Not sure about the ending shot of Candy's arm? - The Brood (1979) Discussion

[–] GarryJohal 17 years ago

i guess it means that she's got the same disease(or ability, whatever u wanna call it) that her mom had and that there's a good chance she's gonna end up sort of like her in the future.

It seems like a classic twist ending to me, i can't see what else it's mean to mean.

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[–] cities_in_dust 17 years ago

Nola's mother was an abusive parent, and thus she later became one herself. The marks on Candy's arm imply that her mother's abusive has marked her, and she will quite likely grow up to become an abusive parent. This is where the rage that fuels the brood comes from. Notice how the very last shot is not of the marks, but a close-up of Candy's tear stricken eyes as we cut to the credits.

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[–] ratmfan777 17 years ago

Well it could also be in reference to what the police psychiatrist earlier in the film was talking about. He stated that young children who do not deal with trauma correctly can have severe consequences which can be manifested physiological and that these memories can find their way out, as he say he has seen children her age develop tumors consequently. I believe that this is showing how, in generally family members, with psychosomatic problems, as personified through a horrifying fantasy reality via the brood, can affect those around them and even most tragically the ones that are most pure. We see this physical manifestation also in the character with the lymphatic obsession though he claims the doctor pitted his body against himself still possibly connected. I thought this was a very interesting film and moderatly scary though im easily scared.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Mister_Scratch 16 years ago

The last shot of Candy's eyes also implies that they may just be teardrops.

They are not tear drops, they are clearly bumps on her skin.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] BrunoAntony 16 years ago

It means shes soon to push out some Aphex Twins.

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[–] magicvoice 16 years ago

Doesn't anyone remember the scene where Candy's grandmother explains that Nola used to break out in mysterious bumps when she was a little girl and had to be hospitalized for it? I assumed this was just her trying to hide her physical abuse of Nola when she was a girl, but it seems the bumps on Candy's arms are hereditary. She will have the same gift as her mother. The cycle will continue just as it does with abuse.

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[–] Philly22 16 years ago

Good observation

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[–] tkallehave-1 15 years ago

I am pretty sure they are the beginning of the manifestations, the "children".

Nola was abused, and as somebody mentioned, she had breakouts of little lumps that, I think, later on became the creatures. Remember when she gives birth, in the cabin, to the creature it is growing on her body, not within her womb. This is also how she is able to give "birth" to so many "children"!

And even though I am not sure Candy was abused by her mother she certainly experienced something very, very traumatic and she will have the ability to create similar manifestations later on in life.

That is just my take on it. What says you?

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[–] prplayer 8 years ago

it's a typical scene at the end of a horror movie to indicate that the danger is not yet fully dealt with

so many movies, so little time

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[–] PreachCaleb 7 years ago

It also ties in the the cycle that children of abusive parents become abusive parents themselves.

Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead.

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[–] Drooch (5333) 2 years ago

It’s clearly implying that Candy will be sprouting her own evil brood one day, although surely one needs to undergo Dr Raglan’s ‘psychoplasmics‘ therapy to start actually mutating and birthing the demon kids..?

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