The Thing, 1982.
Directed by John Carpenter.
Starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Masur, Charles Hallahan, and Joel Polis.
SYNOPSIS:
A group of researchers in Antarctica fall foul of an alien organism that can mimic anything it comes into contact with, resulting in paranoia as the trust between the team crumbles.
Given that the special editions of this title sold out within a couple of hours, prompting Arrow Video to run out a few extra to satisfy demand, you can be sure that John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi/horror The Thing still remains a popular title amongst connoisseurs and collectors alike. So with that in mind, does this movie really need to be sold to you? Does it need a plot analysis? Of course it doesn’t, because you already know what you’re in for when you put that shiny Blu-ray disc into your player because The Thing has been a part of your movie collection already in one of the various releases it has already received. No, what you really want to know is ‘Is it worth shelling out for again if I already own it on one of those previous releases?’, and the answer to that is most definitely a big fat ‘Yes!’
If there is anybody out there reading this who doesn’t know what The Thing is about then the quick rundown is this – a team of researchers in Antarctica are stalked and picked off one by one by an alien organism that they found in the ice that can mimic anything it comes into contact with, and thus their situation becomes a question of who to trust as the creature moves from person to person in order to survive. That is the brief plot description but what John Carpenter created is a tense and suspenseful whodunnit (of sorts) as each character becomes a suspect while the creature infiltrates their camp by initially imitating a guard dog and picking off the researchers. Key to creating this mystery and suspense is the ensemble cast of actors who portray each of the characters, Carpenter’s direction that allows to audience to get to know each of the characters before they are disposed with and Ennio Morricone’s simple, pulsing score that is used to ratchet up the tension during the more contemplative moments.
But to those who already own this film the question remains as to why you should upgrade to this new 4K restoration. Simple – because it looks absolutely stunning, even when compared to the previous Blu-ray release that itself was a huge step up from the DVD releases of a few years back. Rob Bottin’s then-state-of-the-art practical effects are still amazing to watch as bodies are split open, heads remove themselves from their bodies and sprout spider-like legs (still the creepiest scene of the movie), chest cavities turn into giant sets of teeth and body parts are mangled together into twisted and grotesque contortions. Yes, the crystal-clear image maybe reveals a little too much when it comes to seeing how the gags were done but that is part of the fun and, quite frankly, when the splatter looks this good, who cares?
As well as looking and sounding amazing, the disc also comes packed with extras, some of them you’ve seen before if you own any previous releases but there are a couple of new features that add a bit of spice to this release. Naturally there is the audio commentary courtesy of John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell that is a joy to listen to and the Terror Takes Shape feature-length documentary that was also on all the previous Blu-ray and DVD releases along with a few archive featurettes but the jewels in this particular crown are the 1982: One Amazing Summer retrospective documentary that gives an overview of the blockbuster movies that did the rounds that year (you’ll be amazed what was released in such a short space of time) and Who Goes There? In Search of The Thing, a brand new feature-length documentary exploring the history of The Thing, from the original Who Goes There? novella through 1951s The Thing From Another World and onto John Carpenter’s vision for the story. And if that wasn’t enough, if you were lucky enough to have grabbed one of the special editions before they sold out then you also get a book with new writings on the film, lobby cards and a poster, but if you weren’t so fortunate you can console yourself with the fact that these little extras are just that and the real joy in this package is the main feature and how this new restoration is like watching the film again for the first time, only this time you can see it exactly how John Carpenter and director of photography Dean Cundey saw it through their cameras back in 1982, marvel at how the practical effects still stand up all these years later (and how they tower above the CGI tentacles and blood effects of the 2011 prequel) and witness a master of horror at the peak of his powers. Put simply, the definitive edition of a brilliant movie.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Ward
Originally published October 23, 2017. Updated April 11, 2018.
