“They hated it. Hated. Especially the fans.”
November 2, 2017 5:44 AM Subscribe
I saw that film in the theater, as a teenager, in the middle of a week day. I had no idea what I was in for. I didn't sleep well for weeks afterward.
I wouldn't go so far as to say I hated it. I was terrified of it, its subject matter, and its implications. It took me several years before I could even consider watching it again, and that was with low-res VHS or streaming playback. Even now that's it's available in high-resolution formats, I'm carefully considering when I'll watch it again. I want to, but I'm also scared to.
It wasn't until I read Peter Watts's short story, "The Things," that I felt better prepared to watch it again.
posted by the matching mole at 7:04 AM on November 2, 2017 [14 favorites]
I wouldn't go so far as to say I hated it. I was terrified of it, its subject matter, and its implications. It took me several years before I could even consider watching it again, and that was with low-res VHS or streaming playback. Even now that's it's available in high-resolution formats, I'm carefully considering when I'll watch it again. I want to, but I'm also scared to.
It wasn't until I read Peter Watts's short story, "The Things," that I felt better prepared to watch it again.
posted by the matching mole at 7:04 AM on November 2, 2017 [14 favorites]
Excellent! The Thing is my favorite movie and I'm looking forward to reading this! It's also worth mentioning that the DVD/Blu-Ray has a great feature-length documentary about the making of the movie.
posted by Frobenius Twist at 7:27 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by Frobenius Twist at 7:27 AM on November 2, 2017
Really astonishing that this film wasn't better regarded on its release; the only real reason I can think of is that it was so innovative and shocking in its use of practical effects that reviewers and audiences simply cast about for reasons to reject it. Personally, I didn't think that the downbeat ending was bad, simply because, after multiple shocks during the film itself, it was kind of a relief that it was all over. (I didn't bother to see the 2011 prequel, because I suspected--and watching clips on YouTube confirmed my suspicions--that the rise of CGI would make the generation of similar SFX seem a lot less impressive.)
I'm also super glad that [SPOILERS] they kept the ending with Childs surviving; this thing showed up on my Tumblr which lists all the times that a black character survived to the end of a horror flick [spoilers for all sorts of films, obviously], contrary to the trope. Plus, of course, Keith David is awesome.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
I'm also super glad that [SPOILERS] they kept the ending with Childs surviving; this thing showed up on my Tumblr which lists all the times that a black character survived to the end of a horror flick [spoilers for all sorts of films, obviously], contrary to the trope. Plus, of course, Keith David is awesome.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
I saw it on opening night and knew nothing about it other than John Carpenter's name. Needless to say, it scared the piss out of me. I've never seen a more terrifying movie, and the fact that it also has equal amounts of hilarious dialogue makes it pretty much without equal in the Horror genre. It's a classic in every definition of the word.
posted by Beholder at 7:42 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Beholder at 7:42 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
they kept the ending with Childs surviving
Carpenter reportedly swears up and down that it wasn't intentional, but you can't see Child's breath in the closing final scene.
posted by Beholder at 7:46 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
Carpenter reportedly swears up and down that it wasn't intentional, but you can't see Child's breath in the closing final scene.
posted by Beholder at 7:46 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
I'm glad they mention Mike Ploog's contribution to the film in the article. The icky creatures in the film really echo his aesthetic really well.
When I was a kid I loved Ploog's work for Marvel (especially Man-Thing but also his stints on Monster of Frankenstein, Ghost Rider, and Werewolf by Night were all good) and I recall this was the first time I actually paid attention to the behind the scenes production of a movie because of his involvement.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:03 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
When I was a kid I loved Ploog's work for Marvel (especially Man-Thing but also his stints on Monster of Frankenstein, Ghost Rider, and Werewolf by Night were all good) and I recall this was the first time I actually paid attention to the behind the scenes production of a movie because of his involvement.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:03 AM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
Carpenter reportedly swears up and down that it wasn't intentional, but you can't see Child's breath in the closing final scene.
