Welcome to another one of GSB FLASHBACK! This is my blog series where I suggest old films and Television shows for all you 'younger' geek brothers and sisters to watch. You might think they're corny at first, but give them a chance and you will probably see how creative and original these films were back in the day.
Today's suggested film is one of my all time favorites. A classic sci-fi Horror called 'The Thing'. It's about a stranded research team in the antarctic that finds themselves dealing with an alien that is hiding in plain sight... literally! Check out the trailer:
Oops!! Right monster, but Wrong trailer. The version above is the 2011 The Thing, which is actually a remake of John Carpenter's classic 'The Thing' (1982); the real Flashback for today. Carpenter's movie was a major achievement in horror at its time. Just like the movie 'Alien' was groundbreaking for its effects and sheer horror, 'The Thing' had done some effects never seen before. John Carpenter's vision made him the master of horror and 'The Thing' was, in my opinion, his crowning achievement. I think what set this movie apart for its time wasn't just the incredible pre-computer effects of the monster, but also that Carpenter used the device of paranoia in the storytelling so well. Every character couldn't trust the next. And the audience didn't know who to trust either. It may not hold the fear factor that movies have today, but it should still be entertaining to all:
Oh wait a minute! The 2011 version of The Thing is actually a remake of a remake? That's right, Carpenter took the idea from the original 1951 movie called "The Thing from Another World" directed by Christian Nyby, but unofficially directed by Howard Hawks which you can see in the dialog and shots. Just to let you know, this is also one of my all time favorites of what I consider CLASSIC classic sci-fi/horror films. Watch this film if you get a chance, either before or after you watch Carpenter's film, and I think you will enjoy it and find the 1982 interpretation more interesting.
And all of this is actually based on a 1938 book called 'Who Goes There?' by John W. Campbell. I haven't read it, but it's supposed to be pretty good. - GSB
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