John Carpenter's The Thing. - Page 2

Pingfah · July 13 2010, 10:42 AM

This is one of the most perfectly atmospheric sci-fi/horrors ever made IMO.

Aeon · July 13 2010, 11:38 AM

The ending is just perfect and I keep thinking about the commentary track where Russell and Carpenter discuss the nature of the thing. If it perfectly copies you, then do you necessarily know that you are The Thing until you are tested or seriously wounded? Obviously after that the defense mechanism kicks in and the real deal appears, but in the beginning is it more like an infection inside you or should I say your copy? Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Awesome movie and overall it follows the original story more closely than the 1951 version.

1001001 · July 13 2010, 02:11 PM

Scary as hell!

I haven't watched this in many years, but I remember seeing it in the theaters when I was a teenager. When the dogs face peels...yuck!

Great film.

Reverend · July 13 2010, 07:40 PM

Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Or on the other hand they could have both been "Things" and knew it, but each didn't know if the other was human or another "Thing". Hell, all the humans could have been gone by half way through the film and the rest was just a bunch of "Things" trying to outwit each other. Now that's paranoia!

davejames · July 13 2010, 09:10 PM

Starkers wrote:

Interestingly the Thing was on ITV last night and I ended up watching bits of it!

I think what's great is that you never know who the Thing is. The bit with Nauls/Childs and Garry on the sofa is great because you just know one of them is the Thing...and then none of them is! Similarly the fact that Norris has a heart attack surely means he can't be the Thing but he is! Copied him perfectly, even down to a heart defect.

Yeah I'm not sure what it says about my memory, but I watch this movie about once a year, and I always seem to have a hard time remembering exactly when or where certain characters have been taken over. lol

davejames · July 13 2010, 09:26 PM

Reverend wrote:

Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Or on the other hand they could have both been "Things" and knew it, but each didn't know if the other was human or another "Thing". Hell, all the humans could have been gone by half way through the film and the rest was just a bunch of "Things" trying to outwit each other. Now that's paranoia!

That's one of my favorite things about the movie, and Russell's performance. As much as you want to root for him and take his side, he plays the character so cool and mysterious that you're not always sure you can trust him.

Davros · July 13 2010, 11:04 PM

Reverend wrote:

Also, why are there not more films with Antarctic settings? Even before seeing this, I,ve always liked the isolation of such a setting, and the cold weather costumes and other trappings.

I'm still holding out for GDT's 'At the Mountains of Madness'.

Which I'm sure some will call a rip off of The Thing.

Kirkman1987 · July 13 2010, 11:13 PM

Reverend wrote:

Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Or on the other hand they could have both been "Things" and knew it, but each didn't know if the other was human or another "Thing". Hell, all the humans could have been gone by half way through the film and the rest was just a bunch of "Things" trying to outwit each other. Now that's paranoia!

They would've had to have been mostly human at least up to the blood test, but after that I don't see much of a problem. Either way, I agree that the almost total mystery of the whole thing is one of the film's highlights.

Also, "I know you guys have been through a lot today, but could one of you help me so I don't spend the whole winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH."

Fun line.

wildstar · July 14 2010, 02:17 AM

Aeon wrote:

The ending is just perfect and I keep thinking about the commentary track where Russell and Carpenter discuss the nature of the thing. If it perfectly copies you, then do you necessarily know that you are The Thing until you are tested or seriously wounded? Obviously after that the defense mechanism kicks in and the real deal appears, but in the beginning is it more like an infection inside you or should I say your copy? Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Awesome movie and overall it follows the original story more closely than the 1951 version.

I like to think that it's more like an actor taking on a role. As much as they would get into the emotion and mood of the role, at heart they know they're an actor. The Thing would always know it's itself no matter how perfect it duplicates the victim.

Either way, great movie.

pookha · July 14 2010, 02:54 AM

Aeon wrote:

The ending is just perfect and I keep thinking about the commentary track where Russell and Carpenter discuss the nature of the thing. If it perfectly copies you, then do you necessarily know that you are The Thing until you are tested or seriously wounded? Obviously after that the defense mechanism kicks in and the real deal appears, but in the beginning is it more like an infection inside you or should I say your copy? Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Awesome movie and overall it follows the original story more closely than the 1951 version.

yeah it was a lot more faithful to campbell's who goes there.

and i see the x files episode sorta as a loose sequel.

Starkers · July 14 2010, 09:28 AM

Kirkman1987 wrote:

Reverend wrote:

Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it.