There's also a popular fan theory that Child's accidentally tipped his hat by drinking gasoline, debunked by Russell but Russell also smashed up a museum-piece guitar in Hateful Eight so I don't trust him.
posted by maxsparber at 8:12 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
There's also a popular fan theory that Child's accidentally tipped his hat by drinking gasoline, debunked by Russell but Russell also smashed up a museum-piece guitar in Hateful Eight so I don't trust him.
posted by maxsparber at 8:12 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
Thank you, great post. One of my all time favorite flicks though Prince of Darkness freaked me out more, probably because of the religious element along with some chemical influence at the time.
posted by metagnathous at 8:14 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by metagnathous at 8:14 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh wow. This is a great article. I'm on team "John Carpenter's The Thing is a fantastic movie."
This quote from Carpenter:
I mean, the whole point of the monster is to be monstrous, to be repellent. That’s what makes you side with the human beings. I didn’t have a problem with that. The critics thought the movie was boring and didn’t allow for any hope. That was the part they really hammered on. The lack of hope is built into the story. There is an inevitability to it, but that’s not necessarily a negative. Well, in the short story the humans clearly win, but then they look up and wonder if the Thing got to the birds and they’re flying to the mainland. It was just a question mark that wasn’t quite the two men freezing to death in the snow to save humanity. I thought that was the ultimate heroic act, but audiences didn’t see it that way. I remember the studio wanted some market research screenings and after one I got up and talked to the audience about what they thought of the film. There was one young gal who asked, “Well what happened in the very end? Which one was the Thing, and which one was the good guy?” And I said, “Well, you have to use your imagination.” And she said, “Oh, God. I hate that.”
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:18 AM on November 2, 2017 [31 favorites]
This quote from Carpenter:
I mean, the whole point of the monster is to be monstrous, to be repellent. That’s what makes you side with the human beings. I didn’t have a problem with that. The critics thought the movie was boring and didn’t allow for any hope. That was the part they really hammered on. The lack of hope is built into the story. There is an inevitability to it, but that’s not necessarily a negative. Well, in the short story the humans clearly win, but then they look up and wonder if the Thing got to the birds and they’re flying to the mainland. It was just a question mark that wasn’t quite the two men freezing to death in the snow to save humanity. I thought that was the ultimate heroic act, but audiences didn’t see it that way. I remember the studio wanted some market research screenings and after one I got up and talked to the audience about what they thought of the film. There was one young gal who asked, “Well what happened in the very end? Which one was the Thing, and which one was the good guy?” And I said, “Well, you have to use your imagination.” And she said, “Oh, God. I hate that.”
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:18 AM on November 2, 2017 [31 favorites]
Was it his [Bill Lancaster's] idea to move away from Campbell’s “happy ending” toward something that was a little more gray?:
His original ending had both MacReady and Charles turning into the Thing and being rescued in the spring. The helicopter lands and out they come out, “Hey, which way to a hot meal?” I thought no, let’s not do that. It was a little too glib.
That would have been hilarious, though.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:20 AM on November 2, 2017 [8 favorites]
His original ending had both MacReady and Charles turning into the Thing and being rescued in the spring. The helicopter lands and out they come out, “Hey, which way to a hot meal?” I thought no, let’s not do that. It was a little too glib.
That would have been hilarious, though.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:20 AM on November 2, 2017 [8 favorites]
Thanks for the link: wonderful bit of curated info.
The Thing is a damn good film, but the final hunt for the creature always bugged me because the cast comes down with a very convenient case of the Monster-Hunting Stupids at that point. It's interesting to read about Carpenter's desire to jettison a lot of the generic horror tropes like cheap jump scares but seeing that he still couldn't get away from that one.
posted by Palindromedary at 8:28 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Thing is a damn good film, but the final hunt for the creature always bugged me because the cast comes down with a very convenient case of the Monster-Hunting Stupids at that point. It's interesting to read about Carpenter's desire to jettison a lot of the generic horror tropes like cheap jump scares but seeing that he still couldn't get away from that one.
