+Benjámin Kurilla It certainly had some moments. The way they incorporated elements from what was left of the Norwegian camp in the '82 film was done really well, but overall it was pretty meh sadly.
ShumaiAxeman Indeed. Numerous basic errors, bad plot elements, sometimes stupid or unnecessary characters, and stupid alien (for example when she went for the keys, the alien just began loudly shapeshifing behind her, instead of just grabbing her ... etc ... etc) .... and what about the video footage they find in the '82-movie? - where the norvegians put charges into the alien spaceship and blow it up? .... the director forgot about it or what?.... This is sad.
I read somewhere that captured the feeling behind this theme perfectly. They said, 'The Theme for the Thing sounds like something mimic ing a human heartbeat but doesn't get it quite right.'
Makes very little sense for the theme to ever be suggesting something like that when the entire basis of The Thing story is that the alien is - perfectly - indistinguishable from human.
the wrong critics saw it. the good critics were out watching blade runner which came out same day. it only left the wankers who didnt know their arse from their elbow free to see this movie and not have a clue what they were seeing
The wrong critics also watched blade runner. Even Leonard Maltin was meh on that movie. It bombed then but became a classic now. Both BR & Thing deserved to be in the higher echelons of sci-fi classics.
That jump scare gets me everytime! I freaking love this movie and I read that in 2020 another remake would be in development, I hope not. Just saw the 2011 prequel for the second time, wasn't as bad as I remembered (well the effects are mostly ass, thanks studio interference!) but nothing beats the 1982 version IMO.
"I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won." "I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!" Here you can clearly see why this movie is great.
I have a feeling that this time, Morricone was actually influenced by John Carpenter himself, because the way it progresses, it sounds like a Carpenter composition
A friend pointed out to me the most horrific part of this theme. It's a microcosm of the film itself. We start with a big, powerful beat - the heartbeat of the Thing itself. Strong, wilful, drowning out all other noise. DUM-DUM. DUM-DUM. Then we have, cutting in, the triple beat of a frightened human heart; insistent and quick. dum-dum-dum, dum-dum-dum. Then the slow, creepy chords of the organ, to signify the absorption - the Thing is copying the victims' *organs*. Then - finally - in the last two minutes - the second heartbeat is copying the first with every other beat...dum-dum-dum, dum-dum, dum-dum-dum, dum-dum... ...and disappears. Until only the Thing's heart is beating.
I'm an old guy, and never realized until the other night that my wife had never seen 'The Thing'. I rented it and my wife and I watched it (she's not too big on horror movies, anyhow). Needless to say, she went from 'oh, it's an old movie' to 'OMG, now I'll have bad dreams!' The movie STILL scares, and it was mostly done with the drama of actual actors (though 'spider head' still drives it home). Excellent movie.
+Lance Cole You can always tell when an older guy writes a comment on RU-vid...they can spell, use grammar properly and are literate...the younger generation are ill-educated in just about anything.
Where I live in Texas: Winter storm hit us, below freezing temperatures, no power or heat is in our home, snow up to knees yet, tonight we saw footprints that wasn’t ours walking around our house...some thing is going on.
This was really nominated for the golden rapbserry? Jeez, cant believe it. This creepy and scary masterpiece is one of the best themes i have ever listened.
I've watch so many horror films about demons, aliens, ghosts, zombies you name it, but none have ever made me feel like the thing does. I remember I watched it at my friends house when I was 15 I went home it was a cold winter night, and I felt genuinely uneasy and anxious, to this day as a 20 year old I feel no shame in saying this film still makes me anxious and uneasy when I'm on my own, that's why I love it so much, how many films make you question things like that, as stupid as it sounds when ever I walk past someone at night on my own it's on the back of my mind, what if I hear that thing scream, as I said such a great film, my favourite horror film of all time!
Read the original John W Campbell short story "Who Goes There" with nobody around except maybe a pet dog...... The movie "almost" captures the story, though not quite.
@@pamelahughes7891 Well, I read the book several years ago, and it's a very interesting read indeed. No self-respecting 'Thing' fan should miss the opportunity...in fact, I still own the book.
