An alien entity that can take any living form invades an isolated scientific research station in the Antarctic. John Carpenter's "The Thing "is best known for some of the most startling visual effects--surreal, lurid, shocking perversions of the human body --ever committed to celluloid. At London's National Film Theatre in 1995, Quentin Tarantino named "The Thing" as one of his favorite films. Yet when it was released in 1982, it fared badly against another alien encounter movie, "E.T.," and critics panned it. But "The Thing "has aged well, and its influence can now be detected in everything from "Seven" to "Red Dwarf "and "The X Files." In her elegant and trenchant study, Anne Billson argues that "The Thing" has never been given its due. For Billson, it's a landmark movie that brilliantly refines the conventions of classic horror and science fiction, combining them with humor, Lewis Carroll logic, strong characterizations and prescient insight. The idea of an alien species mutating and inhabiting humans resonates all too chillingly with the mad cow disease crisis and today's new and ever more powerful genetic technology.
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"A stunning account of the facts and theory behind Carpenter's classic yuckfest." --"Empire
About the Author
Anne Billson is the "Sunday Telegraph'"s film critic. She is the author of the novels "Suckers" and "Stiff Lips "as well as several works of nonfiction.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Given the frosty reception that greeted the release of John Carpenter's excellent "The Thing" I was pleasantly suprised to see this release. Anne Billson provides an excellent "case for the defence" highlighting the parts of the film fans hold dear yet also giving some new perspectives, making one want to watch the film again! The author does not shy away from praising the film in ways which many critics usually shy away from - excellent effects and original profanity, as well as highlighting aspects from the source novel "Who Goes There ?" that made it into the film. The book is also lavishly illustrated and, though slim, is still one of the best books ever written on a film. This is an essential purchase for all "The Thing" and John Carpenter fans.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
With all the fuss of the remake - I embarked on a total THINGFEST in 2011 - reading the "who goes there?" novella, the multitude of movie scripts for all three cinema versions, the un-filmed scripts too, the comics, the John Carpenter movie's obligatory film tie-in novel with all it's myriad alternate scenes to the final product.
And I re-watched Carpenters movie - for probably the 100th time. It's brilliant. I used to watch it every day as a little kid, along with star wars, alien and assault on precinct 13. They were all superb movies.
And then there was this book - a supposedly academic study from the BFI - so I bought it and was stunned at how useless it was on so many levels - as it was frankly as illuminating as Arnie's imbecilic misunderstanding of the phrase "commentary" on the original Conan DVD.
This simply recounts the plot - inaccurately - and throws unconvincing postulations around - with jawdropping errors throughout I mean, whoever heard of Thermoid charges?
What I did learn from this book, was that my own essays and studies on film are far more rigorously academic and researched in much more depth.
For a thorough analysis of this classic movie I suggest people go to the outpost 31 website instead, and also, look at Cinefantastique magazine's incredible coverage of the FX work.
Sadly this slim volume provides no insight whatsoever for serious students of film, beyond the stunning horror at how it ever got published in the first place. I hate to be negative I really do, but I was saddened by this purchase more than almost any other.
And I re-watched Carpenters movie - for probably the 100th time. It's brilliant. I used to watch it every day as a little kid, along with star wars, alien and assault on precinct 13. They were all superb movies.
And then there was this book - a supposedly academic study from the BFI - so I bought it and was stunned at how useless it was on so many levels - as it was frankly as illuminating as Arnie's imbecilic misunderstanding of the phrase "commentary" on the original Conan DVD.
This simply recounts the plot - inaccurately - and throws unconvincing postulations around - with jawdropping errors throughout I mean, whoever heard of Thermoid charges?
What I did learn from this book, was that my own essays and studies on film are far more rigorously academic and researched in much more depth.
For a thorough analysis of this classic movie I suggest people go to the outpost 31 website instead, and also, look at Cinefantastique magazine's incredible coverage of the FX work.
Sadly this slim volume provides no insight whatsoever for serious students of film, beyond the stunning horror at how it ever got published in the first place. I hate to be negative I really do, but I was saddened by this purchase more than almost any other.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful resource for fans of this horror classic
24 Dec 1998
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Ms.Billson's book is an invaluable resource to anyone who has recognized the true genius of Mr.Carpenter's movie. I have been haunted by the themes and images of this film ever since I first saw it over 15 years ago. The greatness of this true horror classic is wonderfully defended by Ms.Billson with a style that not only makes for easy reading but allows the film's fans to once again relive the heart pounding brilliance of Mr.Carpenter's masterpiece.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anne Billson's fine critique of John Carpenter's The THING.
30 Aug 1998
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
As a devoted fan of John Carpenter's The THING, I was thrilled to come across Anne Billson's definitive tome about Carpenter's greatest film. Here Ms. Billson eloquently defends what she deems a horror classic. Describing the film scene by scene and injecting a lot of personal theory, Anne Billson has lovingly penned a tribute to the best monster movie of the last 30 years. A must for any fan of John Carpenter and horror films. Only Paul M. Sammon's wonderful Future Noir comes close to equalling the excellence of Billson's book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A breezy read, though not terribly deep
4 July 2005
By John S. Harris
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bilson is obviously a fan of the film. This isn't one of the more in-depth or scholarly analyses in the BFI series, but it does make a good companion piece to the film (and to the 1952 "The Thing From Another World" film version of the short story - "Who Goes There?" - that Carpenter's 1982 film is based on).
In a nutshell, Bilson asserts that the film critics who panned the film upon its initial release completely missed the boat and the point. This film was original in so many underappreciated ways, and it remains to this day a standard-bearer.
The author explores the idea that the titular Thing may as well be, for all intents and purpose, female. That, and that Carpenter and screenwriter Bill Lancaster were both very brave and correct to dodge conventional Hollywood wisdom by casting the film with all-male and mostly lesser-known actors, and that the timing of the making of the film thankfully preceeded the political-correctness period that now practically mandates a Rainbow Coalition of skin colors. Clearly, Carpenter was focused solely on the story, and kept all other interferences at bay.
One of my favorite assertions that Bilson makes, and I am certainly in agreement with her, is that if the AFI list of Greatest Film Quotes of All Time allowed for profanity, "The Thing" would be well-represented!
This isn't the most thought-provoking BFI entry, but it is affectionately written, for sure, without being kissy-kissy.
I still love this book series, however. I always ask for a BFI book for my birthday. Next BFI books up for me: "The Shawshank Redemption", "Crash", and "The Thin Red Line".
Stay tuned.
In a nutshell, Bilson asserts that the film critics who panned the film upon its initial release completely missed the boat and the point. This film was original in so many underappreciated ways, and it remains to this day a standard-bearer.
The author explores the idea that the titular Thing may as well be, for all intents and purpose, female. That, and that Carpenter and screenwriter Bill Lancaster were both very brave and correct to dodge conventional Hollywood wisdom by casting the film with all-male and mostly lesser-known actors, and that the timing of the making of the film thankfully preceeded the political-correctness period that now practically mandates a Rainbow Coalition of skin colors. Clearly, Carpenter was focused solely on the story, and kept all other interferences at bay.
One of my favorite assertions that Bilson makes, and I am certainly in agreement with her, is that if the AFI list of Greatest Film Quotes of All Time allowed for profanity, "The Thing" would be well-represented!
This isn't the most thought-provoking BFI entry, but it is affectionately written, for sure, without being kissy-kissy.
I still love this book series, however. I always ask for a BFI book for my birthday. Next BFI books up for me: "The Shawshank Redemption", "Crash", and "The Thin Red Line".
Stay tuned.
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