posted by Palindromedary at 8:28 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've watched this movie umpteen times (just ask my wife) but could never quite figure out what happened to the cook. Probably just my stupid brain being stupid. Not one to let such things (ha!) spoil the experience, that one has always baffled me for some reason.
posted by metagnathous at 8:47 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by metagnathous at 8:47 AM on November 2, 2017
I saw this as a kid in the theater, and had no idea who Carpenter was, or what this film was about. I remember being absolutely terrified - and also that I loved it. LOVED it. To this day, it remains one of my favorite horror films.
posted by bradth27 at 8:48 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by bradth27 at 8:48 AM on November 2, 2017
yay! I was a young adult when it came out, and I thought it was a great film, too. A genuine scary thriller.
posted by Artful Codger at 8:49 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by Artful Codger at 8:49 AM on November 2, 2017
I bought the blu-ray a few years ago and it's astounding how well this film has aged. It's now as old as the Hawks version was when this was made and that older version already seemed creaky and ancient by 1982.
posted by octothorpe at 8:57 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 8:57 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
It's been a while for me but I never remember thinking anyone has the stupids, at least not any that don't seem well earned. Whatever bad decisions they make feel exactly right to me in the moment. Some of that surely is because of how bleak and hopeless the setting feels even before everything goes sideways. Some is because so much of the Thing is screamingly fucking terrifying the way it combines gross screaming body horror in one moment with quiet it-could-be-anywhere in others; in many movies the downtime or our omniscient viewpoint provides enough remove that I can sneer at bad choices. I never once feel that way in the Thing, as I recall.
I bought the blu-ray a few years ago and it's astounding how well this film has aged.
I have never seen a Savini movie that looks shitty now, effects-wise. It's quite the thing.
posted by phearlez at 9:03 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
I bought the blu-ray a few years ago and it's astounding how well this film has aged.
I have never seen a Savini movie that looks shitty now, effects-wise. It's quite the thing.
posted by phearlez at 9:03 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
Really astonishing that this film wasn't better regarded on its release; the only real reason I can think of is that it was so innovative and shocking in its use of practical effects that reviewers and audiences simply cast about for reasons to reject it.
This isn't uncommon, most popular media that somehow seriously subverts expectation is, at first, disliked rather strongly for denying the audience the conventions they seek, then, after a short while, they are often embraced for the very things that they were rejected for in the first place as the audience expands their definitions of what is acceptable and desired.
This is why, if you grew up say in the eighties, liking music like by Cure for example, could lead to mockery or worse for their being so "weird", but a few years later that same music would be played in grocery stores. In movies, this speaks to why "unhappy" endings are so often nixed by test audiences and studios since the initial reactions are of disappointment or confusion, while many of the movies that do manage to get released with those unhappy endings develop into "classics" of whatever genre just for opting to ignore the usual method of practice. They stand out while the better liked movies on their release blur into a generic mass in hindsight.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:05 AM on November 2, 2017 [13 favorites]
This isn't uncommon, most popular media that somehow seriously subverts expectation is, at first, disliked rather strongly for denying the audience the conventions they seek, then, after a short while, they are often embraced for the very things that they were rejected for in the first place as the audience expands their definitions of what is acceptable and desired.
This is why, if you grew up say in the eighties, liking music like by Cure for example, could lead to mockery or worse for their being so "weird", but a few years later that same music would be played in grocery stores. In movies, this speaks to why "unhappy" endings are so often nixed by test audiences and studios since the initial reactions are of disappointment or confusion, while many of the movies that do manage to get released with those unhappy endings develop into "classics" of whatever genre just for opting to ignore the usual method of practice. They stand out while the better liked movies on their release blur into a generic mass in hindsight.
posted by gusottertrout at 9:05 AM on November 2, 2017 [13 favorites]
....aaaaaand it wasn't Savini, which shows maybe we shouldn't trust my brain at all. But that is a mistake that is, from me, high praise.
posted by phearlez at 9:06 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by phearlez at 9:06 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
It was definitely a peak time for makeup effects. Altered States, American Werewolf in London, The Howling and this movie all did amazing stuff with the body transformation effect.