I grew up in rural north western Canada on a farm, in one of the windiest coldest parts of even this cold country. Often, especially once I turned 13, I'd be at the farm by myself when parents go visit friends, on business etc out of town. Now, I know it's Canada but like I had access to firearms, loyal farm dog who I'd seen fight off Coyotes etc, like far from truly alone or helpless is my point even when had farm to myself, and for most part was awesome be like Kurt but instead of chess wizard had my gaming computer right, kitchen, satellite TV, etc all to my self for week or more at a time. Anyways, I watched the OG Thing one night on Movie Central, and thought for an old 50's movie pretty good, and my horror obsessed buddy already told me to check out The Thing remake by Carpenter (he lives and breathes 80's horror even tho we grew up in the late 80s, ie little before our time.) so phoned him up next day, hung out for a bit during day, dropped off the movie (no streaming and only dial up, so 'lucky' he was around or I wouldn't have seen it for years probably) but his sister was in town so had head home for the evening. Like mid January. -30 celsius, so real fucking cold, no jokes middle of a blizzard. Watched whole thing, still don't know how, thinking back I was like petrified in fear legit. Didn't sleep until the sun came up next day. Like half way through movie heard a noise outside (100% just the wind, especially there and old farm house), so had shotgun loaded sitting beside me for entire night after that(watching on big tv in parents bedroom, and gun cabinet was literally in their attached study so like hopped up, loaded it few shells, carefully put beside the bed and resumed watching xD), think dog starting getting spooked too cos I was so spooked so that just added to it eventually, and very unlike him he slept in my room while I stayed up and played games (kennel trained, rarely wouldn't sleep in "his room" downstairs by back door.) Yeah...movie is fucking creepy and how it so realistically depicts that sense of isolation and like fear of unknown, you'd have be a psychopath to not be effected by this movie when first watching it haha.
One of the best movies of all time. I actually watched this movie on a research ship heading down to do field work in Antarctica for my masters degree! It was amazing. And terrifying.
the original score is the same as a heart beat in time to a elevated time /plus four chambers 2 the heart 4 beats 2 the bar ,i could be wrong im smashed !:))
If I didn't know better I would have thought this music was written by Carpenter himself. It's definitely of his style. That's not to take anything away from the great Ennio Morricone.
It has the "Carpenter Sound" all over it. Also, its supposed to have been Morricone`s first step into ambient\Electronic score. He never did anything like this again, There are few Places I can hear Morricone in the soundtrack, but I believe most of it was written in collobration With John.
Carpenter told Boulenger: “[Morricone] had written several pieces for The Thing, and I told him that he was using too many notes for the title track and that he should simplify it. He did simplify it, and the title track that you hear is his. He did all the orchestrations and recorded for me 20 minutes of music I could use wherever I wished but without seeing any footage. I cut his music into the film and realised that there were places, mostly scenes of tension, in which his music would not work. “Since we needed something, I secretly ran off and recorded in a couple of days a few pieces to use. My pieces were very simple electronic pieces - it was almost tones. It was not really music at all but just background sounds, something today you might even consider as sound effects. I used these pieces as unifying moments because structurally we had to redo The Thing at one point in the centre. I put them in there to glue together the film, but in no way was I trying to compete with Ennio’s score. The score is his.”
I actually never knew this was a Morricone theme. I always thought Carpenter composed it himself since he composed most of his own music for his movies.
Turns out I was wrong. Morricone did write the main theme in a style he knew would've been appreciated by Carpenter, which did score some parts, but not the main theme
Godzilla52 I was the same way. I flipped when I found out Ennio Morricone composed "The Thing" because before I watched it for the first time, I spoke of him earlier that day to a friend. We also watched "The Last Starfighter" directed by Nick Castle whom also worked with John Carpenter. Interesting universe we live in.
„I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but if you‘d find the time, I‘d rather not spent the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!“ Damn I love that movie.
