Sometimes living on both sides of the Atlantic is fun, other times it just annoys the crap out of me.
The Descent is a low-$ UK independent movie that frankly shoots holes in anything else made since '98, and has been doing verywellthankyou in Europe. Lions Gate (an office in Sony Pictures, turn left by the watercooler and look for a door named "janitor") bought the US distro and are running an August release (yay for my homies, no more region-fighting the DVD...). Now the problem is, the ending of the UK version is a mindfck - I won't spoil it, but think "oh.. phew.. huh?.. ARRRGGGHHHHHHHH". LG decided to talk to some focus groups, and have reshot the ending, so US audiences leave on "phew..." and with their pants still clean. I've just seen the 'domestic cut' and was told this:-
"US audiences wouldn't understand the original version as it left too much unanswered. They require the ending to be explained, and for a positive slant on fates of the main characters. European audiences tend to understand complex themes more, and accept pessimistic endings."
Luckily the DVD will have both, but my question (since I know there are Brits lurking about on here) is: should a movie with brilliant reviews have critical bits like the ending changed because 'Americans are too dumb to get the original'?
The US site is at http://www.thedescentfilm.com/
The UK site is at http://www.thedescentthemovie.co.uk/ - with the original trailer
US trailer : http://lionsgate.arcostream.net/lion...er_1b_300k.wmv
- which was cut using the "scared chicks in wet shirts" principle.
mG
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