The Thing
Synopsis
"Horror-meister John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape From New York) teams Kurt Russell's outstanding performance with incredible visuals to build this chilling version of the classic The Thing.
In the winter of 1982, a twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the form-changing alien wreaks havoc, creates terror and becomes one of them."
In the winter of 1982, a twelve-man research team at a remote Antarctic research station discovers an alien buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Soon unfrozen, the form-changing alien wreaks havoc, creates terror and becomes one of them."
Production Information
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Release Date Copyright Country Language Run Time Certification Also Known As Director Writing Credits Executive Producer Producers Associate Producer Co-Producer Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Special Makeup Effects |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
1982 Universal City Studios, Inc U.S.A. English 109 Mins 18 John Carpenter's The Thing (U.S.A.) John Carpenter John W. Campbell Jr. (aka Don A. Stuart) & Bill Lancaster Wilbur Stark David Foster & Lawrence Turman Larry J. Franco Stuart Cohen Ennio Morricone Dean Cundey Todd C. Ramsay Rob Bottin |
Cast
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R.J. MacReady Dr. Blair Nauls Palmer Childs Dr. Copper Vance Norris George Bennings Clark Garry Fuchs Windows Dead Norwegian Norwegian With Rifle Helicopter Pilot Pilot Norwegian Dog-Thing |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Kurt Russell A. Wilford Brimley T.K. Carter David Clennon Keith David Richard Dysart Charles Hallahan Peter Maloney Richard Masur Donald Moffat Joel Polis Thomas Waites Norbert Weisser Larry Franco Nate Irwin William Zeman Jed (Alaskan Malamute / Wolf cross) |
Review
The inhabitants of United States National Science Institute Station 4 (Outpost #31) are happily doing whatever you do in the Antarctic, until a Norwegian helicopter flies towards their camp. Two crazy Norwegians are trying to kill a runaway dog by wildly shooting and throwing grenades at the seemingly harmless animal. In his haste one of the Norwegians accidentally blows himself up with a grenade and the other is shot dead after wounding one of the Americans. This whole episode provides a great talking point for the team, namely what the heck was going on? Cabin fever maybe? Who knows?
As the radio is not receiving signals due to the weather conditions, it is decided that MacReady and Dr. Copper should fly to the Norwegians base camp to see if they can clear up the mystery as to why these guys were going berserk. The pair discovers that everybody is either dead by their own hand or has been murdered. They also discover that the Norwegian team had previously excavated something from the ice before the killings started. It is getting late so they have to make a hasty exit, but just as they are leaving they find an organism of some kind that looks freaky to say the least. Knowing that this could be an important find they take it back with them...
Based on the short story Who Goes There? By John W. Campbell Jr. John Carpenter paints a vivid picture of paranoia and horror, which after a slow start has gathered a deserving cult following. It was badly received by critics at the time of its initial release and had poor reviews, some criticised its violence and gore to the point that one critic dubbed Carpenter a "pornographer of violence". The overriding elements, above the gore and violence are the good story, acting, and direction, but that is not to say that the gory special effects are not stunning as well.
As with Alien (1979) and The Shining (1980) the location is restrictive and this heightens the overall anxiety. You know that whatever happens, the terror has to be faced whatever the cost. Many horror movies fall down on this point, ending up having to use leaps of the faith, for example, why the assailant magically catches up with those on the run. In this case there is no place else to go. Because of the situation, MacReady ends up being an accidental hero who assumes leadership out of circumstance rather than desire.
John Carpenter's The Thing is not the first incarnation of 'Who Goes There?' Howard Hawks (one of Carpenter's favourite directors) directed an earlier attempt to follow the book in movie form called The Thing from Another World (1951). Although it follows on the same lines as Campbell's book, it forgoes making the monster a shape-changing alien and settles for a man in a monster suit. Carpenter's Thing is an all together different beast and this is what makes it a classic sci-fi horror film.
Reviewed: 21/07/07
As the radio is not receiving signals due to the weather conditions, it is decided that MacReady and Dr. Copper should fly to the Norwegians base camp to see if they can clear up the mystery as to why these guys were going berserk. The pair discovers that everybody is either dead by their own hand or has been murdered. They also discover that the Norwegian team had previously excavated something from the ice before the killings started. It is getting late so they have to make a hasty exit, but just as they are leaving they find an organism of some kind that looks freaky to say the least. Knowing that this could be an important find they take it back with them...
Based on the short story Who Goes There? By John W. Campbell Jr. John Carpenter paints a vivid picture of paranoia and horror, which after a slow start has gathered a deserving cult following. It was badly received by critics at the time of its initial release and had poor reviews, some criticised its violence and gore to the point that one critic dubbed Carpenter a "pornographer of violence". The overriding elements, above the gore and violence are the good story, acting, and direction, but that is not to say that the gory special effects are not stunning as well.
As with Alien (1979) and The Shining (1980) the location is restrictive and this heightens the overall anxiety. You know that whatever happens, the terror has to be faced whatever the cost. Many horror movies fall down on this point, ending up having to use leaps of the faith, for example, why the assailant magically catches up with those on the run. In this case there is no place else to go. Because of the situation, MacReady ends up being an accidental hero who assumes leadership out of circumstance rather than desire.
John Carpenter's The Thing is not the first incarnation of 'Who Goes There?' Howard Hawks (one of Carpenter's favourite directors) directed an earlier attempt to follow the book in movie form called The Thing from Another World (1951). Although it follows on the same lines as Campbell's book, it forgoes making the monster a shape-changing alien and settles for a man in a monster suit. Carpenter's Thing is an all together different beast and this is what makes it a classic sci-fi horror film.
Reviewed: 21/07/07
Other Material
Links
Similar & Related Media
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The Thing, Aka: The Thing from Another World (1951)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
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Seconds (1966)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
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• Literature
Who Goes There? John W. Campbell Jr. (Short Story)
At the Mountains of Madness, H.P. Lovecraft
The Thing, Aka: The Thing from Another World (1951)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
Invaders from Mars (1953)
Seconds (1966)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Society (1989)
The Faculty (1998)
Phantoms (1998)
• Literature
Who Goes There? John W. Campbell Jr. (Short Story)
At the Mountains of Madness, H.P. Lovecraft
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Reviews and other original content are subject to copyright © 2004 -2009 Maverick Media. Other content, scripts, images, videos and audio files are copyright © of their respective copyright holders.
Valid XHTML | Valid CSS