"The Thing" is the kind of film that, decades after its release, finds strength in its ambiguity. Some watch John Carpenter's seminal horror classic and see an allusion to the AIDS crisis of the '80s. Others say it represents the inherent fear of the Other. It can be all of those things — and more if you think hard enough — as "The Thing" remains surprisingly timeless. That's due in part to the theme that Carpenter chose to focus on throughout the film: not only did it give this story a clear through line, but it also helped Carpenter score his leading man, Kurt Russell.
Carpenter and Russell worked together twice before teaming up for "The Thing," but the actor needed just a little convincing before joining the project. Russell recounted his early conversations with Carpenter in a retrospective with GQ, and the pitch that ultimately inspired him to join the film.
Carpenter and Russell worked together twice before teaming up for "The Thing," but the actor needed just a little convincing before joining the project. Russell recounted his early conversations with Carpenter in a retrospective with GQ, and the pitch that ultimately inspired him to join the film.
- 10/6/2024
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
In a recent video for the movie-focused social media platform Letterboxd, "Alien" and "Gladiator" director Ridley Scott was asked to select his four favorite movies. In a move that a YouTube commenter referred to as "pretty based," one of the films Scott chose was his own 1982 sci-fi classic, "Blade Runner." The director justified the choice by saying the movie "set the pace for many, many, many, many things," and if you've seen a science-fiction movie in the past 40 years, you know that's an accurate statement.
Kurt Russell has not yet worked with Ridley Scott, but he did star in "Soldier," something of a spiritual sequel to Scott's original "Blade Runner." Russell's impressive and extremely long career (he spent his early years working as a young actor for Walt Disney) has been influential in its own ways -- you can see echoes of characters like Snake Plissken, R.J. MacReady, Wyatt Earp,...
Kurt Russell has not yet worked with Ridley Scott, but he did star in "Soldier," something of a spiritual sequel to Scott's original "Blade Runner." Russell's impressive and extremely long career (he spent his early years working as a young actor for Walt Disney) has been influential in its own ways -- you can see echoes of characters like Snake Plissken, R.J. MacReady, Wyatt Earp,...
- 9/15/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
If there's one thing we know about the alien known only as The Thing, it's that it can appear as just about any living being that it wants to. In that spirit, it's no big surprise that the role of R.J. MacReady, the resident helicopter pilot of Outpost 31, was one that could've gone to any number of actors when director John Carpenter was developing "The Thing" at Universal Pictures in the early '80s. On the other hand, this fact may come as a surprise to those who hadn't realized other actors were in the running for the part, given that the role eventually went to one of Carpenter's muses: Kurt Russell. The marriage of Russell, Carpenter, and MacReady seems so natural in hindsight that it's wild to think about anyone else playing the part.
Even more surprising is Carpenter's admission that Russell wasn't his first choice for MacReady. There...
Even more surprising is Carpenter's admission that Russell wasn't his first choice for MacReady. There...
- 9/14/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Earlier this year, we heard that Ian Nathan, author of Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, Stephen King at the Movies, The Legend of Mad Max, and books about filmmakers James Cameron, Ridley Scott, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, the Coppolas, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, and Clint Eastwood, is teaming up with Creatorvc, the production company behind documentaries like the In Search of Darkness trilogy, In Search of Tomorrow, and First Person Shooter to bring us a documentary called Aliens Expanded, a 4-hour examination of writer/director James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens. Digital copies of that documentary can be ordered at This Link – and now it has been announced that Nathan and Creatorvc are continuing their working relationship with The Thing Expanded, a documentary that aims to be the ultimate companion to John Carpenter’s The Thing!
Copies of The Thing Expanded are available for pre-order through TheThingExpanded.
Copies of The Thing Expanded are available for pre-order through TheThingExpanded.
- 8/9/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Thanksgiving Steelbook 4K from Sony
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving carves into Steelbook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital on October 15 via Sony. The slasher is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision, approved by director Eli Roth, and Dolby Atmos.
Jeff Rendell penned the script, based on the faux-trailer from 2007’s Grindhouse. Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, Rick Hoffman, and Gina Gershon star.
Special features include: two new making-of featurettes; commentary by Roth and Rendell; deleted and extended scenes; outtakes; Behind the Screams; Gore Galore; and Massachusetts Movies: Eli & Jeff’s Early Films; a letter to the fans from Roth.
The Thing Pop from Funko
As if the inclusion of The...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!
Thanksgiving Steelbook 4K from Sony
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving carves into Steelbook 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital on October 15 via Sony. The slasher is presented in 4K with Dolby Vision, approved by director Eli Roth, and Dolby Atmos.
Jeff Rendell penned the script, based on the faux-trailer from 2007’s Grindhouse. Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, Rick Hoffman, and Gina Gershon star.
