The Thing [DVD] [1982]
The Thing [DVD] [1982]
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Product Description
John Carpenter's apocalyptic The Thing was released in cinemas just two weeks after E.T. in 1982. The two movies could hardly have presented more contrasting ideas about extra-terrestrial life, and it was Carpenter's uncompromisingly bleak vision that lost out at the box-office. But his audacious remake of the Howard Hawks 1951 B-movie The Thing from Another World has since been acknowledged as a classic in its own right, not only for its pioneering makeup and special effects techniques, but also for its bold treatment of an alien "infection" that eerily foreshadow s AIDS-inspired blood contamination scares. Whizzkid Rob Bottin was responsible for the surreal and stomach-churning make-up effects that are so crucial a part of the film's success--without his utterly convincing creations Carpenter would never have been able to make a monster movie without a "man in a suit"--and filming on a glacier in British Columbia ensured the complete authenticity of the Antarctic setting. Kurt Russell leads a strong all-male cast who powerfully convey their isolation and distrust of one another--in more ways than one this is a film about alienation. The uneasy atmosphere is enhanced by an icily monochrome score from Ennio Morricone, as a series of unforgettable horror set-pieces lead to a wonderfully downbeat finale. On the DVD:: The bonus features are exemplary, notably the excellent 80-minute documentary, "Terror Takes Shape", which covers all aspects of the production; and the relaxed, friendly, informative commentary by director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell--a model for how all commentaries should be. There's also an outtakes reel with some tantalising stills of unused footage. Text and stills-based montages illustrate the location design, conceptual artwork and various other aspects of the production. The sound mix is Dolby 5.1, although the non-anamorphic widescreen picture is not all it could be. --Mark Walker
Details
No features available.
Rating
What a classic this film is – John Carpenter’s masterpiece! Not so much a study about an alien creature, but more of character interaction and paranoia in an isolated harsh environment. The sheer atmosphere, accompanied by the creepy foreboding music, is enough to shred your nerves, let alone the excellent, and in my opinion, the greatest alien creature ever devised, causing gastric distress when it finally shows itself! Made at the time when horror was horror, instead of a dopey bloke with a knife hiding behind a sofa going OOOOOOHHH! and terrorising all the defenceless college girls! Rob Bottin’s alien transformations are eye-popping, and they are made all the more fantastic because there is no CGI used in them whatsoever! True artistic filmmaking talent! There are simply tons of extras on the DVD, icluding the obligatory ‘Making Of’ featurette plus trailers, photos, production reports, cast and crew biographies etc. And the icing on the cake of any DVD – the director / star feature commentary; in this case John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. Brilliant!!!
Rating
Based on the 1930′s short story “Who Goes There” by John W Campbell Jr (as was the 1950′s film The Thing From Outer Space), “The Thing” is a masterpiece of horror movie-making.
The film has it all – action, suspense, paranoia and a great story-line. Carpenter’s direction has never been better before or since and I think that is because the materials he had to work with were so inspired to start with.
Kurt Russell is comfortabe with his role as McCready and Wilford Brimley is excellent as Blair. In fact, the entire cast give strong performances as the men of the arctic base suddenly don’t know who to trust. And that is what the story is essentially about – trust and not being able to rely upon appearances.
The film’s sense of claustrophobic paranoia is excellent, and the story will keep you guessing right up to the end (and beyond).
If youhaven’t seen “The Thing”, I highly recommend you buy this DVD version of a classic horror tale.
Rating
This is probably, no sorry,definetely the best film ever. the effects are absolutely incredible, and the film deals with many issues of pranoia and fear. The plot is ingenious, based upon a short story by John W. Campbell, Jr, It is vey loosely based upon it with only a few characters in the base camp. The ending is ambiguous, incredible and inconclusive, just like they should be. The cast are brilliant, with Kurt Russell playing a sleepy drunk hero, and Wilford Brimley as a cowboy-biologist. People have criticized this film so much, saying things like the acting was appalling and the ending was unsatisfying.well guess what guys, it’s the best! you DO get to know the characters (unlike predator), even though they are still fodder for the merciless alien. The atmos-fear is thoroughly inspiring and thought-provoking. the alien biology, though confusing, is amazing and keeps you wondering and you come up with many theories about imitaton. in this order:
Watch the film
Buy the film
Watch the original
Read ‘Who Goes There?’
