John Carpenter's THE THING - Who sabotaged the blood bank? 

“This is the lock picking lawyer and what I have for you today is a cooler lock from the early eighties.”

Not a deep insight by any means, but I'm impressed by the sheer brilliance of MacReady saying "We'll do you last, Gary" immediately before testing Palmer's blood. Such a great misdirect. It moves Gary to the forefront of our suspicions, making it all the more shocking when it turns out that Palmer is the real culprit.

Carpenter is kicking back, laughing. "Still being scrutinized after all these years. I got em' good with this one."

They don't write em like this anymore.

"The Thing" is a true masterpiece. Just the fact that fans are analyzing it 35 years later shows how strong the narrative is. The question of who destroyed the blood samples was one that always nagged at me and this video cleared it up for me in a way that makes sense.

This movie really is the ultimate in alien horror btw

I never realised how many references to the keys are packed throughout the movie, even the foley sounds of the keys ruffling around when Gary is thrown to the floor in the altercation, I'm actually amazed by the attention to detail on how to create an atmosphere of pure confusion and paranoia. This movie truly is a psychological horror masterpiece.

Windows and Mac. What great names

Palmer was such a good disguise to have. Literally nobody suspected him until the blood test, where he was outed as the Thing

The fact that we're still discussing details after almost 40 years is a testament to the greatness of this movie

Palmer couldn't hear The Thing, he had Airpods in!

*STARTS HEATING UP WIRE* “Someone in this chat isn’t who they say they are...”

did you notice Palmer smirk when the blood is mentioned

It's really amazing see how after so many years, people are still trying to figure out who's infected, when they got infected, how they got infected, how they behave, if there's another way to find out an infected one besides the blood test, etc.

6:46 I always thought that was a clever bit of foreshadowing. Look at where Palmer is staring. He's not focused on the fight at all. Instead, he's _staring right at Fuchs._ Palmer and Norris were already trying to get him isolated.

When I think that this masterpiece received terrible reviews from critics when it was released 🤦‍♂️ That's why I never trust Rotten Tomatoes, critics have always been a bunch of assholes!

Palmer was assimilated near the beginning. We see the dog walk into the same room as Palmer, then it cuts to another scene.

5:24 I always think how bizarre it is here that Palmer and Norris have both been assimilated, so when they look at each other here it's The Thing looking at itself.

The Thing and The Shining. Two great cinematic horror masterpieces that is still being talked about and analyzed to this day.

I know that in Aliens they say it's the perfect organism but in my opinion, that saying should belong to The Thing. The creature is so intelligent that it's terrifying how it can turn an entire crew against each other. Meanwhile it's blending in with them almost seemingly like the original person never disappeared. This is why I will always be fascinated by the The Thing (and horrified) and I firmly believe it's the TRUE perfect organism as you can't even tell or know if you definitely killed it.

Is it plausible that White Chicks is a sequel to The Thing?

This makes sense. I actually believe Palmer was the first one turned and was an imitation since shortly after the dog appeared.

I think one of the freakiest parts of the thing is how it can imitate a person almost perfectly. From mannerisms to expressions. It’s hard to believe that it can do that and then be this horrifying creature at the same time.

I like how when Mac gets to Palmer during the blood test he's like "well shit"

Another theory: There are multiple Thing organisms and they are all competing with each other as well.

Palmer's blood popping up was the greatest "WTF" scene in cinema's history.

8:20-"This is non-sense. It doesn't prove a thing." Is that a pun????

Everyone rushes in urgently and angrily to have a look at the blood meanwhile palmer just glides in with his headphones on feigning ignorance. He's also got an incredibly awkward posture which makes him look like he thinks he's been caught. Also I think the thing's one weakness is fear/shock. As I bet hitting the thing with a baseball bat on the arm or back would cause it to instinctively fight back, since that's something every animal does. That's why every time it's about to be electrocuted or discovered it changes form into the monster, as its scared and won't be able to control itself.

One theory suggests that Blair, while he was destroying everything in the camp, like the dogs, chopper, and radio room, decided to cut the blood when he found the keys, cause he didn’t want any traces of humans left for the thing to assimilate.

What I love is that when Garry is suspected during the blood test, you learn right after that Palmer is infected. The tension is still on Garry until the end of that entire scene. Even the first time I saw the movie I went "Well...is he a thing too?"

