By Robert Seebach
The Thing was directed by John Carpenter and was released by Universal Pictures on 25 June 1982. It is technically a remake of The Thing From Another World, directed by Christian Nyby and released by RKO Pictures in 1951. The screenplay was written by Bill Lancaster, based on the 1938 novella Who Goes There? written by John W. Campbell Jr. Carpenter’s version follows more closely to the novella. The Thing has an accomplished ensemble cast featuring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, David Keith, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masure, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waits.
The Thing is a Sci-Fi/Horror/Mystery all rolled into one film. The story takes place in Antartica at a US research facility. The opening scene shows a helicopter from the Norwegian research facilty chasing a dog and attempting to shoot it. The chase ends with both Norwegians dead and the dog being taken in by the Americans. It isn’t long before they relize why the Norwegians were trying to kill the dog. MacReady and Dr. Copper helicopter to the Norwegian research facility where they discover the entire crew deceased. They are left perplexed as to what has happened and why the Norwegians chased the dog across the tundra. MacReady and Dr. Copper retrieve documents and film which they bring back with them. The film potrays the Norwrgians blasting through an immense section of ice and making an achaeological discovery of an alien craft.
The Americans learn that along with the alien craft, the Norwegians also awakened an alien lifeform from its hibernation. Their first encounter with this alien lifeform happens when the dog mutates before their eyes. Dr. Blair soon discovers that this lifeform can infect and replicate other lifeforms. What ensues is a mystery to determine who among them has been infected.
Bennings is the first crew member infected. The crew chases and surrounds Bennings as he is in the process of mutating. MacReady then torches Bennings with a flamethrower.
The paranoia never lets up as the characters battle manisfestations of “The Thing”, while devising ways to discover who has been infected. One plan is to develop a blood test. Someone destroys the blood bank supply, derailing this plan. The crew isolates Wilfred Brimley’s character, Dr. Blair after he has a mental break, destroys the communications room, and fires a gun at his colleagues.
The mystery of discovering who among them has been infected, culminates in spectacular fashion with the blood test scene.
To label The Thing simply as a horror film or science fiction film is to do it an unjustice. First and formost, it is a mystery. The opening sequence has us asking ‘why’? That’s not to say that The Thing is not a sci-fi or horror film, because it is. It is a sum of its parts. The Thing’s ability to cross genres is what makes it a sophisticated film. The Thing wasn’t the first film to blend these genres. Ridley Scott’s Alien accomplished this just three years prior. Like Alien, The Thing doesn’t fall victim to the common tropes of so many science fiction films.
The Thing is a forgotten film. Stephen Speilberg’s E.T. was released the very same summer of 1982. If you were going to see a sci-fi movie with aliens in it, most likely you were going to see E.T. The Thing was overshadowed. E.T. also appealed to a wider demographic. It was a movie you could take your family to.
A misconception is that The Thing is a simple “B Movie”. This is not true. The Thing is a well crafted story with emotional depth. Unlike E.T., The Thing explores darker themes- fear, distrust, paranoia, isolation, and self-preservation. The remote setting of Antartica enhances these themes. According to an interview with The National Science and Media Museum, Carpenter states that cast and crew spent approximately two weeks shooting the exterior shots in the ice fields outside of Juneau, Alaska. (Carpenter, 00:03:32 – 00:04:23)
This film is well acted. There isn’t a weak performance in the bunch. Each character is well defined and their purpose is clear. Kurt Russell’s portrayal of the film’s reluctant protagonist R.J. MacReady is one of his best. John Carpenter constructs an environment on set which applifies these performances.
For instance, Carpenter states that he chilled the Los Angeles studio, where the interior scenes were shot, to 40 degrees farhenhite so that the actors felt cold, uncomfortable, and their breathe could be seen. (Carpenter, 00:04:22 – 00:04:50) He also didn’t give direction in any given scene that a particular actor was “The Thing.” This adds to the suspense because the actors themselves do not know who “The Thing” is.
The harsh environment of Antartica exacerbates the sense of paranoia and isolation. The cold, stark landscape reflects not only the physical space inhabited by the characters, but also the psychological landscape. As the paranoia and distrust fester, the remoteness of the setting creates a sense of helplessness. No one has any illusions that anyone is coming to help them.
What makes this film special is the mystery of who “The Thing” is. The audience never knows until “The Thing” shows itself through each individual manifestation. There are details we don’t know. We don’t know where “The Thing” came from or why it is here. We don’t ever find out who tampers with the blood samples. And of course there is the ambiguous ending. Modern day films often feel the need to explain everything. The Thing makes us think.
Rob Bottin’s practical effects for the creatures still hold up today. This was pre-CGI. The practical effects creates a realism with which CGI cannot compete. The intricate variations of “the creature” are wet, grotesque, and believable.
Ennio Morricone composed the score for the film. Ennio Morricone is a Grammy Award winning composure most recognized for his work on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and other “Spaghetti Westerns.” Morricone’s eerie, ominous score amplfies the film’s sense of isolation and paranoia.
The Thing is a well-crafted film with believable perfomances and stunning practical effects. The story is intriguing and keeps the audience engaged. This film was not critically acclaimed at the time of it’s release. However, many recognize The Thing as among the best films of the science fiction/horror genre.
There were a lot of sci-fi films produced in the ’80s which were cheesy and lacking in substance. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place in my heart for those films, too. The Thing does not fit this category. Anyone who is a fan of sci-fi/horror films produced in the ’80s who overlooked this film, I highly recommend you give The Thing a watch.
Works Cited
The Thing. Dir. John Carpenter. Universal Pictures, 1982. Film.
Capenter, John. “Exclusive John Carpenter Intro to The Thing.” The National Science and Media Museum” http://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk, june 17, 2008.