10 Movies That Had Major Changes After Terrible Test Screenings

The purpose of test screenings is to give filmmakers insight into how their movie will be received And the opportunity to make some major changes if the screening is terrible. Movie endings have been greatly enhanced by test screenings in Hollywood history; It’s basically the opportunity for one last do-over if something about the movie is going to ruin its chances. Although it may seem like cheating, test audiences have undoubtedly saved some famous movies.

Test audiences often have something to do with alternate movie endings that technically didn’t happen, pointing out the flaws with a conclusion that would have confused people. Even some of the best movies of all time were changed at the last minute due to screen testing, resulting in the cinematic staples beloved by movie fans today. Test audiences may be evidence of Hollywood’s commercial interests, But they have been cemented as a vital part of the filmmaking process.

10

Pretty in Pink (1986)

Test audiences didn’t like Andy ending up with Ducky

One of the most famous Brat Pack and John Hughes movies, Pretty in pink Ends with the star-crossed romance triumphant. Molly Ringwald’s Andy finds herself in a love triangle of sorts with rich popular boy Blaine and her nerdy friend Ducky, Although the latter always felt something for her she never felt back. After Blaine scorns her, Andi creates her iconic prom dress and goes to the event with Ducky; The movie then originally ended with Andie and Duckie together after all.

Pretty in pinkThe original ending works in the sense that Andie ends up with the boy who actually treats her well, but test audiences didn’t see it that way. Early viewers were disappointed that Andy didn’t end up with Blaine, It led to a complicated reshoot when the actors had already moved on to other projects. Hughes still got his happy ending, with Andie ending up with Blane and Duckie supporting the relationship before he moved on to another girl at the prom.

9

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Scott ends up with Knives, which is worse than him ending up with Ramona

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Has two movie endings that both do a disservice to the participants involved, glossing over their issues that need to be resolved before committing to a new romance. Scott Pilgrim takes off Would later fix a lot of what the movie got wrong with its crazy meta-narrative, but test audiences at least saved the movie from its original ending. initially, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Would have ended with Ramona leaving and Scott getting back together with Knives.

That doesn’t work when a lot of the movie’s conflict comes from Scott being terrible at knives And his friends gossip about him with a high school student. However, while the movie may have rushed through Scott and Ramona’s arcs, not allowing either of them to address their problems before they walk away holding hands, it at least makes it clear that Knives really is too good for Scott. The movie as it is makes Naives a lovable character who leaves behind the drama of this relationship with her head held high.

8

Blade Runner (1982)

The happy ending of Blade Runner does not trust the audience to understand the symbolism

There are several cuttings of Blade Runner What needs explanation, underline the highly philosophical nature of the story. The theatrical version was considered the official one for decades, heavily influenced by the negative test screenings. After the test audience had their say, Executives demanded that Ridley Scott add Deckard’s story to explain some of the movie’s plot. This version also included a happier ending for Deckard and Rachael, as it was revealed that Rachael did not have a limited life.

The later director’s cut removed the ending and added the unicorn dream sequence, heavily implying that Deckard was also unknowingly a replicant. These elements were kept in the Final Cut, which is now considered the definitive version of the movie. Blade Runner Was a divisive movie in its time Because of the things that made it so different from other movies of the same genre. As appreciation for it grew, Scott was able to include the less conventional elements he wanted.

7

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Audrey II kills the main characters and takes over the world

Little Shop of Horrors is a funny, beloved Broadway musical about a shy man who works in a plant shop and comes into possession of a strange plant that he soon discovers consumes human blood. Name the plant after his co-worker and crush, Things spiral as Seymour struggles to keep Audrey II fed. All is well in the movie version of the musical, which ends with the plant defeated before it can do too much damage and Seymour and Audrey happily in a relationship.

Little Shop of Horrors Alternate ending saw Audrey accidentally being fatally injured by the plant, and then fed to it as per her dying wish. Seymour is then also killed by the plant, which grows large enough to begin striving for world domination. Although test audience against the ending, which leads to a happier, it is more similar to what is depicted in the musical. Little Shop of Horrors is ultimately a cautionary tale about good intentions gone wrong, Demonstrating a case where test audiences missed the point.

6

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Loki did not survive, preventing his role in Ragnarok, Endgame, & Loki

Loki’s death in Thor: The Dark World was meant to be permanent, relying on the villain’s redemption through death trope. A big part of the reason it was changed is that test audiences simply didn’t believe it, because Loki’s reputation For tricks and narrow escapes. on the other hand, Thor: The Dark World Originally had a better ending, depicting Jane breaking up with Thor. The conclusion would have made both of their characters more complicated and ultimately skipped ahead to the ending of the next movie.

