Regulus

OK, here's the deal. Pick a Movie, any one you like. Let's say YOU were in charge of making that movie. What changes would you make?

I'll start this off with Toy Story 2 There's a scene where Jessie (The Yodeling Cowgirl) laments about the the girl who owned her (Emily) and how she grew up and left her in a Charity Drop Box. I would have made the movie go full circle by revealing that Emily is Andy's Mother! I would also have a scene where Al arrives at the Toy Museum in Japan, meets the Curator of that Museum, then opens the case containing the toys, only to discover there's nothing inside!

It's your turn now, what changes would you make to a movie?

Nick Danger

I watched Lord of the Rings for the first time, and I was disappointed at how Jackson handled some scenes.

If you're one of the few other people in the world who hasn't seen the movie, the rest of my post is solid SPOILERS.

In the book, Boromir was a decent and noble guy who got corrupted by his proximity to the Ring. In the movie, all his good deeds were given to Aragorn, to make him more heroic. It's less frightening when a whiney jackass turns on Frodo and demands the ring, and less redemptive when he dies defending Frodo's escape. There is no near fall and recovery.

In the book, Gandalf had to convince King Theoden to start acting like a king, after having been worn down by years of hypnosis by the charming and articulate Wormtongue. "Your hand is better suited to a sword than a staff." "Oh, no, your majesty, you're too ill today. Are you going to let this wizard tell you what to do?" The battle for Theoden's soul is dramatic, and would have taken two minutes. Instead, we get the same amount of time of Gandalf casting out a CGI demon, after which everything is instantly all right. Without seeing Wormtongue's magical power of persuasion, there's no payoff when he gets run out of town.

Towards the end of the movie, Frodo and Sam should have undergone further CGI alterations to make them look haggard. Jackson was already using the technology to do it! But they are still the pudgy-cheeked Hobbits who lived a life of ease in the Shire.

Edit: Mrs Danger adds that it's stupid when Aragorn falls off a cliff and comes back. It doesn't advance the plot. It doesn't add to the character. And we'd already seen someone fall off a cliff much more dramatically, and it was a major surprise when he came back again.

nemein

Mod note: Seems more appropriate for the Movie Forum.... moving

nemein

To answer the question I thought "Jackie Chan's Who Am I?" could have been edited differently so that you didn't know who he was from the beginning. Granted it is Chan so you know kinda sorta know even if they only dropped clues, but even a little bit of suspense would have improved the movie IMHO.

moviefan2k4

Batman & Robin (1997)

First, I'd have slapped every idiotic WB exec upside the head who thought it was a good idea to reinstate the camp factor. This film was the polar opposite of "Batman Returns", which was insanely dark. The original turned out so well because Burton was reined in, and "Batman Forever" mixed the seriousness and humor almost perfectly.

Second, I'd have waited for Val Kilmer to finish filming "Heat", and get him back into the cowl. Bob Kane said that he was right for Bruce Wayne. He sold the tortured-soul mentality very well.

Third, I'd have barred Jon Peters from any involvement with WB's superhero films ever again. That guy was nuts; just ask Kevin Smith about the infamous "Superman Lives" screenplay.

Fourth, I'd have rewritten half the script, taking out ridiculous scenarios like the heroes bickering over Poison Ivy, and eliminating Bane completely. The "primitive man" ball where she first shows up was overkill beyond reason. I liked the stuff about Alfred's disease, Freeze's wife, and Barbara's chemistry with Dick Grayson, but so much else was horrible. Robin ditching Batman for Ivy, just because of some "pheremone dust"? Gimme a break...

Finally, I'd have reined in Joel Schumacher a bit. The guy has a great sense of artistic flair, but its a superhero film. No butt shots, nipples, zooming in on Batgirl's chest for horny boys, none of that. These characters are not sexual objects, so quit treating them that way. He did a pretty good job with the third film, though I'd have omitted similar things in that, too.

Shannon Nutt

I would have ended LINCOLN when the President exited the White House near the conclusion of the movie.

I would have ended THE DARK KNIGHT RISES without showing Bruce Wayne...just Alfred looking up and smiling.

Those are two from 2012 that immediately popped to mind.

jeffkjoe

ROCKY IV:

I would not have killed off Apollo Creed. Sure, you can maim the guy, and that would give Rocky the motivation to avenge his friend.

