If they survived. They went with the LIMBO-style ending before there was a LIMBO-style ending.
Spoilers Alien Romulus reviews and ratings
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I still don't get why the "Unhappy" ending caused such a stir. The 70s version of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" had a far bleaker ending and no one complained, they loved it
I didn't realize there was question about their survival, I thought the rescue plane or whatever was almost there so they were pretty much guaranteed to both make it at that point.
There was the ending that aired on cable television that showed the Husky running away from camp, implying that the Thing escaped and possibly reached civilization (which was added against John Carpenter's wishes).
There's also a scripted ending, that was never filmed, which had McReady awakening in the hospital and confirmed to be human and Childs was a Thing.
There's also a scripted ending, that was never filmed, which had McReady awakening in the hospital and confirmed to be human and Childs was a Thing.
I hope that happened. While the novel and the film, both from '82, end with the same dialogue, the book seems a bit more optimistic. Mac is even cheerful enough to start a chess game with Childs, possibly in the daytime.
The cable bastardization was first aired on CBS for their Friday night late movie, as was OUTLAND. Neither flick was given a prime-time slot. But since this THING was so butchered, maybe that's an actual plus. Two small amusements include the narrator touching on certain characters' traits, and the TV spoken-word replacement for Child's ''motherfucker'' question at the halfway point. Those who have Shout Factory's THING Special Edition can see the bastardized censored version, the hilarious Carpenter-Russell commentary, and a helluva lot more. Or just find out where my house is and I can play it for you free of charge after the blood test.
The 2011 prequel subtly but cleverly answers the question whether Childs is a thing or not.
I assume Macready ain't, unless he went friendly-fire on Mr. Quaker Oats-Thing-Doc because he thinks Only One Thing Can Rule Them All.
That movie makes a few too many wrong-headed decisions for me to ever let it speak for the '82 movie.
A lifeform that can copy you right down to your memories so accurately that no one can tell it apart from the real thing, but it puts an earring on the wrong side? GTFO.
The evidence implies that they're both Human and they ultimately defeated the Thing at the cost of their own lives. The screenwriter (Bill Lancaster) thought so, Childs actor (Keith David) said he wasn't a Thing, the alternate ending had Mac be revealed as Human and the 2002 Video game which Carpenter endorsed showed Childs dead and human.
I know we all want to go with the "ambiguous" thing, but the evidence suggests that it was a slightly less downer ending than we thought.
You want downers, watch Carptenters' other Apocalypse movies: Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness.
For me, the end of The Thing is like the question, "Is Deckard a replicant?"
The question is interesting, the answer is not.
The question is interesting, the answer is not.
You think I need you to tell me to watch a John Carpenter film?!
I think John Carpenter's run from 'Dark Star' to 'The Thing' is probably one of the best in cinema. After that though, IMO, it's a steady drop off and a case of diminishing returns. I don't think he ever truly got over the critical and box office failure of 'The Thing'.
I dunno, "Starman" was pretty good.
I finally got my hand on the BluRay of Alien: Romulus a little while ago and while it's not my favorite entry in the franchise I still very much enjoyed watching it. Seemed pretty clear to me that those who made it have a lot of love for the Alien franchise. I liked all the little nods and easter eggs even though some of them were a bit too heavy-handed and obvious. But eh. I'd probably have done the same if someone had given me the chance to make a movie set between Alien and Aliens.
I can see why a lot of people seem to rank this movie right below the first two movies on their lists, and while I can't do that because I have some weird love for Alien³ (extended version, not theatrical)... I'd still rank Alien: Romulus right below the first few movies as well.
Also, I won't complain if they make another one.
I can see why a lot of people seem to rank this movie right below the first two movies on their lists, and while I can't do that because I have some weird love for Alien³ (extended version, not theatrical)... I'd still rank Alien: Romulus right below the first few movies as well.
Also, I won't complain if they make another one.
Agreed, though Childs has been cleared...at least for those who hear the DVD commentary.
I like DARKNESS more than I thought I would because having only four male survivors was a novelty for an '80s horror film. While Donald Pleasence was one-note, Dennis Dun stole the movie with his frantic hysterical humor.
I too agree that Childs and Mac are human. But neither one can be sure about the other, and budgetary cutbacks prevented Carpenter from showing a ninth blood test, so we get the abrupt cut-out instead of a subtle fadeout. I've got to admit even though I'd read the tie-in novel months before that cut-out ticked me off. Ennio Morricone's ending music didn't make me feel less annoyed as there were basically just two notes in it.
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IMO, the entire 3rd Act of The Thing was rushed from when they go to Blair's shack straight to the ending. The characters do stuff that's just too dumb from established behavior and it all feels like "We ran out of money so this is the best we could do".
Not entirely, Prince of Darkness, They Live and In the Mouth of Madness are all top drawer Carpenter (in fact Prince of Darkness is in my top five), and Escape from LA has its moments and is scarily prescient in some ways ("I was a Muslim in South Dakota, suddenly they made it a crime"). I've recently rewatched Vampires and Ghosts of Mars for the first time since either of them came out and I think time has been somewhat kind to them. Don't get me wrong, neither is a classic but they're both much better than I remembered them being and in particular I wonder if things might had been different with Mars if Carpenter had secured a stronger female lead and if he'd been allowed to have Statham play Desolation Williams as originally planned?
On the flipside it's only in the last few years that I've finally been able to see Christine and Starman and I have to say I wasn't a huge fan of either.
Re The Thing the optimal outcome for humanity is that both MacReady and Childs are still human, because they'll freeze to death and that's it. Obviously if one or both of them are the Thing then they'll freeze and when someone eventually investigates the alien will wake up and it all starts again.
That might be the case after Garry gets his ''couch'' comment off his chest. Now THAT would have one hell of an ending fadeout in ANY medium. But before that, before half of the final ten are eliminated, we're treated to a greatly-acted STALAG 17-style standoff with continuous tension.
I don't think the ending was rushed, and I haven't read or heard of any behind the scenes issues.
I do know that a couple of scenes were cut towards the end of the movie due to pacing issues, and Stan Winston stepped in to do some uncredited VFX work in post production because Rob Bottin had finally collapsed from exhaustion.
I do know that a couple of scenes were cut towards the end of the movie due to pacing issues, and Stan Winston stepped in to do some uncredited VFX work in post production because Rob Bottin had finally collapsed from exhaustion.