John Carpenter's The Thing - Page 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

Wut?

Wasn't your avatar Optimus Prime or something like that all this time?

Oh yeah.  It was for about the past couple months.  At least since the last Transformers watch-along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

Oh yeah.  It was for about the past couple months.  At least since the last Transformers watch-along.

Well, I guess I find change startling. Imagine my surprise when I found I'd turned into Olivia Wilde on Sunday.

I was just about to say... you're looking quite fetching today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

I was just about to say... you're looking quite fetching today.

Apparently the trick is to floss regularly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcnooj82 

A cool music video that has some subtle homages to Carpenter's film.

 

Cool find. You could also state that it has more than a passing resemblance to HPL (which THE THING does too).

As far as consciousness goes, and knowing if you;re infected/assimilated, I suppose you could look at it like a cancer or virus that remains dormant or in remission till just the right moment it chooses to reveal itself.

Hi everyone, I have a question when they saw the dog's were infected in the pen, what happened to the Thing that separated itself from the one dog-thing they burned.  It busted 

through the rafters, right?

I have a question, when they saw the dog-thing transforming in the kennel, what happened to the thing that separated itself from the dog-thing escaping through the rafters???

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttercup888 

I have a question, when they saw the dog-thing transforming in the kennel, what happened to the thing that separated itself from the dog-thing escaping through the rafters???

it got fried.  The whole thing lifted itself up and that's what Childs fries.  There's no 'seperation' as such it's just one weird massive amorphous blob of thingy weirdness

OK.  THIS is amazing!

Pingu's The Thing.

That's great!

When my wife and I recently discussed getting a new dog I wanted an irish wolfhound and she wanted a husky.

I said we could never, ever own a husky. Ever.

She said she didn't understand. So we watched The Thing together.

We got an Irish Wolfhound.

updated again.

Sorry to be such a pimp for this but I love it.

http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.com/

Universal got fined $25,000 by the make-up union for using the phrase "Special Make-up Effects Created by Rob Bottin".  But credit to them for not pussying out and actually going ahead and putting his contribution before the film in full.

Amazing movie!  Love it...actually just picked up the 1951 The Thing from Another World on the cheap the other day.  Both are awesome.

Nice article at AICN. It doesn't really add much to the discussion on this thread, but I'm always a sucker for reading other peoples interpretations of this movie.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/52857

His interpretation of MacReady is lifted from the Carpenter / Russell commentary, but I love his interpretation of Childs. I mean, he seemed cool enough with Palmer, but I suspect it may have only been because he wanted access to Palmer's stash. Other than that, he seemed like the dude who woke up on the wrong side of the bed every goddamn morning.

Kind of a derail, but this is the most recently updated Carpenter thread, so I'll drop it here.

A dog was dragged behind a truck. He survived but needs all kinds of medical attention.

This happened in Bowling Green, Carpenter's old stomping grounds, so he has offered to sign a photo for anyone who donates $25 or more to the cause.

Here's the link. Obligatory Sarah McLachlan-type abused-pet-commercial warning. If you'd rather not look at the photos:

1 Mail a check to:
BGWC Humane Society
Attention: MALACHI/Sick/Injured Animal Fund
PO Box 1456
Bowling Green, KY 42102

2 Call in a CC# to 270-783-9404

3. Paypal directly to bgshelterpets@aol.com

To get your signed photo, send your donation receipt and your address to:
Storm King Productions
8033 W. Sunset Blvd. #1044
Hollywood, CA 90046

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy Bain 

updated again.

Sorry to be such a pimp for this but I love it.

 

http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.com/

That's an outstanding blog.

Words can't express how much I love the photo of Elvira outside the opening-day screening with two guys dressed as the Residents.

It's so good.

And it's been updated again.

This time, going from the initial discussions in the early 70's about adapting Who Goes There?, with the central focus on assimilation and paranoia.  The nightmares they had getting people to take it seriously, then the search for a screenwriter.

The final "was there anyone out there who didn't have preconceived ideas..." and photo is gold :)

I'm really hoping he writes a book on it.

