The Thing (1982)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John W. Campbell Jr. (story)
Bill Lancaster (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

Plot:

Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Helicopter | Alien | American | Scientist

Awards:

3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Dec. 28

10:30 AM

MAX

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	R.J. MacReady
Wilford Brimley	...	Dr. Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
T.K. Carter	...	Nauls
David Clennon	...	Palmer
Keith David	...	Childs
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Copper
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:
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Computer (voice) (uncredited)
John Carpenter	...	Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
Jed	...	Dog Thing (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John W. Campbell Jr.		(story "Who Goes There?")
Bill Lancaster		(screenplay)

Produced by
Stuart Cohen	....	co-producer
David Foster	....	producer
Larry J. Franco	....	associate producer (as Larry Franco)
Wilbur Stark	....	executive producer
Lawrence Turman	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey

Film Editing by
Todd C. Ramsay		(as Todd Ramsay)

Casting by
Anita Dann

Production Design by
John J. Lloyd		(as John L. Lloyd)

Art Direction by
Henry Larrecq

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer		(as John Dwyer)

Makeup Department
Lance Anderson	....	special makeup effects
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects (as Dale R. Brady)
Rob Burman	....	special makeup effects
David Robert Cellitti	....	special makeup effects
Don Chandler	....	special makeup effects
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist (as Kenneth Chase)
Robert Cole	....	special makeup effects (as Bob M. Cole)
Jan Cook	....	special makeup effects
James Cummins	....	special makeup effects
Richard Davison	....	special makeup effects
Ken Diaz	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	special technician: special makeup effects unit
Frank Foster	....	special makeup effects
Danny Gill	....	special makeup effects
Archie L. Gillet	....	special makeup effects
Tim Gillet	....	special makeup effects
John Goodwin	....	special makeup effects
Mentor Huebner	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Erik Jensen	....	line producer: special makeup effects unit
James Kagel	....	special makeup effects (as Jim Kagel)
David P. Kelsey	....	mechanical animation coordinator: special makeup effects unit (as Dave Kelsey)
Jeff Kennemore	....	special makeup effects
Gary Meyer	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Phyllis Newman	....	makeup artist: British Columbia
Derek O'Reilly	....	special makeup effects
Art Pimentel	....	special makeup effects
Michael G. Ploog	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit (as Michael Ploog)
Margaret Prentice	....	special technician: special makeup effects unit (as Margaret Beserra)
Vincent Prentice	....	special makeup effects
William Snyder	....	special makeup effects
Michiko Tagawa	....	special makeup effects
Josephine Turner	....	special wigs
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects (as Brian G. Wade)
Vivienne Walker	....	special wigs
Willy Whitten	....	special makeup effects
Stan Winston	....	additional makeup effects
Robert E. Worthington	....	special makeup effects artist (as Bob E. Worthington)
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Latham Brown	....	production manager
Fitch Cady	....	unit production manager: British Columbia

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Chernov	....	second assistant director
Larry J. Franco	....	first assistant director (as Larry Franco)
Bruce Humphrey	....	dga trainee
Michael E. Steele	....	second assistant director: British Columbia