RIP Donald Moffat (Garry) Died December 20 2018 - thanks for the memories. EDIT (Aug 2020) Here is the complete cast of the 12 members of the US research station team: - Kurt Russell (age 69) "MacReady/Mac" - T. K. Carter (age 63) "Nauls" - David Clennon (age 77) "Palmer" - Keith David (age 64) "Childs" - Peter Maloney (age 75) "Bennings" - Richard Masur (age 71) "Clarke" - Joel Polis (age 68) "Fuchs" - Thomas G. Waites (age 65) "Windows" ... sadly the four that are no longer with us: - Wilford Brimley (died August 1st 2020; aged 85) "Dr. Blair" - Richard Dysart (died April 5 2015; aged 86) "Dr. Copper" - Charles Hallahan (died November 25 1997; aged 54) "Norris" - Donald Moffat (died December 20 2018; aged 87) "Garry"

I remember a scene where one of the guys said "this thing could of travel around to millions of planets and assimilate millions of species and now wants to assimlate us" It makes me wonder if the thing's goal was so assimilate every single life form or just go around different planets trying to gather biological data from all species

I can't get enough of the thing

raising a "key" point 😎😎

Seconds before the "Hot needle test" you see an expression on Palmer's face like a "oh well" when they shoot the close up that is. I find it an interesting clue.

So many years later on and this movie is still being talking/reviewed over. They don’t make em like this anymore.

I love Keith David. He's gold in this and They Live.

It's most likely Palmer. He smirks after the blood is mentioned first off, secondly he was indeed missing a good chunk of the movie when the keys are important. Notice during the blood test itself though, he keeps his head down. He's quiet and inconspicuous. It's most likely him. It was Palmer Thing

Look at the aloof expression on Palmer's face during Norris' transformation. He's definitely not a human at this point.

This movie is easily my favorite horror movie. The practical effects, the atmosphere, having no music in it at all, the acting, it’s just so damn good and creepy as hell. I really wished there was a sequel or a GOOD prequel after this one, but it was a failure when it released sadly.

The whole bit with the keys could also be a distraction by filmmakers to get people thinking about that instead of something else. And given the properties of the Thing I find the idea of it sticking a finger to the lock and then growing its flesh into the hole in order to unlock it pretty believable. Unlock it that way, sabotage the blood, then use where the keys have been and who's had access as a way to build distrust among the remaining humans.

The little object in the blood is just a label from one of the bags in the room, nothing special it just happened to fall down during filming.

I could watch this movie in the middle of summer 5x in a row and never get tired of it. This movie is a timeless classic. They Live is my 2nd favorite Carpenter flick.

One thing I want to note is that Fuches probably suspected Mac when he found his clothes. But when he realized Mac didn't try and assimilate him when they were alone (the scene where he suggests they eat from their own cans), he realized Mac WASN'T the thing. He probably then left to Mac's tower, hid the clothes inside the furnace there (in hopes that if anyone would have found it, it would be Mac because it's HIS tower) to try and protect the only person he KNEW at the time wasn't the Thing. Then, knowing he couldn't trust anyone else, he self terminated outside his shack. He forgot to shut off the light when hiding the clothes, hence why it was left on. I don't think Palmer left to plant the evidence. Why would he replant it, if Fuches found it already? Especially hide it in the furnace where (again) the only person to likley to find it would be Mac.

As for the blood flowing out continuity gaff, the doctor had already unlocked it and opened it before calling the others. He likely then shut it again in surprise. That could explain why it just started spilling out.

I love Palmer's eye roll right before they test his blood.

Palmer, the first human Thing, infects Childs when they share the blunt, and Blair infects himself when he puts that damn pencil in his mouth that he was poking the remains with

My only issue is why no one realized that Windows was the last person who had the keys. But you make a good point, they were too distracted with purging the station of the Thing's remains to consider the blood being sabotaged, which they didn't realize could be a solution prove who isn't human until later. So for that, I tip my hat to you.

Strangely enough, this movie really doesn't put enough emphasis on the greatest danger The Thing poses: infection. Obviously, it focuses on not being alone with the larger organisms, but they still have no problem being near infected blood, infected fluids, or infected corpses. Mac just handles the petri dish with his bare hands and makes no effort to burn the escaping blood. They also have no problem standing in close contact with other crew members, sleeping, and eating. If they had any sense, they'd know that from the moment they understood what the creature could do, they were already screwed. Plenty of its molecules had been spewed all over the camp at that point.

35 god damn years later, this movie *STILL* has secrets that rewards repeat viewings and encourages debate. It's a shame that films today are more or less disposable by comparison. What is there to gain from watching something like The Avengers in 10 years? Absolutely nothing. It's profoundly sad to me.

I always had my suspicions about Norse and Palmer because like 40 minutes into the film they start acting really strangely but I don’t think it was Blair because he was in between sabotaging everything and being locked up. I originally thought Childs was the Thing but he’s proven to be human in the blood test scene and he’s got the glimmer in his eyes

I don't think we as the audience are ever supposed to figure out who sabotaged the blood and who got infected and when. This creates paranoia and confusion not only among the characters but also the audience. That's the beauty of this film as no one knows what's going on.

