It isn’t easy being holed up in American research facility, in the harsh winter climate of the Antarctic. Doesn’t make it any easier when the people who’re your with might not even be human. Here, we have the 1982 classic, The Thing. This coldly ruthless film preys on the fear of trust with one another. Throughout the entirety we don’t know who’s who, each of which being a surprise. The strong acting, and the director’s approach has always been fascinating. John Carpenter, the director of the magnanimous piece of horror history had always been passionate about making a remake to one of his favorite films that truly scared him as a child; The Thing From Another World. However, he wanted to be more accurate to the original novel.
Titled, Who Goes There? By: John W. Campbell; it was an insight of the horrors in what we don’t notice. Not knowing who to trust in our world. Whether it be based on numerous theories on the Cold War of the early 80s or even the epidemic of HIV spreading. It’s all about distrust within a small community. The novel told of a shapeshifting extraterrestrial in the isolated Arctic circle. The film that would go on to be directed by Howard Hawks, was more of an A-Z monster flick of the fifties of course one of the most memorable. But Carpenter wanted to create something more down to earth with his passion project.
In both the book and the original film, the team had worked together to avert a global disaster. The Thing would do different, by providing a much more conflicted team of researchers who grew apart from one another as we progressed through the story. Upon first release it was overlooked, and would go on to be that way until shortly thereafter becoming not only a cult classic, but ranked as one of the greatest horror films of all time. It has now gone to be widely regarded as a truly great film! I myself, had been inspired by the film being my gateway into my cinematic passion.
One of the greatest aspects of the film is the undeniably original special effects by Rob Bottin. When hired, he was told to go crazy with his designs, and the extent he went to had cemented him as an effects genius. The practical effects are stunning, absolutely remarkable when displayed on the screen. The music by Ennio Morricone, is a bone chilling score to strike goosebumps. The Thing overall remains a haunting masterpiece. I remember how it changed me from my first viewing. It was the first of it’s kind that I’d seen, and I have yet to see anything else imitate it.
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