@@hulkhatepunybanner the term "practical" is used because they were caught in-camera - so many young people refer to CGI in old films when it didn't really exist back then.
@@MGrayl-ib5fo *Yeah. They should be saying "props."* I'm just surprised that young people in the business don't know the terms. (As far as I can tell the term "practical" started with JJ Abrams, who didn't work in the special effects dept, and uses the term to minimize the efforts of FX people.)
@@hulkhatepunybannerpractical effects are used by a lot of film makers aswell it's an alternative term for Special Effects, you also ask "whats so special about them?". people, even experts like movie journalists, that use visual effects and special effects for the same thing are much much worse.
@@overdev1993 *Only after Abrams started calling it that.* There's a lot of FX documentaries around, you can prove me wrong by finding a pre-Abrams use of "practical" instead of "Special."
I have a college buddy who works at a research station in Antarctica. He says they have a tradition of watching this movie every year when the day is darkest. I guess last time they did it they actually got John Carpenter to Zoom in for a Q&A
Unsure if its the same station (most likely) but last I heard its the smaller winter crew, they usually watch both the 1951 Thing from Another World, and John Carpenters the Thing, its also just after the last flight leaves the continent before winter gets in full swing, meaning the skeleton crew is isolated for months.
My favorite thing about this movie is that it only reveals itself when it knows it's cornered. It has the facade of whoever or whatever it's imitating, it's trying to make you think it is that thing, but it's also paying attention, and when it knows the game's up it pops like a fcking jack in the box. There's something so nightmarish about that. I both love it and hate it, but mostly love it.
10:49 I've seen dozens of reactions to the "Dog Thing" reveal- fright, disgust, thinking it's incredible... But the complete "stunned silence" is a first and was awesome!
I think I was in aww! The makeup is unreal but my heart is torn and broken because of the poor dog(although I know it’s all fake) but I really think I was amazed because they went there and weren’t afraid! Because if this alien imitates it would try to take over any living thing Thanks so much for watching!
41 years later and those practical effects still look great. THAT is impressive. I also recommend looking up a short story written from perspective of the Thing - "The Things" by Peter Watts.
Seconding that, *"The Things" by Peter Watts* is an outstanding read! I have it bookmarked because it's so good to revisit and share with others! Great recommendation. For anybody curious, you can just google it, it's legitimately free to read in full (it's a short story, so kick back with some tea!). Google "The Things" and it should basically be the first result 🧡
I'm probably weird but I cried when I read that story. Not so much out of any sympathy for the Thing but for humanity after it pointed out how alone we are.
"You guys, i'm not gonna beable to handle this if these dogs all die".. 2 seconds later dogs face splits into 4 .... lmao im sorry it made me laugh a bit.
@@holddowna I was laughing at your blank/shocked look when that happened. It was like your brain was working on Windows DOS and was trying to load the appropriate response.😂 That is literally my favorite reaction so far.
You being completely frozen with shock when the infected dog's face peels back like a flower speaks volumes of how terrifying this film is. Top tier body horror.
I usually hate ambiguous endings also, because they're usually not done well, and it leaves you unsatisfied. This film was a rare case of ambiguity being executed in a nearly perfect way, perfectly appropriate.
It's easily a Top 10 movie. There is a prequel [The Thing (2011)] about the Norwegian Camp, but sadly, it just wasn't very good. John Carpenter didn't direct it, nor had any part in it. The most amazing part of this movie is how it was a failure in the theaters. It was competing against E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial by Steven Spielberg. It wasn't until the mid-90s that The Thing was hailed for being a great film and recognized as being ahead of its time.
Amazingly, the original story "Who Goes There" was written in 1938 by John W. Campbell. It didn't have much gore but the paranoia, mystery and suspense were incredibly written. I read it at the age of 13 and it scared the crap out of me.