Or on the other hand they could have both been "Things" and knew it, but each didn't know if the other was human or another "Thing". Hell, all the humans could have been gone by half way through the film and the rest was just a bunch of "Things" trying to outwit each other. Now that's paranoia!

They would've had to have been mostly human at least up to the blood test, but after that I don't see much of a problem. Either way, I agree that the almost total mystery of the whole thing is one of the film's highlights.

Also, "I know you guys have been through a lot today, but could one of you help me so I don't spend the whole winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH."

Fun line.

Oh yeah I love that line

Reverend · July 14 2010, 01:25 PM

Because of this thread I went and watched the DVD last night and tried to keep track of who's who and what happened when. What makes it so hard is that there are thing intentionally left out, like when that bloke finds MacReady's shredded clothes out in the snow and very quickly turns up burnt to a crisp only for the cook to find them again, this time in MacReady's shack. Omissions like that are clearly meant to make the audience just as paranoid as the characters.

Mind you, I can't figure out what happened to the cook; I know he went into the generator room with MacReady and sheriff blokey - the latter getting a face full of doc-thing's hand - but I'm not sure we see what happens to the cook, unless I blinked and missed something.

barnaclelapse · July 14 2010, 02:17 PM

The Thing is probably the best of Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy" (which also includes "In The Mouth of Madness" and "Prince of Darkness" and may also be one of the best horror films of the 80's.

JWD75 · July 14 2010, 10:01 PM

My all time favorite movie.

Starkers · July 14 2010, 11:31 PM

barnaclelapse wrote:

The Thing is probably the best of Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy" (which also includes "In The Mouth of Madness" and "Prince of Darkness" and may also be one of the best horror films of the 80's.

Oh I love Prince of Darkness, but oddly I've only ever seen In the Mouth of Maddness the once. Not because I hated it, just simply never got around to rewatching it. I really must correct that omission cos I suspect it's probably the last good film he made. Well it or Escape from LA whichever was later

Has there been a 'favourite Carpenter film' thread lately?

Although that would be a pain cos I reckon I'd have a four way tie vying for one vote!

July 13 2010, 10:42 AM	#16
Pingfah Admiral Location: Cornwall	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. This is one of the most perfectly atmospheric sci-fi/horrors ever made IMO. __________________ I won't be a rock star. I will be a legend. Freddie Mercury

July 13 2010, 11:38 AM	#17
Aeon Commander	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. The ending is just perfect and I keep thinking about the commentary track where Russell and Carpenter discuss the nature of the thing. If it perfectly copies you, then do you necessarily know that you are The Thing until you are tested or seriously wounded? Obviously after that the defense mechanism kicks in and the real deal appears, but in the beginning is it more like an infection inside you or should I say your copy? Maybe either MacReady or Childs (or both of them) were already copies at the end and they just didn't know it. Awesome movie and overall it follows the original story more closely than the 1951 version.

July 13 2010, 02:11 PM	#18
1001001 Putting the F-U Back in FUN! Location: People's Gaypublic of Drugafornia	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. Scary as hell! I haven't watched this in many years, but I remember seeing it in the theaters when I was a teenager. When the dogs face peels...yuck! Great film. __________________ “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States...The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge'.” - Isaac Asimov

July 14 2010, 01:25 PM	#27
Reverend Rear Admiral Location: UK	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. Because of this thread I went and watched the DVD last night and tried to keep track of who's who and what happened when. What makes it so hard is that there are thing intentionally left out, like when that bloke finds MacReady's shredded clothes out in the snow and very quickly turns up burnt to a crisp only for the cook to find them again, this time in MacReady's shack. Omissions like that are clearly meant to make the audience just as paranoid as the characters. Mind you, I can't figure out what happened to the cook; I know he went into the generator room with MacReady and sheriff blokey - the latter getting a face full of doc-thing's hand - but I'm not sure we see what happens to the cook, unless I blinked and missed something. __________________ Star Trek Logos - Dark Knight Adventures - DeviantArt

July 14 2010, 02:17 PM	#28
barnaclelapse Commodore Location: Waverly, VA.	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. The Thing is probably the best of Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy" (which also includes "In The Mouth of Madness" and "Prince of Darkness" and may also be one of the best horror films of the 80's. __________________ http://drunkmonkeys.onimpression.com/ www.mpjournal.com Tumblr: http://barnaclelapse.tumblr.com Word Press: http://gabrielricard.wordpress.com

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July 14 2010, 10:01 PM	#29
JWD75 Commander Location: jovian system	Re: John Carpenter's The Thing. My all time favorite movie.