I only recently knew about this alternate ending to Fatal Attraction

I found it overlong and tedious. But that last minute... charming!

I think they should leave the original ending as is - Anne Archer wipes off the foggy mirror in the bathroom, and there's Alex. Alex gives her big monologue, including stabbing herself with the knifepoint. Struggle ensues, we see Dan running up the stairs, he attacks Alex, shoves her into the tub and holds her head underwater in an attempt to drown her. Then suddenly a shot rings out; camera pans to the bathroom door, but it is not Anne Archer. It is Ellen, holding a smoking gun.

"This is for my RABBIT, bitch!" Ellen says, and fires again as Alex slumps to her death. "And I DON'T. LIKE. ROLLER. COASTERS!" Boom!

The original ending is classic. The alternative is long and boring.

I love the concept of the original ending but I find it ultimately unsatisfying. What I love about it is that it ties back to Madam Butterfly and it gives credence to the close-up in the scene where Douglas visits Close's apartment and she attacks him with the knife and he puts it on the table and it's obvious we are supposed to take note of this shot. However, Archer discovers the tapes that will exonerate Douglas so there's no real payoff and it ultimately seems pointless. Now, if they left it as Dan being framed for her murder and the tapes being stored somewhere I would have found that more interesting. Alex framing him -from the dead.

The theatrical ending is just so over the top with Alex lying under water for seconds and then raising from the water to attack Dan (again). Plus knowing she is pregnant hangs over the scene.

The alternate ending may be a bit more realistic, but I love how the theatrical ending lifted Anne Archer's character above the "poor, clueless, wronged wife" role. Besides, why should that heel Dan have the glory of killing that crazy bitch?

[quote]The theatrical ending is just so over the top with Alex lying under water for seconds and then raising from the water to attack Dan (again). Plus knowing she is pregnant hangs over the scene.

I get the feeling after Alex and Dan's final, epic fight in her apartment, that she's no longer preggers,

r5 good point. The movie seems to sweep the pregnancy under the rug. When I was younger, I thought Alex was lying. But I do believe she was pregnant. But they didn't really do anything with that subplot.

If I remember correctly, Glenn was not happy with the ending change, she thought it was a disservice to Alex to make her go completely 80's slasher rising from the dead.

I wish the ending was Anne finding that tape, developing some sympathy for Glenn and then hiding the tape, with the ambiguous ending of whether she ever unearths it to exonerate Michael. Let the asshole who destroyed all their lives sweat it out.

But a Hollywood movie showing a good dutiful wife siding with the other woman instead of her cheating husband? No fucking way.

Test audiences HATED the ending and it was the first time the secret of testing was publicized. The studios never really spoke about the test results.

Reminds me of my mom who loved Madame Butterfly. Spoke Italian and French. Had that contagious laughter. During the WW2 years she'd visit the Met but always got herself kicked out along with other patrons around her. She said "She's dead and he's still singing". One of the few good memories, that story sticks.

Close was really unhappy with the ending change. She discusses it here.

I wonder if they could use CGI and go in and fix G's bad perm in this movie.

The alternate ending would have worked better if it had been a [italic]European[/italic] film (i.e. Bergman). The ending they went with, is the American ending.

I was cheering for Alex to take out that whole damned adorable family and then come back for "Fatal Attraction II: Perm Night".

I like the alternate ending. I think it adds another level to the movie. Alex doesn't win, but at least she's being heard.