The dog was named Jed and he was a half dog, half wolf hybrid. Richard Masur who played Clarke originally tried for the role of MacReady but he was happy losing the part and was overjoyed to work with the Jed. Seeing this movie as a kid with my older brothers was a trip being in a darken movie theater and EVERYONE was jumping out of their seats. People leaving the theater.
Sometimes there are benefits to being old. I saw this as a young USAF Airman. Half the experience was the audience reaction. The following night I came back to watch the audience: “The horror, the horror.” The following night I talked a bunch of guys from the barracks to pile in a car, and I got to see their reactions. This movie is best experienced in a cinema and that is an experience that may come to an end, just as drive ins did.
@@francisco5434 Dad was Airforce, had some guys over from (AFSPECWAR) total bad asses. One of em 6'4, 250 lbs jumped over the couch when the Norris Thing ate Doc's arms...LOL , good times.
I used to play Sargon Chess on my Commodore 64. It would make an illegal move across the board, then "Checkmate, Illegal move, checkmate. Would you like to play again?"
I can't say how many times I've wanted a movie to end. We don't need everything wrapped up in a bundle. The Thing, they just ended the movie. Best ending ever.
agreed. the countless number of hours people have wasted trying to figure out who the thing was at the end lol. the film makers have specifically said it doesn't matter and they intentionally left it ambiguous.
Agreed. And you could probably do an entire thesis on the psychology on how desperately many audience members try to wrest some kind of definitive resolution from the ending.
well yeah just look at how many pseudointellectual "video essayists" have hour-long breakdowns on why childs was the thing or some other dumb shit.@@rsrt6910
Original test ending had Mac and Childs being rescued and tested, and both found to be human. But it was felt to be too much of a happy ending, so they axed it in favor of the more ambiguous one.
Kennel scene was mainly Stan Winston's work. But yes, Rob Bottin really knocked it out of the park with all of his work, as well. On par with Stan's work.
Rob Bottin was 21 when he did the effects for The Thing. At one point, he had to be hospitalized for exhaustion. Stan Winston was brought in to work on the dog kennel scene.
True, Stan Winston was very beloved and very missed. I knew several people that were close to him, and they were still moved by his passing several years after he left us
You can't go wrong with any of the Carpenter/Russel team-ups. Theu first worked together in 1979 with the TV movie Elvis . Then there was Escape from New York and it's sequel, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China. They always had a blast working together.
Oof, I can't believe you said "You can't go wrong with Carpenter/Russel" and then mentioned Escape From L.A, the sequel to Escape from New York. That movie was not good. 👎 But ok, three out of four aint bad.
This movie has generated so much great dialogue and theory about who was infected first, who infected who and when, and whether MacReady and/or Childs were infected at the end. Lots of curious clues throughout the movie that you start seeing on repeated viewings and no definitive answers. Perfect story telling.
Rewatch the final scene with Mac and Childs several times, and interpret the dialogue that: They are both human One is human, the other a Thing. They are both Things. What's unspoken under the words changes with each listening.
This will forever be my favorite horror movie. It’s easily the most terrifying monster ever created by the human mind, and the fact that fans can still debate this film and the creature’s biology 40+ years later is a testament to its greatness. Thank you for a great reaction!
Timing is everything. ET: The Extra Terrestrial takes America by storm as this heartwarming adventure about a boy and his lovable alien. Two weeks later, The Thing comes out and bombs, hard. Everyone hated it. Critics and audiences alike wanted nothing to do with this gory, grim Horror about an alien bent on destroying humanity through mindless, soulless assimilation. Now, The Thing is widely considered one of the most suspenseful, captivating and impressive Horror films of all time. Ennio Morricone even won an Oscar for his score (having been repurposed for Tarantino's The Hateful Eight), despite said music getting a Razzie nomination back in 1983.
