10 Doomed Movies SAVED By Last-Minute Reshoots
9. Dr. Strangelove Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
Stanley Kubrick was a legendary director, and he rarely made changes to his vision when putting a film together. He was one of the most meticulous people working in the business, so when he decided to change and reshoot something, it wasn't only rare; it was for a good reason.
For Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Kubrick ran into a problem right at the end. He intended to end the movie with a massive pie fight, which would have broken out in the War Room. It was a way of showcasing the ridiculous nature of the satire, but Kubrick wasn't impressed.
He shot the scene, but he didn't like what he had when it was finished. Everyone involved was supposed to be throwing pies as seriously as possible, but the actors couldn't stop laughing — they were clearly having fun, but Kubrick wasn't having any of it.
He cut and burned the negatives, which is how he always handled unused footage, and he completely reshot the ending of the movie. He later described the pie fight as a "disaster of Homeric proportions." It was far too silly for a movie that handled subtle humor so well, so it's a good thing Kubric changed it.