I just got the dvd and just watched it, on the dvd cover it says there are two alternate endings, but it's not on the dvd menu, I looked through the other extras and don't see where they could be, does anyone know??
I just got the dvd and just watched it, on the dvd cover it says there are two alternate endings, but it's not on the dvd menu, I looked through the other extras and don't see where they could be, does anyone know?
The "alternate endings" referred to are in the "Outtakes" section. Neither ending is substantially different from the ending in the film. One of the alternate endings has a slightly different version of Kane's letter to Cutshaw and the other has a different version of the "knife-dropping" scene. Specifically, Kane does not drop the knife. Neither outtake really changes Kane's denouement much if at all.
shareAs I remember the subtle differences do indicate significantly
different endings, or at least differences in Kane's motivation.
The knife falling from his (Kane's) hand is the key. I don't
know why Blatty filmed it both ways, but he did.
The original ending had Kane committing suicide by stabbing
himself with the knife, I believe in hope it would act like a
"shock therapy" for Cutshaw (which in a sense it did).
Blatty perhaps decided Kane committing suicide was to potent or
adverse to his belief or philosphy, so he substituted the scene
of Kane's hand falling without the knife. Then, he had Keach do
a different voice over when Cutshaw read the letter, indicating
the biker had stabbed him (a scene you never actually see).
It could be argued that Kane committed suicide nonetheless, being
that he didn't seek medical aid, but the difference is the wound
wasn't self-inflicted like it was in the original ending.
Either way, I thinks it's a terrific film that never got the
attention or respect it should have.
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