So do I.  I'd buy a copy in a heartbeat.

I saw this movie for the first time several years back after wanting to rent it for quite along time. I finally got my chance and was super excited...I was not let down. It disturbed me on a level I've never been disturbed before but every time I was disgusted I got a "holy shit this is so awesome" feeling right after it. It skyrocketed to one of my top sci-fi horror films ever and I bought the Blu-ray version when it released. Such a fantastic film.

I just realized that MacReady's brief scene with the Chess Wizard not only telegraphs his personality and the way in which he solves problems, but actually prefigures the entire narrative of the film.

Now I'm not one to yell SHARK! but this is just a little too close to the bone...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/6481860/Two-killed-in-fire-at-Antarctic-base 

Says it's classified.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeman 

Says it's classified.

cheers - works now

Updated again:

http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.nz/

The Lancaster screenplay.

Here's a tidbit:

                 When Bill did read WHO GOES THERE? he pronounced it "workable", not an overly enthusiastic initial response. But he said next that what intrigued him most was the chance to be able to push the paranoia aspect to an extreme. He imagined descending levels of mistrust among the characters so profound that the line of reality became blurred - something, if he worked it correctly, so airtight that it no longer mattered whether there was a monster or not - the men became the biggest threat to themselves. This was music to our ears, and as the conversation progressed I could see John visibly relax, maybe for the first time during this process. I know it was difficult for him to cede the writing of his movie to someone else, but with Bill an easy sort of camaraderie was forming ( one that was to continue and strengthen through pre-production ). There seemed to be melding of the minds, and I could sense John thinking, Ok, you supply the story and structure, I'll supply the monster...

Holy shit...this is the actual cover to the book's 1948 edition. Mind BLOWN.

Looks like a cast member from MONSTERS INC.

major updates:

http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.nz/

Headlines:

The Novelisation

Sam Peckinpah's The Thing

The Computers

The portion of the art suggesting the creature on the second cover of the novelization was either stolen from Frazetta's "Spiderman" piece or lifted with his permission, but most likely the former. Either way, that's definitely Frazetta's shit. 

I wonder what a Peckinpah The Thing would have been like. There would be women in it, surely, and they would have beeh punched, definitely.

Has anyone seen Rob Ager's excellent analysis/breakdown of the film?

Yup.  His argument convinced me that Childs is without question a Thing by the end of the movie.  I also like that guys voice.

While Ager's breakdown is excellent, I actually don't believe Childs to be the thing at the end.  The only ammunition he has is his coat, which was blue throughout the film, the theory being the thing rips through your clothes when it takes you, so Childs having a new jacket makes him the thing since the coat is now beige looking.  I believe this a combination of dirt and soot/ash from the massive explosions that just happened and the lighting, and not a different coat.  It is obviously meant to be ambiguous as there really is no way to be sure.

There is also Childs having no problem swigging from MacReady's liquor bottle, even though it is known the thing can infect you through tiny particles...the theory being that Childs is not concerned because he is already infected.  This is reaching though, because Childs knows he is going to die anyway from the cold very soon...one last drink is probably his priority at this point.  And it is likely he simply doesn't remember the particle thing, or that he is even fully aware you can be infected through a particle.  The only way Childs would be able to infer this is from MacReady's blood test, since we never see Fuchs relay the information he gave to Mac about the particles to Childs or anyone else....same with Mac.    

Did any body hear that cool theory that Mac gave Childs a molotov bottle full of kerosine to drink at the end, and because Childs didn't realize that makes him The Thing?  It was an interesting theory, but it got shot down in several ways.

Ager's other movie breakdowns are excellent, you should check them out if you haven't.

bump.

There's a ton of new stuff.

Jay Leno as Palmer?????

http://theoriginalfan.blogspot.co.nz/

Visually Carpenters "The Thing" is stunning.  But its totally unappreciated for the Sound Effects and Design work.   Close your eyes and "listen" to a couple of scenes...  totally amazing work!  Even the quiet moments have so many layers of sound it's mind boggling...   Even the final scene where the two survivors wait to die in the snow....

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