posted by octothorpe at 9:29 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 9:29 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
In the VICE Guide to Film: John Carpenter (which is fun, if brief and not that in depth), Jovanka Vuckovic observes about the effect of being released around the same time as E.T.:
Spielberg had this amazing gift of being able to know what the audience needed, and at the time, they needed a big warm hug. And then here comes The Thing, which is this relentlessly downbeat, paranoid movie with this ambiguous ending. People just didn't get it.posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:45 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm glad Carpenter is alive to see this era of horror filmmakers, among whom he has a solid case as the single biggest influence. And his stuff has aged well.
Got some pessimism about Trump and his policies? Watch Escape from New York and enjoy Snake Plissken's naked disdain for the prez. "President of what?"
Bleeding past pessimism into existential terror and despair? Watch They Live and see the entire world go up in a puff of Reaganomic smoke.
And on and on.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:11 AM on November 2, 2017 [16 favorites]
Got some pessimism about Trump and his policies? Watch Escape from New York and enjoy Snake Plissken's naked disdain for the prez. "President of what?"
Bleeding past pessimism into existential terror and despair? Watch They Live and see the entire world go up in a puff of Reaganomic smoke.
And on and on.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:11 AM on November 2, 2017 [16 favorites]
Carpenter reportedly swears up and down that it wasn't intentional, but you can't see Child's breath in the closing final scene.
I've never heard of that or noticed it, that's awesome...EXCEPT that you definitely can see the Bennings-Thing's breath when he screams just before they torch him, so I'm not sure that seeing/not seeing someone's breath in the cold would be an indicator of anything.
posted by doctornecessiter at 10:12 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
I've never heard of that or noticed it, that's awesome...EXCEPT that you definitely can see the Bennings-Thing's breath when he screams just before they torch him, so I'm not sure that seeing/not seeing someone's breath in the cold would be an indicator of anything.
posted by doctornecessiter at 10:12 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
My personal interpretation was always that neither man was the thing... the thing was in the dog that ran away from the camp at the end, heading off to unsuspecting others.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:15 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:15 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
My take-away was that it didn't matter if someone was the Thing at the end, because anyone could be. It's a poison seed that, once planted, means you can never fully trust anyone or anything again. It reminds me of the feeling post-modern authors had that the world was broken. An evil action, once introduced to the world, fundamentally changes it forever. A paranoid idea, once thought, can never really be unthought. Love the film.
posted by Emily's Fist at 10:26 AM on November 2, 2017 [18 favorites]
posted by Emily's Fist at 10:26 AM on November 2, 2017 [18 favorites]
There was one young gal who asked, “Well what happened in the very end? Which one was the Thing, and which one was the good guy?” And I said, “Well, you have to use your imagination.” And she said, “Oh, God. I hate that.”
Oh how the times change. It seems that "fan-theories" about what might happen next are one of the most popular discussion types I see in forums about films and television.
So I guess people are less unwilling to "use their imagination" than they used to be.
That's a good thing, right?
(Cue the mental image of me patting The Thing on it's head(?) and saying "That's a good Thing.")
posted by deadaluspark at 10:28 AM on November 2, 2017
Oh how the times change. It seems that "fan-theories" about what might happen next are one of the most popular discussion types I see in forums about films and television.
So I guess people are less unwilling to "use their imagination" than they used to be.
That's a good thing, right?
(Cue the mental image of me patting The Thing on it's head(?) and saying "That's a good Thing.")
posted by deadaluspark at 10:28 AM on November 2, 2017
There's good open ended, and there's Damon Lindelof shit.
posted by Artw at 10:31 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Artw at 10:31 AM on November 2, 2017 [6 favorites]
There's good open ended, and there's Damon Lindelof shit.
To be fair, there's also good Damon Lindelof open-ended (Lost) and bad Damon Lindelof open-ended (The Leftovers). But all the same, I think we all know exactly what you mean.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:33 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
To be fair, there's also good Damon Lindelof open-ended (Lost) and bad Damon Lindelof open-ended (The Leftovers). But all the same, I think we all know exactly what you mean.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:33 AM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I have become obsessed with John Carpenter films over the last year or two. They just feel... urgent again.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
My take-away was that it didn't matter if someone was the Thing at the end, because anyone could be.