Those little details like the sound of the keys droping to the floor... Just a masterpiece, this whole movie is like a puzzle still waiting to be solved. More than 30 years later and still isnt clear how exactly all the events happened

This is what makes the film as fantastic as it is. It never lays all its cards on the table, not at any point is all revealed. Mysteries and questions are left unanswered all the way through to the credits and audience members are left to scrounge up small details and clues to practically unanswerable questions.

This movie is pure genius. Im blown away every time I re-witness the unraveling story telling style with all the artistry that goes into "the thing" creatures. I love it to no end. huge fan.

When Blair did the autopsy on the dog alien, he touched the interior of the thing/dog/corpse with the pencil he was holding. Then he touched his own lip, infecting himself and he was now doomed to his own gradual assimilation. Watch the clip, it’s what happened.

I dunno about blood... but I did notice a boom mic about 50 seconds in lol

I love these Thing analyses. There's just so many small details that really makes you enjoy the film more. Everytime I watch the movie again with knowledge like this in mind, I feel like I understand the events more. That's what really makes The Thing so rewatchable, with all of it's details, how, where, and when events happened. Great work!

I had a next-door neighbor that was kind of off to me. After I seen this movie, I never talked to him again.

Also, the freaking NAME is a clue: "Palmer" as in someone who can "palm" things (hide, relocate, or change them). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palming

Rob's a legend. I've been coming to this channel for years now, always something interesting to watch.

Having watched the Thing easily twenty times over and being so familiar with it, every point you make clicks into place. Bravo!

Dude, you got amazing eyes! I've seen the Thing a million times and never noticed Palmer or his headphones. Amazing.

the flowing blood isn't a continuity error, the cabinet was just reopened for the first time after the blood was sabotaged, it took time for the blood to pool at the bottom and when reopened could finally flow free

It was Palmer, dammit!

Great analysis. I believe Norris ate a piece of the thing in his food, ignoring recommendations to eat from cans, as he gripped his stomach a couple of times. He also instinctively realizes hes "not up to the job". I believe Blair was also human otherwise he would not go to such efforts to openly sabotage, he would have remained incognito. I think Palmer was the only infected ones until Bennett gets it, and I think thats purely because of the things meticulous nature. It knows it has all the time in the world. Most definitely the thing grabbed the keys from the floor, but you're also missing something. He doesnt have to cut the blood right there and then, all he has to do is open or remove the lock...in all this chaos, no one will notice, and Palmer can destroy the blood at an opportune moment.

One crazy theory could be is that who ever picked up the keys was pressed for time and only unlocked the door to the blood before returning them to the store room before they were missed. Everyone was probably preoccupied with cleaning up to notice the blood unsecure and were then distracted by Blair, allowing Palmer to easily access the blood. This would probably show there was some coordination between the three base personnel who were imitations.

its brilliant that decades later were still asking questions about this film :)

I have another question. When the Thing was still masquerading as a dog, there is a scene where it enters a room. We see someone's shadow in the room, sitting on a bed. When the dog enters, the shadow turns around and the scene fades to black. Who was in that room?

Man I missed when windows dropped the keys, man a HUGE detail that I needed to watch the movie again ha ha ha...Palmer not being there when Blair went nuts yup... All these details I missed..oh well gotta watch it again..

Truly a brilliant film. The fact that it's still discussed to this extent decades later proves it.

8:13 "well that plan was for nothing" said his expression.

I always thought it was Palmer, as we see him get infected by the dog first, so he was a Thing for the longest.

I've seen it more than ten times probably about fifteen but in the last two months I have learned more about the brilliance of the plot and the perfection of the continuity thanks to diligent observant viewers such as yourself, great bit of detective work and analysis, thanks, and thanks to John Carpenter for being a LEGEND 😊

This is a great video. On the blood leaking out of the fridge, I like to believe that the blood was slashed a bit ago and was only leaking out now because it had built up inside of the fridge to the point that it was suddenly leaking out of it. Although, an artistic license works just as well.

God, this movie was so f×cking good.

great analysis. I've been consciously aware of how important the keys are leading up to the blood incident, but I never before noticed all of the non-verbal references, and how often they are heard jingling. Carpenter was masterful with incorporating their presence subliminally.

I cannot express my love for this movie enough. I feel like I learn or have something new pointed out about it at least every year since I first saw it. Excellent breakdown!

Or the Thing being a Shapeshifter it just slid some tendrils through the tiny gap in the door and sabotaged the blood without needing to open the door.

6:38 look at the way Palmer is looking at Fuchs.

