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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
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
I have been a huge fan of this film since I first saw it in the eighties.
And as much as I enjoyed the VHS I used to own with all its imperfections, scratches and grain this is the way to see the film.
I have been a fan on most of John Carpenters films, and throw in Kurt Russell and I reckon I'm in for a good film. This film delivers by the bucket load, the effects still stand up pretty well and the excellent cast deliver some equally excelent performances.
As mentioned above I enjoyed the film when I saw it on a well worn rented VHS, I then enjoyed it more on the new VHS I later bought and then loved it on DVD. And to be honest I thought that was as good as it gets, how wrong was I!
The Blu-ray disc delivers unsurpassed quality with detail showing up that was just not visible on DVD, ok I'll admit that in a few of the helicopter shots you can see a bit of grain/imperfection but those times are minimal.
The detail seen in shots such as when MacCready is in the dark holding a flare is superb.
I would even go as far as to say that this copy makes the film look bang up to date and its hard to believe its been around so long.
I would recommend that any fan of this film rush out to buy a Blu-ray player so they can eperience the best ever version!
And any sci-fi fans or even horror fans who have never seen this film then give it a go, I think you'll like it.
And as much as I enjoyed the VHS I used to own with all its imperfections, scratches and grain this is the way to see the film.
I have been a fan on most of John Carpenters films, and throw in Kurt Russell and I reckon I'm in for a good film. This film delivers by the bucket load, the effects still stand up pretty well and the excellent cast deliver some equally excelent performances.
As mentioned above I enjoyed the film when I saw it on a well worn rented VHS, I then enjoyed it more on the new VHS I later bought and then loved it on DVD. And to be honest I thought that was as good as it gets, how wrong was I!
The Blu-ray disc delivers unsurpassed quality with detail showing up that was just not visible on DVD, ok I'll admit that in a few of the helicopter shots you can see a bit of grain/imperfection but those times are minimal.
The detail seen in shots such as when MacCready is in the dark holding a flare is superb.
I would even go as far as to say that this copy makes the film look bang up to date and its hard to believe its been around so long.
I would recommend that any fan of this film rush out to buy a Blu-ray player so they can eperience the best ever version!
And any sci-fi fans or even horror fans who have never seen this film then give it a go, I think you'll like it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
WOW.Believe it or not i had never seen The Thing until tonight.What an awesome movie.Bleak,gooey,paranoid...fantastic.Something that is truly shocking apart from not having seen it till now is the original critical savaging it recieved on it's original release.Everyone from the New York Times to Roger Egbert mauling the movie.Obviously these critics have revised their kneejerk opinions now but lordy lord...cast iron proof of the inherent idiocy,snobby,irrelevant agendas of critics.
I have even read a quote by John Carpenter saying how the failure of the movie hit him hard,even the director of the 50's Thing was dissing him along with supposed "sci fi" fans.Shocking.This is a perfect piece of genre movie making,also as with the best horror or sci fi movies you can apply metaphor to The Thing whether this be about disease or lack of trust between humans.
One can only assume that in 1982 there was only room for one alien,this being E.T.Sometimes films no matter how good just don't hit the jackpot.It could something as moronic as a title..."what's this thing The Thing?"
Maybe a film sent in the artic with a bunch of beardy men living in close quarters doesn't have that summertime box office appeal.Or as an audience we are totally redundant,ignorant.
Get this The Thing opened at the same time as Blade Runner.....gore blimey talk about double dribble!These two movies ON RELEASE we're treated awfully.Bloomin Spielberg hey!
The special effects in The Thing are truly special,i did wrench a couple of times.Amazing stuff.The work that went into this movie shows,definetly a labour of love.The Thing is awesome and easily settles its slimey bottom in my top five movies of all time.That John Carpenter for even a NANO SECOND thought this was any type of failure is a travesty.As the film has since flourished in the home market and gained considerable status Carpenter hopefully feels what he should always have felt HE WAS RIGHT.Yeah Carpenter made a few stinkies but....HALLOWEEN,ASSAULT ON...,THE FOG,ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK,BIG TROUBLE...GENIUS.Sod Coppola give me Carpenter any day.Guy is a god.