E.T. had nothing to do with The Thing tanking in the box office. Poltergeist, which came out the same month, and was part of the "Summer Of Spielberg", is what tanked it. That was the horror movie everyone went to see that summer, that month (June, 82). The Thing was an R rated movie, E.T. was marketed for kids, they had two completely different target audiences. Poltergeist had a huge buzz, for lots of reasons. That was the horror movie all the kids and teenagers went to that summer; The Thing was for monster movie die-hards who already loved the original film. (It was most definitely marketed as a remake, right down to the title font). But the REAL reason it tanked is that, as great as The Thing is, at the time it felt like Alien Goes To Antarctica. Word of mouth was "good effects, so-so movie". And by '82, we were used to being blown away by practical effects in horror movies; American Werewolf had come out the previous year, we were still getting over that one. So the fact that it had great special effects meant very little. Endless rewatches on late-night cable is where the re-evaluations began.
@tictocmelody9190 Siskel was very vocal about hating on the thing in favor of friendly alien stories. So... like op said, e.t. A lot of people were not prepared for how gory it would be, because the original was a 50's sci fi flick. Not a monster movie. The alien wasn't in it much. It's forgettable. People didn't think monster movie for sci fi also being horror, until 79's alien. Body snatchers was what people were expecting. Even poltergeist was tame by comparison. I never liked it much, the effects suck compared to the thing. It sold and got praise for the name attached to it. Carpenter wasn't a name yet.
@@tonyb7615 Dude, no offense, but you don't know what you're talking about. By 1982, everyone was well used to gore, and the horror movie that beat it at the box office (Poltergeist) had every kid talking about the gory face-in-the-mirror scene, this was ten years after Exorcist, people were well-used to gore in 1982, that has absolutey zero to do with it tanking at the box office despite the fantasies of people who were obviously not there at the time. If anything all the practical effects and gore were a YAWN, because it was simply the next horror movie with great, goeey special effects. It's what you do with those effects.......and at the time, it felt like Alien with snow, a flat horror movie with good special effects. Nobody had enormous respect for John Carpenter (or any horror director) in 1982, so that meant nothing to critics or audiences. Number two, I don't know why you're driveling on about Gene Siskel, as if he was the only critic in the USA. It got a lukewarm response from EVERY critic, at least every one that I remember reading (i'm in the NY metropolian area so there were a whole slew of 'em who weighed in). The movie tanked because 24/7 commercials were running on TV for "Poltergeist". Get it? Everyone was doing "Theeeeeey're heeeeeere." and telling their friends about the clown and the face being ripped off and the tree. Which sounded more original than "Alien Goes To Antartica". (plus it was PG, and Thing was R. plus Poltergeist had women in it, Thing is a bunch of grumpy dudes. All these things add up at the box office, sorry to burst your bubble.)
@@TTM9691 haha. You can Google siskels critique. I've seen it. He hates the evil alien taking over the earth trope. And everyone saw his show. No one cared about other new Yorkers and what they thought. It's a trash city full of trash people. Remember the granny driving around with a Smith and Wesson on her steering wheel... You don't have to be butthurt that critics hated on what's considered the best special effects movie of all time. Just blindly going with the crowd and pop culture didn't pan out did it? Lemme guess, you were still walking around in your disco crap because Travolta did it so it was cool? When everyone dropped that like the turd it was over a year prior? Poltergeist is largely forgettable and gets no one bothering to make vids when compared to the movie that inspired the younger gens "among us". So Spielberg makes e.t., siskel gets satisfied. Aliens transitions to action instead of horror. And we have to wait until a decade later to get scary aliens in fire in the sky, and proper sci fi in the outer limits reboot, and x files. All because siskel, the guy watched by the nation said poltergeist sucked but the thing had scary aliens, oh no. And a dude bro film beats a not modern day inappropriate portrayal of far eastern mysticism, I guess if you get hung up on crap like that.
One of the greatest Sci Fi Body Horror Thriller Films ever made! This movie wasn't well received by critics when it came as released in 1982 as they called it boring, dull, a wretched excess, as well as being a great barf bag movie. However it's gained a cult following overtime and has been regarded as one of John Carpenter's best films in his filmography.