Special features include: two new making-of featurettes; commentary by Roth and Rendell; deleted and extended scenes; outtakes; Behind the Screams; Gore Galore; and Massachusetts Movies: Eli & Jeff’s Early Films; a letter to the fans from Roth.
The Thing Pop from Funko
As if the inclusion of The...
- 8/2/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
When Kurt Russell shed his Disney child star image once and for all as the leathery, laconic renegade Snake Plissken in John Carpenter's dystopian action hit "Escape from New York," he seemed poised for a long career as a handsome, rough-and-tumble leading man, the John Wayne-Steve McQueen hybrid America needed now that both had hit the soil. Russell, however, had other plans.
For starters, Russell didn't dig the laconic shtick. After a tonally similar performance as the perpetually cheesed-off R.J. MacReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," the actor sought to send up his tough-guy persona in goofball action flicks like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Tango & Cash." He also gleefully made a fool of himself in broad comedies (memorably/infamously in "Overboard" and "Captain Ron"), while playing in-over-their-heads everymen in thrillers like "The Mean Season" and "Unlawful Entry." He could still do the gruff act when...
For starters, Russell didn't dig the laconic shtick. After a tonally similar performance as the perpetually cheesed-off R.J. MacReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," the actor sought to send up his tough-guy persona in goofball action flicks like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Tango & Cash." He also gleefully made a fool of himself in broad comedies (memorably/infamously in "Overboard" and "Captain Ron"), while playing in-over-their-heads everymen in thrillers like "The Mean Season" and "Unlawful Entry." He could still do the gruff act when...
- 7/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Ron Shelton's "Dark Blue" was a victim of impossible expectations. James Ellroy wrote the screenplay in 1993 (then titled "The Plague Season"), envisioning Kurt Russell in the role of racist LAPD Sergeant Eldon Perry. The story takes place in a jittery city awaiting the riot-inciting verdict of the Rodney King trial. We know what's coming in the macro, but the micro tale of Perry and his partner Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman) being forced to frame a couple of ex-cons for murders committed by informants loyal to their corrupt superior Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson) could break either way. This being Ellroy, the master of corrosive neo-l.A. noir, we're expecting everything to go down twisted. But with the riots looming, Perry and Keough's errand feels destined to get extra messy.
Given its long road to a greenlight, "Dark Blue" acquired the aura of a passion project for Ellroy. And since he tended to spin sprawling,...
Given its long road to a greenlight, "Dark Blue" acquired the aura of a passion project for Ellroy. And since he tended to spin sprawling,...
- 7/12/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For cinephiles who came of moviegoing age during the 1970s and/or '80s, there is a shortlist of movie stars that, if you were talented and fortunate enough to become a filmmaker of some renown, you'd give anything to direct. And if you grew up with a hankering for horror and science-fiction flicks, the name Kurt Russell was probably at or near the top of that list.
Russell wasn't always one of the cool kids. In fact, he was a literally uncool kid for Disney as the teenage star of family comedies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." Indeed, no one viewed Russell as a grown-up actor until he impressed in the title role of Carpenter's 1979 TV movie "Elvis." This did the trick. Two years later, Russell slipped under the scaly skin of laconic scoundrel Snake Plissken in Carpenter's dystopian actioner "Escape from New York." Then he went the...
Russell wasn't always one of the cool kids. In fact, he was a literally uncool kid for Disney as the teenage star of family comedies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." Indeed, no one viewed Russell as a grown-up actor until he impressed in the title role of Carpenter's 1979 TV movie "Elvis." This did the trick. Two years later, Russell slipped under the scaly skin of laconic scoundrel Snake Plissken in Carpenter's dystopian actioner "Escape from New York." Then he went the...
- 6/24/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
As Easter Sunday approaches this weekend, we thought we’d “die” your eggs a little a differently. That is, we’re on the great hidden treasure hunt for some of the most colorful and delicious horror movie Easter eggs found in some of our favorite titles. But here’s the thing. We aren’t talking about obscure cameos from people that are hard to miss, or even secretive foreshadowing within a single movie, a la the entire Final Destination franchise. Nor are we talking about mere verbal references to other horror movies. Rather, we’re interested in visual crossover clues found one horror movie that pay homage to another, found tucked away in the background or even hidden in plain sight. You see the distinction. Good. Hopefully you haven’t already seen what’s to follow. Happy holiday y’all, here’s our Top 10 Favorite Crossover Horror Movie Easter Eggs!