I saw The Thing for the first time a few months ago (on the big screen. Thanks, Alamo Drafthouse!) Much better than I was expecting it to be, and I left the theater side-eyeing everyone. Because anyone could be.
posted by asperity at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
I saw The Thing for the first time a few months ago (on the big screen. Thanks, Alamo Drafthouse!) Much better than I was expecting it to be, and I left the theater side-eyeing everyone. Because anyone could be.
posted by asperity at 10:34 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
I still say Prince of Darkness is an under recognised classic.
posted by Artw at 10:41 AM on November 2, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by Artw at 10:41 AM on November 2, 2017 [12 favorites]
Even now that's it's available in high-resolution formats, I'm carefully considering when I'll watch it again. I want to, but I'm also scared to.
One of the things that really sold me on High Def video formats was watching The Thing on HD-DVD and seeing that Doc Copper has a nose ring... something that I had never seen in my dozen or so low-res viewings of the film.
posted by Huck500 at 10:53 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
One of the things that really sold me on High Def video formats was watching The Thing on HD-DVD and seeing that Doc Copper has a nose ring... something that I had never seen in my dozen or so low-res viewings of the film.
posted by Huck500 at 10:53 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Ashwagandha - I love Mike Ploog!
Awesome article. The Thing is one of the best films of all time. I was too scared to see it when it came out ( I was 9 ) but caught the "making of" on Lights Camera, Action! with Leonard Nimoy on Nickelodeon. Finally saw it later and loved it. It's just perfect as a horror movie and Kurt Russell is the perfect "hero".
Another thing I noticed last time I Saw it on the theater, in most major scenes there's at least once character who's either drinking whiskey or smoking a joint.
posted by Liquidwolf at 10:54 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Awesome article. The Thing is one of the best films of all time. I was too scared to see it when it came out ( I was 9 ) but caught the "making of" on Lights Camera, Action! with Leonard Nimoy on Nickelodeon. Finally saw it later and loved it. It's just perfect as a horror movie and Kurt Russell is the perfect "hero".
Another thing I noticed last time I Saw it on the theater, in most major scenes there's at least once character who's either drinking whiskey or smoking a joint.
posted by Liquidwolf at 10:54 AM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Even thinking about this film terrifies me to this day...
When they are all chained to the chairs and testing the blood? OMFG
posted by Windopaene at 11:11 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
When they are all chained to the chairs and testing the blood? OMFG
posted by Windopaene at 11:11 AM on November 2, 2017 [5 favorites]
It's a pity that Carpenter couldn't have directed The Purge back in the 80s. That franchise deserves better treatment.
posted by Beholder at 11:24 AM on November 2, 2017
posted by Beholder at 11:24 AM on November 2, 2017
I've watched this movie umpteen times (just ask my wife) but could never quite figure out what happened to the cook.
[SPOILERS] The gory fate of the cook (Nauls) can be seen in in this video clip blended with storyboards and script notes; the scene was not filmed due to budget constraints.
posted by JDC8 at 1:24 PM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
[SPOILERS] The gory fate of the cook (Nauls) can be seen in in this video clip blended with storyboards and script notes; the scene was not filmed due to budget constraints.
posted by JDC8 at 1:24 PM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
I love this movie; this and Halloween being my favourite Carpenter films.
A silly derail; but some time ago I had the thought that this might be the most successful adaptation of Ayn Rand's horrible ideas, in the sense that to work together means death, and only the brave, strong, solitary man will win out in the end.
Silly, yes, but there it is.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 1:36 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
A silly derail; but some time ago I had the thought that this might be the most successful adaptation of Ayn Rand's horrible ideas, in the sense that to work together means death, and only the brave, strong, solitary man will win out in the end.
Silly, yes, but there it is.