Thor and Jane’s breakup couldn’t be written because of test audiences, while Loki’s survival was. Loki deserved to be his final outing with the MCU is a better movie than Thor: The Dark World, And the results of the test screening at least allowed his storyline with his brother Thor: Ragnarok and emotional death in Avengers: EndgameRegardless of people’s opinions about his show. However, the original ending would have been better for Jane’s character, helping her escape the passive girl characterization.

5

Back to the Future (1985)

Test audience wanted to know that Doc’s dog Einstein was okay

Back to the future was an ambitious movie for its time, essentially functioning as the comic counterpart to The TerminatorThe other great time-travel adventure movie of the 1980s. Back to the futures tumultuous production included casting changes and stressful test screenings Before it became the classic comedy adventure people still love today. One extra scene that clarifies a minor plot point was added because of test audience reactions to the fate of Einstein the dog.

Originally, when Doc put Einstein in the time machine, he just disappeared of the story. Because this caused the audience to worry, another scene was shot showing him arriving safely a minute into the future (via movieweb). This created a satisfying moment with the initial demonstration of how time travel works, as Doc and Marty can wait for Einstein to arrive in the future/present. It also keeps the movie’s tone intact by not including a presumed dead dog.

4

Goodfellas (1990)

Goodfellas was too violent for audiences the first time around

Goodfellas is a landmark movie in several categories: for the crime genre, Martin Scorsese’s unofficial saga of American Greed, the career of several main actors, and movies in general. It is shocking to hear that Gutfels Test screenings are so bad, almost entirely because of the violence of the movie. Goodfellas barely shying away from violence and other distressing topics, As this is part of the story that Scorsese wanted to tell. However, the elements initially scared and scared audience.

therefore, Scorsese was forced to tone down some of the depictions of violence and drug use in Goodfellas. Specifically, the scene of Billy Bats being stabbed was changed from him being stabbed seven times on screen to four times, the sequence of Henry’s drug abuse was shortened, and several other bloody moments were cut. It’s not as if this has a negative result, like Goodfellas is considered one of the best crime movies ever made.

3

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Sunset Boulevard’s opening scene was changed, rather than its ending

Sunset Blvd It also holds such a high status in the history of Hollywood that people would not naturally imagine a time when it was poorly received, or that the team behind it was less than brilliant and confident while making it. yet The original beginning of Sunset Blvd It was clearly a mistake It was too funny for the type of movie it was. The movie still opened with Joe Gillis’ death, but showed him waking up in the morgue and relating the story to the corpses (movieweb).

The weird opening was too ridiculous when the rest of the movie showcased the final version’s film noir tone. After the feedback from the test audience, Sunset Blvd Changed his opening to an establishment of Joe’s death that was more in line with the rest of the story. This has become the famous, dark take on Hollywood and its stars fading from fame, intriguing and nuanced from the beginning to Norma’s perfect last words.

2

The Beautiful Bones (2009)

Test audiences demanded a more karmic death for the villain in The Lovely Bones

The beautiful bones Is as disturbing of a movie as the book was before it, following the perspective of a murdered 14-year-old girl who watches over her family and her killer from the afterlife. The protagonist is skillfully played by a young Saoirse Ronan, while the role of her terrifying killer goes to Stanley Tucci. The beautiful bones ends with the villain’s death, But originally, this death was a very quick and non-graphic fall from a cliff; Test audiences changed this.

According to director Peter Jackson, test audiences weren’t satisfied with the character’s relatively painless death, prompting him to change the scene (via The Guardian). The final product includes a much more prolonged and painful death for the character, giving the audience exactly what they wanted after two hours of seeing a story from the point of view of a girl he murdered. With a movie as tragic as The beautiful bonesA complex like this was estimated, Implies a karmic universe for the audience to believe in.

1

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The ambiguous ending of the Shawshank Redemption has been changed to a surprisingly happy one

The Shawshank Redemption is by no means an easy, happy film, which shows a lot of injustice, remorse and catharsis that the prisoners in Shawshank Prison experienced. The filmmakers may have thought that an ambiguous final scene that did not confirm a happy ending was more in line with the story. in The Shawshank Redemption‘s original ending, the same as depicted in Stephen King’s story, Red plans to break his password and go find Andy, but the story never confirms if he does.

Screen crush Really says that The end of Red and Andy’s reunion was shown at the test screening and that it was the positive reaction of the audience to it that convinced Frank Darabont to keep it. Meanwhile, a scene of Red having a panic attack before going to the tree to find what was buried there was cut (via Indiewire). These changes created a well-paced, cathartic and hopeful ending for one of the greatest movies of all time, proving the value of test screenings, no matter how much filmmakers hate them.

Source: movieweb, The Guardian, Screen crush, Indiewire