The Thing from Another World (1951)

Scientists and American Air Force officials fend off a bloodthirsty alien organism while at a remote arctic outpost.

Directors:

Christian Nyby, Howard Hawks (uncredited)

Writers:

Charles Lederer (screenplay), John W. Campbell Jr. (based on the story "Who Goes There?" by)

Stars:

Kenneth Tobey, Margaret Sheridan, James Arness

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Margaret Sheridan	...	Nikki Nicholson
Kenneth Tobey	...	Capt. Patrick Hendry
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Dr. Arthur Carrington
Douglas Spencer	...	Ned Scott
James Young	...	Lt. Eddie Dykes
Dewey Martin	...	Crew Chief Bob
Robert Nichols	...	Lt. Ken Erickson / Lt. Ken (Mac) MacPherson
William Self	...	Cpl. Barnes
Eduard Franz	...	Dr. Stern
Sally Creighton	...	Mrs. Chapman
James Arness	...	'The Thing'

Storyline

Scientists at an Arctic research station discover a spacecraft buried in the ice. Upon closer examination, they discover the frozen pilot. All hell breaks loose when they take him back to their station and he is accidentally thawed out!

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | glacier national park | psychotronic film | killing of dog | space vampire | 

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Taglines:

Howard Hawks' Astounding Movie

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Scenes from this film are featured in John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) when characters, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), Tommy Doyle (Brian Andrews), and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards) watch the film on TV Halloween night. As mentioned in another trivia entry, Carpenter later remade The Thing From Another World as The Thing in 1982.

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Goofs

As the flying saucer explodes, the camera tilts up to follow the blast, revealing the top of the Arctic backdrop built around the set.

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Quotes

Dr. Arthur Carrington: [about the carrot] Its development was not handicapped by emotional or sexual factors.

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Crazy Credits

Only technical and production credits precede the film, no acting credits.

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Alternate Versions

The original 16mm U.S. television syndication prints were a slightly abridged 85 minute version. About 1980, when Turner acquired the RKO library, the syndication prints were replaced with the 79 minute re-release version. This shorter re-release version was also used for the initial video and laserdisc releases as well as the pay-tv and "colorized" versions.

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Connections

Featured in Monsters, Madmen & Machines: 80 Years of Science Fiction (1984)

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Soundtracks

A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening
(uncredited)
Music by Jimmy McHugh

User Reviews

a must-see for fans of sci-fi and horror

The Thing, released in 1951, is the original hostile alien movie, a must-see for fans of sci-fi and horror.

Major director Howard Hawks (Sergeant York, The Big Sleep, Red River, Rio Bravo) produced it but some sources (Leonard Maltin) credit him as co-director. Christian Nyby, a film editor for Hawks, is officially credited as the director. Whoever directed it, The Thing is an impeccably crafted movie. It's considered as a Grade B movie, probably because of its subject matter, but it's one of the best Grade B's along with Them and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

A group of scientists at the North Pole discover something buried in the ice. Unknowingly they bring back part of it to the camp for study.

The acting is solid and the characters are given great dialog. Kenneth Tobey is the take charge Captain Patrick Hendry. Robert Cornthwaite is great as the slightly nutty Dr. Carrington. Douglas Spencer as Scotty is fun as the wisecracking reporter always looking for a photo. Margaret Sheridan is Nikki the shapely love interest. James Arness plays The Thing monster. With an ensemble cast of supporting actors. Be sure to rent the DVD version because it has a few scenes between Tobey and Sheridan that were always cut for TV and VHS probably because they were considered a little too racy for the time although now they are just cute.

The film has held up well for over fifty years. The film's contributors were seasoned professionals who had worked on major films. The screenplay by Charles Lederer (Mutiny on the Bounty, Ocean's Eleven, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, His Girl Friday) is full of crisp dialog. The black and white cinematography by Russell Harlan (Red River, Witness for the Prosecution, To Kill A Mockingbird, Run Silent Run Deep) makes everything look right. The prolific film composer Dmitri Tiompkin provides a very eerie, theremin-based score.

After 50 years this movie rightly earns the label of classic.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

El enigma de otro mundo

Filming Locations:

RKO Encino Ranch - Balboa Boulevard & Burbank Boulevard, Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Winchester Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 81 min (re-issue) 85 min (original US 16 mm television syndication prints)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1