The Thing (1982)

   

Directed by: John Carpenter

Written by: Bill Lancaster
John W. Campbell Jr. (Novel)

Starring:

Kurt Russell .... R.J. MacReady
Wilford Brimley .... Dr. Blair
T.K. Carter .... Nauls
David Clennon .... Palmer
Keith David .... Childs
Richard Dysart .... Dr. Copper
Charles Hallahan .... Vance Norris
Peter Maloney .... George Bennings
Richard Masur .... Clark
Donald Moffat .... Garry
Joel Polis .... Fuchs
Thomas G. Waites .... Windows

Release Dates: Theatrical: June 25, 1982; Sitges Film Festival: October, 1982; Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival: April, 1985 (UK); Travelling Festival de Cinema de Rennes: January, 1999 (France); Turin Film Festival: November, 1999; Cinemuerte International Horror Film Festival: October 27, 2005; Digital Film Festival: February 6, 2010

*Images courtesy at: www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com

 

 

 

 

 

Rating:

 

A group of Norweigan's try to shoot down a dog in their helicopter in the frozen wastes of the Antarctic without any reason behind it but are killed by the owners who are studying scientific results there in which they discover a spaceship that crashed there which seemed to be centuries ago.
Later on the dog mutates in the kennel into something monstrous as well as a deranged looking body the scientists found and seems to spread from one body to another making them monstrous trying to kill the crew there.
Whatever is happening seems to be a shape shifting alien life form with the ability to take over other bodies is on the loose and they don't know who may already have been taken over.

 

This remake was a great one to watch as it does show a flying saucer from outerspace flying towards Earth and then having glowing letter forming the opening credits in the same artsy fashion as the original flick. Then later on we spot a helicopter flying around the northern iceland area with some sort of NAZI trying to shoot a dog trying to dodge away from this helicopter as this looked adventureous and mysterious too wondering why these people want to try and kill this poor animal. Plus there's neat effects with someone throwing a bomb at their helicopter after it lands and some shooting going on here which defientely leads to an unsovled mystery on a future terror that they seem to know about to unravel.
While inside headquarters of a base we spot a young black dude rolling around in rollerskates making you think those were certainly the good old days of the early 80's as well as him grooving to some music making this look a bit uplifting while trying to get some work done but yet annoying the other workers with his loud music blaring. This was nicely written in.
Another moment that was perfectly put in as well is a big location with everyone crowding around an area and spot a crashed flying saucer in which this effect looked huge and a real attraction.
What was really neat to see was some frozen bodies that seemed to look like they were melted together with everyone carefully looking at this object and it looks horrifying that you have a feeling something that isn't good will become of this object too.
There's even moments with this dog whom was hunted down in the beginning of this film wandering around the hallways of the headquarters which leaves an impression that there's something about to go on
with this animal. Well there's something shocking and terrifying when this dog is sent to a kennel as another dog seems to have it's body formed into some slimy type of beast in which looked disturbing to watch and very fast paced with this monster trying to unleash it's terror too in which this was a new twist for this remake showing something else happening here instead of the same old thing. This scene was well remembered for sure.
There's even a good camera shot on this supposed metled figure with a blanket over it dropping down blood leading towards another fellow named Fuchs working on something in the same room as this looked spine chilling leaving you an impression that another form of terror is about to happen and this looked well shot with the going on's here.
There's even a nice shot on Fuchs running out in the snowy night in which this looked similar in the original with the thing doing this too. Then he kneels down and everyone slowly tries to approach him and there's good one liners from R.J. MacReady telling everyone that it's not Fuchs anymore as you wonder to what he will do to reveal himself since he's kneeled down all crawled up but this leaves you an impression that what he will do next won't be pretty at all.
After certain terrors unravel the main scientist named Dr. Blair goes berserk with an axe attacking mechanical objects since this looked nice for a horror story spotting someone losing their mind on what is going on and leaving his character mysterious wondering if he's infected by this object attacking others and turning them into creatures. It was done in a good solid fashion keeping you watching every second on him losing control.
There's more jumping moments in which we spot someone doing surgery on someone else and when things were still you spot the patients stomach turning into a monstrous mouth biting his arms off as you never expect this and quite a cleverly done shocker here with this forming into a life form too along with a decapitated head growing legs and running underneath something like a spider. Another memorable moment here for the fans who saw this movie. I mean these special effects still stand out in todays standards come to think of it.
Then we have R.J. MacReady checking up on good old Dr. Blair who is locked in another department in case something happens and asks nicely to be let out as this is a mind twister wondering if he will or not and thinking to yourself that he will turn into those deadly objects. Also MacReady seems to act evil and threatening towards the others who don't trust him thinking that he is infected as this keeps you watching and wondering what he will do while pointing a gun at everyone demanding them to do what he says. The suspense keeps packing up here and in a great fashion making this whole film for the horror fans to enjoy.
There's a great one liner when MacReady goes into a snowy cave and speaking his vengeful words against this parasite while snuffing it out showing a good adventureous feel to this scene and nicely put in too.
Bottom line is that this is a remake but showing totally different situations than the 1951 cult classic but yet taking place in the same areas. It's quite an original story on it's own which is a good thing for a remake since we spot so many remakes today and can learn from a flick like this one. Great slimy effects and shocking moments here. I can see why Carpenter directed this piece since he used footage of the original with the two little kids watching this on TV in Halloween. This movie is also nice to watch close to that time of season too since it involves monstrous moments many times. Worth checking out if you like wierd horror sci-fi flicks.