- 3/28/2024
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
Sunday wasn’t just St. Patrick’s Day, it was also Kurt Russell’s birthday — and the Halloweenies think that’s worth celebrating. After all, for over 45 years, Russell has kept us rooting for him in a smorgasbord of iconic roles: Rj MacReady, Snake Plissken, Jack Burton, Elvis Presley, Wyatt Earp, Santa Claus, Stuntman Mike, Curtis McCabe, Mr. Nobody, Jeff Taylor, Rudy Russo, Eldon Perry, and, of course, Captain Ron.
Don’t forget he also played the great Sheriff Franklin Hunt in 2006’s Bone Tomahawk, one of our favorite films of the 2010s, and yet also one of our first one-off Rentals in our Patreon, The Rewind. So, to celebrate the big guy’s birthday this past Sunday, the gang unlocked said episode on S. Craig Zahler’s 2015 slice of Western Horror, which includes special guests Randall Colburn and Dan Pfleegor of The Losers’ Club.
Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts,...
Don’t forget he also played the great Sheriff Franklin Hunt in 2006’s Bone Tomahawk, one of our favorite films of the 2010s, and yet also one of our first one-off Rentals in our Patreon, The Rewind. So, to celebrate the big guy’s birthday this past Sunday, the gang unlocked said episode on S. Craig Zahler’s 2015 slice of Western Horror, which includes special guests Randall Colburn and Dan Pfleegor of The Losers’ Club.
Stream the episode below or subscribe via Apple Podcasts,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Michael Roffman
- bloody-disgusting.com
Actor Kurt Russell recently acknowledged the rumor about the actor turning down the job of voicing Solid Snake in Hideo Kojima’s stealth video game series Metal Gear. The character in the video game was reportedly inspired by Russell’s character, Snake Plissken, in 1981’s Escape from New York. The first game in the series, Metal Gear, was released in 1987.
Kurt Russell in Escape From New York
The main reason why Russell turned down the role is because he wasn’t interested in making money off the character. Since he is a “movie guy,” he was interested in finding something new to work on rather than accepting an offer that “expands” the character. On top of that, Russell wasn’t ready to work without Escape from New York’s director John Carpenter.
Kurt Russell wasn’t interested in voicing Solid Snake
Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5
In a recent interview with GQ,...
Kurt Russell in Escape From New York
The main reason why Russell turned down the role is because he wasn’t interested in making money off the character. Since he is a “movie guy,” he was interested in finding something new to work on rather than accepting an offer that “expands” the character. On top of that, Russell wasn’t ready to work without Escape from New York’s director John Carpenter.
Kurt Russell wasn’t interested in voicing Solid Snake
Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 5
In a recent interview with GQ,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Farhan Asif
- FandomWire
In John Carpenter’s horror classic The Thing, R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) somberly explains to his tape recorder, “Nobody trusts anybody now, and we’re all very tired.” The now iconic quote summarizes the exhaustive state of sustained paranoia induced by the shape-shifting, extraterrestrial threat that has infiltrated the ranks of an isolated Antarctic research station, seamlessly assuming the identities of its inhabitants.
Isolation, mistrust, and intense paranoia drive Carpenter’s classic 1982 horror movie, heightening the effectiveness of the horror to a tangible degree; and it’s far from the only horror movie to effectively wield paranoia like a sharp blade. This week’s streaming picks highlight intense horror movies that unfurl their unrelenting tension, disorienting distrust, and discomfort through a heavy emphasis on paranoia, whether internal or external.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Bug – Fandor, Pluto TV,...
Isolation, mistrust, and intense paranoia drive Carpenter’s classic 1982 horror movie, heightening the effectiveness of the horror to a tangible degree; and it’s far from the only horror movie to effectively wield paranoia like a sharp blade. This week’s streaming picks highlight intense horror movies that unfurl their unrelenting tension, disorienting distrust, and discomfort through a heavy emphasis on paranoia, whether internal or external.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
For more Stay Home, Watch Horror picks, click here.
Bug – Fandor, Pluto TV,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Forty-one years after “The Thing” first opened in theaters and terrified audiences, director John Carpenter is still being asked about its widely debated ending. Like Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” (Is Cobb awake or dreaming?) or Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” (Is Rick Deckard a human or a replicant?) Carpenter’s body horror classic ends on a massive existential cliffhanger. In this case, it’s whether or not R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) or Childs (Keith David) is still infected with a body-snatching alien.
One of the most popular and long-standing theories about the end of “The Thing” is courtesy of Dean Cundey, the film’s cinematographer. Cundey suggested that throughout the film a specific light gleam can be seen in the eyes of whichever body is currently inhabiting the alien. A light gleam can be seen in Childs’ eyes in the final scene, which would mean he’s infected with the Thing under Cundey’s theory.
One of the most popular and long-standing theories about the end of “The Thing” is courtesy of Dean Cundey, the film’s cinematographer. Cundey suggested that throughout the film a specific light gleam can be seen in the eyes of whichever body is currently inhabiting the alien. A light gleam can be seen in Childs’ eyes in the final scene, which would mean he’s infected with the Thing under Cundey’s theory.
