The Thing - Collector's Edition
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: David Clennon, Keith David, Richard A. Dysart, T.K. Carter, Wilford BrimleyDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 109 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-09-09
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Movie Reviews of The Thing - Collector's Edition
Movie Review: The Thing: John Carpenter's True Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
The Thing is a masterpiece in every regard. The casting, acting, story, setting, music, cinematography, directing, mood, and of course, the special effects are all incredible. It was originally panned upon its release in the summer of 1982 because it had the misfortune of coming out two weeks after E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial. Because of this, everyone was on an "aliens are friendly and would NEVER hurt us" kick. Don't get me wrong, E.T. is a great film that captures the true magic of filmmaking, but I prefer my aliens to be slimy and slaughter-happy.
Carpenter did a phenomenal job bringing John W. Campbell's story to the screen, sticking more closely to the source material than the original 1951 film (another great film on its own merits). The "thing" in the 1951 version could produce in spores and fed on blood but the "thing" in Carpenter's version (and the original story) can perfectly imitate any living thing. This concept is terrifying in that the "thing" could be anyone; your best friend, your mother, even your dog - and you wouldn't know the difference.
This paranoia is only intensified by the setting of the film: Outpost 31 in the middle of the Antarctic. The film really conveys the sense of isolation and being completely cut off from the outside world. It does it both bluntly (a heavy winter storm, no radio contact) and subtly (watching taped episodes of game shows, having only 14 characters in the entire film). Dean Cundey's cinematography is superb; he lights the outpost with deep blues that really give an alien feel to the surroundings.
The casting and acting is excellent by everyone involved. The actors become the characters, even the minor ones. Most of the actors are no-name guys except for Kurt Russell and Wilford Brimley, so it really gives the movie a feeling of authenticity (or at least as much authenticity as you can get with a movie about a shape-shifting alien). Kurt Russell is one of my favorite actors and he does a fine job here, playing MacReady with a gruff attitude while still being likable and believeable. He's like Snake Plissken with a beard. Brimley plays himself and it works, while all of the supporting cast is unique and memorable. The character of Palmer is fun and also highly quotable ("They taught the Incas everything they know" and "I was wonderin' when El Capitan was gonna get a chance to use his popgun!").
This marks one of the first and only times Carpenter did not score his own film (another one being In the Mouth of Madness, a truly underrated Carpenter gem). Ennio Morricone handles the score and gives us one of the most brooding, uneasy, and unsettling scores I've ever heard. It is a simplistic score, but in all the right ways and it compliments the movie perfectly.
Carpenter's directing is top-notch. This was his sixth major film and by now his style was well-established and he knew exactly what he wanted. The film in shot in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) which really gives the film a large scope and affords some truly beautiful shots. The steadicam is also used to perfection and there are a few excellent tracking shots. I've always loved how the film starts out in the open Antarctic, moves to the outpost and gets more and more claustrophobic as it progresses.
Finally onto one of the huge achievements of The Thing: the special effects. Be warned - there are some truly disgusting scenes in this movie so if you've got a weak stomach, bring a trashcan. Flesh tears, limbs crack, bodies parts fly, heads tear THEMSELVES off, and people and "things" are set ablaze, all with the aid of Rob Bottin's spectacular special effects. They look astonishingly real and actually still hold up well to this day. My favorite scene will always be the "defibrillation scene".
From a DVD standpoint, The Thing is a shining example of a great collector's edition. There is a wonderful 83 minute documentary called "The Thing: Terror Takes Shapes" that is both informative and very interesting. There is also an excellent audio commentary from Kurt Russell and John Carpenter. The Thing has been released twice by Universal, once in 1998 and again in 2004, and I own both versions. Each feature all the same material with some slight differences. The original Collector's Edition released in 1998 has the best looking cover and a nice collector's booklet featuring production notes and the scene listings. The above mentioned documentary is also divided into chapters, which is nice for navigation. The only problem is the film transfer is not anamorphically enhanced, meaning the black widescreen bars are always present whether you have a widescreen TV or not. The 2004 release has a better looking anamorphic transfer and better audio mix. Strangely the documentary is not divided into chapters anymore, which is a disappointment. The case for the 2004 release is neat-looking, but features no insert (even though there is a slot for one) and the case's slipsleeve is made of thin plastic that can tear easily. I recommended the 2004 version for the transfer but if you're like me and want the best of both worlds, I recommend taking the 2004 disc and putting it in the 1998 release's case.
So all in all, this film is masterfully crafted and expertly executed. I'm glad it is finally getting the recognition it so rightfully deserves. Do yourself a favor and watch this film, you will not be disappointed!
Summary of The Thing - Collector's Edition
Director John Carpenter and special makeup effects master Rob Bottin teamed up for this 1982 remake of the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World, and the result is a mixed blessing. It's got moments of highly effective terror and spine-tingling suspense, but it's mostly a showcase for some of the goriest and most horrifically grotesque makeup effects ever created for a movie. With such highlights as a dog that splits open and blossoms into something indescribably gruesome, this is the kind of movie for die-hard horror fans and anyone who slows down to stare at fatal traffic accidents. On those terms, however, it's hard not to be impressed by the movie's wild and wacky freak show. It all begins when scientists at an arctic research station discover an alien spacecraft under the thick ice, and thaw out the alien body found aboard. What they don't know is that the alien can assume any human form, and before long the scientists can't tell who's real and who's a deadly alien threat. Kurt Russell leads the battle against the terrifying intruder, and the supporting cast includes Richard Masur, Richard Dysart, Donald Moffat, and Wilford Brimley. They're all playing standard characters who are neglected by the mechanistic screenplay (based on the classic sci-fi story "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell), but Carpenter's emphasis is clearly on the gross-out effects and escalating tension. If you've got the stomach for it (and let's face it, there's a big audience for eerie gore), this is a thrill ride you won't want to miss. --Jeff ShannonSimilar DVD Movies
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