Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2303 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-10-06
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Czech
• Dubbed in: Italian, Polish, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

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

Video Description
DVD Special Features

80 minute original documentation location footage
Running documentary with Kurt Russell and Director John Carpenter
Outtakes from the film
Cast production notes
Storyboards and conceptual art
Location Design
Production archives
Production background archives
Original theatrical trailer
Production notes
Post production
Menu Music
Cast and filmmaker's notes
Language: English/French/Italian
Subtitles: English/French/Dutch/Portuguese/Swedish/NOrwegian/Finnish/Danish/Czech
Running Time: 104 mins approx
Ratio: 2.35:1

Synopsis
Based on both the short story by John W. Campbell, Jr. and the 1951 film produced by Howard Hawks, THE THING is John Carpenter's stunning masterpiece of horror. A group of weary scientists enduring the winter in an isolated camp deep in Antarctica chance upon an alien spacecraft buried in the ice. Near the strange craft is the body of an alien being, frozen solid. Thinking they have made the find of a lifetime, the scientists bring the alien body back to camp and thaw it out. The alien awakens, not in the best of moods, and proceeds to take over the identities of the scientists, one by one, body and all. Helicopter pilot MacCready (Kurt Russell) must lead the surviving men in discovering who among them is human and who is not and how they can destroy "the thing" before it takes them all and moves on to the heavily populated mainland and the rest of humanity. Rob Bottin supplies the awe-inspiring special effects of the creature in its many, ever-changing forms. The effects were groundbreaking at the time and hold up flawlessly over the passing years. But Carpenter does not rely solely on special effects, utilizing his spectacular cast, which includes Wilford Brimley and Richard Dysart, to create three dimensional characters enduring an unthinkable situation. The score from Ennio Morricone is understated, yet increases the tense mood tenfold. Shooting was difficult and done in below freezing conditions, but despite the discomfort the cast and crew produced a truly terrifying film that will stand the test of time. THE THING is surely one of Carpenter's definitive films and a true horror classic.

Customer Reviews

An Absolute Classic!
Based on the 1930's short story "Who Goes There" by John W Campbell Jr (as was the 1950's film The Thing From Outer Space), "The Thing" is a masterpiece of horror movie-making.
The film has it all - action, suspense, paranoia and a great story-line. Carpenter's direction has never been better before or since and I think that is because the materials he had to work with were so inspired to start with.
Kurt Russell is comfortabe with his role as McCready and Wilford Brimley is excellent as Blair. In fact, the entire cast give strong performances as the men of the arctic base suddenly don't know who to trust. And that is what the story is essentially about - trust and not being able to rely upon appearances.
The film's sense of claustrophobic paranoia is excellent, and the story will keep you guessing right up to the end (and beyond).
If youhaven't seen "The Thing", I highly recommend you buy this DVD version of a classic horror tale.

A very intense scary movie
If you can remember Alistair McLeans "Ice Station Zebra" then "The Thing" will really grip you with some stunning special effects and a superb atmosphere throughout the entire movie.

A group of scientists who have travelled to this remote ice station to carry out research discover a massive Flying Saucer imbedded in the ice but unknowing to them its occupant is hiding in a dark corner waiting to inhabit a human body and digest it from the inside out.

It is the suspense of not knowing what will happen next that makes this a trully great film.Possibly due to its slow pace it may not appeal to everyones taste but when the alien form makes its appearence you soon realise this is a superb film with some simply stunning special effects.

Each member of the team soon realise that THE THING may be lurking in any one of their team and the not knowing who gives it a 5 star rating.

The scene that really steals the show has a canine flavor and to tell you what happens will spoil the entire film.

If you enjoyed Alien then this film will certainly make the grade,but if a slow paced gripping drama is not for you then look elsewhere but for gripping drama with incredible special effects this film is amongst the best out there.

Very Good
Released in 1982, The Thing was John Carpenter's 18-rated remake of the classic 1951 sci-fi horror The Thing From Another World. While both were based on John W Campbell's short novel Who Goes There?, Carpenter's version depicts the effects of the alien invader by using cutting-edge special effects, allowing the audience to more properly understand the fear and mistrust felt by the twelve men who are stranded with it in the middle of nowhere. The film is similar in some aspects to Ridley Scott's Alien, with both films featuring a handful of stranded individuals trying to defeat a seemingly unstoppable monster, which picks off the crew one-by-one. The Thing combines Carpenter's knack for creating classic horror films, such as the Halloween series, with Kurt Russell's own brand of action as seen in Carpenter's Escape From New York.

Like the 1951 version, Carpenter's film played on the climate of the time, with the invisible, blood-borne infection seen in the film being admittedly reminiscent of AIDS and other diseases which were at that time just beginning to surface. Although it failed to compete with ET - The Extra-Terrestrial, which was also released in 1982, The Thing became more popular during the 1990s as critics began to give the film greater regard, recognising the psychological aspects of the film instead of providing a knee-jerk reaction to the film's gore.