Butterfly Effect on DVD

[iggymcfly 0]

I remember when I saw the Butterfly Effect in theatres last winter; I thought it was a really good movie, but there were a couple things that bothered me. One of them was the ending. It just didn't seem to fit, that after all that, and the talk about how you couldn't fix the past, that he'd just fix everything, and everyone would be happy.

 

When I saw that the DVD had an alternate ending, I was happy to see it, and I rented it as soon as they had a copy in the video store. Well, it turns out, that it doesn't have an alternate ending. It just shows the movie, as the director originally made it, with a couple of scenes that were taken out, and the original ending. It doesn't even have an option to show the shitty ending that they showed in theatres.

 

In this version, when Evan is in the psych ward, and goes to watch the home movie, it turns out to be a movie of his birth, whereby he realizes that the only way to save Kaily is to strangle himself, so that he is stillborn, and Kaily and Tommy never decide to stay with their father. It makes sense, as according to the increasing cerebral hemmorhaging that is killing him, he should be dying anyway, and it makes it a significant scene to flash back to in the opening scene of the movie, which they already do. There is also, a later cut scene where he and his mother go visit a palm reader who tells Evan that he has no lifeline, and he should have never been born. His mother freaks out, and tells him that she had two stillborn babies before him, and always considered him a miracle.

 

Apparently, after the initial screenings, they decided that a baby killing itself was too sad of an ending, and they should change it to some stupid sappy thing, where he sends Kaily away as a kid, and everyone just turns out happy. This really undercuts the movie, and makes the ending just feel hollow, like something was wrong. I really wish they wouldn't buckle to pressure, and would just let the director follow his vision, in making a movie and then let the chips fall where they may, in regard to the audience

 

Anyway, the Butterfly Effect is a great movie, especially now, and I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen it, or even who saw it in theatres and kind of liked it, to pick up the DVD. I would also like to hear comments from anyone who has seen both endings, and has an opinion comparing the two.

 

Edit: Be careful. I was looking on the internet, and I guess it all depends on which side you play the disc on. One side has the director's cut, with the well-done, reasonable ending, and one side has the theatrical cut, with the stupid sappy one. The menus don't clearly state where you are, so be careful that you play the right side if you rent it.

[cbacon 0]

I found the alternate ending to be ridiculously absurd and a major let down. I sat there with my jaw dropped trying to grasp why they could have thought of such a ludicrous ending. In the words of Grandpa Simpson, forshame.

[Eclipse 0]

Well, I never got the chance to see this movie in theaters. so, I saw it on DVD. I thought the movie rocked! I didn't think Ashton could do that role as well as he did.

 

THOUGHTS ON ENDINGS (SPOILERS)

 

 

I liked both endings, but the one where he chokes himself while inside the womb, it was the better ending, but, it was weird, how he PERFECTLY manuvered his hand and choked himself so well....

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

It was much sadder. The other rejected variations on the "sappy" ending were odd. Like the "Stalker" ending.

 

And also, there was a deleted scene where the Aryans rape Kutcher in prison. And then they read his journal.

 

The DVD does mention which side is which on the disk

[Mole 0]

It was much sadder. The other rejected variations on the "sappy" ending were odd. Like the "Stalker" ending.

 

And also, there was a deleted scene where the Aryans rape Kutcher in prison. And then they read his journal.

 

The DVD does mention which side is which on the disk

So does that mean that:

Well, it turns out, that it doesn't have an alternate ending. It just shows the movie, as the director originally made it, with a couple of scenes that were taken out, and the original ending. It doesn't even have an option to show the shitty ending that they showed in theatres.

Isn't true?

[reign 0]

Ashton figures out he'sonly good at three things and a serious role isn't one of them...this movie should've had better actors then it would've been good

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

It was much sadder. The other rejected variations on the "sappy" ending were odd. Like the "Stalker" ending.

 

And also, there was a deleted scene where the Aryans rape Kutcher in prison. And then they read his journal.

 

The DVD does mention which side is which on the disk

So does that mean that:

Well, it turns out, that it doesn't have an alternate ending. It just shows the movie, as the director originally made it, with a couple of scenes that were taken out, and the original ending. It doesn't even have an option to show the shitty ending that they showed in theatres.

Isn't true?

No, the theater ending is on the DVD