This theme has always stood with me. It was absolutely perfect for the movie. Eerie and unsettling, just as with the premise of the entire movie. The Thing - a timeless masterpiece. Ennio Morricone - a timeless talent. Coupled together - pure magic.
I like how Carpenter’s style is so unique and indispensable that even Morricone has to intentionally ape it when composing for one of his films. He’s obviously going for that.
[last lines] Childs:"Fire's got the temperature up all over the camp. Won't last long though." MacReady:"Neither will we." Childs:"How will we make it?"MacReady:"Maybe we shouldn't."Childs:"If you're worried about me..." MacReady:"If we've got any surprises for each other, I don't think we're in much shape to do anything about it."Childs:"Well, what do we do?"MacReady:"Why don't we just... wait here for a little while... see what happens?"
One of my favorite film composers. The Thing (1982) score is such a masterpiece and one of my all time favorite scores. The score is very atmospheric and feels creepy and sinister and it gets under your skin in a good way. R.I.P. Maestro
***** I agree. I think that the fact that it was not CGI worked . Some of the older, cruder effects often seem somehow more real. Too many modern movies seem too ultra-realistic, too polished and clean to seem true. Some things are really better done the old way.
***** I don't like this movie for the special effects, as good as they are. I like it for the plot, the characters, the concept of the Thing (though it was taken from the original short story by John Campbell Jr.) Do you watch science fiction mostly for its cool special effects?
At the end The keyboard plays the same pattern in different scales I think. The creepy melody splits in two like the copy of humans that the Thing does.
" Childs, it happens all the time, man.They're falling out of the sky like flies.And the government knows all about it, right, Mac ? Chids, Childs! Chariots Of The Gods, man... They practically own South America... I mean, they taught the Incas everything they know... * continues to smoke weed* "
No movie has ever made me feel the spectrum of emotions that this movie has. If there was a movie id pick for my life having also been born in 1982, it would have to be this one. RIP Mr Moriconne ❤
Being nominated for a razzie is appalling, whenever I hear the two drum beats in this song or think about them I pause with both a feeling of dread and the feeling of a kind of solitude, like everything around me just disappears, and I'm not making that up
Short Changed Hero Actually it's not the drum that ticks me off, it's the pulsating noise, it make me feel like there is an alien heart pounding. And that scares me especially when I'm trying to concentrate in typing my school assignment.
A lot of John Carpenter's movies have moments of the heartbeat effect with the synth bass. The disquieting beat is relentless which adds to the perfect pace of the movie.
Short Changed Hero The razzy award are shit. If they were accurate the worst movie would be a movie nobody know, a composer nobody know etc, and nobody would care. The objective of the razzy is to make money, and polemic. That’s all.
Dude, these fuckers nominated Stanley Kubrick for the worst director (for The Shining) on the very first year of their pathetic existence. No matter how I try, I can't think of a better way for them to show right from the beginning how much of a laughable joke their "award" is. For that fact alone they themselves deserve an award as the goofiest clowns in Hollywood.
На сколько же Э.Мориконе многогранен, что способен не только сочинять музыку романтичную и трагичную, но даже к фильмам ужасов и фэнтези! Музыка реально пробуждает такие эмоции как безисходность, страх, холод и жуткое ощущение присутствия или преследования чего-то страшного и надвигающегося все ближе..Браво Маэстро👏💖
The opening scene score. A very simple music note that just repeats itself but man it's hypnotic in certain ways. MUST have a subwoofer to fully appreciate it. Then you know why when you find out it was done by the one and only, the legendary magic musician Enio Morricone. Must use a subwoofer to fully appreciate the intensity of the thumping sound. A simple yet masterful n hypnotic composition.
Carpenter had been told by friends that he would never be able to obtain Morricone's services to compose a score for his 'The Thing' movie. "We don't know that, do we ?" Carpenter replied and approached Morricone. The latter talked to Carpenter, looked at several of his movies and agreed upon reading the script. I believe he also informed Carpenter that he admired his scores for several of his movies. To me it sounds like Morricone's score is influenced by Carpenter's scores ? Because it suits his way of directing.
