5 Reasons Why John Carpenter Horror Classic The Thing Makes Guys Cry
- Thread starter Firefilm
- Start date
very nice to see something based on the Thing (the good version)
Though I do think it's mostly agreed that the Things DO know they have been turned, at least from the audience stand point. What is more likely is that as the alien takes over a person they inherit all their knowledge and personality, the closer they can be to the person they absorbed the less likely they will get caught. Not only that 'someone' is planting evidence, causing havoc and making sure the humans don't find out who is real and who's human, surely if all the human-things think they're human they would all be hunting and not sabotaging at every opportunity. The blood test proves that MacReady is human, which means that one of the Things broke into his room, tore up his clothes and made it so it could be found later, thereby putting distrust in MacReady and knocking the biggest opposition of the Things out of trust and power. If people-things didn't know they were a thing why would one of them do this?
Also, there's the notion that 'Diabetus' Brimley was a Thing during his axe-rampage. While it's entirely possible he was human and trying to cut them off from civilization, it would make more sense from the Thing's stand point to wreck the radios. Why? Because when the mainland don't hear from the outpost they will definitely send a party to see what's going on, whereas if the radio was operational and the shit hits the fan, the remaining humans can contact the mainland and warn them to stay away, making it damn near impossible for the Thing to escape. Both very possible.
Lastly, I would have paid a fortune to watch Wilfred Brimley climb his fat ass in that tiny UFO and fly away to invade a major city.
Though I do think it's mostly agreed that the Things DO know they have been turned, at least from the audience stand point. What is more likely is that as the alien takes over a person they inherit all their knowledge and personality, the closer they can be to the person they absorbed the less likely they will get caught. Not only that 'someone' is planting evidence, causing havoc and making sure the humans don't find out who is real and who's human, surely if all the human-things think they're human they would all be hunting and not sabotaging at every opportunity. The blood test proves that MacReady is human, which means that one of the Things broke into his room, tore up his clothes and made it so it could be found later, thereby putting distrust in MacReady and knocking the biggest opposition of the Things out of trust and power. If people-things didn't know they were a thing why would one of them do this?
Also, there's the notion that 'Diabetus' Brimley was a Thing during his axe-rampage. While it's entirely possible he was human and trying to cut them off from civilization, it would make more sense from the Thing's stand point to wreck the radios. Why? Because when the mainland don't hear from the outpost they will definitely send a party to see what's going on, whereas if the radio was operational and the shit hits the fan, the remaining humans can contact the mainland and warn them to stay away, making it damn near impossible for the Thing to escape. Both very possible.
Lastly, I would have paid a fortune to watch Wilfred Brimley climb his fat ass in that tiny UFO and fly away to invade a major city.
Definitely 2, not sure about 3.
And, never got why setting everything on fire would help.
But...no mention of the music? That creepy heartbeat score...
And, never got why setting everything on fire would help.
But...no mention of the music? That creepy heartbeat score...
I dunno, I kinda didn't like this movie. It's probably the best horror film I've seen, but horror films have never worked for me for a variety of reasons. This movie just didn't scare me. I mean, I'm paranoid by nature, so a film that plays on paranoia should freak me right out, but it doesn't and I've never been able to figure out why. I think it's because maybe I knew what it was about going in, which I could blame on it being so old and talked about so much nobody could go into it clean, but that doesn't work because the trailers spoil what the creature is, so anyone going into it in theaters for the first time knew, but it still scared them. It definitely would have been a little bit better if I'd gone in cold, not knowing anything at all, but even still . . .
I think a part of it is also that they jumped the gun a bit with the dog scene. By showing us the dog transforming, it took away the mystery too soon and opened up too many questions for the audience. I think they probably should have just cut when the dogs were barking like mad, had the vet hear them and go to investigate, only to find half the dogs missing, the other half dead. Would have left the audience wondering what happened and made the scene where Wilford Brimely (I know his name was Blair, but we all know he's really playing Wilford Brimley) goes mad more unsettling because we wouldn't know what it was about until later, when they read through his notes and find out about the creature's ability to imitate other life forms.
I did really love the ending, though. That was a perfect ending to a movie like this.
