'The Thing' is a great barf-bag movie, all right, but is it any good? I found it disappointing, for two reasons: the superficial characterizations and the implausible behavior of the scientists on that icy outpost. Characters have never been Carpenter's strong point; he says he likes his movies to create emotions in his audiences, and I guess he'd rather see us jump six inches than get. Read reviews for the movie The Thing (1982). This movie reviews and ratings at TributeMovies.com is 4.14 out of 5 Stars.
Director
John Carpenter
Studio(s)
Universal Pictures (Shout!/Scream Factory)
Film/Program Grade: A+
Video Grade: A+
Audio Grade: A+
Extras Grade: A+
Review
When John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing premiered in 1982, and was mostly rejected by both movie-going audiences and critics, an afterlife on home video was all but inevitable. Through CED, Laserdisc, VHS, and DVD, the movie, like several that John Carpenter made that weren’t fully appreciated upon their initial releases, built an avid following, with many people in that following proclaiming it to be “the best movie John Carpenter ever made” and/or “the best monster movie ever made.” Besides just the fan base, industry insiders, fellow filmmakers, and even the director himself have even spoken about how it’s possibly the best piece of work that he’s ever been a part of. And with an illustrious, career-spanning catalogue of work that includes the genre classics Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13, The Fog, Escape from New York, Prince of Darkness, They Live, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, and In the Mouth of Madness, that’s most-assuredly high praise for one single pearl in a very beautiful necklace.
The Thing is technically not a remake in the sense of the word, but more of a re-imagining of the original short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, Jr., which Howard Hawks’ The Thing from Another World was also based upon. That original film wound up having not much to do with the actual story, with the alien simply being reminiscent of Frankenstein’s monster. While it worked in 1951, and is still heralded as a sci-fi horror classic, Carpenter’s update certainly eclipses it. The story is about a group of men at a U.S. Antarctic outpost. They learn that another group of people, at a Norwegian base nearby, have discovered a flying saucer buried under the ice, and have brought one of the alien bodies frozen in ice back to their base. But with no one left alive there but one of the base’s dogs, they soon realize that the creature that was unearthed must be walking amongst them. No one knows who to trust, as each of them are being killed, one by one, and almost perfectly replicated by the alien creature.
Truth be told, there isn’t much you can say about The Thing that hasn’t already been said. It’s a technical marvel in every possible away, from the spectacular cinematography of Dean Cundey to the amazing prosthetic and make-up effects by Rob Bottin, as well as additional work by Stan Winston and stop-motion animator Randall Cook. There are wonderful performances by Kurt Russell, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Wilford Brimley, Richard Masur, and the other men of Outpost 31. There’s also a very moody and effective score, which is a combination of work between John Carpenter and Ennio Morricone, that uses atonal cues to create mood and atmosphere. of which there is an enormous amount here. All of it combines to create one of the finest science fiction horror movies ever made.Dpx player for mac.
The fate of The Thing theatrically is truly one of cinema’s greatest losses. No matter how well made the movie was, its bleakness as a story about isolation and paranoia just wasn’t going to be able to hold up against the monster hit that was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Both are about alien beings, but both are completely different ends of the spectrum, and releasing The Thing at about the same time as E.T., more or less guaranteed that the movie would not do well (and was a mistake on the studio’s part). It hurt John Carpenter in a way, changing the trajectory of his career and forcing him to do other types of films, but with less independence and less creative control. Today, the film is rightly seen as a masterpiece, staying true the tagline framed atop of its theatrical poster “The ultimate in alien terror.”
