One Of The Best
Added 2/9/2010
I saw this when it came out in 82', in a theatre in Wellington New Zealand.At the time I was 14 and had to pretend I was older as this had a R16 rating here.My father was running a shop and said to me "here's ten bucks go to the movies" as he was busy and did not want a kid under his feet all day.Why I picked this film I still have no idea , I was a big horror fan even then but the poster made no sense to me , it had a kind of flower with tenticles thing on it not the picture I have seen over the years , maybe this was a poster only released down here I don't know.There was maybe 20-25 people in the theatre at the time not a lot but I thought good the less the better as you will not have a bunch of kids screaming and yelling.From the point where the dogs head splits open I thought we have something special here and right till the end I knew this was a great film.I raved about it to my friends they all went and saw it and loved it.Was going to see it again two weeks later but it had finished its run here which disappointed me to no end.Back then the VHS market was just starting and I had to wait nearly two years for it to come out , saw it again in 85' as a double bill with Cat People and the theatre was packed at the midnight session everyone I talked too said they were not here to see Cat People but The Thing which was on second.I burnt out two VHS copies of this movie and when DVDS were invented I thought great and I can finally see it how I remember it, in widescreen.To this day I do not think there has been another movie that even comes close to this effects wise.No CGI everything was hand-made , Rob Bottin and with a little help from the late Stan Winston did a fantastic job here.The acting was great and I thought worthy of Oscars which would never happen as horror films hardly win anything.I rate this with the original Jaws as my two favourite films , this one having the edge as sometimes the shark looked a bit suspect.I am 42 now and a few years ago I told this guy who I worked with who was 18 to get this out ,he did and said to me the next day how he loved the movie and went out and brought it the next day.He then said I cannot believe I missed this at the movies , I said "What do you mean missed this came out 25 years ago", he could not believe it and said it looked like a new film which goes to show how well this film has stood over time , it really needs a hundred stars as far as I am concerned.
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Psychological horror, sci fi, drama, all add up to a classic film
Added 1/25/2010
Back when Kurt Russell had more acting roles, it was good to see that he occupied his time by creating a partnership with John Carpenter. Never mind that this was a remake - it stands by itself for the reasons described above. The movie is perfectly paced and even though it has lighter moments, those don't last long.
It is an acting ensemble piece where there are no weak links in the casting.
The audience remains as confused as the film's characters and all the elements of the plot take time in coming together. The beginning of the film doesn't make sense until the end - however, it is not a flashback.
Some of the characters are on the verge of mental illness and the central event of the film just adds to the tension until something has to give, which it does in spectacular, violent and melancholy fashion.
In fact, one may feel deep sadness at the end of it.
The film is a bit of a downer - there are only isolated action moments. In between is human desperation, as well as repeated failure in understanding and communicating, which the viewer shares. This film may well be both John's and Kurt's masterpiece.
Very highly recommended.
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The Thing (Collector's Edition)
Added 1/23/2010
An American scientific expedition to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic is interrupted by a group of seemingly mad Norwegians pursuing and shooting a dog. The helicopter pursuing the dog crashes leaving no explanation for the chase. During the night, the dog mutates and attacks other dogs in the cage and members of the team that investigate. The team soon realises that an alien life-form with the ability to take over other bodies is on the loose and they don't know who may already have been taken over. John Carpenter's "The Thing" is one of the most entertaining horror movies ever made - fast, clever and purely exciting from start to finish. This is how all movies of the genre should be made. A classic that still holds up to this very day.
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Rob Bottin rules!!