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 1:36 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
For those who haven't seen it, Starman is another Carpenter classic, showing he can do it all, even family films.
posted by Beholder at 2:05 PM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Beholder at 2:05 PM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
And because apparently the internet is all in on The Thing right now, with the anniversary screenings/board game/Blu-Ray release: "The Thing" That Wouldn't Die - The Legacy of John Carpenter's Classic Film and an oral history - The Men Who Were "The Thing"
posted by nubs at 2:20 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by nubs at 2:20 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
[SPOILERS] The gory fate of the cook (Nauls) can be seen in in this video clip yt blended with storyboards and script notes; the scene was not filmed due to budget constraints.
posted by JDC8 at 3:24 PM on November 2 [+] [!]
Thanks, JDC8, makes sense.
posted by metagnathous at 3:21 PM on November 2, 2017
posted by JDC8 at 3:24 PM on November 2 [+] [!]
Thanks, JDC8, makes sense.
posted by metagnathous at 3:21 PM on November 2, 2017
I still say Prince of Darkness is an under recognised classic.
The first act is a bit clunky, and there are some cheesy horror tropes, but when it gets to the second act and the dreams/time travel it suddenly becomes really interesting. And the ending was bleak and horrifying. A movie you have to stick with til the end.
posted by zardoz at 5:49 PM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
The first act is a bit clunky, and there are some cheesy horror tropes, but when it gets to the second act and the dreams/time travel it suddenly becomes really interesting. And the ending was bleak and horrifying. A movie you have to stick with til the end.
posted by zardoz at 5:49 PM on November 2, 2017 [4 favorites]
I still say Prince of Darkness is an under recognised classic.
You will not be saved by Metafilter comments
posted by phearlez at 5:53 PM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
You will not be saved by Metafilter comments
posted by phearlez at 5:53 PM on November 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
It ain't Fuchs.
posted by Robin Kestrel at 7:00 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Robin Kestrel at 7:00 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
My personal interpretation was always that neither man was the thing... the thing was in the dog that ran away from the camp at the end, heading off to unsuspecting others.
IIRC, that’s how the (not so good) remake began, with two men chasing and shooting at a dog and being killed by the group coming to rescue or relieve them.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:41 PM on November 2, 2017
IIRC, that’s how the (not so good) remake began, with two men chasing and shooting at a dog and being killed by the group coming to rescue or relieve them.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:41 PM on November 2, 2017
I'll mention Christine as another underappreciated Carpenter gem; here's my comment on it from a previous Carpenter thread. Another horror movie, but one with much simpler effects (the car repairing itself), where the horror comes mostly from the protagonist's changing personality, from nerd to cool guy to creep. (Not unlike Cronenberg's The Fly, but again, less effects-heavy.)
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:25 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:25 PM on November 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
My personal interpretation was always that neither man was the thing... the thing was in the dog that ran away from the camp at the end, heading off to unsuspecting others.
IIRC, that’s how the (not so good) remake began, with two men chasing and shooting at a dog and being killed by the group coming to rescue or relieve them.
The 2011 version wasn't quite a remake, but a prequel/parallel: it could be titled The Thing 0.5 - What Happened to the Norwegian Camp That Dug It Up In the First Place. It ends with the Thing escaping in dog form; the Norwegian survivors chase it via helicopter to the American camp trying to kill it, which is the first scene of the Carpenter version. (Someone helpfully spliced the two scenes together.)
Should you watch it? Well, it has the same kind of arctic paranoia, if you need a hit of that. Bad news = mediocre CGI rather than great practical effects. Good news = it has Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Tormund Giantsbane.
posted by bartleby at 11:16 PM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
IIRC, that’s how the (not so good) remake began, with two men chasing and shooting at a dog and being killed by the group coming to rescue or relieve them.
The 2011 version wasn't quite a remake, but a prequel/parallel: it could be titled The Thing 0.5 - What Happened to the Norwegian Camp That Dug It Up In the First Place. It ends with the Thing escaping in dog form; the Norwegian survivors chase it via helicopter to the American camp trying to kill it, which is the first scene of the Carpenter version. (Someone helpfully spliced the two scenes together.)