The use of practical effects makes this movie a bench mark for all films. John Carpenter does a lot with very little, but he always does push things a bunch.
I saw this at the theater multiple times in one week because me and my group of friends loved it so much. That was back when cinemas - without batting an eye - would let toddlers in to see The Thing, American Werewolf In London, or Stripes. I had no business seeing Animal House at the Brighton Theater in Chicago when I was 9, but I'm glad I did. Also I need to revisit my hair regimen because I have no idea how to get mine looking as luxurious as yours. lol
The first time I watched this I was 4 years old (and the movie was new). I got half an hour in and then ran screaming to my parents' bedroom and pleaded to stay the night. Since then I have recovered.
my favorite horror movie! I wish they made movies like this again where the ending is bleak. "Why don't we just wait here a little while... see what happens" gives me chills every time. Not knowing if any of them are the thing is brilliant and so apocalyptic! Good stuff! To think that critics slaughtered this movie when it came out and people hated it back then is wild to me. It's a masterpiece in horror.
Great reaction to an iconic movie. No matter how many times I've seen it, the photography, effects, direction and acting always strike me as just brilliant.
Now that you've watched both An American Werewolf in London and The Thing, you should watch The Fly from 1986, since these three movies are regarded to feature some of the best makeup and practical special effects of all time. The Fly even won an Oscar for best makeup and stars Jeff Goldblum in arguably the best performance of his career.
During the dog kennel scene, the flower looking mouth thing that comes out from the thing and goes towards Childs, the individual "petals" are actually dog tongues
Well as all know, this movie bombed upon release. I met one of the actors a number of years later. When I told him I liked him in The Thing, he said, “you saw that movie?” Now it’s a classic! The inability to trust and paranoia is palatable. Love Kurt R.
Great video reaction. It’s always so fun seeing a genuine first-time reaction to this movie. It’s also fun watching you piece the clues together, and although you were pretty observant, the writer and director did an incredible job making sure there was no way to figure it out. People still have their favorite theories, but they always get debunked. Bottom line, this isn’t just a monster movie, it’s a masterpiece in suspense in which the alien learns from all its victims, some of which were millions of years more advanced than us. These poor souls were playing checkers with a chess master that was thinking five levels deep.
About six years ago I saw John Carpenter live with his band, playing keyboard in London on Halloween. I was with my mate Steve and had a Werewolf mask. Great days! Carpenter and co were awesome. Of course, he performed loads of the classic music in his films including The Thing. But he was also rockin' that night! I love this film. It's one of the ultimate 'what on earth would * I * do in that situation?' movies, and I think that's the secret to many great movies. I play a few excellent paranoia and hidden role board games (ones that make that Traitor TV series seem tame - and that's based on a basic board game too). It really recreates the The Thing vibe. If you like this movie and haven't seen it yet, check out the 1978 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers movie. A month ago I finished reading the original 1955 book and the movie massively did it justice (as did, to a degree, the classic 1956 movie). I'd love to see you watching something a bit full-on, like the Mike Hammer film noir Kiss Me Deadly from 1955.
Great reaction I've watched many of this film and sadly most are a riot of fail takes, blown predictions and annoying character mind reading. This reaction is sharp and I appreciate the engagement with the broader themes of survival, humanity etc. Very good
Probably the greatest example of practical effects I can point to, just barely nudging out The Fly. The end is one of my favorite finishes for a film I’ve seen due to the ambiguity. Anyone looking for a deep rabbit hole should seek out videos looking at the infection timeline.
Loved her look when Windows froze. It had already been established that Windows was on edge, especially after the key incident. When they were arguing about the blood, Gary, maybe due to the stress of the situation, forgot that he gave Windows the keys when Benning told Windows to get the keys from Gary, when Windows comes back and sees Bennings, he drops the keys on the floor and books it. Realizing that Gary could remember at any moment, Windows books it to the guns and tries to convince the team that Gary could be one of those things, pretty shitty right? He got what he deserved...
