Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1587 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-06-04
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 108 minutes

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

'82 was a good year in cinema.
Good HD transfer of a classic paranoid nightmare. This film failed when it was released in 1982 seeing as it was the year of ET. The alien in this is not quite so cute and cuddly. Over the years it has built up a cult following. This is not IMO Carpenter's best - I'd give Assault on Precinct 13 that accolade but it comes darn close. It has an interesting take on the "alien" type genre and shows more than a nod to the paranoia of Mcarthyism/the cold war. It even has parallels in the paranoia we see today. The Antarctic provides an interesting and very claustrophobic setting. These people are alone and the tension is palpable.
The special effects stand up even today, and the music by Ennio Morricone is excellent. Plus it has one of the greatest ending's ever.
The new HD-DVD transfer looks pretty good to my eyes. So why not 5 stars? - well it's not quite in the same league as others of the genre such as Alien.

A film that stands the Test of High Definition
Not being a "fan", in the truest sense, of John Carpenter, I would state that "The Thing" is probably his best work. As a Horror film this is an all time classic, and when it came to HD DVD I had a fear that the film would not hold the test of Hi Def and look poor, however far from it!! John Carpenters The Thing looks amazing!!
The most impressive shots in the film are in the begining where you really get a sense of isolation with the backdrop of Antarctica and the visuals just look brilliant. Once we as the viewer reach the confines of the camp and the claustraphobia of the base, the visuals and the effects stand the test of time (and HD) so well this film could have been made yesterday.
If you are a fan of John Carpenter, then this is a Gem to add to your Hi Def collection, if you are not, then this is an excellent film that truly shows you what you have been missing with VHS and DVD til now.
Although this is not a film that will meet most folks tastes, it is still a great movie that just looks and sounds great and is only enhanced by its transition to the HD format.
Well worth a watch.

The best
John Carpenter's The Thing is as good as they come, and for my money, the best horror film of all time. Kurt Russell leads a great cast of character actors pitted against an alien which can take over any of them, copying them exactly, so no one knows who's who. The result is a terrifying tale of paranoia & fear. The astounding and graphic special effects by Rob Bottin have yet to be matched 25 years later, and the blood-testing sequence is as suspenseful & jolting as any scene ever committed to film. The Thing is an all-time classic & should be in any horror fan's library for sure.