Scream Factory’s Collector’s Edition Blu-ray features a brand new 2K scan of the film’s interpositive element, supervised and approved by Cundey. The results are absolutely spectacular. The Thing has never looked as pristine, clear, detail-oriented, and organic as it does in this presentation. Pre-DVD and Blu-ray, this film has always been a bit on the murky side, due to the darkness of the cinematography. And while the previous Blu-ray release of the film was quite good, there was room for some improvement in terms of clarity and both black and grain levels. Scream Factory’s disc surpasses it, and is practically immaculate, featuring an extremely organic-looking presentation with very light and even film grain throughout. Detail, including skin textures, clothing, prosthetics, make-up, and both foreground and background elements, are richer than ever. Colors are stronger and more well-defined than before, including terrific skin tones. Black levels, one of the most important aspects of this film, are virtually perfect with amazing shadow detailing, revealing even more information than previously seen without spoiling the aesthetic set forth by Cundey. Contrast is perfect as well and there’s next to no film damage other than some extremely mild speckling and light fading along the left and right edges of the frame. Nor is there any signs of digital augmentation or enhancement. The only thing that comes close to being a flaw is the shot of the ‘United States National Science Institute Station 4’ sign at the beginning of the film. It looks a little rougher than the rest of the footage and features some heavier fading along the edges, specifically at the right of frame. But that is small potatoes in what is an otherwise perfect presentation and transfer.
For the audio, there are three options: English 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD, and a brand new 4.1 DTS-HD mix created from the original 70mm six track Dolby stereo soundtrack. Like the visuals, all of the audio tracks are top notch, but the real winner of this grouping is the new 4.1 track. Dialogue is crisp and discernible at all times, while sound effects, music, and score have new life to them. There is a wide field of sound at all times, with plenty of ambience and speaker-to-speaker activity, as well as some amazing low end moments involving the score and the creature sounds. As a matter of fact, all of the audio effects (even if they are a tad dated) sound as vibrant and strong as ever, particularly during some of the squishier, gorier moments, such as the scene when Blair dissects the dead monster brought back from the Norwegian base. The other tracks pack a punch and are very well-mixed, but the new 4.1 track truly breathes new life into the film. All told, this is the best that The Thing has ever looked and sounded on home video, bar none, and it stands as a precedent for what can be accomplished when transferring a film of this vintage. Note that there are also subtitles in English SDH for those who might need them.
Reviewer’s Note: Shout! Factory announced, prior to street date, that some syncing errors had been found within the main 4.1 audio of the initial pressing. We double-checked this and, indeed, these errors could be heard several times during the blood testing scene. Upon this discovery, the company immediately pushed back the street date (from September 20 to October 11) in order to fix these issues prior to the final release. Obviously, the syncing issues did not throw the entire film out of sync, and they were not so terrible that our review couldn’t be carried out. Rest assured, we now have the corrected release in our hands and we can confirm that these issues have been addressed and corrected. Just to be clear, all official release versions will not contain these errors – only the initial discs given to the press. Our assessment has not changed and the audio track is terrific.
If you’re into this Blu-ray for the extras, it’s safe to say you can retire any previous DVDs or Blu-rays you might still be holding onto. Not only does it carry over everything of note from previous releases, but it’s also stuffed with a ton of new material too. On Disc One, you’ll find two new audio commentaries: one with director of photography Dean Cundey, which is moderated by Rob Galluzo, and the other with co-producer Stuart Cohen, which is moderated by Michael Felsher. Also included is the fantastic audio commentary with John Carpenter and Kurt Russell. In addition, there are two U.S. theatrical trailers, the German theatrical trailer, the teaser trailer, 3 TV spots, 4 radio spots, and an extensive set of still galleries (behind-the-scenes, lobby cards and press stills, programs, posters, storyboards, and production artwork). On Disc Two, the rest of the extras are split into three subcategories: Interviews, Featurettes, and More of The Thing. Under Interviews, there are five brand new items to choose from, including Requiem for a Shape Shifter, an interview with John Carpenter in conversation with Mick Garris; The Men of Outpost 31, which includes interviews with nearly all of the main cast other than Russell; Assembling and Assimilation, an interview with editor Todd Ramsay; Behind the Chameleon: The Sights of The Thing, which is an extensive set of interviews with many of the film’s