This movie came out two years prior to me entering film school. I was taking a high school class which included stage make-up and prosthetics among other things. (In my opinion, this movie has the best practical special effects sequence in all film history!) Ever since Star Wars (1977) I had been interested in film-making and special effects. (In Star Wars it was the miniatures, ship design, droids, etc.) This movie showed what is possible (pre-CGI) from a gore and horror approach.
The beginning of this movie is a great example of judging a book by it's cover. Every person I've seen react to this movie is always mad that they are trying to kill the dog. There's no context or other information given. They just see it and automatically say "hurt dog is bad". Even though they know it's a horror movie and starts out with a spaceship crashing on earth.
Howdy Ames. It’s been a while. “Dog eat dog”. Indeed. I’ve seen this film so many times, this time I just focused on your face. Fear. Apprehension. Glee. Terror. Astonishment. It was all there. It’s always a trip to watch a movie through your eyes.
The original “The Thing” movie from the 50s was one of John Carpenter’s favorite films when he was a kid (it was even shown being watched by the kids in Halloween). The scene when Palmer was torched by MacReady after the blood test was a direct homage to the original film. This movie was largely faithful to the original novella, “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, which is available to read on the web and is as riveting as the movie.
This movie is a wild ride. The practical effects are insane. Yes Blair became paranoid and out of control, but wasn't infected when he destroyed the vehicles and communications systems. He snapped and was determined to prevent the alien organism from leaving Antarctica to infect the entire planet, and didn't know who to trust. So he shot at anyone trying to stop him. If he had been infected his actions wouldn't make sense. So he was definitely infected at some point after being locked in the shed. The first time saw this I was really annoyed the movie ended abruptly, but I appreciate it more now.
When Blair shakes his head when the computer determines the Earth would be infected in 27,000 hours, is he concerned that it could happen that quickly, or concerned it will take that long?
@@brucebieberly4166 At that point Blair is definitely concerned about protecting humanity. That's what made him snap. If you listen carefully to what he's saying while destroying everything and shooting at the crew, it becomes clear he's determined to prevent the thing from reaching civilisation at all cost. Meaning they all must be willing to die to prevent the spread. It's likely Blair was infected after being locked in the shed, by Palmer while the crew separated seaching the base.
That's the beauty of this movie. Both our interpretations could be right. When Blair shouts "You think that thing wanted to be a dog?!" It could have been a warning, or it could have been fustration. A scene people don't really focus on is when Blair looks at the photo of the Norwegians' discovery, and his expression. Is he worried for humanity? Is he remembering all those centuries in the ice? I would give a lot to know what was Wilford Brimley's motivation, and John Caroenter's directions to him.
watching this as a 12 year old, when it came out. It scared the living shit out of us...and we couldn't get enough. Saw it like 4 more times. Next level effects and tension. Brilliant
Undeniable classic in psychological and sci-fi horror. Probably my favorite from a practical effects standpoint. The ending is still debated today as to who if either man left standing was THE THING. Love it. I definitely recommend more carpenter films. THEY LIVE is a personal favorite. That or assault on precinct 13 (1976) would be cool.
@@holddownaOne fun and creepy theory is that because Mac was carrying so many molotovos that the bottle he had and almost took a sip of was actually gasoline and the reason he laughed at the end was because he knew Childs was the thing cause he had no reaction to the gasoline he just drank but ofc this theory has a flaw and It's the obvious one, why would Mac drink gasoline.
Hahaha, like #15. This ought to be a fun ride for you. Saw this in a drive in theatre as a young boy after The Last Star Fighter, when I was supposed to be sleeping. Needless to say, I was haunted for a while after that.
