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Kaufman's Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:40 pm
by Cail
I had an interesting conversation about this film, and wanted to throw something out there.

We're all familiar with the end of the movie. Matthew wrecks a bunch of stuff, a flashlight shines at the screen, Matthew goes through a day emotionlessly, sees Nancy, and goes....

Image


It's always seemed completely unambiguous to me that Matthew was turned into..... One of them, and that all was lost.

I was told that I was wrong, and that it was pretty clear that Matthew narced on Nancy to keep his cover, and that Kaufman himself had said so.

Huh?

Anyone else think that?

Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 7:19 pm
by High Lord Tolkien
I'm with you.
I always assumed that nothing human could make the sound he made at the end.
Plus it added to the whole "it's a hopeless lost cause" theme of the movie.
If he was faking I think it would have made for a weaker ending.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:43 am
by Montresor
I think your friend has their sources wrong...

There's no denying he's a pod-person at the end.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:03 am
by Cail
You know, I would have said that a week ago, but when I watched it again last night, I had to wonder. Part of it is that Sutherland is such an odd-looking guy to begin with, but as he's going through his day, and especially when he's sitting at his desk tearing up the papers, he seems a little "off".

I dunno, I was dead sure of myself a week ago, now, not so much.

Great movie regardless, and other than Carpenter's The Thing.... Best. Ending. Ever.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:08 am
by Montresor
It seems completely out of character for the protagonist to turn on a friend just to save his own skin. It's not like there were pod-people within spitting distance, so that he had no choice.

Definitely one of the best endings to a film ever, that's for sure.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:55 am
by Cail
True.

I'm just going to pick at this scab for a while I guess.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:15 pm
by Loredoctor
Cail wrote:Great movie regardless, and other than Carpenter's The Thing.... Best. Ending. Ever.
Agreed. And it's one of my all time favourite horror/sci-fi movies.

As for my opinion of the ending, I think Sutherland's character is a Pod person as it just fits. As for Kaufman's comment, I will have to listen to the commentary on my dvd. I have listened to it before and I don't recall that he said contrary what I wrote . . . .but I may have forgotten.

Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:54 pm
by aTOMiC
I watched IBS recently and have to support Cail's original notion. I've never had any other impression and nothing has changed. It's interesting to speculate otherwise but I don't recall anything that supports the idea that Mathew was faking. IMHO.