7

I don’t know if you get the cable channel IFC, but they’ve been playing the original recently.

8

Another problem with the Hollywood ending is that it isn’t really a happy ending. The guys original girlfriend is still dead, so the ending is only happy if you are willing to forget the first part of the movie, but that is what the movie was supposed to be about. It’s a compromise ending, and that is why it sucks.