- 10/12/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
This article contains spoilers
Long before horror got truly meta, the ’80s were dishing up a constant supply of movies to feed the demand of an audience who just couldn’t get enough, and the VHS boom provided video stores with a way to make some serious money out of the exploding genre, pulling in punters with over-the-top cover art that promised incredible scenes of monsters, gore, and killers galore.
These days, we groan when a character goes to check out a mysterious noise from down in the basement or in the woods, but this kinda standard stuff was often the bread and butter of the genre back then. Still, it’s not always a loud music sting or a brutal slashing that’s the most effective at getting under your skin, and the ’80s really understood that. It was a decade where the right kind of terrifying scene could...
Long before horror got truly meta, the ’80s were dishing up a constant supply of movies to feed the demand of an audience who just couldn’t get enough, and the VHS boom provided video stores with a way to make some serious money out of the exploding genre, pulling in punters with over-the-top cover art that promised incredible scenes of monsters, gore, and killers galore.
These days, we groan when a character goes to check out a mysterious noise from down in the basement or in the woods, but this kinda standard stuff was often the bread and butter of the genre back then. Still, it’s not always a loud music sting or a brutal slashing that’s the most effective at getting under your skin, and the ’80s really understood that. It was a decade where the right kind of terrifying scene could...
- 6/14/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
When you find yourself trapped in a horror movie scenario (as one does), your survival instincts become paramount. From relentless slashers to supernatural entities, the world of horror is filled with terrifying adversaries. But fear not! In this guide, we will equip you with essential tips and tricks to navigate the treacherous landscape of horror movies. So, grab your flashlight, gather your courage, and steel your nerves as we delve into the art of how to survive a horror movie.
Aliens (1986) | 20th Century Fox
1. Know Your Foe: Analyzing Horror Movie Monsters
Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics of the monsters you may encounter is crucial for survival. Different horror movies introduce a variety of terrifying creatures. Whether it’s the relentless pursuit of Michael Myers in Halloween, the supernatural powers of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, or the insidious presence of the Babadook, each antagonist requires a unique approach.
Aliens (1986) | 20th Century Fox
1. Know Your Foe: Analyzing Horror Movie Monsters
Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics of the monsters you may encounter is crucial for survival. Different horror movies introduce a variety of terrifying creatures. Whether it’s the relentless pursuit of Michael Myers in Halloween, the supernatural powers of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, or the insidious presence of the Babadook, each antagonist requires a unique approach.
- 5/23/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
When you find yourself trapped in a horror movie scenario (as one does), your survival instincts become paramount. From relentless slashers to supernatural entities, the world of horror is filled with terrifying adversaries. But fear not! In this guide, we will equip you with essential tips and tricks to navigate the treacherous landscape of horror movies. So, grab your flashlight, gather your courage, and steel your nerves as we delve into the art of how to survive a horror movie.
Aliens (1986) | 20th Century Fox
1. Know Your Foe: Analyzing Horror Movie Monsters
Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics of the monsters you may encounter is crucial for survival. Different horror movies introduce a variety of terrifying creatures. Whether it’s the relentless pursuit of Michael Myers in Halloween, the supernatural powers of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, or the insidious presence of the Babadook, each antagonist requires a unique approach.
Aliens (1986) | 20th Century Fox
1. Know Your Foe: Analyzing Horror Movie Monsters
Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics of the monsters you may encounter is crucial for survival. Different horror movies introduce a variety of terrifying creatures. Whether it’s the relentless pursuit of Michael Myers in Halloween, the supernatural powers of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street, or the insidious presence of the Babadook, each antagonist requires a unique approach.
- 5/23/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
This article contains spoilers for "Yellowjackets" season 2 episode 8.
While John Carpenter's "The Thing" wasn't a box office smash at the time of its release, it has since been reclaimed as a masterpiece, both in its groundbreaking use of practical effects and the ways Carpenter evaluated the fears of mistrust. While yes, "The Thing" is about an alien invasion and its hostile assimilation takeover of the U.S. Outpost #31 Antarctic research center, it's also an exercise in paranoia and an examination of the hierarchical breakdowns that follow life-threatening intrusions of the status quo. Things at the Outpost aren't perfect before The Thing arrives, but they're functional, and everyone understands their role on the team. But once the mutated, imitated s*** hits the fan, all bets are off and chaos ensues.
Meanwhile, "Yellowjackets" is a series about a high school girls' soccer team who are forced to resort to cannibalism to...