These series of videos you've been doing on "The Thing" theories, have been excellent. As someone who loves the film and the ambiguity left in the film to keep you guessing it's a pleasure to listen to other people's ideas as to what happened.

And, it's from a book titled "Who Goes There" from like 1938 or 39.

What makes this movie so great is half the actors in this movie had no idea what was about to happen next, and didn’t know who ‘The Thing’ was until the cameras start rolling. Carpenter kept all the actors on edge to fit into the paranoia that any of them could be ‘The Thing’ truly a masterpiece

I picked up on something interesting. Fuchs says, "Someone opened it, closed it and then locked it". But when Doc enters right before he alerts everyone he just opens it without opening a lock, just opening it quickly without a key. It could be a goof but I don't know it's interesting.

Collative Learning / Rob Ager is *THE BEST*. Keep making awesome content!

Great video. The Thing is such a great movie with so much to analyze. What I love is that it can easily withstand any analysis! Awesome!

Nice one fella. Good to know how well thought out the whole story was including the little sub plots. And good for you for pointing these things out. It is a film I hold in high regard at the time and now even tho it is many years later. It was probably one of the only horror films where the actors gave it their all and made it seem so real. Remembering the blood testing scene when the do Gary last and his explosive reaction to the groups suspicions. Outstanding. Thanks for the upload fella x

I live the film. I read the book many years ago. This whole discussion was amazing. In the book the question of what to do with the frozen entity fills up 20 pages or. You are a part of the scene in the book and the film. Fantastic work👌

I love that you keep making these videos.

SOB! i've seen this more times than I can count, and never noticed Windows dropped the keys.

This is an impressive level of detail on their part, and props to you and everyone else who picked up on all of these small visual ques!

Ive seen this movie multiple times and yet Ive over looked Windows dropping those keys every time. Very cool video man, thanks for posting.

Why does an amorphous being need keys? Why is blood leaking through the magnetic seal in the medical fridge? Carpenter tends to be a stickler for details... that seal was ripped away on purpose. The thing didn't need keys to get to the blood or to get to Blair.

This is very well thought out. I always wondered who tampered with the blood and I believe you nailed it.

I love your channel so much. Recently made my first purchase on your website and will get the patreon when paid end of the month. Keep it coming I love this channel!

Alien: I'm bout to do whats called a pro gamer move

I am 99% on board with Palmer sabotaging the blood, being infected early by the dog possibly, etc. BUT.... Palmer is the first one to notice that the Norris spiderhead is escaping. If he is a Thing at this point, why would he alert the others, wouldn't he just let his li'l ally get away?

The funny thing is Doc didn't need the blood. The test is a simple one, put two blood samples together, see if there is a reaction under the scope. All the blood storage does is give you a known 'pure' sample. Now they also destroyed the thing samples by this point so we'll assume they aren't usable (although they could have substituted for the pure, just giving us the opposite conclusions). However, you can still do the test. Just take blood from two people and see if there is a reaction. If there isn't, those two are either both things, or both human. If there is, you know that they are from opposite groups. So, just do this simple test: Take a blood sample from each person. Mix two people's blood together at random. View the result. If no reaction, those two are grouped together. If there is a reaction, the two are held apart. Now, repeat the test, but now use either of the already tested people on a new person. If they don't react, they join the group of the person they were tested against. If they react, the new person joins the opposite group. Assuming the thing keeps its cool and does not attack the second there is a reaction test, you'll end up with two groups, one quite large, and one quite small, and it becomes increasingly obvious who the thing group is. At the very least they could have used such a test to know who is safe to be with. On another thing related topic, another channel noticed something with Childs at the end. Childs has both a false tooth, and an earring in the final scene. Now, in the original, neither of these things actually comes up as a test, but the prequel movie conspicuously uses both for tests for things. Thing replicas will eject fillings or any other inorganic material. This is used early on to confirm the who isn't a thing. Later in the movie the lack of an earring on Carter who had one earlier shows he was replicated. While this might have been played for a red herring, at no point in the prequel is this shown to be the case and it appears to be a legitimate test. Now, does this apply to the original movie, hard to say, although the biologist in me says logically it should. However, in the end, its a movie with all kinds of logical holes so that doesn't tell the tale, it is an interesting addition to the puzzle.

hey, i love your analysis. i could watch this one over and over, again. especially ones involving 'the thing', which i totally love. i wish i could buy some of your lengthier videos, but i'm a homeless bum who hasn't much money, as you could tell if you watch any of my videos on my channel. but, i mostly just wanted you to know that me and some of the other guys at this shelter i live in love your stuff and you help us stay focused on things. your one of many proponents that help us stay sober and we appreciate your work. thanks,

This is absolutely brilliant. I love your logic and lucid analysis.