The Mysterious Ending of John Carpenter's The Thing May Finally Have an Answer

There’s a snazzy new Blu-ray of John Carpenter’s monster classic The Thing coming out in October. One of its new features is a commentary track with cinematographer Dean Cundey—who reveals a sly lighting technique used throughout the film to indicate when a character has become no longer human.

Cundey, whose career includes several other Carpenter films (including Big Trouble in Little China), as well as Jurassic Park and Apollo 13, broke it down to Blumhouse’s Rob Galluzzo, who interviews him for the commentary track:

Early on in the commentary track, I asked Cundey if he and John discussed doing a subtle lighting trick to imply who might be “the thing.” He waited until the blood scene to answer my question. As the scene began, he explained, “So we were looking for some kind of a subtle way, to say which one of these (men) might be human. You’ll notice there’s always an eye light, we call it, a little gleam in the eye of the actor. It gives life.”


I watched the final scene again with this new info.
........................................................Both characters have glints in their eyes..........

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youtu.be/GA4Ozqt7338
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No one cares?

but then the movie ends, so

They were the things all along!?

Watch the ending again on youtube.

And the movie doesn't have to end. Just use your imagination!

Every scene in which there are two people as the thing, knew that they were, and moved the blame to someone specfic

>both are the same alien
>they cant tell

>tfw I watched it only once and didn't even understand the ending so I have no idea what's the discussion about

How would they recognize each other.

I'm the OP but I saw a small glint in the eye of Macready. But a large one In childs. [\spoiler]

>macready still in his own clothes
>childs still has his earring

they are both human and bros and dont die but continue to kickass and be bros for all eternity, the end

OP again. Here's a link to the ending.

Be the judge. Look closely at their eyes when both are sitting.

youtu.be/GA4Ozqt7338

The point is that when it mimics someone who's basically a good person, it doesn't want to know what it really is anymore. It's the alien deciding it wants to live as these two copies, as friends, and go back into the world they have in their memories and just live a peacefully happy life, barbecue and fireworks and etc. It's meant to make you reevaluate what the story itself is, from some kind of horror/mystery/adventure thing, to it suddenly in the last scene becoming a comming of age story for the monster.

You can put an earring back on.

Also watch the clip then judge.

I don't want to like this as much as I do.

Just like all other "official" explanations this one is bullshit as well. There are many scener where Norris has the eye light as well.

Kill your family then yourself then the doge.

The key is separating a small reflection of light and a big gleam. One of the characters at the end has a big gleam in their eyes as they are sitting.

IVE SEEN THE FUCKING THING!
I'M NOT WATCHING YOU YOUTUBE VIDEO!!!!

I MADE MY DECISION BEFORE I WAS SHAT OUT OF MY MOMMA'S WOMB

The Thing always acts weird as fuck in one way or another, either by some weird action or inaction during a situation.

MacReady and Childs look very tense yes, but as human as when we first met them.

The ending is so fucking ambiguous there's no way to know but these two sure act human to me

>Deckard is a replicant
>both Childs and McReady are the alien
>space jockey is a giant buff dude

just make it stop already!

This is such a dumb fanfic tier idea but it also adds a genuinely fresh layer onto the movie I'm conflicted

>Do Nice-Things Dream of Infecting Sheep?

So half the people here accept it. Other half ignore it and pretend he made up some bs when he actually worked on the film and close to Carpenter.

>So half the people here accept it.

Accept what, we still don't have proof of this glint thing.

Somebody needs to come up with some screencaps off a BluRay or at least the DVD, because youtube sucks ass

If the theory is right both MacReady and Childs are human because you can see the light. It's probably something about the "soul" or something but it's also impossible to distinguish it from normal "camera reflection"

It's the Deckard situation all over again..

It is less important whether Deckard is a replicant than the fact that the question is raised if he might be one.

Same thing applies here.

It is less important if both or any of them are the thing than the fact that they might be.

I saw a very clear and large gleam in a eye. You can see it on youtube with high quality.

I just finished rewatching this. Now that I've seen it twice I can say with confidence it's one of my favourites

Anyway riddle me this: why wouldn't they have glowing eyes when surrounded by fire?

I don't want an official answer, but I've always preferred the idea of both of them being human and not trusting each other, but resigning themselves to a cold death, than the other idea of Macready learning Child's is a Thing and preparing to kick it's ass action movie style. The former feels more in line with the movie.

