Episode 11 — Mind-Blowing Alternate Endings to Famous Movies and TV Shows

[JulyDiaz 2797]

In part two, Jack O'Brien invites Cracked writers Soren Bowie, Cody Johnston, Michael Swaim, and director Abe Epperson into the studio to offer their alternate endings to 'The Dark Knight Rises,' 'Wall-E,' 'Forrest Gump,' and 'Breaking Bad.'

[pdxsean 241]

Thanks so much for pointing out the Breaking Bad spoilers.

 

I love the alternate ending to Forrest Gump. Hilarious. The Coen Brothers still do really solid endings for their movies. 'A Serious Man' has a great abrupt ending. Burn After Reading's ending is also amazing, in that it wraps up that nothing really happened throughout the movie. I guess that's what happens when you're able to make small movies that nobody really sees but still are critical favorites.

 

Great podcast by the way, not sure if I've ever mentioned it but I love it!

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

I don't think that Forrest Gump follow-up that was mentioned was scrapped at all. Nope, I don't think we got an alternate ending so much as an alternate MOVIE, and it was called "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close". I have absolutely no basis for that claim whatsoever except for there being Tom Hanks, 9/11, and a mentally handicapped kid, so I could be way off. I'll never know , because everything I've seen of that movie was cringe-worthy and fucking awful, so I have no desire to watch it all.

[VinsanityV22 500]

lol. Everything about 9/11 totally did put everyone super-in-the-dumpies.

[hugLife 492]

I thought that it was hilarious to imagine Joe Black as a wandering mentally handicapped guy who Anthony Hopkins just believed was death. That type of plot twist is not awesome because of the mental handicap, but that it shows how willing people are (especially movie characters) to believe and construct a persona for characters that they have just met.

[Johnny Unusual 525]

Great episode. While I largely feel the same way about the Breaking Bad ending, I do feel the last scene is supposed to read slightly darker. Basically, someone mentioned the aspect of acceptance while the character does get everything he wants, I think we are supposed to read the idea that Walt's real love is his meth, not just chemistry. Swaim pretty much says this, but I think my take on the mood in that last scene is that part of his acceptance is that he accepts that he is selfish and that winning is the most important thing to him. He still loves his family, but winning trumps them and they only get a "happy ending" for them (which, let's face it, probably won't help them all that well down the line) and that helping them was less about family comes first (which he finally confesses wasn't the case) and more about his supreme win. I think the show is working to have it's cake and eat it too in the final scene: we get the triumph of Walt winning but at the same time, we know that it is favour of not redemption (I don't consider what he did for Jesse redemption so much as a sign of humanity and a love for Jesse that he had for much of the series. After all, that;s why he let his girlfriend die. Man, love is an ugly thing) but pride. But maybe that's just me. Even though it is a fairly straightforward ending, I think there's a lot to discuss and debate.

 

And while I REALLY, REALLY liked that ending, I totally sympathize with Michael, I would have like a rug-being-pulled ending, too. Not really the White just shoots up a mall (it doesn't feel right), but something where the grandeur of Walter White is deflated.

[Paintsville 64]

I thought the obvious takeaway was that the movie had to be scrapped because Forrest Gump died in 9/11

[RyanWright 713]

Dear The Cracked Podcast,

Rad dudes, just rad.

Sincerely,

my funnybone

[justinmh05 1968]

That alternate ending to Archie Bunker's place where he went to the electric chair was just sick.