In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Tuesday 11 October 2011

The Thing (1982)

A team of scientists in the Antarctic, among them Kurt Russell wearing his best Bee Gees beard, encounter a parasitic extraterrestrial life form that brings a world of shit to their remote doorstep.
The Thing presents the perfect scenario for Carpenter who crafted a career making films about something outside trying to get in, and/or something inside trying to get out. It's his masterpiece and ironically his first studio production; everything prior, including Halloween (1978), were independent releases.
Roy Arbogast’s creature effects are superb, proving that CGI is the weaker, stillborn sibling. Spider-head gave me delicious nightmares as a kid.

5 bouts of icy paranoia out of 5

13 comments:

cuckoo said...

Another 5-er from me too.

Dr Faustus said...

I'm incapable of only watching one Carpenter film. I usually end up doing them all but I'll set a limit this time. I'll be doing the other two in the trilogy if you guys don't beat me to it.

cuckoo said...

No plans to do either of them. Carnival of Souls made me want to watch Madness though.

budarc said...

Trilogy? I was planning on watching the original, the remake and the prequel in one go, but that would be later on in the month, so no worries. I'll let the Carpenter fanboy take care of it. ;)

I was also planning In the Mouth of Madness, but you know what? My "list" now includes over 300 titles, so I doubt I'm going to get to all of them. :P Whoever watches it first gets to "nut" it, that's the damn rule.

cuckoo said...

I'll nut you first.

budarc said...

Oh shit, you meant the "Apocalypse" trilogy. Never you mind, then. ;)

Dr Faustus said...

Yea, it's a thematic thing, like Park's Vengeance Trilogy. I was planning on Prince of Darkness later tonight, and Mouth of Madness tomorrow.
I am, as you say, a fan boy. aka. Lost cause.

budarc said...

It's only fair. I've been purposely picking out my favorite movies and giving them all high marks. It's a Halloween free-for-all. ;)

Dr Faustus said...

I think for all three of us, Carpenter, Burton and Lynch are all high scores. I have a few Asian dirs I'd add to that list.

Lyedecker said...

"his best bee gees beard" :rofldata:

5 star film, through and through. a rare instance of a remake surpassing the original.

budarc said...

"I think for all three of us, Carpenter, Burton and Lynch are all high scores."

Add Hitchcock and Cronenberg to that shortlist, and you've got yourself a deal.

Dr Faustus said...

@ Lye: The best remake ever.
@ Bud: Hitch & Cronenberg for sure. I'll raise you Kurosawa and we'll have a hell of a game of poker.

Impudent Urinal said...

One of the few horror movies I like to rewatch. Paranoia inducing idea plus motherfucking Keith David is a win.
5 Murder everyone preemptively to be sure and go home, no one will ever know out of 5.