I would have ended the series at ROCKY III, with Rocky Balboa rich, a champion, young, and happy.

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INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE:

The whole Indiana Jones series ends with Indiana riding off in the sunset. No more story needs to be told.

milo bloom

It seems to me if they had done that, it would have received the same criticisms that the SW prequels did for having Anakin build C-3PO, having the Fett family be the clone donor or even having Yoda know Chewbacca.

Great one.

devilshalo

Se7en: have the balls to film the original ending

Strevlac

Bram Stoker's Dracula. Recast everyone except for Gary Oldman, Tom Waits, the Withnail-and-I guy, and the chick who played Lucy.

The movie is a near masterpiece as it is, but it could have been an all-time classic.

IIG

Both movies would have greatly benefited from these changes, especially Lincoln.

davidh777

Changed the third act that ruined Sunrise

GoldenJCJ

I would take the end of Blazing Saddles and keep it in the "old west" setting for the finale. None of that spilling into the streets of modern day Hollywood bullshit.

Although, even keeping the ending set in the old west I think the joke of them driving off into the sunset in a limo could not only stay in the movie but hit a higher note due to it being the only modern day device in the movie.

jeffkjoe

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE:


I would have Terence Stamp come in and re-loop the line:

"You will bow down before me! Both you, and then one day....YOUR HEIRS!!!!"

So that "YOUR HEIRS!!!" doesn't sound like "YOUR ASS!!!" like it currently does in the movie.

mostaccioli

oldman did a good job but i would recast him.

Michael Corvin

Two come to mind. *spoilers for 20 year old movies*

1. The Truman Show - should have ended with Truman signing off, waving and exiting the dome. The final shot shouldn't have been of the love interest. Almost ruins a perfect film.

2. The Shawshank Redemption - should have ended like the novella, with Red reading Andy's letter at the brick wall... "I wonder."

Cusm

Recasting Reeves would make this movie about perfect IMO. I still want to know who made that decision.

sauce07

Ali - I would cut down his run through the streets in Zaire before the Rumble, the movie was already running long and this killed the momentum that had already been building for the fight.

Michael Corvin

They established that Woody was a family heirloom though. Why would Emily give away Jessie but not Woody? I have to agree that tying it all together is too Prequel Trilogy-ish.

As it stands the Emily & Jessie sequence is second only to the opening of Up as Pixar at their emotional finest. Chokes me up every time. The end of TS3 is a tearjerker too, but is kinda weakened(just a tad) by the fact that its retreading the Emily/Jessie dynamic.

UAIOE

Well, you did have the two guys in the "bad guy line" who were dressed as Mexican motor cycle riding dudes.

But your right on all other accounts.

RagingBull80

Blade Runner: I would take out the ridiculous voice-over and remove the crappy tacked-on ending.

rennervision

Rather than begin Carlito's Way with the movie's final scene and rob the third act of all its tension, I would start it with Carlito in the pool room where he says "You think you're big time? You gonna fuckin' die - big time." then flashback to the start of the story.

Eddie W

I would remove that 'happy ending' epilogue from Titanic. I never understood what that was supposed to be, the afterlife or something? It seemed completely out of place with the rest of the film & felt more fitting for a lifetime movie. I would fade to credits right after the pan of Rose's pictures in her cabin. Oh yeah, and cut that awful Celine Dion song.

Decker

Godfather III - I would have waited until Winona Rider got over her breakdown or cast someone else with any acting experience to play Michael's daughter.

War of the Worlds (2005) - I would have had the balls to make sure that Robbie stayed dead, and that the film had a bittersweet ending, because all wars have terrible costs and besides : it's fucking preposterous that he could have survived on his own and beat Tom Cruise to his own house. It totally ruined what was, to that point, a pretty damned good sci-fi action flick.
Oh yeah, I would have also fixed it so that once the aliens' EMP went off and nobody's cell phones or watches worked anymore, nobody would be using their camcorders either.

Decker

Disagree, disagree, disagree. The ending of that film was sappy but perfect. I think it would have been a much weaker film without that scene. It provided a nice emotional uplift that was pretty much needed after the sadness. BTW : Les Miz totally rips off that ending now.