10 Strange Changes Test Audiences Forced Movies To Make
Movies changed by test audiences! Palm Springs, The Lovely Bones & more.
Before a feature is officially released to the general public in cinemas all over the globe, it's not uncommon for a director or studio to suggest a few test screenings for the incoming project.
These small focus groups then deliver their feedback to the folks behind the movie, with the film either going down a treat from the get-go or not being quite up to scratch in the eyes of those few in attendance.
When the latter scenario comes about, sometimes this criticism can open the door for a better all-round endgame as seen in the likes of E.T. the Extra Terrestrial: here, audiences weren't keen on the friendly alien being killed off in the end, so Stephen Spielberg made the right call to save his titular star.
However, there have also been times when early audiences have nudged movie-makers into making some quite odd alterations to their pictures.
From not being content with the nature of a character's demise, to spectators apparently having their attention pulled away from the action due to some bulging muscles, it's important to give the people what they want, but that still doesn't stop these test audience changes from being a tad strange.
10. No One Believes Sly Can Make That Jump - Cliffhanger
Sylvester Stallone is a one-of-a-kind action hero. He's overcome the odds time and time again in a boxing ring as Rocky Balboa, regularly shown his one-man-army capabilities as Rambo, and led a team of explosive icons in The Expendables.
However, beating up terrifying Soviets and gunning down wave after wave of relentless enemies are one thing, performing a 40-foot leap between two cliffs is something else entirely. And it ultimately proved to be an action too far for the usually convincing Sly as early test audiences were left chuckling at the sight of Stallone pulling off this ridiculous feat in 1993's Cliffhanger.
Instead of cutting the leap altogether, however, the decision was made to edit the jump so that the distance looked shorter, making the almighty hop seem more believable by the time the feature was officially released in theatres.
I mean, the movie still involved Stallone gorilla-pressing a man into a spike and scaling a snowy mountain in a little t-shirt. But, freakishly strong man jumps a little further than usual? That was clearly a leap too far.