Should you watch it? Well, it has the same kind of arctic paranoia, if you need a hit of that. Bad news = mediocre CGI rather than great practical effects. Good news = it has Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Tormund Giantsbane.
posted by bartleby at 11:16 PM on November 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
They actually did do practical effects for the 2011 Thing prequel, but then someone made the monumentally stupid decision to go back and paint over all of it with terrible CGI instead. The studio that did the practical effects (Amalgamated Dynamics) was so irritated by this that they kickstarted a film called Harbinger Down to showcase their work. It's...not great as a movie, but it's got Lance Henriksen in it, and the practical effects look awesome. It's worth checking out.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:17 AM on November 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 2:17 AM on November 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
The Thing (2011) was OK but as instantly forgettable as most of the remakes of 80s Sci-Films.
posted by octothorpe at 5:06 AM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 5:06 AM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
Thank you for this. I seem to have a limitless appetite in reading about (and watchign) this movie.
The Thing had a hell of an impact on me at 10 years old. I thought that having watched Conan and Road Warrior I was hardened to scary, and this movie let me know that I knew NOTHING. That year had so very many great movies. Great time to be an impressionable age (probably not a coincidence, that.)
posted by Busithoth at 6:04 AM on November 3, 2017
The Thing had a hell of an impact on me at 10 years old. I thought that having watched Conan and Road Warrior I was hardened to scary, and this movie let me know that I knew NOTHING. That year had so very many great movies. Great time to be an impressionable age (probably not a coincidence, that.)
posted by Busithoth at 6:04 AM on November 3, 2017
Ah, that's right...that's how it *ended*. Well, seconding what others here have said about the 2011 version being pretty forgettable.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:04 AM on November 3, 2017
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:04 AM on November 3, 2017
It was supposed to have a pilot alien in it but they painted over it with a rotating tower of lego bricks.
Their equivalent of the blood test is kind of cool though.
posted by Artw at 6:52 AM on November 3, 2017
Their equivalent of the blood test is kind of cool though.
posted by Artw at 6:52 AM on November 3, 2017
Here we go: Why was the Pilot Creature fired from ‘The Thing’?
posted by Artw at 7:02 AM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 7:02 AM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
The 2011 Thing makes me sad because it was a pretty good movie despite not doing much to distinguish itself. By my understanding, the director had to fight the studio pretty damned hard just to get a female lead and make it anything other than a more or less shot-for-shot remake of Carpenter's version. It's such a shame, because it had a really solid cast. If the studio had given it a little more room to breathe and become its own (heh) thing, I think it would be a lot more fondly remembered now.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:27 AM on November 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by tobascodagama at 7:27 AM on November 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
Most recent remakes/reboots in general seem to have such a lack of courage to do their own thing.
posted by octothorpe at 7:46 AM on November 3, 2017
posted by octothorpe at 7:46 AM on November 3, 2017
The Robocop remake did some interesting things but was saddled with being a completely generic action movie as well.
Oh! Hey! I just remembered Total Recall existed!
posted by Artw at 7:47 AM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh! Hey! I just remembered Total Recall existed!
posted by Artw at 7:47 AM on November 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
That pilot creature article makes me really want to see a movie that doesn't exist. THANKS, Artw.
(it was really interesting so non-sarcastic thanks as well)
posted by flaterik at 2:41 PM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
(it was really interesting so non-sarcastic thanks as well)
posted by flaterik at 2:41 PM on November 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
They actually did do practical effects for the 2011 Thing prequel, but then someone made the monumentally stupid decision to go back and paint over all of it with terrible CGI instead.
