The Thing (1982)

[Cikomyr]

Hello everyone!

In Newcastle University, the Politic Postgraduate Student Society presents a movie a week to discuss over beer and wine later. This term theme was "horror", and I suggested "The Thing". A movie I have never seen myself but which I heard a LOT of good. Therefore, I will be presenting it next monday.

It's usually a good idea to mention factoids about the movie you present. Either thematics, or trivia regarding its history, etc...

I was thinking of mentioning that a big theme of this movie is "the enemy among us". The fact that you cannot trust anyone; the paranoia this creates among humans. That you have to go through bio-testing just to prove you are who you say you are. These will resonate strongly in my Politic Student Groups. But I was wondering if there are other elements about the movie I could mention?

Please avoid spoilers. If you wanna have a discussion about the movie itself, do so behind spoiler tags. I will join you on monday night


But otherwise, do you know anything interesting regarding the thematic that inspired John Carpenter? What was the original literacy work he drew upon? Anything fun to know about its filming process?

[comicshorse]

I believe the film ( and the original black and white film its based on) are drawn from the short story 'Who Goes There'

[Rake21]

The helicopter pilot from the Norwegian base actually does warn the main characters about what's about to happen. Unfortunately, no one there actually speaks Norwegian.

[The Glyphstone]

The helicopter pilot from the Norwegian base actually does warn the main characters about what's about to happen. Unfortunately, no one there actually speaks Norwegian.

It's a hilarious easter egg.



If it'd be appropriate for the venue, there's a very good short story called The Things, written by Peter Watts and available for free online - it retells the movie from the first-person perspective of the titular monster. Don't read it until after watching the movie, but it's very creepy and entertainingly thought-provoking as a epilogue/chaser to the film.

[Mutant Sheep]

This is decently common knowledge, but it is a regular feature for the blackout team at Arctic stations. Going to be isolated from humanity for a few months, might as well tempt fate.

Also, there's a spoilerific musical, that encompasses the story in the style of Frank Sinatra. I suggest doing it for a post movie summery.

[Bhu]

It's a remake of The Thing from Another World http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044121/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/ Scroll down to Trivia, Frequently Asked QUestions, and Message Boards, they'll have info you can use.

http://www.outpost31.com/books/who.txt You can find the original short story here

http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/09/17...s-there-to-ca/ blog comparing the story to film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_%281982_film%29 wiki might have a link you can use

In the original story the alien was a telepathic shapeshifter who could assume the form of whatever it devoured. It's more of a straight forward monster story as opposed to the hyper paranoid body-snatchers style story presented by Carpenter.

[Rake21]

Also, there's a spoilerific musical, that encompasses the story in the style of Frank Sinatra. I suggest doing it for a post movie summery.

... ****ing glorious.

[Krade]

All I have to say about the movie is that I really wish I could see it for the first time again. It was super tense the first time I watched it. A few years ago I watched it again and it just wasn't the same knowing what was going to happen next.

[Killer Angel]

I was thinking of mentioning that a big theme of this movie is "the enemy among us". The fact that you cannot trust anyone; the paranoia this creates among humans.

It’s more than this… it’s this, mixed with the fear of the unknown. An unspeakable horror is out there to kill us: our primordial instinct tell us to search for the security of the group, only, there’s no group, you cannot trust anyone. It’s Paranoia and anguish. At least, in Alien, the human crew can count on each other.

[Bhu]

It is a cosmic horror story come to think of it. You could prolly riff on that, it's one of the few decent cosmic horror films.

[Triscuitable]

This film is a great example of a good remake of an old film. I'd put The Blob on this list, though it's not nearly as good (it is extremely creative with its use of the titular blob, however).

[Winter_Wolf]

Heh, I remember watching The Thing on tv back in the mid-late 80s for the first time. Good stuff.

Given the way the Norwegians came into the American camp site, I don't know that they'd have actually listened to him even if they did understand what he was saying. They might well have thought they (the Norwegians) were just plain nuts from too long in Antarctica.

[McStabbington]

It's been a while since I watched the commentary, but IIRC, the script is unusual for the amount of time that went into its development. Most scripts go from start to final version in about three months, with additional revisions made as shooting goes on by the cast, director, producers, etc. Which explains a lot about why so many scripts are so very terrible. But in this case, because of some delays in the shooting, the writer had about 11 months to hone and polish the script, which is why it is so tightly-written and why it evokes the theme.

And just as a spoiler-free head's up to add to the paranoia, there is a scene involving a dog and a shadow of a person early on in the film. The person was not a part of the cast, the better to confuse the audience and engender the fear that anyone could be The Thing.

[Caesar]

At least, in Alien, the human crew can count on each other.

"Oh god oh god oh god.."
"Get out of the way, Im gonna blast that motherf***er!"
"Oh god oh god oh god.."
"Move! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
"Oh god oh god"


also, Bishop.

[Killer Angel]

also, Bishop.