While John Carpenter's "The Thing" wasn't a box office smash at the time of its release, it has since been reclaimed as a masterpiece, both in its groundbreaking use of practical effects and the ways Carpenter evaluated the fears of mistrust. While yes, "The Thing" is about an alien invasion and its hostile assimilation takeover of the U.S. Outpost #31 Antarctic research center, it's also an exercise in paranoia and an examination of the hierarchical breakdowns that follow life-threatening intrusions of the status quo. Things at the Outpost aren't perfect before The Thing arrives, but they're functional, and everyone understands their role on the team. But once the mutated, imitated s*** hits the fan, all bets are off and chaos ensues.
Meanwhile, "Yellowjackets" is a series about a high school girls' soccer team who are forced to resort to cannibalism to...
- 5/21/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Joining their recently released action figures depicting R.J. MacReady and the film’s iconic poster art, Neca has unveiled the next addition to their line of The Thing action figures.
“The Thing – Dog Creature Ultimate Deluxe 7″ Scale Action Figure” recreates a gruesome sequence from John Carpenter’s 1982 classic, and it’s releasing later this year.
Neca previews, “From The Thing, John Carpenter’s acclaimed 1982 slow-build horror film classic! Deep in the Antarctic circle, an isolated research team finds something that’s been waiting for over 100,000 years… something with the ability to become one of them. Or, as they discover, any organic creature.
“From ordinary dog to morphing monstrosity, this fully articulated deluxe figure includes more than 25 interchangeable pieces to customize your Dog Creature for maximum horror. Comes in collector-friendly 5-panel packaging with opening front flap.”
The estimated ship date for this one is September 2023.
The post Neca Honors Carpenter’s...
“The Thing – Dog Creature Ultimate Deluxe 7″ Scale Action Figure” recreates a gruesome sequence from John Carpenter’s 1982 classic, and it’s releasing later this year.
Neca previews, “From The Thing, John Carpenter’s acclaimed 1982 slow-build horror film classic! Deep in the Antarctic circle, an isolated research team finds something that’s been waiting for over 100,000 years… something with the ability to become one of them. Or, as they discover, any organic creature.
“From ordinary dog to morphing monstrosity, this fully articulated deluxe figure includes more than 25 interchangeable pieces to customize your Dog Creature for maximum horror. Comes in collector-friendly 5-panel packaging with opening front flap.”
The estimated ship date for this one is September 2023.
The post Neca Honors Carpenter’s...
- 5/4/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Warning: The Thing spoilers jump out of nowhere in this piece!
“The last place you want to be in a storm in Antarctica is locked up with a bunch of Norwegian guys,” Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a Columbia graduate and vertebrate paleontologist, is warned as she is flown into the tundra surrounding “Thule,” the central research station in The Thing (2011). The sequestered Norse researchers have never seen John Carpenter’s claustrophobic 1982 alien invasion classic, The Thing. After all, director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. and writer Eric Heisserer’s 2011 prequel is set at the Antarctic facility from which the very Thing from outer space splits at the beginning of the ‘82 film. So the newest movie, which is finding a quasi-renaissance on Netflix these days, is a translation of the prior events by Heijningen and Heisserer.
In the snowbound original film, when exploring a deserted outpost in the aftermath of an as-yet-unknown extraterrestrial disaster,...
“The last place you want to be in a storm in Antarctica is locked up with a bunch of Norwegian guys,” Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a Columbia graduate and vertebrate paleontologist, is warned as she is flown into the tundra surrounding “Thule,” the central research station in The Thing (2011). The sequestered Norse researchers have never seen John Carpenter’s claustrophobic 1982 alien invasion classic, The Thing. After all, director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. and writer Eric Heisserer’s 2011 prequel is set at the Antarctic facility from which the very Thing from outer space splits at the beginning of the ‘82 film. So the newest movie, which is finding a quasi-renaissance on Netflix these days, is a translation of the prior events by Heijningen and Heisserer.
In the snowbound original film, when exploring a deserted outpost in the aftermath of an as-yet-unknown extraterrestrial disaster,...
- 4/6/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
James Arness starred as lawman Marshall Matt Dillon on "Gunsmoke" for an incredible run of 20 seasons from 1955-1975. Until "The Simpsons" surpassed it in 2018, the epic series dramatizing the American West was the longest running television show in history. Originally, John Wayne was offered the role but turned it down because he had no interest in committing to a weekly TV series. If he had accepted the part, it's incredibly unlikely the series would have ever run that long, and more TV movies of "Gunsmoke" probably would have hit the airwaves instead.
During the first couple of years of "Gunsmoke," filming took place at the legendary Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio, one of the premiere Western movie towns of the 1950s with multiple locations and a working train helping to fill in for the real Dodge City. Arness received a Walk of Western Stars award presented to him at Melody...
