The Thing [1982] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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Primary Contributor : Wilford Brimley
Primary Contributor : T.K. Carter
Cinematographer : Dean Cundey
Composer : Ennio Morricone

Product Details

Actor : Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart
Format : Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
Binding : DVD
DVD Layers : 2
DVD Sides : 1
EAN : 9780783227504
Picture Format : Letterbox
Product Group : DVD
Region Code : 1
Release Date : 1998-09-09
Running Time : 109minutes
Studio : Universal Studios
UPC : 025192032929

ASIN : 0783227507

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

John Carpenter's apocalyptic The Thing was released in cinemas just two weeks after E.T. in 1982. The two movies could hardly have presented more contrasting ideas about extra-terrestrial life, and it was Carpenter's uncompromisingly bleak vision that lost out at the box-office. But his audacious remake of the Howard Hawks 1951 B-movie The Thing from Another World has since been acknowledged as a classic in its own right, not only for its pioneering makeup and special effects techniques, but also for its bold treatment of an alien "infection" that eerily foreshadow s AIDS-inspired blood contamination scares. Whizzkid Rob Bottin was responsible for the surreal and stomach-churning make-up effects that are so crucial a part of the film's success--without his utterly convincing creations Carpenter would never have been able to make a monster movie without a "man in a suit"--and filming on a glacier in British Columbia ensured the complete authenticity of the Antarctic setting. Kurt Russell leads a strong all-male cast who powerfully convey their isolation and distrust of one another--in more ways than one this is a film about alienation. The uneasy atmosphere is enhanced by an icily monochrome score from Ennio Morricone, as a series of unforgettable horror set-pieces lead to a wonderfully downbeat finale.

On the DVD:: The bonus features are exemplary, notably the excellent 80-minute documentary, "Terror Takes Shape", which covers all aspects of the production; and the relaxed, friendly, informative commentary by director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell--a model for how all commentaries should be. There's also an outtakes reel with some tantalising stills of unused footage. Text and stills-based montages illustrate the location design, conceptual artwork and various other aspects of the production. The sound mix is Dolby 5.1, although the non-anamorphic widescreen picture is not all it could be. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews

More Carpenter than him you die (2008-08-03)

This film is a sort of Matrix for many modern films about aliens. It has antecedents for sure but they did not have enough special effects and big enough budgets enabling them not to show the zipper in the back of the monsters. The original element is the location: the Antarctica. A place that has been re-used since by a certain Predator when he met with some Aliens of a more recent generation. There, if an alien life form that can penetrate any living organism and take it over completely appears it can disrupt any human group so much that they will self destroy in order to destroy the alien thing forgetting that anyway the alien form can survive even centuries of glaciation because it is not human or animal and hence it is not even sensitive to cold. The alien is always the winner and it will sooner or later manage to learn how to be patient, penetrate a living organism and stay rampant in it long enough to be taken to real society, to millions of people concentrated in small areas That's the idea of the film. And it ends the way it has to end. Two apparently human beings are still alive. One is contaminated, probably not two, but they are going to die of cold in their human form, their human organism. Carpenter even makes one black and the other white and the circumstances he uses makes the black one dubious, suspicious, whereas the white one seems to be the normal one, but who really knows? The alien or aliens will go dormant in the cold, in hibernation. There is no escape, no end. Our human world is bound to be taken over not by more intelligent beings but by biologically more advanced life forms. And we may wonder if our intelligence will be enough to compensate for the handicap.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Beware - non-anamorphic picture (2008-07-07)

This is a classic sci-fi film and arguably the best film that John Carpenter or Kurt Russell have ever made.To modern viewers some of the special effects may look dated now, but they were state of the art at the time. Regardless, there are still some genuinely tense/scary moments in this film.But I can't understand why so many people have given it a "perfect" 5 stars when the picture on the DVD is non-anamorphic and this results in a tiny image in the middle of your TV screen.Great film? yes, great DVD? no!

Great down beat finale (2008-03-11)

Director John Carpenter and special makeup effects master Rob Bottin teamed up for this 1982 remake of the 1951 science fiction classic The Thing from Another World, and the result is one of the best movies of the 1980's. No doubt about that."The Thing" has a wonderful atmosphere right from the beginning, when the director establishes the vast isolation of Antarctica with some stunning shots. From there, he draws closer and closer in, with some actual horror mixed with well-done suspense (highlight = a dog that splits open and blossoms into something gruesome). An added bonus: the glimpse at the technology of yesteryear, especially the computers and boomboxes. All the actors are well-chosen and create defineable characters and the fate of each comes as something of a shock. Carpenter even preserves the original opening of the movie he's remaking. Unfortunately, lately, I have to say he's rather lost his touch.PS. the sound track is excellent.

John Carpenter at his best! (2008-01-03)

Classic horror from one of the masters with some of the best special effects I've seen in an early 80's film - not one to watch if you're squeamish!!The plot focuses on an antartic outpost where a group of researchers are isoloated and alone, it brings together science (blood infection) and science-fiction (aliens that can take on the appearance of humans) and adds a big dose of psychological suspense.Definately one for horror fans to add to their collection.

The Thing (2007-12-11)

This movie has just got to be one of the best horror flicks ever. Forget Nightmare on Elm St, and other such modern horrors, The Thing (1982) is the real deal. John Carpeneter worked miracles with the effects, and the story line is fab. Some classic (and hilarious) one liners as the crew begin to doubt each other as suspicions rise and they don't know who The Thing has infected. Brilliant acting. I guess you would be slightly paranoid in that situation! However, the movie is a little slow to start, but pay attention, as it gives you the background on how The Thing came to be there. Stick with the first 20 minutes or so, and be prepared to see a classic horror that has everything. This is just a great film full stop. Old school lives on!

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