Telling the *Only Pilot* on the base that if he doesn't want to fly then they dont fly. Always makes me chuckle. Probably because my dad was a helicopter pilot for 40 years.
We were very impressed by the film in 1982. Now imagine that you are today (rightly) in 2024. You can make a film that costs $3,000 billion and still be crap. And then you shoot like John Carpenter (other milestones include: The Fog, The Rattlesnake, Halloween, Assault - Attack at Night, Christine, The Powers of Madness and others) a film like The Thing which cost 19 million at the time. This film was unfortunately not successful at the time (I was 20 years old in 1982 and thought it was brilliant) but is now seen as a milestone. Success came when it was released on video cassette. The original from 1951 “The Thing from Another World” with a different approach, namely who or what is the thing, is highly recommended. Absolutely great film, without any bling.
@@disturbed1013 Did you like the 2011 film? In my opinion he was absolute rubbish. Once again, as is so often the case these days, trick technique should cover up glaring deficiencies. The 1951 film beats this film hands down. No matter whether 10, 20, 50 or 100 million were or will be invested, crap remains crap.
1:10 The title reveal was created by making a cut-out of the words "The Thing" with a black plastic bag behind it. They then burned (melted) the bag to expose the title. This was similar to the title graphics of the original film from 1951- "The Thing from Another World."
I saw this one twice in two weeks. I was about 23, met a guy backstage after a show I did in Phoenix (I think) said he did special effects for movies. About a year later, he got in touch with me and invited me and my friends to a premier of this movie. It was a soft premier for the SFX team and while I loved it, it was tough because everyone was nudging everyone else saying "see this? I did this part!!" So I went the very next friday with MY friends to the actual premier in West Los Angeles. THEN I fell in love with it!. Thanks for the reaction, that was a lot of fun
Ames, I so desperately wish John Carpenter could see your reaction to this masterpiece. You were so insightful, engaged and understanding of his vision for this film on a level that few reactors ever connect with it. The poor reception for this movie when it came out has always been a source of bitterness for Carpenter, and I feel your reaction (my favorite of the dozens I’ve seen) could be a good bit of catharsis for Mr Carpenter.
Aww Steve that really warms my heart! I can’t believe this movie had poor reception! It’s amazing! Perhaps they felt the spfx where too grotesque? It’s outstanding work and better than a lot done today! Thanks so much for watching!!!
@@holddowna Either Siskel or Ebert (can’t remember which) basically said that they felt the movie was needlessly gross for gross’ sake, or some such. It’s funny that the “professional” critics missed the entire point and genius of the movie, which you completely understood on the first viewing. As an older dude who didn’t really appreciate this movie as much as you when I first saw it on its release, it was truly a joy to witness your appreciation for it. My generation took this kind of art for granted somewhat, so it’s awesome to see it viewed “correctly”. Good editing as well, and thanks for the reply.
Nice work mentioning Tarantino! I always guessed Hateful 8 was inspired by the Thing... (Kurt Russell in a big hat in the snow!) Quentin confirmed it in an interview and said "Yeah, so was Reservoir Dogs"... It's the PARANOIA
I love the way this script turns our own innate trust and love of dogs against us. Even when the dog starts acting stiff and odd, most viewers' first thought is still "aw, poor little guy must be traumatized!" It's only on rewatch that you can see how the dog is cold, calculating, and eerily calm once the initial danger is past.
The Thing always knows it's the Thing. Once the host is infected or absorbed, they're dead. But they don't know that. You can't you and also be infected/absorbed.
I like that you mentioned Tarantino at the very start of the video; he's said in an interview before that The Thing was his main inspiration for writing Reservoir Dogs!
One of the best reactions to this film I've seen. Bravo. One tidbit about Mac and Blair "You gotta let me come back inside!" scene; The noose shows Blair has already turned. He made the noose to kill himself, but the Thing took over. The Thing also probably wouldn't understand that Mac could make the connection, depending on how much of a creature's cultural knowledge the Thing retains when it absorbs you.
