I rewatched this a couple years ago, it's really realy darker than I remembered. like pitch black in spots.

After looking it up, what I called the alternate ending apparently was the original ending which was cut from the theatrical release and then later restored for home video formats at some point. I saw it as a kid a couple times on saturday afternoon tv, I'm grateful it was the theatrical version.

How could they make a movie like this today? Ruth Gordon is dead.

Ruth. Motherfucking. Gordon.