The movie had 50% of the movie reshot. Can anyone send me a link to the original trailer that played during The Fault of Our Stars? Or did anyone see the test screening before they reshot it? Was it scarier? Was it worse? Was it better? Let me know or if anyone has the original script.
shareHowdy!
I used to be on these boards quite often before. There was a user on here (whose account is deleted now) who had tons of information about the film and its re-shoots. Only, he never saw the original cut. He was just aware of what happened.
In short:
The film was completed around spring of 2014, then test screened to ONE audience before Universal decided the film was so bad that they paid the audience members to keep quiet about the film. Then, in summer of 2014, the cast and crew came back together to do some drastic re-shoots. And I mean DRASTIC. The bare bones of the story stayed: a girl dies after playing with a Ouija board, friends use said board to contact her, contact someone else, people die, friends defeat the spirit. However, everything in between changed. The DZ girl's appearance changed (she was originally some girl with half her face burnt, always carrying this doll -- they changed this to a rotting girl with sewn lips). Apparently, Debbie died entirely different, as well as Isabelle. They were the only ones to die in the original cut. DZ didn't possess people and make them commit suicide. She simply killed them by supernatural means. Beyond that, the poster didn't know much else.
He had a draft script dated September 2013, which I do have a copy of and have read. In some aspects, I can see a lot of the original version of the movie in there. However, a LOT is also different. DZ isn't even a girl in the draft script, it's a vaguely described ghost boy. If you want, I can send it to you.
He also shared with me the original trailer that showed before TFIOS, which I could also share.
The most interesting piece of information this guy had was that he actually found a group of podcasters who saw the test screening in spring 2014! I ended up contacting them on Facebook, but they claim they're unable to say anything (even though the film came out over a year ago... I'm sure the NDA has expired by now).
I would love to know what the original version of the film is like, and I've even asked Stiles White about it on Twitter because he follows me (and I happen to be making my own Ouija short film too, haha!) but I don't think he can say anything legally.
So... I guess we'll never know exactly what the initial cut of the film was like. In my personal opinion, I feel like it was actually a lot darker than what was re-shot. Even though the test audience disliked it, I still feel that way. I also feel like the test audience didn't think there was enough gore, explaining why nearly everyone dies in the theatrical cut. I'd love to see the original version of the film, simply because I feel like it has a more coherent and darker story.
Cheers!
Yes I would love the script and original trailer! My email is [email protected]
shareThe original version according to Olivia Cooke: "You think it’s over 3/4 of the way through, but it really was over. They added that bit on the end, where she has to go back to the house and do more ritual. The whole basement and shrine was added. The mother wasn’t involved."
https://collider.com/olivia-cooke-ouija-bates-motel-season-3-interview/