Play the game
Read The Novel adaptation
Write one of these reviews for all of the above!
Rating
If you can remember Alistair McLeans “Ice Station Zebra” then “The Thing” will really grip you with some stunning special effects and a superb atmosphere throughout the entire movie.
A group of scientists who have travelled to this remote ice station to carry out research discover a massive Flying Saucer imbedded in the ice but unknowing to them its occupant is hiding in a dark corner waiting to inhabit a human body and digest it from the inside out.
It is the suspense of not knowing what will happen next that makes this a trully great film.Possibly due to its slow pace it may not appeal to everyones taste but when the alien form makes its appearence you soon realise this is a superb film with some simply stunning special effects.
Each member of the team soon realise that THE THING may be lurking in any one of their team and the not knowing who gives it a 5 star rating.
The scene that really steals the show has a canine flavor and to tell you what happens will spoil the entire film.
If you enjoyed Alien then this film will certainly make the grade,but if a slow paced gripping drama is not for you then look elsewhere but for gripping drama with incredible special effects this film is amongst the best out there.
Rating
But in the best possible way.
I first saw this film at the cinema when it came out in 1982. My abiding memory is the stunned silence from the audience at what was unfolding on the screen in front of them, and the film certainly delivers it’s fair share of shocks. Early on, the dog handler has set the alarms off and when Macready (Russel) arrives the handler says to him “There’s something in with the dogs, I don’t know what it is, but it’s weird and pissed off”. Not half it isn’t.
I’ve watched it a number of times over the years and it still impresses on all levels. The direction, music and the setting and acting all contribute to the increasing sense of paranoia experienced by all the characters in the film. Apart from Kurt Russel the cast were relatively unknown but they all acquit themselves well. IMO it’s probably Carpenters best work.
The special effects are something of a high water mark for animatronics and models, and have only recently been surpassed (and then only just) by films with a lot of CGI.
The only question I’d have is why an Antarctic research station appears to have large quantities of explosives and more flamethrowers than would be good for anyone…
Rating
This 25 year old film in my opinion, blows ANY modern sci-fi/horror film right out of the water.
The special effects first; Mind-boggling even by todays standards, are NOT over used. They are used to tell the story, & never show the story up. Nor are they just a showcase for the incredible ROB BOTTIN’S work, just so he can progress his own career. His life’s love went into this film! These creations are real?? tangible, physical objects that occupy a real space on set that the actors can react to and act with! NOT some ping-pong ball on a stick, with the beastie STUCK on months later in a computer lab.
The acting here is rock solid too, with characters you actually give a damn about. Even though there are no women in this movie (A bold and refreshing change) this film is well balanced. Unlike say; CLIFFHANGER with Stallone (A film I love by-the-way). Which is SO unbalanced with ALL the male characters given alpha male roles, no contrast! But in THE THING, the writing is superb as each person having a legitimate place in the movie, & not just a punchbag for the lead actor.
THE THING is aslo a superb mystery/thriller, with the monster hiding inside other people, you feel like YOU can’t trust anybody. Together with JOHN CARPENTER’S masterfull direction puts you the viwer, right into the movie. HITCHCOCK did this superbly, making you actually feel uncomfortable. I think CARPENTER nods towards HITCHCOCK more than once here!
The extras on the disc are 1st rate too.
Retrospective interviews with Carpenter, Russel and the totally exuberant Rob Bottin, physical effects man extrordinaire! (He did the monsters)
A rare treat also, an interview with Albert Whitlock visual effects master. Who has worked on films for 50 years with much of his work being invisible, because we had no idea we were looking at a special effects shot and not the real location!!!
Which all goes to make up the most intelligent, solid sci-fi/ horror/thrillers out there.
Rating
I first saw Carpenter’s version as a 13 year-old at secondary school
on a rained off playtime lunch break with about 30 other teenagers about
20 years ago,i crapped myself.I couldnt watch beyond the point where
Bennings is caught changing into the ‘Thing’.