Art Department
Henry Alvarez	....	sculptor
Jim Callan	....	painter (as James Callan)
Michael R. Gannon	....	assistant property master
Richard A. Gonzales	....	swing gang
Graeme Murray	....	set decorator: British Columbia
Bob Nohles	....	propmaker foreman
Frank Parker	....	property master: British Columbia
Joseph R. Savko	....	swing gang
Barton M. Susman	....	lead man (as Bart Susman)
Milton Wilson	....	swing gang
John Zemansky	....	property master
Robert Misetich	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	foley supervisor
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joe Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	production sound
Jack Gosden	....	dialogue loop editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound effects editor
Duane Hensel	....	sound effects assistant
David Katz	....	sound recordist
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recordist
Ernesto Mas	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recordist
Colin C. Mouat	....	supervising sound editor
John Post	....	sound effects assistant
Kendrick Sweet	....	sound editor (as Kendrick P. Sweet)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recordist
David Lewis Yewdall	....	supervising sound editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects
Hal Bigger	....	special effects foreman
Michael Clifford	....	special effects: British Columbia (as Michael A. Clifford)
William Lee	....	special effects assistant
Hans Metz	....	special effects assistant
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician
Lee Routly	....	special effects: British Columbia (as Leroy Routly)
John K. Stirber	....	special effects assistant (as John Stirber)
Andrew Miller	....	special effects (uncredited)
Andrew Miller	....	special mechanical effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
James Belohovek	....	animator: animation effects sequence
James Hagedorn	....	opticals: main title sequence
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects designer: main title sequence
George Lockwood	....	opticals: main title sequence
Bill Taylor	....	matte photographer
Susan Turner	....	miniature supervisor: main title sequence (as Susan K. Turner)
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Henry Schoessler	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Kent Hays	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Denver Mattson	....	stunts
Clint Rowe	....	stunts
Ken Strain	....	stunts
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (as Rock Walker)
Dick Warlock	....	stunt coordinator
Jerry Wills	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunt double: Kurt Russell (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David R. Anderson	....	gaffer: British Columbia (as Dave Anderson)
Jon Antunovich	....	lamp operator
Cyrus Block	....	camera operator: British Columbia
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip: British Columbia (as John 'Dillard' Brison)
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera (as Clyde Bryan)
David Geddes	....	second assistant camera: British Columbia
Dave Gordon	....	dolly grip: British Columbia
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer: British Columbia
Laszlo Horvath	....	best boy grip
James L. Hurford	....	best boy grip: British Columbia
Ray Kinzer	....	grip
Kris Krosskove	....	dolly grip
Terry Marshall	....	lamp operator (as Terry Marshall Jr.)
Thomas Marshall	....	gaffer (as Tom Marshall)
Charles E. Nippell	....	best boy electric
Michael Orefice	....	lamp operator: British Columbia
Paul Prince	....	first assistant camera: British Columbia (as Paul R. Prince)
Douglas Pruss	....	second assistant camera: British Columbia
Barrett J. Reid	....	generator operator: British Columbia
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator
Steve Tate	....	second assistant camera
Mark Walthour	....	gaffer
Len Wolfe	....	best boy electric: British Columbia
Ronald Woodward	....	key grip (as Ronald T. Woodward)
Michael Hofstein	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jim Aupperle	....	animator: animation effects sequence (as James Aupperle)
Randall William Cook	....	dimensional animation effects creator: animation effects sequence
Ernest D. Farino	....	animator: animation effects sequence
Katherine Kean	....	animator: main title sequence
Carl Surges	....	animator: animation effects sequence
Keith Tucker	....	animator: main title sequence

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ronald I. Caplan	....	costume supervisor
Trish Keating	....	costume supervisor: British Columbia
Gilbert Loe	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Kimberly Ray	....	assistant editor (as Kim Ray)
Jan Wesley	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Craig Harris	....	musician: synthesizer
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Dan Anglin	....	transportation captain
Bob Cornell	....	transportation captain
George Lawson	....	driver
Alois Stranan	....	transportation captain: British Columbia

Other crew
Candy Artmont	....	script supervisor (as Candy Marcellino)
Yervant Babasin	....	craft service
Ellen Benjamin	....	assistant: John Carpenter
Debbie Collier	....	production secretary
James T. Colovin	....	assistant dog trainer
Rocky Corsini	....	craft service
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	technician
Shelby Hetherington	....	cook: British Columbia
Spencer Hyde	....	craft service: British Columbia
Nate Irwin	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Karen Kalton	....	production secretary: British Columbia
Susan King	....	assistant auditor: British Columbia
Robert Knoechel	....	auditor: British Columbia
Ron Macinnes	....	production assistant
Karen Miller	....	production accountant
Maynard M. Miller	....	technical advisor: Juneau (as Dr. Maynard M. Miller)
Robin Mounsey	....	technical advisor: British Columbia
Lawrence Perry	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Clint Rowe	....	dog trainer (as Clint E. Rowe)
Clint Rowe	....	owner: Norweigan dog (as Clint E. Rowe)
Peter J. Silbermann	....	publicity coordinator (as Peter Silbermann)
Ken Strain	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Tana Tocher	....	cook: British Columbia
Linda Von	....	assistant: Stuart Cohen
Robert Weatherwax	....	animal trainer (as Bob Weatherwax)
Christine Wilson	....	script supervisor: British Columbia
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Raymond Stella	....	body double for hypodermics (uncredited)

