The Thing

The Thing

Starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, David Clennon, Wilford Brimley

Directed by John Carpenter

The Story:
In 10,000 B.C., a spaceship crashes on Earth, in the frozen land of Antarctica, where it remained frozen.  In 1982, a Norwegian research station uncovered it, and found a dormant alien inside that began assimilating the crew.  When the last surviving crew member chases the thing to an American research station, he is killed and the crew has no idea what had happened.  Soon the alien begins killing and assimilating the American crewmembers, and they soon realize that the alien could be any one of them, as all hope for survival slowly dwindles away.

The Synopsis:
John Carpenter is one of the most iconic horror directors of our time, and "The Thing" was his first science fiction film, and while it was critically panned by critics at the time, it slowly became a cult classic and one of the best science fiction films in modern times, due to a standout cast, a compelling story and special effects that were far ahead of its time, and somehow manages to still withstand the tests of time.

The film is a remake from the 1951 film "The Thing From Another World," and also based off John Campbell's novella "Who Goes There?"  It's comparable to an Agatha Christie novel in that characters keep getting bumped off one by one, and no one knows who the culprit is.  Paranoia sets in, and the alien slowly takes over one man after another (interestingly, there's absolutely no women in the film), until only a few remain to take on the thing.  John Carpenter (best known for his iconic "Halloween") has stated that this is his favorite work, and when it was released, it was met with severe criticism, mostly due to the gory nature of it.  Yet that's what true horror fanatics love, because it was done in such a way that was never done before, in a painstakingly articulate use of animatronics and practical effects that - despite going against modern CGI - still is extremely impressive.

The cast is a ragtag group of men who look like they fit in well living in the harsh, unforgiving land of Antarctica.  Kurt Russell plays the lead role of MacReady, and he definitely fits the role with his long hair and rugged beard, and the other men look just as ragged as he does.  These aren't the typical model-type actors in a film, which makes it all the more believable.  While each character has his own typecasting (the doctor, the cook, etc.), they each add something important to the story and their deaths are still meaningful, despite the fact that you know several of them will die.

The story is similar to an Agatha Christie novel, where characters are picked off one-by-one by an unseen threat, and paranoia begins setting in on the characters left in the movie who begin to trust no one.  The only difference is that in "The Thing," the killer is an alien being who takes over its victims, so you don't know who is human, and who is alien.  It's interesting because there could be one alien, or there could be several - no one knows.  It plays off the most primal fears and quests for survival - who can you really trust?

While that's the main thrust of the film, it could've been completely lost in the annals of cinematic history if it wasn't for the groundbreaking effects by a then-22 year old Rob Bottin, who brings the alien to life in spectacular fashion.  It's grotesque (especially when it emerges from its host), and incredibly massive.  Compared to today, it's a stroke of genius and has kept its brilliance through all these years.  If this film was made today, it would've been completely CGI, and would've lost a lot of its appeal.  It's a throwback to when the magic on screen was made by men who used practical effects and not just stuff created on a computer screen.

What also makes the film so terrifying is the setting.  If this had taken place in a typical suburban town or major city, it wouldn't hold the terror, because they could easily escape it, call the National Guard, and that'd be that.  However, with the film taking place in the harsh, frozen, isolated land of Antarctica, it adds a deeper sense of dread, because help isn't just a 9-1-1 call away.  Plus the setting allowed for darker tones and greys that Carpenter used to contrast to the vivid gore that the alien creature produced, making it even more terrifying.  To this day, the film is even shown in Antarctica at the British Antarctic Research Stations for its annual Midwinter feast and celebration event.

The Summary:
While critically bashed during its time, "The Thing" has thankfully found a resurgence and appreciation for its compelling story and stunning practical effects that create a continual sense of dread and fright, as well as delivering on the gore.

The Score: A+