I suppose you're talkin 'bout Ash... Bishop was in Aliens.
Anyway, Ash was out of the equation. 'til that moment the crew was "human-only" and they were concentrated on surviving alien, they didn't imagine the android's existance, and after the short fight and the revelation, they were again united.
There isn't the omnipresence of mistrust you can see in The Thing.

[Cikomyr]

I suppose you're talkin 'bout Ash... Bishop was in Aliens.
Anyway, Ash was out of the equation. 'til that moment the crew was "human-only" and they were concentrated on surviving alien, they didn't imagine the android's existance, and after the short fight and the revelation, they were again united.
There isn't the omnipresence of mistrust you can see in The Thing.

I guess the horror of Ash would have been more in The Thing's line if Mother revealed an android was among them.

[Killer Angel]

I guess the horror of Ash would have been more in The Thing's line if Mother revealed an android was among them.

I agree, even if Ash would have been the first suspect, given that he was the newest crew’s member…

[Bhu]

http://vimeo.com/48464606

eerily appropriate

[shadow_archmagi]

Also: Film doesn't use any CGI. Everything is handmade.

[Yora]

It's a hilarious easter egg.

Actually, even just being used to northern German dialects is enough to get the general meaning of those three lines in Norwegian.

Personally, I love the dog. No idea how they did it, but he brings a lot of personal presence to the screen in his scenes. I think I've read somewhere that even people from the production crew were suprised at how well he was "acting his role".

One thing people often comment on is that in the later part, not only the main character but also the audience completely lose track of who is who. Some people just never show up again without any clue what happened to them.
And at the very end, there is a detail that might have been either be a prop mistake, or completely deliberate, that adds additional confusion either way if people actually spot it.

Spoiler

Show

The other guy is wearing a different coat than the last time he was seen before. Could be his old one got damaged in the explosion and he found a new one lying around, or he's the monster and the old coat got blood all over it.

[JustSomeGuy]

With regards to Ash (Alien);

Spoiler

Show

I rewatched the film today, mostly because of this thread, and he does several things which make no sense from an android perspective prior to the reveal... most striking is a little 'adrenaline shuffle/on the spot sprint type affair' when he is completely alone, just before the landing party disembark and he takes control of their communications.

Completely unrelated - two things that utterly took me out of the film because of the absurdity:

1. The engineer guy, when searching for the alien. They discover a life source in a locker, tension ensues, then it is revealed to be jonesy (the cat). At that point, Ripley and Yaphette Koto tell engineer guy to chase after the cat, on his own, in an area of untold hidey holes, with a missing alien. Not only this, but the engineer guy finds the alien's shed skin and seems to have a spark of understanding, but then decides to mess around with his eyes closed under some dripping water... i couldn't believe what i was seeing!

2. Ash (after being revealed as an android) is being interrogated by the crew. He states that the alien is a perfectly evolved life form, pure killing machine, no remorse or morality, ruled by survival etc... Cue to a scene later when ripley stumbles upon the alien taking a nap in the escape shuttle. She then disturbs it, but it rolls of back to sleep, all the while she is clattering about hiding and putting on a spacesuit and setting the comand console to open the airlock. It eventually wakes (when sprayed with some gas discharge), only to do nothing for about a minute while she fumbles with opening the airlock.

Despite all this, it was a really good film to watch. Until i got the idea in my head that it should get a comedy remake where some 16th century sailors respond to a signal fire on a deserted island, only to end up with a tiger on board their ship - i was daydreaming a little but then every scene was almost liek it was set up to look like it was written on board an oldey fashionde tallship.

[Spuddles]

It’s more than this… it’s this, mixed with the fear of the unknown. An unspeakable horror is out there to kill us: our primordial instinct tell us to search for the security of the group, only, there’s no group, you cannot trust anyone. It’s Paranoia and anguish. At least, in Alien, the human crew can count on each other.

Except for Bishop. He was a goddamn android.

[Killer Angel]

Except for Bishop. He was a goddamn android.

Again with the Bishop thing?
RIght, i hate to cite myself from this same page, but the issue was already addressed:

I suppose you're talkin 'bout Ash... Bishop was in Aliens.
Anyway, Ash was out of the equation. 'til that moment the crew was "human-only" and they were concentrated on surviving alien, they didn't imagine the android's existance, and after the short fight and the revelation, they were again united.
There isn't the omnipresence of mistrust you can see in The Thing.

With regards to Ash (Alien);

Spoiler

Show

I rewatched the film today, mostly because of this thread, and he does several things which make no sense from an android perspective prior to the reveal... most striking is a little 'adrenaline shuffle/on the spot sprint type affair' when he is completely alone, just before the landing party disembark and he takes control of their communications.

Completely unrelated - two things that utterly took me out of the film because of the absurdity:

1. The engineer guy, when searching for the alien. They discover a life source in a locker, tension ensues, then it is revealed to be jonesy (the cat). At that point, Ripley and Yaphette Koto tell engineer guy to chase after the cat, on his own, in an area of untold hidey holes, with a missing alien. Not only this, but the engineer guy finds the alien's shed skin and seems to have a spark of understanding, but then decides to mess around with his eyes closed under some dripping water... i couldn't believe what i was seeing!

