John Carpenter explains The Thing's ending?

[Neil]

"The Thing" of course ends with MacReady (Kirt Russel) and Childs (Keith David) sitting in the snow, presumably going to freeze to death... And the audience is none-the-wiser to if "The Thing" is dead or not... "[Carpenter] said he never understood where all the confusion came from. The last frame of The Thing is Kurt Russel (sic) and Keith David staring each other down, harshly backlit. It's completely, glaringly obvious that Kurt Russel is breathing and Keith David is not." Holy $hit? Really? http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Has-J...ing-35887.html

[shootemindehead]

Hmmm...why would that signify that David was a thingy? I thought that it made exact copies? So him not breathing like a perfect copy of Childs is sort of silly. "A complete set of internal organs" to paraphrase Blair? This argument has been making the rounds for years though. BTW, Carpenter has never said this publicly and this mention of it is from a "friend" on Reddit. So I wouldn't put it in too much stead.

[Neil]

Hmmm...why would that signify that David was a thingy? I thought that it made exact copies? So him not breathing like a perfect copy of Childs is sort of silly. "A complete set of internal organs" to paraphrase Blair? This argument has been making the rounds for years though. BTW, Carpenter has never said this publicly and this mention of it is from a "friend" on Reddit. So I wouldn't put it in too much stead. Fair enough... It made a fairly good copy. It didn't need to be perfect, and could adjust as required - Maybe Child's had gills under his armpits due to the biological limitations of this form in the cold!?

[LouCipherr]

Well, what's is interesting that if you watch the ending clip in the link Neil provided, you can plainly see (and hear) that Child's does breathe during the sequence. Couple that with shootem's explanation, I'm not buying this at all.

[Neil]

Well, what's is interesting that if you watch the ending clip in the link Neil provided, you can plainly see (and hear) that Child's does breathe during the sequence. Couple that with shootem's explanation, I'm not buying this at all. So..... John Carpenter is The Thing then? But if you look at the condensation, Childs is producing none (or as good as), while MacReady is blowing out tonnes of the stuff...

[Mr. Clean]

Well, what's is interesting that if you watch the ending clip in the link Neil provided, you can plainly see (and hear) that Child's does breathe during the sequence. around 1:49 in the video I always assumed that the ending was left a mystery for a reason since the creature was trying to destory everything in the end so everyone would die from the cold and it could just go back to sleep. Purposely making you wonder if Kurt Russell had rid the world of the threat or not.

[bassman]

I call BS....

[LouCipherr]

So..... John Carpenter is The Thing then? YES! But if you look at the condensation, Childs is producing none (or as good as), while MacReady is blowing out tonnes of the stuff... I attribute that to nothing more than more backlight on MacCready than Childs. I call BS.... ....aaaaaand bassman SLAM DUNKS this bitch right into oblivion!

[AcesandEights]

Sounds like a "buy the blu-ray and see for yourself, if you don't believe me" gimmick. Promptly torpedoed by yous guys

[MinionZombie]

I'm with bassman and Lou on this one - I too call bullshit and different lighting. I've also heard this theory before too, a fair while back, but never paid it much mind.

[Neil]

I'm with bassman and Lou on this one - I too call bullshit and different lighting. I've also heard this theory before too, a fair while back, but never paid it much mind. I can also go with the back lighting... But there is a very noticable difference between the two. Do you think Carpenter is just pi$$ing with us with this revelation then?

[LouCipherr]

I can also go with the back lighting... But there is a very noticable difference between the two. I agree. One is a black dude, and one is a white dude. Do you think Carpenter is just pi$$ing with us with this revelation then? TBH, I doubt he even said anything of the sort.

[shootemindehead]

I call BS.... Cheers Bassy. I bloody knew I had an image in my mind of something like that. I just couldn't remember which part it was.

[Danny]

Eh, for my money i always thought macready was the thing at the end not childs. There was so much emphasis on the "and i suggest we only eat food we prepare ourselves, and eat strictly out of cans" scene that the smirk macready gives when he sips the hootch then passes it to childs seems less a "well, i guess we'll see if you are still human" look than "thats it, drink up what dna i just spat in there bro, i fucking got you all in the end". A little more depressing in the long run of the films narrative i guess, but i like an ambiguously sinister ending like that when its not sequel bait.

[MoonSylver]

Eh, for my money i always thought macready was the thing at the end not childs. There was so much emphasis on the "and i suggest we only eat food we prepare ourselves, and eat strictly out of cans" scene that the smirk macready gives when he sips the hootch then passes it to childs seems less a "well, i guess we'll see if you are still human" look than "thats it, drink up what dna i just spat in there bro, i fucking got you all in the end". A little more depressing in the long run of the films narrative i guess, but i like an ambiguously sinister ending like that when its not sequel bait. Unless he was just smirking at Child's hesitation...and his decision to go ahead and drink it. 'Course if Mac WAS human makes you wonder why he would risk sharing his hootch with maybe-Thing-Childs? And vice versa. Unless they're BOTH human. But they don't know that for sure... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE "The Thing.