MovieChat Forums > Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) Discussion > Which ending do you like better?

Which ending do you like better?

posted 12 years ago by BattleRoyale96
17 replies | jump to latest

Book ending: Miles and Becky light a field of pods on fire; this causes the aliens to give up as they realize how desperate humans are at surviving. The Belicecs survived.

50s movie ending: Becky, Jack, and Theodora are duplicated, the aliens don't give up, Miles is in a nuthouse trying to explain what happened, and a some hope for the future.

70s movie ending: Jack, Elizabeth (Becky), and Matthew (Miles) are duplicated. Nancy (Theodora), still human, cross paths with an alien version of Matthew, and no hope for the future.

"You can't kill me, I'm the killer in Stab 3! I'm the killer!"- Jennifer Jolie

[–] BrunoAntony 12 years ago

I really like the 70s ending ... it's such a delightful downer and really shocking!

[–] leader-7 12 years ago

just one comment -- I can't believe you put spoilers around it -- the movie's been out since 1956... if you don't know the ending by now -- kinda like keeping a spoiler wrap around A Christmas Carol. jeez. :-)

[–] RaxR1991 12 years ago

I just saw the original for the first time ever, and I havent seen the 70s version, so for me the spoiler tags are a relief.

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity." - George Carlin

[–] leader-7 12 years ago

:-) I'm glad I adhered to our unwritten spoiler policy.

meanwhile -- did you love it or hate it?

[–] RaxR1991 12 years ago

I made a new thread, in which I express my opinion about this matter as well.

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity." - George Carlin

[–] vicky_lc2001-1 11 years ago

What about a person born yesterday? You expect them to have seen it? Also, have you seen every single film & tv show or read every single book ever written? Just because a film/book is old, doesn't mean everyone has seen/read it.

I personally just saw the original IOTBS today.

A lot of non English speakers have never heard of A Christmas Carol, fyi (even some English speakers, especially if it's their 2nd or 3rd or 4th language).

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[–] mam13143 11 years ago

Never liked the original ending when I first saw it in the theater because I wanted to see what happened after they called the FBI. With the intended ending you knew that the aliens would win cause no one would believe the doctor. My view anyway.

[–] stevenackerman69 10 years ago

I like the 50's version, where there is some hope at the end. Why have a dark ending with no hope?

[–] Atlantarama 9 years ago

I like the book's ending, and with all the remakes, I wonder why it was never used. It's not downbeat, and it's different than other sci-fi stories.

[–] Cult_of_Kibner 9 years ago

70s ending without a doubt.

[–] abajasds 9 years ago

That's somewhat a tough one because the 1950's movie plot device worked for its time seeing how other science fiction/horror movies of that era always made it seem like despite everything there is hope for the future or at least guess there is hope.

By the 1970's and 80's and so forth movies want you to believe there is no hope for the situation and that's exactly what the 1978 film showed us.

But, the 1993 version did something like a in between, we see the last 2 characters distorying as many pod trucks as possible along a road from a helicopter, but is that to tell us it's hope? Because obviously they could have ran out of explosives.

I'm going to say as a shocker, the 1978 movie. I mean that's the one movie that was remade that I actually gave me some serious chills! I've seen it at least 10 times.

My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather

[–] Woodyanders 8 years ago

I like the bleak no-hope-whatsoever nihilistic ending best.

I've been chasing grace/ But grace ain't easy to find

[–] lubin-freddy 8 years ago

I would have loved an ending to the 1956 film that ends on the highway with "THEY'RE HERE!!!".

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

[–] Hollywoodshack 8 years ago

I liked the original 1956 film ending, only seen by a few people where Binnel shouts on the highway, "You're next!"

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

I don't get why people disliked the ending as is. The film does NOT have a "happy ending", but rather a hopeful
ending. And Whit Bissell is just terrific. Love the expression on his face when he finally believes McCarthy, or at
least believes as much as he can. Terrific film.