The Thing in H.D.

John Carpenter’s The Thing got lost in the shuffle during the summer of 1982 when E.T. exploded onto the scene. Since Carpenter’s The Thing contrasted sharply with E.T.’s “feel-good” story and its lovable creature, audience’s ignored its desperate plot and excessive gore sequences. But, in the goodness of time, and home video releases, The Thing has found its niche in the horror genre and fans continue to praise its virtues.

A simple summation of the plot is U.S. research scientists in the Antarctic discover an alien that is able to transmogrify into the things that it kills. The “thing” first changes into a sled dog, then into one of the crew. The bad news is that there is no way to tell who is “real” and who is the “thing.” Our hero, MacReady, played by Kurt Russell, tries in vain to keep the crew from killing each other. Who do you trust when you can’t be sure who’s real?

There are many things to like about The Thing, but I particularly liked the setting: take a small group of people and isolate them in a barren setting and then create a mystery that is life-threatening. It’s a simple premise, and, in the hands of an able director such as John Carpenter, the results are predictably menacing. Enhanced with a moody, dark soundtrack, the icy Antarctic setting feels bone-chilling cold and remote. No one can hear you scream out here.

John Carpenter’s The Thing is a remake of the 1951 movie, The Thing From Another World, but with some major differences. The acting here is much better, with a solid supporting cast. The script is tighter and the editing is on-the-money. The makeup and creature effects are top-notch, especially for 1982. The transformation of the “thing” is one gruesome sight to behold!

I watched The Thing on HD DVD disc and found the PQ to be clean. The 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus audio track is a remix from the original stereo soundtrack and I found it to be okay, though the dynamics of the sound design was uneven at times. Generally though, the audio was decent. The disc also includes a commentary track with the director, a long documentary featuring the director, producers, and some of the original cast, some outtakes, and a stills gallery.

Rating: 8

Source: Chuck’s Movie Reviews

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