Thanks
Stan Winston	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• David Foster Productions
• Turman-Foster Company
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• CIC Video (1984) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (Collector's Edition)
• AXN (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (198?) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• Nordisk Film (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD DVD)

Special Effects

• Dreamstate Effects
• Motion Graphics (computer graphics)
• Stan Winston Studio
• Universal Title (optical effects)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Pickwick/Maslansky/Koenigsberg Inc.  special publicity
• RGB Optical  opticals
• Universal Title  end titles

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's The Thing (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Norwegian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1999) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (1989) (cut) | Finland:K-18 (1982) (cut) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:18 | Netherlands:16 | Denmark:15 | New Zealand:R16 | UK:15 (re-rating) | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2009) | West Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (1984-2009) | Sweden:11 (blu-ray) | Norway:11 (blu-ray) | Australia:MA (DVD release) | Australia:M | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

David Foster Productions

Trivia:

The flesh-flower that attacks Childs is actually an incredibly detailed effect. Its petals are 12 dog tongues complete with rows of canine teeth. Effects designer Rob Bottin dubbed it the "pissed-off cabbage".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Macready and the doctor go off to check the Norwegian base, it is said they should only take about an hour to get there, and it is light when they leave. However, there is a night-time scene set at the American base in-between the time it takes for Mac to arrive at the Norwegian base, even though it is daylight when he arrives there.

Quotes:

Garry: This is pure nonsense. It doesn't prove a thing.
MacReady: I thought you'd feel that way, Garry. You were the only one who could've gotten to that blood. We'll do you last.

Movie Connections:

Spin off The Thing (2002) (VG)

Soundtrack:

ONE CHAIN DON'T MAKE NO PRISON

Right up there with "Halloween"--one of Carpenter's best!

Remake of the classic 1951 "The Thing From Another World". 12 men are in a completely isolated station in Antartica. They are invaded by a thing from outer space--it devours and completely duplicates anything it chooses to. It starts off as a dog but gets loose--and has a chance to duplicate any of the men. Soon, nobody trusts anyone else--they're isolated--the radio is destroyed--their helicopter likewise. What are they going to do?

The 1951 film had the thing just be a big, super human monster. That movie was scary. This one is too--but the story is different (and based more closely on the source material--the novelette "Who Goes There?") and it's scary in a different way. The movie starts right off with Ennio Morricone's extremely eerie score setting just the right tone and--when the Thing gets attacked--the amount of gore is astounding. There's blood and body parts flying all over--arms are bitten off, heads detach and--in the strongest one--one man is devoured face first by the Thing. The gore effects are STRONG and real nightmare material. I don't scare easy but I had to sleep with the lights on when I saw this originally back in 1982. Rob Bottin's effects are just incredible--how this picture got by with an R rating is beyond me!

It also has a very creepy feel--gore aside, it is very suspenseful. You're not sure who is what and Carpenter's direction and the score really build up the tension. One complaint--no one is given any distinctive personality traits. They actors just remain straight-faced and say their lines. That's annoying...but the movie still works.

This was a critical and commercial disaster in 1982--it competed with "E.T." and MANY critics complained about the amount of gore and there being no female characters in the movie. It's now considered one of John Carpenter's best. A must-see...for strong stomaches. NOT a date film!

An amusing note: When this was released Universal sent a note along with all prints of the film. They suggested to theatre owners that they play the film in an auditorium near the rest rooms. They were afraid that people would be so sickened by the violence that they'd have to be close to a facility to throw up!