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33. The Warriors (1979)
The Studio Interference: Walter Hill’s director’s cut of The Warriors shows just how bad this could have been if he’d gotten his way upon release. The director’s cut reinstates the comic-book scenes that Hill had always intended to be part of the film – they were scrapped by the studio back in the ‘70s due to budget and time constraints. Also, they just don’t work.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: We wouldn’t have the gorgeous original theatrical cut, which is far superior to the director’s version.
34. Army of Darkness (1992)
The Studio Interference: Test audiences reacted badly to the original ending of Army Of Darkness, which saw Ash drinking a sleeping potion and awakening in a post-apocalyptic future. Executives requested a new ending, which resulted in the far happier and more iconic sign-off, with Ash landing back at the S-Mart.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: The crowds would have been braying for a fourth instalment that continued Ash’s adventures in the future. Sure, fans want a fourquel anyway, but at least this way we have a satisfactory ending if a fourquel never happens.
35. Avengers Assemble (2012)
The Studio Interference: For a start, Marvel decided that Edward Norton was out. After a storm of controversy in which mud was flung on both sides, Norton was gone, and Mark Ruffalo was brought in to play Hulk. Meanwhile, Joss Whedon was hired to direct the film - and, pivotally, re-write Zak Penn’s script.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: We genuinely can’t imagine what would have happened. Avengers Assemble without Whedon or Ruffalo? Impossible.
36. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
The Studio Interference: After negative test screenings of the film in which audiences reacted badly its extremely dark ending (Seymour and Audrey are killed by Audrey II), an entire new ending was shot that gave our romantic leads a happily ever after.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: We would’ve had an ending that was faithful to the off-Broadway musical (and director Frank Oz’s personal favourite ending), but was a massive downer. Thank goodness it got changed.
37. Donnie Darko (2001)
The Studio Interference: Another example of why director’s cuts can be a bad thing. The version of Donnie Darko released in 2001 by Newmarket Films was a mysterious, time-hopping masterpiece that kept its mysteries close to its chest – not least because director Richard Kelly was under time constrains to get his edit done. The result was an enigmatic Rubik’s cube of a film.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: We’d have gotten Kelly’s longer director’s cut, which was later re-released in cinemas. It spoon feeds audiences answers to riddles we never really wanted answers to. It’s a classic case of giving too much away. Meanwhile, the film’s opening tune, Echo And The Bunnymen’s iconic ‘The Killing Moon’ was replaced with a mood-deadening INXS track (‘Never Tear Us Apart’).
38. The Big Sleep (1946)
The Studio Interference: Showing a canny awareness of what works in a film and a willing to spend money to do something right, Warner Bros capitalised on Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall’s sizzling chemistry (as seen in To Have And Have Not) by reshooting scenes for The Big Sleep.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: Well, you can see the original cut of the film on DVD now, and though it’s fine, it doesn’t have the same razzle-dazzle as the reshot version.
39. Alien (1979)
The Studio Interference: When producers Walter Hill and David Giler first got their hands on the Alien script, they added in the character of Ash, which original co-writer Dan O’Bannon felt was a completely unnecessary addition. Later, he admitted it’s “one of the best things in the movie”.
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: We wouldn’t have had Ash, which means we potentially wouldn’t have had the whole Weyland-Yutari conspiracy plot, and hence no ensuing franchise. We’re not sure if that’s a good or bad thing…
40. Casablanca (1942)
The Studio Interference: The Hays Code itself (a now abandoned set of rules governing the content of American films) prevented Ingrid Bergman’s character hopping on the plane with Bogart (and therefore leaving her husband).
If They Hadn’t Stepped In: If it wasn’t for studio meddling, we would also have seen Bogart’s character arrested by French police at the end of the film. Instead, his friend says “Round up the usual suspects”, leaving us in a far happier place.