The acting was quite good for it's time. Kurt Russell (R.J. MacReady) didn't seem to do anything special during the beginning of his performance but later on surprised us all on the screen when the story really got going here. He drew in a great aggressive behavior when the terrors started to happen as well as having a great firm and hissy like behavior whenever he showed no mercy in order to protect himself as well as great screaming and aggressive reactions towards the others on what to do when the terrors really strike which looked very powerful. Shows a great firm behavior while holding up a flare and shows a great cold behavior towards everyone by being demanding towards them. He also drew in a perfect intensity as well as getting physical towards others. He also does well focusing hard while recording his voice on a tape recroder drawing his words in which looked good and serious. This dude brings on alot of great energy and enthusiasm into his part and was a nice stepping stone to leap into bigger films during his acting career.
Wilford Brimley (Dr. Blair) really studied his role incredibly well as a scientist in the film showing a good seriousness to what he was doing and acting believeable whenever he focuses on an object. Nice serious expressions with him while looking at the frozen object having a nice seriousness in his voice while doing his work. This was strongly performed. Plus he really knew on how to act outrageous by going crazy and aggressive drawing out alot of great energy within all of this too. Great aggressive reactions with him going nuts along with swinging an axe at objects as this looked pretty intense during it's time. A nice confrontation with him trying to plead to be let out as he shows good emotions trying to act stable while doing this. He was certainly a great character actor without a doubt into everything that he did here.
T.K. Carter (Nauls) really brought alot of nice spunk into his role in which he really comes across well as a young type who acts full of life into what he does. He had that groovy feel to him. He looked good rolling around in his rollerskates working away which was a good uplifting fashion while he was doing all of this. Plus he shows alot of great energy whenever he acted anxious during the terrors happening and was perfectly hyped up for everything that he did here. He shows alot of interesting characteristics.
Donald Moffatt (Glenn) brings off his emotional attitude pretty well with what he did and shows a good sensitivity into his part too looking believeable into what he did. He shows great hysterics when the terrors surround him and seeming believeably freaked out as he was at a high range by doing this looking incredibly impressive while performing this. A good nearly emotional speaking with him after a tragic death in which worked in quite well. Shows a perfect shrieking attitude while tied to a couch and getting anxious which looked energised and well paced along with him acting more intense while something happens. He also shows a great high intense behavior while pointing a gun at the other cast members really bringing on what he had to do here. It was impressive. He seemed to study his role pretty good with what he had to do here.
Keith David (Childs) certainly shows a good gruff type of behavior and acting very sharp with his words and a good seriousness to what he did in the film. He seemed to come across nicely as a tough soldier of some sort. He was very clear on what he said and worked very hard into hsi performance as you can tell here.
Richard Masur (Clark) shows a nice quietness to his role coming across as believeably eccentric and showing a nice disturbed attitude into his part of the story. I found that he came across nicely as one of those serious types who doesn't like to be bothered and makes you wonder if he was really like that in real life. He was a nice key supporting role into the story without a doubt.
Thomas G. Waites (Windows) had a real effective supporting role showing off a perect intense aggressions alot of the times in what he did and rolling in with the punches incredibly well. He stood out greatly into what he did here and I was pretty impressed with his performance and really grabbing attention here while watching the film. He had the most energy into his performance I found here.
Joel Polis (Fuchs) was another supporting role here who seemed fine into what he did as he shows a believeable irritable type of behavior along with being gruff and blunt into what he did here. Even if his role wasn't the biggest here he definetely shows it off quite well as a bumbling employee at the station. A nice blocking movement on him turning around and reacting frightened looked good and intense. He shows good energy running outside and crawling down.

