The Thing '82 ONCE AND FOR ALL!!! ; )

[aeonpulse]

Here's a good article which may finally put a nail in the coffin of which was The Thing at the end:

Could this be the official ending to John Carpenter's The Thing?

Saw this earlier, I'm not sure I buy it. You can definitely see Childs let out a couple of breaths, they aren't nearly as visible as MacReady's, but I always assumed that was due to Childs just being closer to the fire.

 

[SSgt Burton]

So the "Thing" doesn't have steamy breath in the cold?

How come Bennings' breath is clearly seen just before he is torched?


I don't buy it. It can still go either way. I think it is completely left up to the viewer as to "who is who" during the end sequence.


Kevin

 

[MooCriket]

So the "Thing" doesn't have steamy breath in the cold?

How come Bennings' breath is clearly seen just before he is torched?


I don't buy it. It can still go either way. I think it is completely left up to the viewer as to "who is who" during the end sequence.


Kevin

And ^that is one more reason why this film is so enjoyable. That and Blair's "I'll keeeeeeel you!".

 

[letmebestormy]

Definitely doesn't clear anything up but man, so cool to watch a scene I've seen tons of times and see something new like that. Awesome.

 

[rodneyfaile]

Definitely doesn't clear anything up but man, so cool to watch a scene I've seen tons of times and see something new like that. Awesome.

Just imagine how many movies out there have so much more to them, but because of a poor box office and lack of cult following, they are still sitting dormant, with only a few truly appreciating.

 

[Krel]

I've always thought that the shadow on the wall looked like Windows. I'm not sure if that was intended as a red herring by JC, but it keyed in later with Palmer's mistrust of Windows to further fuel the air of confusion.

Randy in San Diego

John Carpenter didn't want anyone to recognize the shadow, so it was not one of the actors, but it was a crew member.

It isn't in the movie, and so really doesn't matter, but the writer said that they were both human at the end. I like the ending the way it is.

David.

 

[Apollo]

Yeah and that is the beauty of the movie, still so thought provaking what 31 years after it was made.

Great thread Kevin so many interesting posts by all in here thanks for starting it and for all who posted.

If I ever meet John I would tell him Man oh man what a beautifully crafted Movie you made come on over to the RPF and look for this thread.

You are STILL firing everyones imaginations so many years later and that is very rare for a Movie to do!

I don't buy it. It can still go either way. I think it is completely left up to the viewer as to "who is who" during the end sequence.


Kevin

 

[Jet Beetle]

The man is brilliant all the way back to Dark Star -- Dan O Bannon makes me laugh everytime I watch it.

I remember reading in Starlog sometime back an interview with JC in which they asked him if he could do a sequel to one of his films which one would it be (this was before Escape from LA) - and his answer was The Fog. He said while making the original he came up with a perfect way to do a sequel - would have loved to have seen it.

 

[Apollo]

Yeah God bless Dan so sad he is gone now.

Would have loved to see what the sequel to The Fog was.

The man is brilliant all the way back to Dark Star -- Dan O Bannon makes me laugh everytime I watch it.

I remember reading in Starlog sometime back an interview with JC in which they asked him if he could do a sequel to one of his films which one would it be (this was before Escape from LA) - and his answer was The Fog. He said while making the original he came up with a perfect way to do a sequel - would have loved to have seen it.

 

[Jeyl]

SFDebris posted his review of The Thing yesterday. Worth a look.

LINK

 

[letmebestormy]

"If we wanted to make a case that Childs was the Thing, we could say that when Childs saw Blair out in the storm he was being lured into being assimilated. The Thing got into the camp by getting Childs to open the door, and it got Childs in the process. It then kept Childs away from danger until the situation was over, like protecting the queen in a chess game. When Childs says, "What will we do?" Mac suggests they should maybe do nothing. The way Mac is watching and smiling at Childs suggests that Mac is almost certain Childs is the enemy and has won, but Mac accepts the defeat gracefully, and honorably, and even extends his bottle to Childs, so they can drink together. This could be seen as a big developmental leap for Mac, since the first opponent we saw him lose to was the chess computer, and he immaturely destroyed that opponent when he lost the game by pouring his drink into it and calling it a cheating *****. Interestingly, in the novelization of the film by Alan Dean Foster, the book ends with Mac initiating a chess game with Childs."

 

[IndyBlues]

I think they both figure even if the other one is a Thing, they are screwed anyway as soon as the fires burn out. They both did what they could to stop it from getting to civilization. They both know they're dead.
Also, sharing the whisky could have been a last ditch easy effort to assimilate one another,.....depending on which one was or wasn't a Thing.

Dang, this is starting to make my head hurt like trying to figure out all the time leaps in Back to the Future, lol.

I still like to believe that neither was a Thing.
Mike

 

[SSgt Burton]

Great thread Kevin so many interesting posts by all in here thanks for starting it and for all who posted.

Thank you, and I too thank everyone participating! Great to read different takes on the same subject.


As for the final scene- I'm with Indy Blues in that both Mac and Childs are human, however are still suspicious of one another.

I always wondered what was behind Mac's final chuckle after Childs takes a swig of the whiskey-

I'm of the conclusion that before Mac hands him the bottle he still believes Childs is The Thing, but after is slightly relieved (because for whatever reason, Childs taking a drink convinces Mac that he is human). And now the two can relax in peace (Mac rests his head), knowing that they have saved Mankind (albeit sacrificing themselves in the process).

There is also something of a final "truce" between these two characters who have been at each other throughout the film. Childs questions every decision Mac makes, going so far as trying to kill him at one point (locking him outside), and even "rubbing it in" that he killed Clark who was human after all.

Mac threatens to kill Childs when he refuses to be tied up for the blood test (and was probably a second away from actually going through with it), and is still suspicious of him after the Outpost goes up in flames.


However the end sequence not only demonstrates that they have prevailed against the Thing, but have reconciled. Outpost 31 was torn apart not only by the Thing, but by our natural tendancy toward paranoia and fear. Mac and Childs coming to terms is another "win" so to speak against the Thing who played on Man's basic fears so well.

In essence this is the "happy ending."



Kevin

 

[CB2001]

From what I remember reading or at least hearing, there was an extended version of the ending where it takes place after the Outpost 31's destruction. Basically, the scene was to show that Childs had died from exposure to the elements and Mac somehow managed to survive. The scene also had blood drawn from Mac and tested, to where it was confirmed that he was human, and that Childs blood also tested human. But, from what I heard, the scene was excluded due because Carpenter wanted the bleak ending we see in the film.

And, by the way... Here's The Thing '82 ONCE AND FOR ALL!

And on LaserDisc.