I made some excuse and left the hall. Over the years
(still mentally scarred) i managed to watch 10 minutes here and 10 minutes
there until i finally managed to sit through the whole film.I have since become
the ‘Thing’s’ greatest fan (and Carpenter fan – Halloween,Prince of Darkness, the Fog and
the Mouth of Madness (my favs) and watch it about once a year around Halloween time.
It has a great ensemble cast with no hollywood big chinned stars apart from Kurt Russell,
whom Carpenter made several films with around this time.
The atmosphere in this film is what makes it superior to other horror/
gore films of the 80′s. Its a study of mistrust and paranoia,
reflecting the then times (Russia,AIDS) with some great shock moments and
splendid SFX from make-up prodigy Rob Bottin. So impressive and thought provoking was
the story, that i decided to seek out the classic 1951 Howard Hawks B/W version.
I was suprised, although pleased, to see differences and similarities
between both versions. Both have a feeling of the ‘End of the world is nigh’
(as in ‘Night of the Living Dead’),both have the ‘trapped in the
house with…’ feeling of dread (as in ‘Alien’).
The B/W version does however slightly disapoint with its ‘THING’,a rather
Frankenstein’s monster type of creation and not the shape changing alien
of the remake but still that’s a very small gripe.
Both are rated 5 stars in my opinion, the 50′s version for it’s
influence on all other 50′s paranoid, cold war horror flicks(i.e.Body snatchers,
The day the earth stood still)and Carpenter’s 80′s stomach churning cult classic.
I have since read the original source material, John W. Campbell’s ‘Who goes there?’,
a short story that Carpenter followed more closely than Howard Hawks did.
So whether you believe ‘Man is the warmest place to hide’
or we should ‘Keep watching the skies’,turn the lights down
and enjoy the ‘Things’. eddy, london
Rating
I’m not usually a horror fan but with The Thing I’ll make an exception. It’s one of those movies that actually fully deserves the ‘classic’ tag.
As many reviewers have said the effects are wonderful, hugely imaginative and stomach churning, but what’s great and so different than many other movies is that it doesn’t detract from the story and the characters.
There’s a real sense of forboding in the isolated artic setting once the alien life form arrives in camp. Kurt Russell heads a strong all male cast who must battle the paranoia of who can and can’t be trusted.
The brooding minimalist score simply adds to this highly suspenseful story that should be part of your dvd collection!
Rating
Oh but I do love John Carpenter’s `The Thing’, (an awful lot more than Howard Hawks’ original from the Fifties with its `intellectual carrot’ monster), and I’ve probably seen it six or seven times by now. We all know the story: Antarctic survey-team are cut off by storms and find not just their base but themselves infiltrated by something not from round these parts. It’s a great idea embedded in a good story and the gradually-building tension gets me every single time I watch. I’m glad the technology finally caught up with the original idea (from John W. Campbell’s excellent source story `Who Goes There?’) of an alien that spreads by infecting and co-opting any other bodies it encounters. Even after 27-odd years, the Thing and its various transformations still look mind-boggling and I salute the rubber-flinging genius of effects-maestro Rob Bottin. (Check out the `Terror Takes Shape’ extra on the DVD for the man Bottin himself, and marvel thereat.) Much as I like a good dollop of CGI, I’m actually glad CGI wasn’t around in 1982, since if CGI had been used for `The Thing’, the monster-effects wouldn’t have that dreadful tangible feel that Bottin and his team achieved. (If the currently-rumoured remake / reboot gets going, I hope the new team stick to the template of Carpenter’s version.) All the various `Things’ are amazingly well-realised, to the point where you sit at home watching the DVD half-expecting the screen’s contents to drip into your living-room and infect your pets with What Hails From Beyond. Apart from praising the effects and the direction, shouldn’t forget the people either – lots of really good, under-stated but convincing performances. Not too much wise-cracking and grandstanding glibness on display – just solid depictions of fear, unease and `What the hell’s THAT?’ Only downside is that I’m not totally at my ease around huskies – especially ones that look at you too long …
Rating
The Thing
Everything in this film works outstandingly well, one of the best sci-fi horrors you will ever see!
the film, Scientists working in the Artic wastes find a crashed UFO harbouring a rather nasty alien creature with a taste for the old human host. The group start to lose their marbles, each thinking the other is infected.
a mixture of really good chracters (likeable and detestable) and considering when this was made the special effects still hold up really well.