During the first couple of years of "Gunsmoke," filming took place at the legendary Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio, one of the premiere Western movie towns of the 1950s with multiple locations and a working train helping to fill in for the real Dodge City. Arness received a Walk of Western Stars award presented to him at Melody...
- 3/18/2023
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
John Carpenter's 1982 classic "The Thing" is considered one of the greatest horror movies ever. Filled with incredible special effects and a stellar ensemble cast, the loose adaptation of the novella "Who Goes There?" wasn't always the meticulously-paced treasure we celebrate today. In fact, at one point its director considered the work-in-progress to be a snooze in between the monster scenes.
The story is set at an Arctic research post and so a fair portion of the shoot happened on the Universal backlot in Los Angeles, on a couple of refrigerated sets that included the Norwegian station and the room with the ice block that once contained the deadly organism. With "The Thing from Another World" as a guide, Carpenter and the filmmaking team strived to make the sets appear as cold as possible with heavy air conditioning keeping the temperature around 40 degrees.
Richard Masur, who plays the dog handler Clark,...
The story is set at an Arctic research post and so a fair portion of the shoot happened on the Universal backlot in Los Angeles, on a couple of refrigerated sets that included the Norwegian station and the room with the ice block that once contained the deadly organism. With "The Thing from Another World" as a guide, Carpenter and the filmmaking team strived to make the sets appear as cold as possible with heavy air conditioning keeping the temperature around 40 degrees.
Richard Masur, who plays the dog handler Clark,...
- 2/20/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Much has been made of "The Thing," John Carpenter's 1982 box office bomb-turned-genre darling. Whether it's Bill Lancaster's adapted script of John W. Campbell Jr.'s 1938 novella "Who Goes There?," Rob Bottin's gnarly special effects (with an assist from dog-Thing creature designer Stan Winston), or Carpenter's meticulous direction that's light on the jump scares and heavy on the dread, the result is now considered one of the great gargoyles in the horror movie pantheon. Though the story is about an alien organism infiltrating an Arctic research post, and though there are plenty of tentacles about, the narrative is largely character-driven as paranoia and mistrust grow among the isolated cadre of men, led by Kurt Russell's pilot, R.J. MacReady.
A 2016 LA Weekly interview with the cast and crew yields insights from the film's production. Therein, Carpenter called the shoot "intimidating," as he had to wrangle multiple accomplished actors — some of whom,...
A 2016 LA Weekly interview with the cast and crew yields insights from the film's production. Therein, Carpenter called the shoot "intimidating," as he had to wrangle multiple accomplished actors — some of whom,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
After all of the frightening things that John Carpenter has brought to life on screen, it's hard to imagine the filmmaker being intimidated by anything. But even doing things for the first time scared the "Master of Horror" early in his career. Carpenter caught Hollywood's attention in 1978 when he re-invented the slasher genre with "Halloween." After a couple of TV movies, he followed his massive success in horror with another thriller, "The Fog." But a few years later in 1982, Carpenter would tackle his first big-budget studio project, the sci-fi horror film "The Thing."
It was the first of three loosely connected films that would become known as Carpenter's "apocalypse trilogy." A remake of the 1951 Howard Hawks film "The Thing from Another World" and an adaptation of the John W. Campbell, Jr. novella "Who Goes There?" in "The Thing," a group of scientists stationed in Antarctica is stalked by an alien...
It was the first of three loosely connected films that would become known as Carpenter's "apocalypse trilogy." A remake of the 1951 Howard Hawks film "The Thing from Another World" and an adaptation of the John W. Campbell, Jr. novella "Who Goes There?" in "The Thing," a group of scientists stationed in Antarctica is stalked by an alien...
- 2/6/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Ostensibly a remake of the 1951 classic “The Thing from Another World,” director John Carpenter’s vision serves better as a sequel to the former and a more faithful adaptation of John W. Campbell Jr.’s novella “Who Goes There?,” which inspired the original. Trapped for the winter, the crew of an American Antarctic research station encounter a murderous alien that assimilates living creatures. Unsure who has been infected, the isolated men are gripped by paranoia. Carpenter’s superior manipulation of horror tropes, handling of excessive violence and a masterful exploitation of the bleak landscape ratchet the terror to quality levels rarely seen in film. A financial failure when initially released, “The Thing” (sometimes known as “John Carpenter’s Thing”) garnered, upon its release on video, a rabidly loyal legion of fans.
Choice Quotation:
R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell): Somebody in this camp ain’t what he appears to be. Right...
Choice Quotation:
R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell): Somebody in this camp ain’t what he appears to be. Right...
