Who Directed the Thing? John Carpenter. Yeah, It's Good.
Too many times I’ve said that if John Carpenter is involved, you’re going to be watching a good movie. The Thing proves my point again. I am again repeating myself but, certain actors paired with certain directors equals cinema gold too. Depp and Burton, Thurman and Tarantino, and Russell and Carpenter are some of these duos. The Thing stars Kurt Russell and as usual, the pairing works out perfectly. It’s no wonder that we have a cult classic on our hands with The Thing from 1982. Let’s go back to the year I was born and have a conversation about this mindbender of a film.
Plot of The Thing - This Is a Mindbender
The Thing is another that is tricky to discuss without a summary of the plot which honestly isn’t too extensive. When I call it a “mindbender” the so important. A team of scientists are stationed at a base in Antarctica miles away from anybody. A shapeshifting alien lifeform has been found at another site like theirs and makes its way to their base. The lifeform takes over people one at a time until in the end there are only two people left. There’s a little more to it than this and we’ll discuss some pieces but, you get the gist. It starts as a husky dog running for its life and gets everyone but two, one by one. Let’s unpack a few pieces of John Carpenter’s The Thing.
Real Psychological Terror in The Thing
Let’s talk first about terror. Monsters jumping out of that dark space on the screen or lighting flashes, and you notice the hockey mask-wearing killer in the corner is one kind of terror. Terror in The Thing is different. It’s a much more real and gripping fear than these shallow scare tactics. The terror here is psychological. Here’s what I find terrifying about John Carpenter’s The Thing. All of this takes place in Antarctica and the team is too far away from any source of help. Knowing that you are stranded, it’s all up to you, and NO ONE IS COMING TO HELP YOU is a gripping fear. This is a different terror – people don’t like to be alone.
What Do Shapeshifters Say About Humans?
Shapeshifter beings are scary because they could be anyone. You are talking to your friend whom you’ve trusted but are really talking to “it”, whatever “it” might be. This raises a constant issue of trust – you can trust no one. Naturally, people start to question and turn on one another. In my opinion, this element makes The Thing a “mindbender” of a film. The alien lifeform in this movie eventually becomes a carbon copy of whatever person it has infected but, the process is gruesome. In fact, I had forgotten how grotesque this process is. It is grotesque in that old school 80’s movie with a big budget fashion. The transformations you see are very well done, creepy, and stand out among all other movies I’ve seen. In fact, I have some fan art inspiration from these scenes. Now, I must find the time to create it.
The Conclusion of The Thing - Real Climax
The final piece to unpack from the summary – the ending. It is the conclusion of The Thing that I think has made it as well-known as it is, helps to make it as great as it is, and has kept it completely relevant until today. We’re in Antarctica, the base or shelter has been destroyed, and there are only 2 people left. One of them, of course, is the alien, but which character is it? This debate is something that still goes on and of course, John Carpenter will not say. Read an article with details on this and start to follow the rabbit hole yourself here. If you prefer videos, check out a good YouTube video by Heavy Spoilers here. I think, personally, that it was Childs and not MacReady. Watch the movie and then read the breakdowns to make your own decision. You won’t be disappointed.
Whiskey and Arcades in Antartica? I'm In.
Aside from the casting, directing, and story just being awesome, there are a few fun things to see in The Thing as well. There’s a helicopter that the team uses. I know nothing about choppers but, it’s an older model. At the base, there is a break room the team uses which stood out the most to me. Recreation would be a must in a secluded role like this. A friend of mine worked in an oil field and told me some interesting tales about situations like this. They have pinball and arcade machines, whiskey, card tables, and a lot of hanging out. The Thing has old Coors advertising and VCRs in it too – just a couple of blasts from the past. One scene has MacReady playing a chess game called Chess Wizard, which it seems like I’ve played before. It looked familiar anyway.
John Carpenter's The Thing is a Must Watch
If you haven’t watched The Thing, you should. Once you do, you will see why it is a cult classic and deserves all the praise it has received and continues to receive today. I have nothing bad to say about this movie but do have a question – why would you put a fire out in Antarctica? There’s a lot of extinguishing but what’s going to catch on fire? The ice? Based on what little I know about Carpenter and some of his other work, I wonder if The Thing is a statement about people. Perhaps we become other people, or we will turn on one another in crisis? The man is a genius, and I must dive into more of his work as should any fan of cinema.
If you’ve seen The Thing, and I’m sure many of you have, who do you think was the alien at the end? Why? What do you like most about this movie? Apparently, John Carpenter said this was his favorite work. Is this true for you too? For me, it’s Halloween but, The Thing is great too. Let me know in the comments. I’d love to have a conversation with you – let’s get one started. One other thing – I heard there is a base that watches this movie annually as a tradition. Does anyone know if this is true and a source? If so, please share. While you’re playing around on the web, check out my artwork galleries here. You can read more blogs here and find all my social media here.