I think a part of it is also that they jumped the gun a bit with the dog scene. By showing us the dog transforming, it took away the mystery too soon and opened up too many questions for the audience. I think they probably should have just cut when the dogs were barking like mad, had the vet hear them and go to investigate, only to find half the dogs missing, the other half dead. Would have left the audience wondering what happened and made the scene where Wilford Brimely (I know his name was Blair, but we all know he's really playing Wilford Brimley) goes mad more unsettling because we wouldn't know what it was about until later, when they read through his notes and find out about the creature's ability to imitate other life forms.
I did really love the ending, though. That was a perfect ending to a movie like this.
Firefilm said:
I didn't know 19th century special effects were that good.
On topic, this was a fantastic movie. One of the best horror movies I've seen.
They set fire/blew up the place so there would be no shelter for the thing to survive. There would be no where for it to stay warm and have shelter against the cold and so it would just freeze again.thaluikhain said:
Oh, as an aside, apparently if you speak Norwegian, the two guys at the beginning give the plot away when they are trying to warn the Americans.
Sure...until people came looking to see what happened to the place when they didn't get back in contact.SonOfVoorhees said:
The generator was broken, they were going to freeze anyway. They had nothing to lose so why not set the base on fire?
I guess it was the best they could do being that anyone of them could be the thing. They stopped it from getting away by their actions as they couldnt beat it. Though i agree with what you said, it doesnt stop it for long especially when people come looking. Just like how they found the body when they went to that Norwegian science base so im sure some one will find the body in the American base.thaluikhain said:
I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
I always had the feeling the Thing people didnt know they were Things because their minds were being run like a overlay in the Thing's brain while they were around each other then when something needed to be done the overlay/program was suspended or whatever so they had no knowledge...kind of the best of both worlds (from the Thing's point of view anyway).evilengine said:
Well, I'd have thought writing down everything they knew and putting the info at various places around the base in the hopes it'd be of use to whoever came after them would be a good idea. This applies to a lot of movies.SonOfVoorhees said:
To be fair, at one point they were going to use practical effects for The Thing prequel. There's just no telling what was going to be practical [http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/23966/unused-practical-fx-footage-emerges-from-2011s-the-thing] and what was to be CGI. Hell, there's no way to tell if audiences would have accepted the practical effects, seeing how we're almost expectant of CGI nowadays.
Still, the prequel did itself no favors by having a monster jump to life out of a solid block of ice, like 15 minutes into the movie, which was entirely contradictory to the canon set up in the 1982 original.
The way I get people to watch the original is by telling them that The Thing is really about paranoia. That seems to get new viewers beyond the grisly special effects.
Still, the prequel did itself no favors by having a monster jump to life out of a solid block of ice, like 15 minutes into the movie, which was entirely contradictory to the canon set up in the 1982 original.
The way I get people to watch the original is by telling them that The Thing is really about paranoia. That seems to get new viewers beyond the grisly special effects.
Cool article, but I do have to play the Fact Nazi: Rob Bottin was actually the man in charge of the creature effects on "The Thing." Stan Winston was involved, but his only contribution was the Dog-Thing at the beginning of the film. He declined screen credit because he felt it was Bottin's show and didn't want to take that away from him. (Source: IMDB)
I love this film, one of the best Horror films ever. The only film that i felt paranoid just watching it, trying to work out whos the alien. The score is amazing and the effects are just jaw dropping. Hollywood panned this film when it came out, they would come up to Carpenter and tell him you showed to much, thats not how you do Horror films, how dare they with the films that man has gave us (they did the same to Kubrick with The Shining telling him its rubbish and a mess). But like The Shining, The Thing took time for people to digest. Now both films are seen as stand out Horror classics and some of the best films ever made.
hopefully if theres anyone who has not seen this film will check it out after reading the article.
hopefully if theres anyone who has not seen this film will check it out after reading the article.
It was there best weapon and only weapon they had against something that doesnt have a true form (that we or they know of). when in fear, burn everything down.thaluikhain said:
When they burned the alien(s) they believed they were killing it, when you dont have very much to go on apart from people around you being killed doing anything you think will work your going to do. THERE IT IS, BURN IT!!!!!!!