All in all i think you can gather i rather liked The Thing.I am going to say this for the very first time as i can
THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO.
I have even read a quote by John Carpenter saying how the failure of the movie hit him hard,even the director of the 50's Thing was dissing him along with supposed "sci fi" fans.Shocking.This is a perfect piece of genre movie making,also as with the best horror or sci fi movies you can apply metaphor to The Thing whether this be about disease or lack of trust between humans.
One can only assume that in 1982 there was only room for one alien,this being E.T.Sometimes films no matter how good just don't hit the jackpot.It could something as moronic as a title..."what's this thing The Thing?"
Maybe a film sent in the artic with a bunch of beardy men living in close quarters doesn't have that summertime box office appeal.Or as an audience we are totally redundant,ignorant.
Get this The Thing opened at the same time as Blade Runner.....gore blimey talk about double dribble!These two movies ON RELEASE we're treated awfully.Bloomin Spielberg hey!
The special effects in The Thing are truly special,i did wrench a couple of times.Amazing stuff.The work that went into this movie shows,definetly a labour of love.The Thing is awesome and easily settles its slimey bottom in my top five movies of all time.That John Carpenter for even a NANO SECOND thought this was any type of failure is a travesty.As the film has since flourished in the home market and gained considerable status Carpenter hopefully feels what he should always have felt HE WAS RIGHT.Yeah Carpenter made a few stinkies but....HALLOWEEN,ASSAULT ON...,THE FOG,ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK,BIG TROUBLE...GENIUS.Sod Coppola give me Carpenter any day.Guy is a god.
All in all i think you can gather i rather liked The Thing.I am going to say this for the very first time as i can
THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TO.
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
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.
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Awesome
quite simply awesome. the film is old and the special effects are dated, but this takes nothing away from the film. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Slopey
The Thing (1982 John Carpenter, 2010 DVD release): A Thing of wonder
I have long been a fan of John Carpenter's The Thing, the 1982 version of the film starring Kurt Russell, but for different reasons as I have grown older. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Victor
Blu-ray brings out the film even better than expected
I have been a big fan of this movie for years, I bought the Collector's Edition DVD when it came out and now stepping up to Blu-ray made it even more of an experience. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Commander Data
The Thing...John Carpenters Masterpiece...
I first watched "The Thing" way back in the summer of 1984 on video, I had read the reviews of it (Starburst magazine, & the Late John Brosnan), and knew that it was going to be a... Read more
Published 28 days ago by sam lowry
Pretty good, well made and acted pre-CGI Sci-Fi/Horror movie.
First of all I must confess that I'm:
A. Far from being a horror movies fan.
B. Haven't seen the movie at the time it was released (although I was a perfect... Read more
A. Far from being a horror movies fan.
B. Haven't seen the movie at the time it was released (although I was a perfect... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Say No More 67
It's like a bullet through your chest!
The roots of this movie run deep, reaching down to as soon as the year of 1938, when the science fiction novella "Who Goes There?" was written by John W. Campbell, Jr.. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ManInsideTheHelm
A Timeless Horror Classic (1982 Version!)
Let's face it, time moves on & some older movies just don't seem as scary as they once did. This is certainly not the case with the 1982 version of The Thing. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sean T. Page
blu ray review
Quite possibly one the best blu ray conversions of an older film I have seen.
This was the first blu ray I purchased as it was a favourite film of mine and wanted to see what... Read more
This was the first blu ray I purchased as it was a favourite film of mine and wanted to see what... Read more
Published 2 months ago by G. Edwards
5star delight
Spec saver critics giving one star for one of the best films ever made must surely be not only short sighted but short on IQ , me thinks xbox is your true domain !
Published 2 months ago by D. cannon
the thing
I love this film its well made and very atmostheric. i first watched this when i was a child and i have resently watched it again and i still love it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by orchid
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