I agree. But maybe if someone watches and screenshots the gleams in the eyes in the blood test room. We can use that too see if they used the same technique in the ending. To tell the difference between the regular fire reflection and a human gleam.

...

Here's Palmer just before the test

Sex with Thing?

>that "just get it over with" look

Damn

Man this is fucking bullshit.

When MacReady is testing the samples everyone has it but on the two quick shots of Palmer he doesn't, but that's because he's not looking in the general direction of the camera.

Which means this light thing doesn't mean shit, Palmer shouldn't have the light in his eyes at that time either then.

Well that's why I posted it

Maybe just wait for thing blu ray. Commentary probably points it out more.

thats such a nice idea/thought but i think your putting way too much into it. the ending is left up to us to guess as to what happens,which is why its such a great film.the entire movie we as the audience are in the same shoes as the characters themselves,guessing as o who is what and if someone is the thing!the film is great because like one of the two survivors your left to guess rather or not the other guy is the thing,YOU JUST DON'T KNOW! an you never will.

>The Thing is so good even Sup Forums discusses it with high thought and sincere contemplation

>"So good it's immune to shitposting" - Some user

Yes.

Jokes on you all, the bottle that he gives him to drink actually has the fuel that they made the molotovs out of that you see earlier, thats why laughs he knows he's the alien when drinks it and is like "fuck", because the alien wouldnt know what petrol or anything taste like

I choose to believe that this is the correct way to interpret the ending.

...

Fucking hell, I hate you but I love you

Mac was bringing the uncapped bottle to his lips to take a drink before he even knew Childs was there.

Also (Me). I love the Thing and how every thread is fucking gold.

Literally babby's first "I know this movie better than you" theory

Guys what if Macready was in a coma and the whole movie is a bad dream?

What if I shove my foot up your ass pal, serious discussion only

John carpenter hinted it himself you fuclking piece cockuldering faggot motherfucker, its a legit theory smongst us Thingers, you fucking numales dont know shit about this film

Was Red in this film?

>How would they recognize each other.

They wouldn't necessarily, or there could be something that give an imitation away that we can't detect. It might be a perfect imitation to humans, but to things they might as well be highlighted.

You're probably just trolling with this 2deep nonsense but I fucking love it.

This literally makes no sense with what we see The Thing do in the rest of the film.

That'd be like saying the Queen didn't want to hurt Newt or Ripley on the ship and had a change of heart and just wanted to cuddle.

NO MACREADY, YOU ARE THE ALIENS! And then Macready was a thing.

When Macready, Nauls and Garry go to the shack where they are keeping Blair they leave Childs to guard the entrance to the base (whichs is pretty stupid why didn't they go two and two?). Nauls sees someone leaving the entrance that Childs is guarding and seconds later the power goes out. Now if Childs saw Blair no one could've messed up the generator and if it was Blair who Nauls saw how did he get out the main entrance that Childs was guarding? Maybe Childs just mistook something for Blair in the storm but im pretty sure Blair hid in the generator room and attacked him from the inside when he was alone.

That's literally what happens in Alien 4 though. The cross bred alien chooses humans over xenomorphs. It makes some sense, the more the aliens infect humans, the more they themselves are infected by humans. Especially in the Thing when it retains their memories and social behaviors.

This meme needs to die.

>the alien wouldnt know what petrol or anything taste like

But it somehow would know what English, how to listen, read and write an alien language? It would somehow know all the little idiosyncrasies and habits of people to imitate them? Or how to operate weapons and equipment to keep it's cover?

The Thing literally has all of a person's memories, thoughts, speech paterns, behaviors, ect so it can imitate them. So it'd know not to drink petrol because fucking humans don't do stupid shit like that.

Unless Childs drank petrol on the regular there is no fucking way he'd do something that dumb.

This concept is so fucking stupid I have no idea why anyone would think this could possibly be true.

What i notice is two things

Childs straight up drinks the molotov cocktail

He also has no steam coming out his mouth while kurt is a fucking choo chhoo train of shisha breath

Also music starts when he swigs it, its childs

>its a legit theory smongst us Thingers

Only among the legitimately brain damaged.

Stop trying to show off on the internet.

>The cross bred alien chooses humans over xenomorphs

Cross bred.

CROSS BRED. Not the fucking xeno, a mutant abomination.

And it didn't choose humans since it kills the first one it sees besides the Queen with the cocoon guy, it chooses Ripley because their DNA is closer and mixed.