Added 12/27/2009
The Thing is what it is thanks to Rob Bottin, Mike Ploog and Stan Winston's team and John Carpenter perfect direction of course. No CGI, no Stop-Motion animation, just weird mechanical effects and a lot of gore. Get the DVD if you want to see all of the bonus material [not included on Blu-ray]
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Paranoia Will Destroy Ya
Added 12/15/2009
The Thing is a masterpiece of paranoid horror. It is a fantastic tale of violence and the depravity of man. It shows the potential that we all have for self preservation and cruelty. Many scenes are cringe worthy, and I love the way the film keeps the viewer guessing and wondering "who's next?" The ultimate self sacrifice of the characters to "save the world" is both uplifting and full of situational horror. It was fantastic film for its day. It is a fantastic film for any day.
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One Of The Best
Added 2/9/2010
I saw this when it came out in 82', in a theatre in Wellington New Zealand.At the time I was 14 and had to pretend I was older as this had a R16 rating here.My father was running a shop and said to me "here's ten bucks go to the movies" as he was busy and did not want a kid under his feet all day.Why I picked this film I still have no idea , I was a big horror fan even then but the poster made no sense to me , it had a kind of flower with tenticles thing on it not the picture I have seen over the years , maybe this was a poster only released down here I don't know.There was maybe 20-25 people in the theatre at the time not a lot but I thought good the less the better as you will not have a bunch of kids screaming and yelling.From the point where the dogs head splits open I thought we have something special here and right till the end I knew this was a great film.I raved about it to my friends they all went and saw it and loved it.Was going to see it again two weeks later but it had finished its run here which disappointed me to no end.Back then the VHS market was just starting and I had to wait nearly two years for it to come out , saw it again in 85' as a double bill with Cat People and the theatre was packed at the midnight session everyone I talked too said they were not here to see Cat People but The Thing which was on second.I burnt out two VHS copies of this movie and when DVDS were invented I thought great and I can finally see it how I remember it, in widescreen.To this day I do not think there has been another movie that even comes close to this effects wise.No CGI everything was hand-made , Rob Bottin and with a little help from the late Stan Winston did a fantastic job here.The acting was great and I thought worthy of Oscars which would never happen as horror films hardly win anything.I rate this with the original Jaws as my two favourite films , this one having the edge as sometimes the shark looked a bit suspect.I am 42 now and a few years ago I told this guy who I worked with who was 18 to get this out ,he did and said to me the next day how he loved the movie and went out and brought it the next day.He then said I cannot believe I missed this at the movies , I said "What do you mean missed this came out 25 years ago", he could not believe it and said it looked like a new film which goes to show how well this film has stood over time , it really needs a hundred stars as far as I am concerned.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Psychological horror, sci fi, drama, all add up to a classic film
Added 1/25/2010
Back when Kurt Russell had more acting roles, it was good to see that he occupied his time by creating a partnership with John Carpenter. Never mind that this was a remake - it stands by itself for the reasons described above. The movie is perfectly paced and even though it has lighter moments, those don't last long.
It is an acting ensemble piece where there are no weak links in the casting.
The audience remains as confused as the film's characters and all the elements of the plot take time in coming together. The beginning of the film doesn't make sense until the end - however, it is not a flashback.
Some of the characters are on the verge of mental illness and the central event of the film just adds to the tension until something has to give, which it does in spectacular, violent and melancholy fashion.
In fact, one may feel deep sadness at the end of it.
The film is a bit of a downer - there are only isolated action moments. In between is human desperation, as well as repeated failure in understanding and communicating, which the viewer shares. This film may well be both John's and Kurt's masterpiece.
Very highly recommended.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
The Thing (Collector's Edition)
Added 1/23/2010
An American scientific expedition to the frozen wastes of the Antarctic is interrupted by a group of seemingly mad Norwegians pursuing and shooting a dog. The helicopter pursuing the dog crashes leaving no explanation for the chase. During the night, the dog mutates and attacks other dogs in the cage and members of the team that investigate. The team soon realises that an alien life-form with the ability to take over other bodies is on the loose and they don't know who may already have been taken over. John Carpenter's "The Thing" is one of the most entertaining horror movies ever made - fast, clever and purely exciting from start to finish. This is how all movies of the genre should be made. A classic that still holds up to this very day.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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