- 3/9/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Ostensibly a remake of the 1951 classic “The Thing from Another World,” director John Carpenter’s vision serves better as a sequel to the former and a more faithful adaptation of John W. Campbell Jr.’s novella “Who Goes There?,” which inspired the original. Trapped for the winter, the crew of an American Antarctic research station encounter a murderous alien that assimilates living creatures. Unsure who has been infected, the isolated men are gripped by paranoia. Carpenter’s superior manipulation of horror tropes, handling of excessive violence and a masterful exploitation of the bleak landscape ratchet the terror to quality levels rarely seen in film. A financial failure when initially released, “The Thing” (sometimes known as “John Carpenter’s Thing”) garnered, upon its release on video, a rabidly loyal legion of fans.
Choice Quotation:
R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell): Somebody in this camp ain’t what he appears to be. Right...
Choice Quotation:
R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell): Somebody in this camp ain’t what he appears to be. Right...
- 3/9/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
John Carpenter has revealed that he was not asked to be involved in the upcoming prequel to The Thing. The acclaimed horror director helmed the 1982 movie, starring Kurt Russell in the role of R.J. MacReady. Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy, Carpenter said: "Universal has made a prequel to The Thing. They've already shot it. It's a prequel to my film and I didn't have anything to do with it. So I don't know what to say. That's their choice." The filmmaker, whose latest picture The Ward opened in the UK on Friday, admitted that financial (more)...
- 1/24/2011
- by By Ben Rawson-Jones
- Digital Spy
The most treasured of all Antarctic deep-freeze creepfests, John Carpenter’s The Thing, is at last seeing a long-mooted follow-up courtesy of Universal Pictures. Not a remake or a reboot, but a prequel, whose final reel will end immediately where the Carpenter classic begins. So yes, we’ll finally get to witness first-hand the original discovery of the alien craft—seen only in silent, black-and-white video footage in Carpenter’s 1982 film—and experience the bloody events leading to the destruction of the Norwegian camp, from which the shapeshifting “thing” escaped to U.S. outpost #31 and its inhabitants, including pilot R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell).
- 10/5/2010
- by gingold@starloggroup.com (David Bertrand)
- Fangoria
As the male lead in Matthijs van Heijningen Jr..s prequel to The Thing, Joel Edgerton has some serious shoes to fill. Regardless of how different his character, pilot Sam Carter, may be, he is destined to be compared to R.J. MacReady, Kurt Russell.s character in John Carpenter.s original. Fortunately, it.s something the Australian actor is well aware of and he.s ready for the challenge. Speaking with Edgerton on set in Toronto in June, while he sat wearing a huge puffy jacket, I, along with four other journalists asked him about his character in the film, the scale of the project versus his previous work and those .Ah ha. moments that no prequel could do without. How does it feel to be in a big budget American prequel like this coming off of two independent Australian dramas like Animal Kingdom and The Square? It.s ...
- 10/4/2010
- cinemablend.com
John Carpenter.s The Thing is a true horror classic. Kurt Russell plays a memorable leading role as R.J. MacReady. The paranoia is palpable and the scares are plenty. But what everyone walking away from the film talks about are the special effects. Designed by Rob Bottin, the images of a two fused skeletons, a crawling head and a chest filled with teeth have scared audiences for the better part of the last two decades. It.s because the effects are so brilliant that fans are so wary about Matthijs van Heijningen Jr..s prequel. For them, there is no greater nightmare than seeing all of the beautiful practical effects replaced by computer generated images. To male a prequel like that would be nothing short of a crime against the film world. Fortunately, they.ve hired Alec Gillis. Co-founder of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. (better known as Adi), Gillis, along ...
- 10/4/2010
- cinemablend.com
John Carpenter.s The Thing is a true horror classic. Kurt Russell plays a memorable leading role as R.J. MacReady. The paranoia is palpable and the scares are plenty. But what everyone walking away from the film talks about are the special effects. Designed by Rob Bottin, the images of a two fused skeletons, a crawling head and a chest filled with teeth have scared audiences for the better part of the last two decades. It.s because the effects are so brilliant that fans are so wary about Matthijs van Heijningen Jr..s prequel. For them, there is no greater nightmare than seeing all of the beautiful practical effects replaced by computer generated images. To male a prequel like that would be nothing short of a crime against the film world. Fortunately, they.ve hired Alec Gillis. Co-founder of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. (better known as Adi), Gillis, along ...
- 10/4/2010
- cinemablend.com
A prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing is currently shooting in Toronto from a script by Battlestar Galactica writer Ronald D. Moore and directed by newcomer Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and a few details about the movie are finally coming out. Australian actor Joel Edgerton (Smokin' Aces), who plays a helicopter pilot counterpoint to Kurt Russell's character of R.J. MacReady from the 1982 original, told Collider a few details about the movie that ought to please some die-hard horror fans who may find any meddling with Carpenter's classic to be sacrilege.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 4/8/2010 by Ryan
Joel Edgerton | Matthijs van Heijningen | The Thing Prequel | The Thing...
