I usually hate movie remakes, but I gotta tell you, John Carpenter's The Thing absolutely rocks. Now granted, the source is really good, but for a film made in 1979, I think it just blows the original out of the water. And it doesn't date itself either. Some of the effects are a bit hokey by today's standards, but otherwise it stands up well.
And I love the fact that after 25 years, I still can't figure out the ending.
In Praise of The Thing
Moderators: sgt.null, dANdeLION
In Praise of The Thing
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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You should read the short story the movies are based on: John W. Campbell Jr.'s "Who Goes There?".
Check out my digital art at www.brian.co.za
That's right, I forgot it came from a book.....To Ebay!
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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Loredoctor
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The ending just kills me. Carpenter leaves it so open to interpretation. Every time I watch it, I come up with a different answer.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
I agree. I think The Thing is Carpenter's best. He has a knack for building great tension, but also a knack for absolutely destoying all tension and making his movies very corny near the end. Case in Point: Prince of Darkness ... great beginning, terrible followthrough...
~...with a floating smile and a light blue sponge...~
I like Carpenter's version a lot as well. I think it's much more compelling than the original movie. I saw some of the original on late night TV several years ago, and honestly I got bored not too long into it and didn't watch it all the way through.
The ending in Carpenter's film was (and still is) a real head-scratcher for me, too.
The ending in Carpenter's film was (and still is) a real head-scratcher for me, too.
Oh man, I love the Thing, definitely my favourite Carpenter movie. I've always liked the idea of the arctic research base as a setting. It's so remote, the environment so hostile, that it just magnifies the sense of danger and isolation of anything that goes on there.
Last Halloween I went to a party where we were told to bring a scary film. After we'd watched Underworld I point blank insisted on watching The Thing. Everybody got freaked out!
Last Halloween I went to a party where we were told to bring a scary film. After we'd watched Underworld I point blank insisted on watching The Thing. Everybody got freaked out!
Q. Why do Communists drink herbal tea?
A. Because proper tea is theft.
A. Because proper tea is theft.
No need.Cail wrote:That's right, I forgot it came from a book.....To Ebay!
You (and anyone else who wants it) can download it here
Check out my digital art at www.brian.co.za
Edge, you're the best.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________