visual effects artists and special make-up effects artists; Sounds from the Cold: The Sound Design of The Thing, which contains interviews with supervising sound editor David Lewis Yewdall and special sound effects designer Alan Howarth; and Between the Lines, an interview with novelization author Alan Dean Foster. Under Featurettes, you’ll find two new animated still galleries: The Art of Mike Ploog and Back Into the Cold: Revisiting the Filming Location of The Thing, the latter of which is narrated by Todd Cameron of Outpost31.com. You’ll also find a set of outtakes (more like deleted scenes); a set of 9 vintage featurettes from the film’s original Electronic Press Kit, featuring interviews with Carpenter, Russell, and special make-up effects artist Rob Bottin; a vintage product reel, which is a condensed version of the film with footage not used in the final cut; a brief bit of vintage behind-the-scenes footage shot for publicity purposes; and an extensive annotated production archive, which includes production art and storyboards, location scouting, special make-up effects, and post production – all of which has been culled from previous Laserdisc and DVD releases. Under More of The Thing, you’ll find the network TV broadcast version of the film, which features additional, deleted, and alternate footage, dialogue, and music cues in standard definition (some of which is also present in the featurettes and outtakes); the long-form making of the John Carpenter’s The Thing: Terror Takes Shape documentary; and two additional vintage featurettes: The Making of a Chilling Tale and The Making of The Thing (the latter of which is directed by Mick Garris). Every last bit of this material is completely exhaustive, entertaining, informative, and will take you hours to get through. Old version of skype for mac os x 10.6.8. Almost no stone has been left unturned. This release has the rare distinction of being one of the most complete and satisfying sets of supplemental materials for any release of any film ever.
To say that Scream Factory has created their finest Blu-ray release ever here would be an understatement. There are almost no faults to be found, nor is there any content that hasn’t been carried over. To boot, the new content is equally satisfying, as is the outstanding video and audio presentation. If you were on the fence about having to purchase this film again, rest assured that this is the essential release of The Thing on Blu-ray Disc. Highly, extremely, and utterly recommended!
- Tim Salmons
Tags
1982, Blu-ray, Blu-ray Disc, Collector's Edition, Dean Cundey, horror, John Carpenter, Keith David, Kurt Russell, Randall William Cook, review, sci-fi, science fiction, Scream Factory, Shout! Factory, Stan Winston, The Digital Bits, The Thing, Tim Salmons, Universal Pictures
When it was released in 1982, John Carpenter's remake of Howard Hawks' 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World spurred much debate about not only which film was more effective but whether Carpenter's version fit better into the science fiction or horror genre. In the end, such arguments, while not uninteresting, proved pointless. The Thing became accepted on its own terms, which is how it should be. This is one of those rare remakes that remains faithful to the premise of the original (and the short story upon which both are based, John Campbell's 'Who Goes There?') but does something unique with the concept. Viewing The Thing is not like watching The Thing from Another World in color with better special effects and new actors. It's a different experience altogether.
The movie centers around a 12-man U.S. Antarctic expeditionary crew stationed at Outpost #31. Their days are busy, but their nights are long and cold. Their lives are ruled by routine until the day when a half-wolf/half-dog appears with a Norwegian chopper in hot pursuit. The animal survives but the seemingly crazy Norwegians do not. One is blown up by his own grenade. The other is shot dead when he brandishes a firearm. It turns out that the dog is not the innocent victim of a lunatic hunting outing. It's actually an alien that has the ability to digest and imitate creatures it comes into contact with. Once it has access to Outpost #31, it begins doing what it does best: infiltration. By the time the human beings recognize their peril, the situation is dire. No one knows who to trust, because there could be an alien among them.
Kurt Russell heads an ensemble cast comprised primarily of character actors, including the likes of Wilford Brimley (before he became typecast as a folksy grandpa), Richard Dysart (who would later become a regular in the TV series L.A. Law), Keith David, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, and Charles Hallahan. Although Russell is the hero, the others do fine supporting jobs despite the thinness of their characters and the lack of substantive backstories. Even Russell's R.J. MacReady is largely a blank slate. We know he's pragmatic and a quick thinker, calm under pressure, and good with weapons, but that's the sum total of what the film tells us about him. (Dr. Blair, Brimley's character, was originally slated to be played by Carpenter regular Donald Pleasance until a scheduling conflict interfered. One wonders whether the role would have been expanded in that case.)
