DeanoBKN

While watching Clue last night, I was trying to think of any other movie that had alternate endings, not just to be locked away in a vault or put on a DVD special feature, but rather shown at different theaters during it's initial run.

As most of us know, Clue had 3 different endings. Depending on which theater you saw the film at, you were shown a different ending. The home video & television broadcasts added all 3 endings back to back, but during it's theater run you only saw 1 of those.

Were there any other movies that tried this unique approach?

RKillgore

I think Clue was unique in that the alternative endings were actually shown. Considering how often alternative endings in movies occur in the creative and marketing process, it's surprising it wasn't utilized more often.

Mr. Sardonicus theoretically had two endings and the audience voted on which ending was to be shown. It was one of William Castle's gimmicks. I wonder how well it worked. You might see it just for the audience participation and you might see it again trying to see the "other" ending.

darkside

I remember seeing Clue in a theater as a kid. The multiple ending thing was kind of cool at the time. I got the Ms Scarlet ending and had to wait for it to end up on HBO before I could see the other two endings. I don't remember any other film doing something like that in theaters.

FinkPish

Didn't Phantom Menace had the instance of a different version of Darth Maul's death on certain reels? This wasn't done intentionally, but some people did see something different on certain screens.

At one point several years ago, I remember talk of doing more interactive movies, where audiences would choose the direction a character could take throughout the movie, like Choose Your Own Adventure books. I don't know how interesting that would be in a big theater where the mob rules, but at home it would be something fun to play around with.

Jay G.

It was a change in the film that occurred between the prints made for the advance press screenings and general release. I don't know if anyone who saw it in general release saw the original version:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120915/alternateversions

There actually was one such interactive movie made and screened. It was called "Mr. Payback," and was written and directed by Bob Gale. It completely bombed and stopped development of other films of this type.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113863/

I think RKillgore is correct in that Clue was unique, in that the alternate endings were shown during the original release, and in the same country. The closest other example I can think of was when they added the original ending to 28 Days Later, and which was shown after the theatrical ending and credits.

There are times when the foreign release of a film may have an alternate ending. Army of Darkness had its original ending shown in some countries. Also, there's the case of where a later re-release of a Directors Cut or other alternate cut with a different ending, like Blade Runner.

Shannon Nutt

Clue's bombing at the box office is one of the main reasons it hasn't happened again.

My Other Self

I saw Clue on HBO in the '90s. I thought it was a cute little movie. It had a decent cast.. why did it bomb?

Cornelius1047

A movie based on a board game with no big stars. No clue* why it bombed.

K


* Pun, surely, intended.

Defiant1

I'm going to watch Clue again tonight because of this thread. Madeline Khan is friggin' hilarious.

"I hated her soooo much...FLAMES! Flames on the side of my face...heaving...heaving breaths..."

islandclaws

I know this was an idea that Ronny Yu had for Freddy vs. Jason at one point. Obviously the studio didn't go for it, but it was a neat idea that I would have liked to see implemented.

tylergfoster

I read somewhere that the PLAN was, at least, to have letterings for each showing of Clue, i.e. A, B, or C so you would be able to know which ending you were going to see and then go see the other ones. I forget whether or not that was actually done.

Roybq

That's exactly how it was done. I found an old advertisement for "Clue" and it says which ending was at that particular theater. I fell for the idea because I sought out all 3 theatres in the area to see them all. One of our nearby theatres had it playing on 2 screens with 2 different endings, so I didn't have to travel too far to see at least 2 of them.

Geofferson

Heard a rumor that The Ruins had alternate endings during its theatrical run -- all of them available on the DVD -- unsure if valid though.

DthRdrX

For the record, Clue kicks ass. Tim Curry owned that role.

jeffkjoe

CLUE was unique in that a different ending was showing in different theaters.

So, you might get a Ms. Scarlett CLUE ending at one theater, and the Col. Mustard CLUE ending at another. There were three endings.



I was going to watch this in the theaters back in '85. I remember calling the theater manager of one cinema and asked him which ending was being shown.

RichC2

Naw, there was on ending on that one. The DVD/BD does feature an alternate though.

Jay G.

Is there any way you can scan that ad in? I'd love to see it.

clckworang

I saw this movie as a kid at the theater back in the day. I got the Peacock ending.

Draven

I'm a huge fan of "Clue", but didn't see it in the theater.

I've often been curious though - if only one ending was showing in the theater, wouldn't the movie have been like 70 minutes long? Those multiple endings add a bunch of time on the home version.

majorjoe23

With 28 Days Later they showed an alternate ending, but it was after the regular theatrical ending.

DeanoBKN

In Ebert's review, (where I found out about the multiple endings) he said the movie was 88 minutes.

I'm honestly surprised no other movie ever tried this gimmick. I started this thread hoping to find out more, but guess not.

Growing up it seemed Comedy Central played Clue twice a day for a year straight, so I got to know the movie quite well. I think it was about as good as a movie based on a board game could be, and the multiple endings made perfect sense.

My Other Self

Comedy Central played the hell out of it earlier in the decade.

Cornelius1047

You have no idea how often I've quoted that exact line in the past couple years. Hilarious. I might need to watch it again soon. I've been meaning to... for about half a year.

K

tylergfoster

I read that if Clue had been a success, they were going to make Monopoly and Sorry! movies. I know that Ridley Scott still wants to do a Monopoly movie (the 80's version was described as a "Fawlty Towers" sort of thing), but I have no idea why they would pick Sorry! to be made into a movie, because that just doesn't make any sense. I remember there was talk of a Hot Wheels movie more recently, like around 2000, and that didn't make any sense to me either -- unless there's some sort of scale, aren't Hot Wheels just cars?

Jay G.

Here's a fairly recent article about possible adaptations of Monopoly and Ouija
http://www.filmstalker.co.uk/archive...uija_boar.html