I felt there were two possible other reasons: 1. To convince Mac he was too disturbed to be allowed back in (already turned and wanting to be left alone to construct the escape ship) 2. There was only one way in to the cavern, and we couldn’t see how the noose was attached or how long it was. He may have been using it as a hoist to lower parts down into his makeshift workshop.
@@francisco5434 Great points! Maybe Childs disappeared for a bit because he caught a plane to Florida, made some Chimichangas and then flew back in time to see the base explode. Makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
Easily one of the best & most iconic horror movies ever! The best special effects ever put to screen by a mile😎 Sooooo effective...once you see it, youll never be able to unsee the creature design! Id recommend the Fog next if you want to dive into JC, my second favorite Carpenter film behind the Thing
This movie has such a special place in my heart as it was the first unedited horror movie I ever saw. I was about 8 years old and I've loved it ever since. And I loved how you completely forgot about what you were saying about the dynamite.
I know I'm repeating other comments. But it's always Lovely Doggy and later kill the flipping dog! Ames. Great reaction loved how you were talking about the film but went speechless when the chest opened up. As a 14yr old when this came out. It had me swearing in front of my mum (Not good) But Ames. Is there gorgeous smile and laughing. Great channel and reactions. Cheer's Beautiful.x
the practical effects for this movie were amazing. I'm a huge fan of The Thing, so they actually had a pop up museum display of all the original effects in hollywood back around 2014 and I went to go get a tour. The artistic talent that these people possessed was just out of this world...
The lack of music makes this tense and realistic. You hear the dogs, you hear the screams, the echoes, the wind. You hear the chaos and the actors are all great. It will never be repeated in this way again.
The prequel tried. They DID perhaps the best, most fanatical recreations of sets ever done on film. It is incredible work. Unfortunately the characters and plot were trash.
Great reaction of an all time great movie. A "spectacle for my eyes" is a perfect description! And daps for calling out the amazing transitions, most people don't notice that.
Loved your reaction, Amers! Since 1982, I've always recommended this movie to anyone discussing the best horror movies. John Carpenter is one of a kind...and I believe he even did the sparse music that plays occasionally throughout the film.
The epitome of 'Pratical Special Effects'; great film that everyone stills enjoys! So glad you got to watch this. Another John Carpenter film from early on in his career is 'Starman' - 1984 film, suggest you add this gem to your future watchlist, you will not be disappointed.
Fun reaction. Hard to not dig that masterpiece. Aaaaah, reactors and their precious doggy at the beginning of the movie, though... ^^; Oh, and: "what is this thing?!?" IT'S THE THING!!!!!!
An awesome movie! This is the reason why Kurt Russell is one of my favorite actors! And in case you're wondering, the monster was still alive at the end of the movie. John Carpenter himself explained in an interview, that if you look closely when MacReady & Childs are drinking at the end, Childs breath is not seen in the cold, while MacReady's is. Meaning that Childs is the monster.
Mac offering Childs a drink was him testing Childs. The fact that Childs just accepted the bottle and took a swig, risking infection, is what tipped Mac off that Childs was already the Thing. That's why he chuckles to himself at the end. It's also a callback to Mac's first scene in the film: when he loses to the computer, he pours his drink on it. In the final scene, he's offering liquor to his non-human opponent. Checkmate.
I used to live in Minot, North Dakota. It would get as cold a -70° F that I've personally experienced. I brought this movie to show my coworkers one winter and scared them to death.
One of the craziest things to me is that when it replaces someone they do not know they are an imitation until the transformation triggers that's horrific 😢
I disagree. There are several times that those who are the thing give little hints that they know who they are. Palmer did right before the heated wire blood test. The look on his face right before Mac did it pretty much says it all.
I think it knows it’s an imitation. It would be weird if it didn’t know what it was or what its goals are. It just uses the absorbed knowledge to hide itself better and survive.
