12 Alternative Horror Movie Endings You Didn't See

If Thomas Harris' third book in the Lecter series had been adapted word for word, 2001's Hannibal would have been a very different beast altogether. While it's still hard to decide if Hannibal was a brilliant adaptation of a bad book or a bad adaptation of a brilliant book, THAT ending from the novel would've radically altered the tone of the series and no doubt put a few noses out of joint when it came to the future of the franchise.

In the novel, Lecter rescues Starling from Verger's giant meat-eating pigs and pumps her full of psychotropic drugs, brainwashing her to believe that she is Mischa, his dead sister, reincarnated. They embark upon a love affair and disappear into hiding, to be spotted by Barney in Buenos Aires some months later, now both fugitives. In the movie, Lecter, tries to snatch a kiss from Clarice, only to be handcuffed to her wrist, forcing him to cut off his own hand and make good his escape.

Although the footage of an alternate ending has not survived, there is footage of Lecter escaping with his hand intact, as featured above. There were also details from Scott's DVD commentary of an ending in which Lecter, still handcuffed to Starling, escapes via boat, ultimately throwing them both overboard, forcing Starling to unlock the cuffs enabling his getaway. This film, will no doubt continue to divide opinion, whichever ending floats your boat.