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 4/8/2010 by Ryan
Joel Edgerton | Matthijs van Heijningen | The Thing Prequel | The Thing...
- 4/8/2010
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
Despite its meager box-office take, John Carpenter's The Thing began to develop a strong cult following after its release on home video. The popularity of the movie eventually spawned a novelization, several comic book miniseries, and a video game "sequel." With a pop culture presence spanning nearly 30 years, it's no wonder that Universal Pictures finally decided to bring the property back to the big screen.
Universal first announced the news that a new The Thing movie was in development in January of last year, with Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. directing from a script by Ronald D. Moore. It was later revealed by Moore that his draft of The Thing was "not a remake" of Carpenter's movie, but a "companion piece" that takes place before the events in the 1982 movie. The prequel will focus on the Norwegian expedition team that first finds the buried spaceship in Antarctica and unwittingly unleashes the...
Universal first announced the news that a new The Thing movie was in development in January of last year, with Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. directing from a script by Ronald D. Moore. It was later revealed by Moore that his draft of The Thing was "not a remake" of Carpenter's movie, but a "companion piece" that takes place before the events in the 1982 movie. The prequel will focus on the Norwegian expedition team that first finds the buried spaceship in Antarctica and unwittingly unleashes the...
- 2/9/2010
- by BrentJS Sprecher
- Reelzchannel.com
Every great movie actor has a breakout role at some point. For Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton, the first truly big thing on their resumes might be the upcoming prequel to The Thing.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog, the two actors have signed on for Mattijs Van Heijningen’s sci-fi/horror flick, which concerns a shape-changing space creature. In the 1982 film The Thing, directed by John Carpenter, the creature infiltrates a military base disguised as a dog, then wreaks havoc, killing and replacing the surrounding humans one by one.
In the new film, written by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer, a Norwegian research team in the Antarctic discovers the alien buried in ice. After "the Thing" awakens and starts attacking the researchers, the survivors must band together to try and stay alive.
Winstead will play a Ph.D candidate who is part of the research team,...
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision blog, the two actors have signed on for Mattijs Van Heijningen’s sci-fi/horror flick, which concerns a shape-changing space creature. In the 1982 film The Thing, directed by John Carpenter, the creature infiltrates a military base disguised as a dog, then wreaks havoc, killing and replacing the surrounding humans one by one.
In the new film, written by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer, a Norwegian research team in the Antarctic discovers the alien buried in ice. After "the Thing" awakens and starts attacking the researchers, the survivors must band together to try and stay alive.
Winstead will play a Ph.D candidate who is part of the research team,...
- 2/8/2010
- CinemaSpy
The Thing Prequel Character Breakdown Illuminates Plot, Seems to Fully Kill Big Rumor About the Film
Despite the fact that John Carpenter's The Thing is a remake of/sequel to/alternate take on The Thing From Another World, notions of remaking it get fans up in arms. With good reason. Carpenter's movie has a fantastic cast and some of the best practical latex effects seen in any film, period. It's tense and fun and doesn't sag after repeated viewings. But Strike Entertainment and Universal are planning to shoot a remake in March, directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen based on a script from Eric Heisserer. There have been many rumors about what we'd see in this film, and how directly it would relate to John Carpenter's movie. A new casting breakdown seems to kill one of the big rumors, that the film would feature the brother of R.J. MacReady, played by Kurt Russell in Carpenter's film. It reinforces that this is a prequel to Carpenter's movie,...
- 1/13/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
You know what really makes a man? A beard. Beards have been featured in films throughout the history of cinema, some great, some good, and some not so great or good. But over the years a few beards have stood the test of time and deserve a little attention. So without further ado ...
The Buz presents:
The Top Ten List Of The Greatest Beards In Horror History
10: Laurence Fishburne as Max in A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors
Max had one of those beards that just looked like it belonged there. It was a part of his face. While it wasn’t the fullest or longest beard, it makes an impression. And if I’m not mistaken, it’s the only film in which Larry Fishburne had a beard, making it both unique and stylish. Let us hope he brings it back soon.
Unique and Stylish,...
The Buz presents:
The Top Ten List Of The Greatest Beards In Horror History
10: Laurence Fishburne as Max in A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: Dream Warriors
Max had one of those beards that just looked like it belonged there. It was a part of his face. While it wasn’t the fullest or longest beard, it makes an impression. And if I’m not mistaken, it’s the only film in which Larry Fishburne had a beard, making it both unique and stylish. Let us hope he brings it back soon.
Unique and Stylish,...
- 12/22/2009
- by The Buz
- DreadCentral.com
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