THE THING WITH TWO HEADS, first of all, is a comedy. It's is obvious that everyone involved in the making of the movie was well aware of what they were creating. This isn't an earnest cautionary tale like THE MANSTER nor a sensationalistic exploitation sleazefest like THE INCREDIBLE TWO HEADED TRANSPLANT. It is a movie that was created, most likely, when some filmmaker friends got drunk one night and started throwing the most absurd ideas they could conjure out on the table.
To many, seeing a Hollywood legend (and legitimately great actor) like Ray Milland "reduced" to starring in schlock like this, X-THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES and FROGS in his later years must be sad, but I don't agree. Milland chews the scenery with such relish, I can't help but think that he had a ball making these movies. I can picture him sitting with his agent and saying, "Hey, I won my Oscar, I'm getting older, I might as well have some fun." While Milland and "Rosey" Grier are far from Abbott & Costello or even Martin & Lewis, the two have a certain odd chemistry that works well, especially since their characters are supposed to be from completely different backgrounds. Milland is a rich, loud-mouthed, bigoted surgeon, Grier is a poor, soft-spoken ex-con. Grier is no actor, but that actually works in Milland's favor as virtually his entire performance is from the neck up.
The movie does work as a bizarre allegory for racial relations but mostly it works as a goof. It barrels along at a break-neck pace with subplots involving everything from a two-headed gorilla escaping and going on a rampage to or our hero(s) infiltrating a BMX bike race while being chased by what appears to be the entire LA police department.
If you're looking for logic or intelligence keep looking. If you're looking for a silly good time, THE THING WITH TWO HEADS will do the trick admirably!
To many, seeing a Hollywood legend (and legitimately great actor) like Ray Milland "reduced" to starring in schlock like this, X-THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES and FROGS in his later years must be sad, but I don't agree. Milland chews the scenery with such relish, I can't help but think that he had a ball making these movies. I can picture him sitting with his agent and saying, "Hey, I won my Oscar, I'm getting older, I might as well have some fun." While Milland and "Rosey" Grier are far from Abbott & Costello or even Martin & Lewis, the two have a certain odd chemistry that works well, especially since their characters are supposed to be from completely different backgrounds. Milland is a rich, loud-mouthed, bigoted surgeon, Grier is a poor, soft-spoken ex-con. Grier is no actor, but that actually works in Milland's favor as virtually his entire performance is from the neck up.
The movie does work as a bizarre allegory for racial relations but mostly it works as a goof. It barrels along at a break-neck pace with subplots involving everything from a two-headed gorilla escaping and going on a rampage to or our hero(s) infiltrating a BMX bike race while being chased by what appears to be the entire LA police department.
If you're looking for logic or intelligence keep looking. If you're looking for a silly good time, THE THING WITH TWO HEADS will do the trick admirably!