a funny ending to Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

[Earl]

I assume most of you have seen the 1978 remake of the 1956 science fiction classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers. No doubt you remember the downbeat ending. Veronica Cartwright's character is the only human being left in San Francisco. She spots Matthew (Donald Sutherland's character) and calls him by name, thinking he's still human. Matthew responds by pointing at her and emitting the shrill, piercing scream of the pod beings. When this movie came out, I took my girlfriend and future wife to see it. She didn't like the ending, as I'm sure others haven't as well. But rest assured, all of those who wanted a happy ending to this movie now have one to watch. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MLxcKmWOFM&NR=1

[Ray]

Excellent.

Now I want to watch the movie. It's been so long it's like I've never seen it. Or maybe I never did, I don't know...

Isn't that the guy who played the professor in...Animal House?

[Earl]

Hi, Ray. That youtube video is hilarious.

I've never seen Animal House (amazement); so, I don't know if Donald Sutherland starred in that movie or not. I get the impression that he did not star in that movie, but I'm not sure. Three other major motion pictures that he did star in were M.A.S.H. (1970) (which I didn't like), Kelly's Heroes (1971), and Don't Look Now (1973). Of course, there have been others. But those three might help to jog your memory.

[Ray]

Yeah, I just looked it up --he was in Animal House. That's worth watching. I did see the original MASH (but long after I was used to the series so I didn't like it as much as I might have if I'd seen it first). I think that's when I first heard the lyrics to the MASH theme song. I had always assumed, while watching MASH the TV serial, that it was just a tune. I didn't know it had words. I was shocked. Suicide is painless? It didn't seem appropriate for the light-hearted comedy. Maybe the original film was intended to be darker.

And I saw Kelly's Heroes too. I don't think I ever saw it all the way through but from what I remember, it was sort of silly. I could be wrong.