A great youtube video on this topic shows the impact of this by comparing footage of the excellent practical effects to the CGI in the film at 1:26 - 2:04. It's a very disturbing scene even with obvious CGI, and I love that the narrator calls the practical effects "charming."
posted by Emily's Fist at 3:28 PM on November 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
A great youtube video on this topic shows the impact of this by comparing footage of the excellent practical effects to the CGI in the film at 1:26 - 2:04. It's a very disturbing scene even with obvious CGI, and I love that the narrator calls the practical effects "charming."
posted by Emily's Fist at 3:28 PM on November 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
I also love the backstory for the pilot, I always found the "crashing spaceship" opening the weakest part of the original film because it makes you picture the Thing piloting a spaceship, which isn't very scary and removes some of its mystery. The idea that the ship is piloted by another species that itself got attacked by the Thing is awesome. I would pay to see that film, well made.
Also I'm laughing out loud that the entire article goes on about how unique and non-earthlike the pilot looks when it's essentially a giant vulva with some penile-looking attachments, as is traditional for alien monsters in the movies.
posted by Emily's Fist at 3:42 PM on November 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
Also I'm laughing out loud that the entire article goes on about how unique and non-earthlike the pilot looks when it's essentially a giant vulva with some penile-looking attachments, as is traditional for alien monsters in the movies.
posted by Emily's Fist at 3:42 PM on November 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've seen some criticism of the Thing acting stupid in the first half or so of the prequel, but I actually find it completely believable. It was disoriented, likely whatever its equivalent of injured is, and completely unfamiliar with humans. I imagine its thought process after bursting out of the ice block as something like:
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUCKposted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:52 PM on November 4, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's cold
Where am I
Last I remember I was in the ship and
Agggh cold
Need biomass to heal up
Then get back to the ship
I'll assimilate one of these two-legged things and
Oh shit they're intelligent
OH SHIT THEY CAN SHOOT FIRE AND ARE NOT DOWN WITH THE ASSIMILATION THING AT ALL
I need to get a lot smarter about this....
I always thought Childs was NOT the Thing at the end because he passed the "test" when he drank from MacReady's flask, at least based on MacReady's reaction. (Of course, the ending was probably meant as a "however you interpret it, that's what it was" ending).
posted by gtrwolf at 3:58 PM on November 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by gtrwolf at 3:58 PM on November 4, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I always thought McReady and Childs were proven to be human (weren't they?), so for me, there was no ambiguity about the ending. But it's still a great ending because it shows how both men were willing to give their lives to prevent the thing from escaping. One of the great cinematic endings, IMHO.
posted by zardoz at 8:07 PM on November 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by zardoz at 8:07 PM on November 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Mr. Bad Example, I give you The Things by Peter Watts:
...I remember my reawakening, too: dull stirrings of sensation in real time, the first embers of cognition, the slow blooming warmth of awareness as body and soul embraced after their long sleep. I remember the biped offshoots surrounding me, the strange chittering sounds they made, the odd uniformity of their body plans. How ill-adapted they looked! How inefficient their morphology! Even disabled, I could see so many things to fix. So I reached out. I took communion. I tasted the flesh of the world—
—and the world attacked me. It attacked me.
I left that place in ruins. It was on the other side of the mountains—the Norwegian camp, it is called here—and I could never have crossed that distance in a biped skin...
posted by nubs at 8:21 PM on November 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
...I remember my reawakening, too: dull stirrings of sensation in real time, the first embers of cognition, the slow blooming warmth of awareness as body and soul embraced after their long sleep. I remember the biped offshoots surrounding me, the strange chittering sounds they made, the odd uniformity of their body plans. How ill-adapted they looked! How inefficient their morphology! Even disabled, I could see so many things to fix. So I reached out. I took communion. I tasted the flesh of the world—
—and the world attacked me. It attacked me.
I left that place in ruins. It was on the other side of the mountains—the Norwegian camp, it is called here—and I could never have crossed that distance in a biped skin...
posted by nubs at 8:21 PM on November 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'd actually read it before, being the Thing nerd that I am, but thanks. :) I like it a lot, despite my usual distaste for most of Watts' stuff.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 1:30 AM on November 8, 2017
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 1:30 AM on November 8, 2017
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On a related note I have very fond memories of the game version which I recall was a sequel. Always felt like it was a game crafted with much reverence and love for the original.
posted by diziet at 6:59 AM on November 2, 2017