In the summer of 1982, E.T. fever was gripping the nation. The drama about that cute little alien who befriends a boy on Earth became a worldwide blockbuster, leaving other major releases in the dust. One such release was brought to theaters by the same studio that had released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - that being Universal Pictures - and it featured the first major studio effort from a hugely successful cult filmmaker.
John Carpenter directed the adaptation of The Thing - based on John W. Campbell's novella Who Goes There?, which had seen an earlier classic film version in 1951's The Thing from Another World. Unlike that other film, Carpenter's dark vision failed.
It may be easy to see why The Thing was met with critical and commercial resistance upon its release. Even with Kurt Russell joining again with his Escape from New York director, the story about an unseen alien attacking inhabitants at a research station didn't seem to be a feel-good movie of the times. It also mixed in gory thrills and human paranoia, as the scientists try to figure out what is the actual cause of the Thing - and its motivations to become an imitation of a life-form.
In the desolate cold winter landscape of Antarctica, a U.S. scientific base is dealing with the day-to-day boredom - until a dog is shot after by a Norwegian hunter. The investigation soon leads the team - among them, hardened helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) - to investigate the Norwegian base and discovers nothing at first. Then another attack leads the resident biologist Blair (Wilford Brimley) to conclude the mysterious alien creature is able to take other life-forms and perfectly imitate their movements. Throughout the drama on the base, the team members turn against each other - especially when the angry-tempered Childs (Keith David) holds MacReady responsible for the chaos involving the Thing...and yet it keeps on attacking the base...
Upon first glance, the all-male cast of The Thing may suggest a testosterone-filled action thriller - and there are scenes involving guns and flamethrowers that may satisfy that demographic. Yet a closer inspection of Carpenter's story suggests a cynical-filled parable complete with blood, gore and strange creatures. The American research team finds itself devoured from within, and not just from the invisible force attacking. Kurt Russell leads the cast with a hardened edge as MacReady, with his character really lifting off in the second half. He does more than just spout off lines meant to be memorable for the "greatest movie quotes" book, especially when he kicks on the flamethrower to take down the Thing's different forms. Russell pulled off the bitter action hero well, in one of his best performances.
Wilford Brimley (unrecognizable without his trademark moustache) is gripping as Blair, the biologist who goes in over his head when investigating the potential of the Thing's attack on Earth. Keith David is menacing as the short-fused Childs, who gets into MacReady's face constantly throughout almost the entire film - especially when he refuses to believe the information surrounding the Thing. Other notable character actors who pull off great supporting efforts include Donald Moffat (as a lieutenant, and also gets a great scenery-chewing line while tied on the couch), a pre-Thirtysomething David Clennon (a.k.a. Miles Drentell), Richard Masur and Richard Dysart as the team doctor - years before donning an attorney's suit on L.A. Law.
While Carpenter had his trademark DP in Dean Cundey (working with him on the first three Halloween movies & The Fog) and had legendary composer Ennio Morricone write a haunting minimal score, the real star of The Thing may have been special makeup effects
designer Rob Bottin. He managed to create some of the most disgusting and horrifying creatures in cult movie history. To portray what happens when a life-form becomes enraptured in the Thing's clutches, Bottin utilized the use of long yet narrow arms and legs & even warped-up faces of the research team - along with the stunning use of blood - to show the monster at its most evil and diabolical. While he also got a major assist from creature-making legend Stan Winston (notably in a dog imitation from the Thing), it was Bottin's work that stole the show.
For all of its effectual magic, The Thing remains a dark, dour and deeply pessimistic work. Carpenter shows civilization being attacked not just from an enemy no one can see, but also from each other - and the odds of survival become even greater when there is no one to trust. Even with a recognizable ensemble of character actors and a cult director at the helm, its commercial failure was a blow to Carpenter's career. The timing of its release may have affected the film's fate, since it came out at the height of E.T. mania; other classics such as Blade Runner and Tron would encounter the same results at their releases. Despite the early disappointment, The Thing is a classic work of 1980s horror - with some of the goriest scenes ever committed to celluloid. Yet while Carpenter may have satisfied thriller fans with the volume of blood, The Thing's depressing tone - especially at its conclusion - keeps it from being a feel-good work of cinema.
