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Title: The Thing (1982)
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"Kubrickian" is in the Oxford English Dictionary, but "Carpentersque" isn't. Here's why John Carpenter's style and influence should have earned him the honor.
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kurt Russell | ... | 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 Franco | ... | Norwegian Passenger with Rifle | |
 |
Nate Irwin | ... | Helicopter Pilot |
A US research station, Antarctica, early-winter 1982. The base is suddenly buzzed by a helicopter from the nearby Norwegian research station. They are trying to kill a dog that has escaped from their base. After the destruction of the Norwegian chopper the members of the US team fly to the Norwegian base, only to discover them all dead or missing. They do find the remains of a strange creature the Norwegians burned. The Americans take it to their base and deduce that it is an alien life form. After a while it is apparent that the alien can take over and assimilate into other life forms, including humans, and can spread like a virus. This means that anyone at the base could be inhabited by The Thing, and tensions escalate. Written by grantss
John Carpenter shows how much he loves the 1951 original by giving it the utmost respect that he possibly could, the only difference here is that Carpenter chooses to stick to the paranoiac core of John W Campbell Jr's short story.
The secret to this version's success is the unbearable tension that builds up as the group of men become suspicious of each other, the strain of literally waiting to be taken over takes a fearful hold. Carpenter then manages to deliver the shocks as well as the mystery that's needed to keep the film heading in the right direction.
Be it an horrific scene or a "what is in the shadow" sequence, the film is the perfect fusion of horror and sci-fi. The dialogue is laced with potency and viability for a group of men trying to keep it together under such duress, while Ennio Morricone's score is a wonderful eerie pulse beat that further racks up the sense of doom and paranoia seaming throughout the film.
The cast are superb, a solid assembly line of actors led by Carpenter favourite Kurt Russell, whilst the effects used around the characters get the right amount of impact needed. But most of all it's the ending that is the crowning glory, an ending that doesn't pander to the norm and is incredibly fitting for what has gone on before it. Lets wait and see what happens indeed. 10/10