10 Movies Which Were Completely Changed After Test Screenings

5. The Shawshank Redemption

Sad endings aren't the only kind of movie endings which test screening audiences are prone to taking issue with - in the case of Frank Darabont's adaptation of Steven King's short story Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption it was the ending's ambiguity which gave them cause for consternation. Shortening the length of the title to The Shawshank Redemption wasn't the only compromise Darabont had to make when it came to sticking as closely as possible to the essence of King's story. The director certainly appreciates the importance of test screenings, once saying, "The most constructive night of your life is the test screening. Test screenings are awful and miserable, but they will always teach you something about your movie that you really need to know." In the case of The Shawshank Redemption this meant that the original (and faithful) ending, in which Andy and Red's reunion wasn't depicted but merely implied, had to go, resulting in the ending on the beach we're all familiar with. Although you can always stop the film before this scene to see it how it was originally intended.