Blane or Duckie? It’s a question that has nagged avid fans of the John-Hughes-teen-movie genre for two decades, ever since his New Wave Cinderella story, “Pretty in Pink” ($14.99; released today) was released in theaters.
As any self-respecting Molly Ringwald scholar knows, the original conclusion to the film had Ringwald’s character Andie accompany quirky best friend Duckie (Jon Cryer) to the senior prom, choosing him over sensitive Richie Blane (Andrew McCarthy). But when test audiences balked, the filmmakers scrapped that option and shot a new ending in which Andie and Blane live happily ever after.
Among the ’80s-obsessed, the switch can still spark debate on a variety of topics: true love, selling out, the social class structure in American society and why McCarthy’s hair looks so hideous in the final prom scene.
A new DVD of the movie seemed poised to finally resolve the matter.
The DVD case for the “Pretty in Pink: Everything’s Duckie Edition” boasts the inclusion of the original ending in bold, obvious letters; even the title suggests that, finally, Duckie will get to have his day. But in one of the most disappointing DVD bait-and-switches ever, the original finale does not appear. Instead the single disc delivers a featurette called “The Lost Dance” that delves into much detail about how and why the new closer came to pass, but never shows the first version of the famous prom scene.
Sure, it explains why McCarthy looks like he has a bad case of bed head – apparently he had shaved his head for a play, so he had to wear a cheap wig for the reshoot – but without the Duckie version, the whole thing feels like a rip-off.
It’s a notable misstep on what otherwise stands as a simply fab tribute to one of the most enduring high school romances from the Me Decade. Until now, “Pretty in Pink” had never been released on DVD with any extras, so the eight featurettes included here provide a most welcome look at numerous aspects of the film’s creation, from the costumes to the casting.
The “Pink” DVD could have risen to perfection with the addition of a documentary about its stellar soundtrack, some deleted scenes and, of course, a glimpse of that original ending. Best Bonus Gossip: Deutch says – and Ringwald basically confirms – that she had a huge crush on her leading man. “I thought he was dreamy,” she says of McCarthy.