Bodies are melted together
Objects tear out of a dog
Blood is flowing out of a body
Objects tear out of many people
Arms are chomped off

Head is torn off and other body pieces too
Fingers tear into a person's face

Ennio Morricone added many different flavors to this film making it perfectly suitable for each scene giving it a dark creepy feel. He has alot of low deep synthesizer playing with thumping and booming sounds having that gloomy type of feel to it and some high pitched ghostly type sounds too. He also has alot of good high pitched violin orchestral playing and the odd string plucking sounds too. I was overly impressed with everything that was composed here.

A perfect songtrack which is Stevie WOnder's classic "Superstition" is being played while the character Nauls is grooving to the music playing on his ghetto blaster while working his job which seems to look impressive with a tyoung man trying to enjoy what he's doing listening to his music.

Dr. Blair: [throwing a fit in the radio room] You guys think I'M crazy! Well, that's fine! Most of you don't know what's going on around here, but I'm damn well sure SOME of you do! You think that thing wanted to be an animal? No dogs make it a thousand miles through the cold! No, you don't understand! That thing wanted to be US!

Dr. Blair: [smashing up the radio room with an axe while yelling] A Cell gets out, and it will IMITATE EVERYTHING on the face of the EARTH! AND NOTHING CAN STOP IT!
Childs: [appearing from around a doorway] Hey, take it easy, come on, Blair, you don't want to hurt nobody.
Dr. Blair: [Blair whips a pistol out and shoots at him but misses] I'LL KILL YOU!
[fires more shots]

MacReady: [Holding TNT in one hand, and a lit flare in the other] Anybody touches me, and we go!

Garry: I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!

Windows: [arguing on whether or not to let MacReady back into the building] Childs, what if we're wrong about MacReady? What if he's still human?
Childs: Well, then we're wrong!

Garry: The generator's gone.
MacReady: Any way we can we fix it?
Garry: It's "gone", MacReady.

MacReady: [talking into tape recorder] I'm going to hide this tape when I'm finished. If none of us make it, at least there'll be some kind of record. The storm's been hitting us hard now for 48 hours. We still have nothing to go on.
[MacReady briefly turns of tape recorder and takes a drink of whisky. He looks at the torn longjohns and turns it back on]
MacReady: One other thing: I think it rips through your clothes when it takes you over. Windows found Bennings' torn and bloody clothes in the storage room after he was taken over. Earlier, Nauls found a pair of shredded and dirty longjohns in the kitchen trash can, but the nametag was missing. They could be anybody's. Nobody... nobody trusts anybody now, and we're all very tired... There's nothing more I can do, just wait... This is R.J. MacReady, helicopter pilot, US outpost #31.
[turns off recorder]

[Thing roars and screams]
MacReady: Yeah, fuck you too!

Childs: What do we do now?
MacReady: Why don't we just wait here for a little while... see what happens...