The sleeve notes by Leo Nichols in the Silva Screen CD booklet says: "Usually, director John Carpenter provides the music for his own films, but, with The Thing, big-budget studio politics prevailed and Carpenter brought in a more recognised 'name.' Morricone was Carpenter's own choice and scored the film in much the same way that Carpenter would have done. The desolate snowscape with its lone inhabitants under alien siege is mirrored in the bleak, cold and unemotional theme."
MegaFriendlyCreeper "go ahead, make my-" oh wait damnit wrong movie! "He could be you! He could be me! He could even be-" closer "You gotta be fucking kidding" there we go!
We live in a modern world, and in contemporary music the central fact is contamination. Not the contamination of disease but the contamination of musical styles. If you find this in me, that is good. -Ennio Morriconne 1928-2020🌻
Ennio Morricone is the greatest composer ever!!! From Leone, Argento, Fulci, De Palma, has some of the greatest scores ever! Carpenter always loved Morricone so it was great when he did this haunting score!
It could have imitated a million life-forms on a million planets. It could change into any one of them at any time. Now, it wants life-forms on Earth....
In the story it's implied the one thing that scared it more than anything else during the events of the movie is MacReady himself. It even says in reflection about the blood test that "THAT'S NOT HOW THE WORLD WORKS". It's a pretty interesting read, but it's canon status is debatable.
One of the Scariest Themes ever composed for a Science Fiction film. Great cast and awesome story. RIP Ennio Morricone, Richard Dysart, and Charles Hallahan 💫
RIP Ennio Morricone. Your genius allowed you to create music that could inspire the very depths of the soul, or terrify a soul to its very depths. Pure genius.
The film and the soundtrack is just mindblowing. Everytime I watch it, it takes me to another place that just cannot be explained! Nothing can touch this movie and the soundtrack! Analog heaven!
You know a theme song is bloody amazing when it brings out so many emotions in you.. In this case I feel like that alien spider head is lurking around the corner...shit Wheres my blow torch!
Had I watched The Thing back in 1982 I would have been scarred for life. But when I first watched it I was blown away, its easily one of the best horror movies ever made. The practical effects speak for themselves, but what really sells it is the feeling of isolation, suspicion and paranoia among the people on the research base. This theme is a masterpiece as well.
I paused the movie to see if I could find this song. After listening for a bit, I played the movie again. I have rarely felt as much panic as I did when the song resumed in the movie and I thought for a split second "holy crap it's following me."
My all time favourite horror/sci-fi film. And like some people have commented, the 2011 prequel really isn't as bad as people say, I actually quite enjoyed watching it and the ending really made me smile. Give it a watch people.
I agree. I also enjoyed the 2011 version. I think people flipped their shit mostly because of the CGI being used. "Hurr durr it uses CGI therefore it's bad". I guess for some people, the special effects is all there is to a science fiction movie...
Nebuchadnezzaurus the issue was the CGI used wasn't up to the standard needed, the 81 thing is remembered largely for it's visionary effects and so when a film released 30 years doesn't look as good as the original then it effects people perception. Overall I thought the new film was okay not great, It didn't handle the suspense well and I didn't find the characters engrossing.
Freshie207 I heard that they wanted to use the same visual effects as the original but the studio pushed them to do CGI and therefore it was rushed but I see where you're coming from. I'm not sure if it;s because I've seen the 81 Thing a few times but I thought the 2011 prequel did a better job on the whole suspense thing ... the scene where she had to check the fillings made me more tense than the blood test scene.
Anybody who loves The Thing (the 1982 version, not its weak remake) should read H.P.Lovecraft stories. In particular, the story "in the mountains of madness" (in addition to "Who goes there" story, of course). Lovecraft really creates this tension and feeling of unknown horrors in his stories. The Thing is hands down among the very best movies I have ever seen. A true classic.
It really *IS* one of the greatest films ever made, no question at all. For my money, it's practically faultless and an absolute work of genius from top to bottom. The only other film that I rate as highly as The Thing is Blade Runner. Unsurprisingly, they're my two favourite films of all time, even if they are different genres.