The PS2 game is considered canon by Carpenter and MacReady is alive in it.

>how do we sell more blu-rays? people seem to have pirated this movie
>i know
>add post lighting effects
>add commentary with cinematographer
>john carpenter signs off on it
>The Thing digitally remastered Blu-Ray Edition coming out soon guys!

Would that meant the "Thing" would want to continue infecting others?

>Childs straight up drinks the molotov cocktail

Incorrect, see >He also has no steam coming out his mouth while kurt is a fucking choo chhoo train of shisha breath

Or the lighting just doesn't show his breath as much. Look closely for just a second as he speaks and you see it coming out.

Honestly it's not worth trusting Carpenter at this point. He contradicts what he says constantly just to fuck with people.

>trips of truth

I guess this is the new offical Sup Forums interpretation now.

>steam theory retardation

youtube.com/watch?v=H3dfqTSQePQ

Fake

Thats like saying colonial marines is considered canon to aliens

twitter.com/thehorrormaster/status/172531459201052672

twitter.com/thehorrormaster/status/172531459201052672

You really need to stop posting this on every Thing thread

>molotov and breath theories still popping up on Sup Forums

thanks :^)

...

Pretty much a pleb filter at this point. Bringing up either proves how little you care for the film in its entirety

or maybe its better than just writing "bump".

trips of truth, someone save it for posterity, its the most retarded shit i've ever heard. I love it.

Are you fucking retarded i loved this movie for over 39 years you fucking piece of shit, a theory is just that, a thery, so its no less than the faggotry one posted above about the thing being some hermaphrodite for bbqsvand shit while you beta genderfluids fags literally shill it

This

>we were looking for some kind of a subtle way, to say which one of these (men) might be human. You’ll notice there’s always an eye light, we call it, a little gleam in the eye of the actor. It gives life

Surely this fucking means they're both human at the end?

Your baiting is weak but I'd just like to put it on the record that both the molotov and breath "theories" add literally nothing to the conversation on The Thing. Neither touches on themes or the film making in any significant way other than to indulge neckbeard pedantry over continuity errors (or what has already been proven to be a lack thereof).

On the other hand, the theory some user posted about the creature choosing to adopt the identity of the men at the end is at least original and offers a novel, unexpected take on the what the film might mean, even if it's nauseatingly quirky.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

This thread is for gentlemen and people who appreciate fine film making, boys can feel free to shit up the local /GoT/ thread.

...

was The Thing The Thing?

fucking die

They're both human, end of story, god you people are utter faggots.

Deckard was always a fucking replicant, the studio fucked up the Theatrical release to no end, and having Ford having to do shitty narration after filming many months before made him nauseous. What do you think the whole point of the movie was, to follow some dude who didn't even know his "job" (being a Blade Runner) and then to run off with a replicant himself?

What did MacReady mean when he said "If we've got any surprises for each other, I don't think we're in much shape to do anything about it"?

Childs has a flamethrower and he just has to pull a trigger so if Mac is a thing it'll burn. And if Childs is a thing it shouldn't have any problem assimilating Mac even if it walked for hours in a blizzard (which it probably didn't do anyway)

>They're both human, end of story, god you people are utter faggots.

>Deckard was always a fucking replicant,

Fucking children

I hope you're agreeing with me, otherwise I feel bad for your masochistic and relatively young life.

replying ot yourself this much sad

If Childs is the thing why did it waste time talking with Macready instead of killing him?

He could've torched him in 5 seconds. Or he could've ran off, waited for mac to die and freeze to wait for the rescue team.

Theres no way that Childs is the thing.

Would it have worked, Sup Forums?

Either MacReady is the thing, or neither of them were.

Childs is literally ared herring and pleb filter. He isn't the thing because his earring is still present in the final scene, and the thing can't replicate inorganic matter. Not to mention the fact he didn't kill MacReady there and then at the end, despite having ample opportunity. MacReady on the other hand, is the only surviving character at the end of the movie who we KNOW was alone with the thing at some point, and is therefore most likely to be "infected".

Fighting hasn't really worked out for the thing so it would be better off waiting for Macready to fall asleep and assimilate him than to take a risk in attacking right away.

uh yeah

I can see Carpenter being asked the same thing more than once and him going "Just go with it"

Why did the Thing only infect Palmer and Norris? It surely has opportunities to get others