2. Ash (after being revealed as an android) is being interrogated by the crew. He states that the alien is a perfectly evolved life form, pure killing machine, no remorse or morality, ruled by survival etc... Cue to a scene later when ripley stumbles upon the alien taking a nap in the escape shuttle. She then disturbs it, but it rolls of back to sleep, all the while she is clattering about hiding and putting on a spacesuit and setting the comand console to open the airlock. It eventually wakes (when sprayed with some gas discharge), only to do nothing for about a minute while she fumbles with opening the airlock.

Despite all this, it was a really good film to watch. Until i got the idea in my head that it should get a comedy remake where some 16th century sailors respond to a signal fire on a deserted island, only to end up with a tiger on board their ship - i was daydreaming a little but then every scene was almost liek it was set up to look like it was written on board an oldey fashionde tallship.

Yeah, both those things were a little silly, but I forgive them.

[McStabbington]

With regards to Ash (Alien);

Spoiler

Show

I rewatched the film today, mostly because of this thread, and he does several things which make no sense from an android perspective prior to the reveal... most striking is a little 'adrenaline shuffle/on the spot sprint type affair' when he is completely alone, just before the landing party disembark and he takes control of their communications.

Completely unrelated - two things that utterly took me out of the film because of the absurdity:

1. The engineer guy, when searching for the alien. They discover a life source in a locker, tension ensues, then it is revealed to be jonesy (the cat). At that point, Ripley and Yaphette Koto tell engineer guy to chase after the cat, on his own, in an area of untold hidey holes, with a missing alien. Not only this, but the engineer guy finds the alien's shed skin and seems to have a spark of understanding, but then decides to mess around with his eyes closed under some dripping water... i couldn't believe what i was seeing!

2. Ash (after being revealed as an android) is being interrogated by the crew. He states that the alien is a perfectly evolved life form, pure killing machine, no remorse or morality, ruled by survival etc... Cue to a scene later when ripley stumbles upon the alien taking a nap in the escape shuttle. She then disturbs it, but it rolls of back to sleep, all the while she is clattering about hiding and putting on a spacesuit and setting the comand console to open the airlock. It eventually wakes (when sprayed with some gas discharge), only to do nothing for about a minute while she fumbles with opening the airlock.

Despite all this, it was a really good film to watch. Until i got the idea in my head that it should get a comedy remake where some 16th century sailors respond to a signal fire on a deserted island, only to end up with a tiger on board their ship - i was daydreaming a little but then every scene was almost liek it was set up to look like it was written on board an oldey fashionde tallship.

Meh, as a person who usually gets peeved by those particular kinds of horror tropes, I found those to be acceptable in that particular case. Regardless of the number of hidey-holes, it was entirely reasonable for Brett to be expecting an alien the size of the cat, not bigger than he was. Not much of an idiot ball when the alien you're expecting to catch is all of five pounds at most. Same goes for the scene where Ripley gets it mad; presumably it's going into some kind of hibernation, which makes sense given the absolutely insane metabolism something that grows from the size of a cat to the size of a human in 3 days would have.

Really, what it comes down to is that the early work establishing the realism of the setting and characters paid off later in allowing me to dismiss the really fantastical stuff. In real life, there'd be no way something could have a life cycle that fast. But because they spent an hour before we even saw it establishing how ordinary and mundane this world is, and that there are certain aspects to the creature that are also utterly mundane (presumed fear of fire, clear pain reactions when its shot, etc.), I can handwave the really absurd stuff. It's the same sort of reaction SF Debris talked about in his review of Faces.

[Inglenook]

I love this movie so much, but I always feel like it falls apart a bit in the last fifteen-or-so minutes. Oh, and Donald Moffat is a horrific actor.

I also want to plug this amazing music video: The Thing recreated with G.I. Joes!

[JustSomeGuy]

Forgot to say, i rewatched it after reading this thread and i gots to say: man, is that dog creepy!

Also, some bits that either didn't make sense or else i missed the explanation - if each cell is independent and seeking survival, how would shooting the dog (norweigans) have stopped it, and likewise how would blowing it up (norweigan grenades and later dynamiting everything) not leave some genetic material which would later start the whole process over again?

[Killer Angel]

Forgot to say, i rewatched it after reading this thread and i gots to say: man, is that dog creepy!

Also, some bits that either didn't make sense or else i missed the explanation - if each cell is independent and seeking survival, how would shooting the dog (norweigans) have stopped it, and likewise how would blowing it up (norweigan grenades and later dynamiting everything) not leave some genetic material which would later start the whole process over again?

The norvegian's helicopter was also full of fuel cans (if I recall correctly, it was said after the explosion).
I suppose that shooting the dog / throwing grenades, is "if I damage the current body/shape, it will stop running but will start creating something else... at that point, i'll BURN IT WITH FIRE!"