Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site houxe.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!drutx!houxe!khreb
From: khreb@houxe.UUCP (K.ROSEN)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Brother from Another Planet - Interpretations of the Ending (spoiler!)
Message-ID: <620@houxe.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Nov-84 17:03:22 EST
Article-I.D.: houxe.620
Posted: Wed Nov 21 17:03:22 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Nov-84 03:27:45 EST
Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 50

Here are the comments I received giving interpretations of the ending
of Brother from Another Planet.  Additional replies are welcomed.

   *****************************************************************

From: sdcsvax!decvax!ucbvax!allynh (Allyn Hardyck)


Earlier on in the film, he sees the extraterrestrial writing on the walls,
is overjoyed and writes a reply in his own blood (ripping himself apart
doesn't seem to trouble him much).  A man he passes in the street while
running later on is also an alien (the camera holds on him for a time but at
that point we don't know why).  Later when the Assholes have got him, a
crowd of the aliens (including the man) give chase, and being outnumbered
the Assholes phase themselves out of existence.  The Brother points to the
sky as if to say, "So, we're going now?" to which the reply is thumbs down,
nope, we're stuck here for good.

  *****************************************************************

I think it's clear that the Brother saw street graffiti that was
written by other escapees (when he got all excited earlier and wrote
on the wall in blood).  Later as his captors were leading him away,
he saw instructions written on the sidewalk so when he broke away he knew
where to run to meet his friends. 
What happened after the bad guys self-destructed is not clear.
The Brother looks at his friend questioningly with a thumbs-up and
gets a thumbs-down answer. I wasn't sure whether he was asking if
the bad guys went to heaven (answer: hell), or asking if he should
go uptown or downtown, or what.  What do you think?

- Paul Munro
  U. C. S. D.
  ARPA: munro@nprdc




*****************************************************************************

I think the ending means that he found some other people from his planet.
(remember when he happily read some grafitti on the wall and added some
of his own by cutting his hand.  I figured these were other "good guys"
from his planet).  When he found these guys and they ganged up on the
2 bad guys, the bad guys gave up and blew themselves up.


****************************************************************************