Although Carpenter and screenwriter Bill Lancaster based The Thing on the short story 'Who Goes There?', they did not neglect the 1951 picture. Carpenter included several homages, the most obvious of which was to use footage from The Thing from Another World as the video retrieved from the Norwegians' camp. (Clips from the black-and-white film also appear in Halloween.) The Campbell story, which was written in 1938, became a science fiction touchstone, inspiring not only for The Thing from Another World, but other movies including Invasion of the Body Snatchers and its remake.
A paranoia-choked atmosphere is the primary reason why The ThingRyuichi sakamoto ongaku zukan rar download. works as well as it does. The setup is standard stuff, establishing that the characters are isolated and can expect no help from the outside. The realization there could be an alien among them, and any one of them might not be human, is what launches The Thing into a spiral of escalating tension. The quest to identify the alien(s) consumes about half the movie's running time, and includes several red herrings and the gripping blood test sequence in which MacReady uses a hot wire and samples of everyone's hemoglobin to clear some members of the crew and damn others. The final confrontation with the alien, despite providing the most grotesque special effect of the movie and allowing plenty of pyrotechnics, is anticlimactic. Then again, after the extended suspense of the middle section, it's hard to see how any resolution could rise to that level.
The Thing 1982 Empire Review
Carpenter's recreation of an Antarctic station is flawless; we never doubt for a moment that these men are trapped and alone in a frozen wilderness. Godzilla unleashed pc download. The spartan nature of the lifestyle feeds into the claustrophobia and paranoia that develop when it becomes evident any of them could be standing next to an alien. The Thing works on a visceral level, and not just because of the blood and gore. Carpenter's flair for suspense, honed to perfection in Halloween, is on display here. Viewers, especially those watching The Thing for the first time, will be perched on their seat's edge for a good portion of the movie.
Despite having a larger budget than anything Carpenter had previously worked with, The Thing still feels like one of his movies. In fact, it could be argued that this is the last movie of Carpenter's most fertile period as a director. Sybase sql anywhere 12 free download. (I'm a fan of Starman How to microsoft on mac for free. but, being a love story, it's a much different kind of picture.) The cinematographer is Dean Cundey, who had worked on a number of Carpenter movies. The composer, Ennio Morricone, tailored his score to the director, using the same kind of low-key, uncomplicated approach favored by Carpenter the composer. (Those watching this movie without knowing of Morricone's involvement might believe Carpenter had written the music.)
Upon its 1982 release, The Thing was decried by many mainstream critics as being too gory and gruesome. Roger Ebert calls it 'a geek show, a gross-out movie in which teenagers can dare one another to watch the screen.' Indeed, Rob Bottin's effects work was among the most elaborate and unsettling stuff to have appeared on screen to that point, but it pales in comparison with advances that have been made in the quarter century since The Thing's release. The creature work in The Thing remains effective all these years later, but it is no longer as startling as it once was. It's in line with what we're used to seeing in standard science fiction horror fare. With the shock value muted, we are able to concentrate on the story and absorb how well crafted it is.
The Thing 1982 Reviews
One apt comparison to The Thing is Ridley Scott's Alien, which came out a few years earlier. Both movies are in many ways cut from the same cloth and owe their inspiration to the Campbell short story. Alien is more polished and features better detailed characters, but there are a lot of similarities. The nightmarish creature remains hidden for much of the movie. The crew is isolated and trapped. One character rises out of the ensemble to take control. Philips 713x tv card drivers for mac. And a lot of the action takes place in dark, shadowy spaces. Alien has been described as a 'haunted house in space' movie, indicating the way it straddles the horror and science fiction genres. The Thing does the same thing, but with an additional twist: it throws in a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie. That element, more than any other, makes this movie unique and worth a viewing by any horror/sci-fi fan who has not seen it.
Thing, The (United States, 1982)
Director: John Carpenter Cast: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat Screenplay: Bill Lancaster, based on 'Who Goes There?' by John W. Campbell Jr. Cinematography: Dean Cundey Music: Ennio Morricone U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures