The ending of John Carpenter's The Thing

[Deleted User]

SPOILERS!!!!!!!! ON A 30 YEAR OLD MOVIE!!!!!! SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, apparently, some guy was talking with John Carpenter about the ending of The Thing, where Kurt Russel and Keith David are the only two guys left, and it is left ambiguous as to which one of them is human, and which might be the creature...

"A friend of mine, back when he was an assistant, spent a great deal of time with John Carpenter doing interviews and the like for video games and comic projects. I was discussing my conversation with Larry Turman with this friend and he said "You know, I asked John Carpenter about The Thing."

"Oh yeah? What did he say?" I asked.

"He said he never understood where all the confusion came from. The last frame of The Thing is Kurt Russel and Keith David staring each other down, harshly backlit. It's completely, glaringly obvious that Kurt Russel is breathing and Keith David is not."

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA4Ozqt7338

Mind = Kablooey.

shroud68

I don't want to know. I'm perfectly content with the ambiguity of that classic ending and I will not go down any rabbit hole telling me otherwise.

Matt

That's weird, because I have read JC had a sequel in mind and that would feature both men being rescued with the Thing still coming after them. No indication about one being the creature. But he's John "F-ing" Carpenter, so I'd give him a pass if he changed his mind.

M.

John_Steed

It just has to be incontrovertible fact. After all it was one of those "A friend of mine...." contributions to the internet. Right?

:O)

hauberk

Kieth actually does have some slightly visible breath during the scene in question. The location of the lightsource does a lot to conceal his breath. Regardless, there are actual documented interviews where Carpenter has said that it was his intent to leave it up to the audience as to which, if either of them, was the Thing.

Greg

I never gave it much thought. I always wanted to believe that it was neither of them.

Caliban

anyone wearing a white jacket is infected