John Carpenter's The Thing makes me sure of at least one thing . . .
. . . I never want to be left alone in the deserted
Antarctic with a shape shifting alien. I don't think I'd like the Antarctic anyway, but I would definitely like it much less sharing it with this dreadful creature!
We start out this film with Norwegian scientists chasing a beautiful husky through the snow and they are shooting at it and throwing little bombs at it. They chase it right into MacReady (
Kurt Russell) and company's camp. You're not sure why at first and the fact that they blow themselves up and are trying to scream at the guys in Norwegian doesn't help matters much. But they were sure intent on getting that dog. I suppose it is a good thing that they didn't though because that would have made for one short movie.
MacReady and the good doctor of the camp, Dr. Blair (
A. Wilford Brimley) risk life and limb to get to the Norwegian camp as the doctor is worried that there might be people there in need of assistance. They find the camp burnt to the ground and the body of one man who actually slit his own wrists. They were able however, to salvage some notebooks and videos at the camp and bring them back so they can take a look at them.
It turns out that unbeknownst to MacReady and the rest of the team there at the camp, the dog was "infected" with something and that is why it was being chased. Unfortunately, they decide to put it back with the other dogs just a little too late and they find out that something just isn't right with the dog as it tries to assimilate the other dogs as well as some of the other men at the camp.
The rest of
The Thing deals with what seems like a hopeless struggle to overcome the spreading of this shape shifting alien and make sure that it doesn't get to civilization because if it does, that would certainly mean the end for the world as we know it. And it is rather difficult to combat an enemy that looks like one of your team members so this is a major part of their struggle just trying to figure out who the bad guys are.
A pretty good movie, some people really rave about. For me, while it was good it was also a little bit slow - maybe too slow. For years I have been unable to actually make it through the whole film because I simply start to get bored somewhere around the midpoint. Having actually made it through this time, I applaud both The Thing's atmosphere and its special effects. But still and all, it just dragged too much in sections for me.
If you are a fan of science fiction horror or John Carpenter it is a definite must see.
John Carpenter's The Thing Movie Cast and Credits
Directed by
John Carpenter
Writing credits
John W. Campbell Jr. (story Who Goes There?)
Bill Lancaster (screenplay)
Cast (in credits order)
Kurt Russell .... R.J. MacReady
Wilford Brimley .... Dr. Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
T.K. Carter .... Nauls
David Clennon .... Palmer
Keith David .... Childs
Richard A. Dysart .... Dr. Copper (as Richard Dysart)
Charles Hallahan .... Vance Norris
Peter Maloney .... George Bennings
Richard Masur .... Clark
Donald Moffat .... Garry
Joel Polis .... Fuchs
Thomas G. Waites .... Windows (as Thomas Waites)
Norbert Weisser .... Norwegian
Larry J. Franco .... Norwegian passenger with rifle (as Larry Franco)
Nate Irwin .... Helicopter pilot
William Zeman .... Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Cecere .... Norwegian (video footage)
Kent Hays .... Norwegian (video footage)
Larry Holt
Melvin Jones
Eric Mansker
Denver Mattson
Clint Rowe
Ken Strain
Rock A. Walker
Jerry Wills
Adrienne Barbeau .... Computer voice (voice) (uncredited)
John Carpenter .... Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
More Movie Reviews of John Carpenter's The Thing
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