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From Amazon.co.uk
Rather than opting to remake a classic of yesteryear, the team behind 2011’s The Thing had other ideas. Appreciating that, in particular, John Carpenter’s exceptional 1982 horror film would still be lodged in people’s minds, the plan here was to avoid the idea of simply redoing it. Instead, for this new The Thing, the story has been set earlier, making it a prequel to the earlier film.
It’s completely standalone, too, joining a team stationed at an Antarctic outpost that soon unearths something really quite extraordinary. Turns out, given that this is a movie, it’s the kind of thing they soon wish they hadn’t uncovered, as they find themselves stuck in the middle of nowhere, facing a very deadly foe. You can probably work out what that foe may be.
It all works a lot better than you may fear, too, perhaps over-relying on CG over practical effects, but still generating jumps and tension. The DVD presentation looks stunning at its best, too, with the barren, white landscape crisply presented.
The disc also boasts an interesting commentary, featuring director Matthijs van Heijningen, which dissects the film in an accessible manner. You sense that some sizeable stories have been left untold here, but it’s well worth a listen nonetheless. The other supplements are less bountiful, although they do at one stage dig into why the project was embarked upon in the first place.
After all, the truth is that this new film of The Thing is no much for John Carpenter’s earlier remake. But it’s still a carefully crafted, respectful and surprisingly appropriate prequel. --Jon Foster
Product Description
Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) joins a Norwegian scientific team in Antarctica that has discovered an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, and an organism that seems to have died in the crash. When an experiment frees the alien, a shape-shifting creature with the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being, Kate must join the crew’s pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. Paranoia soon spreads like an epidemic as they’re infected, one by one, and a thrilling race for survival begins… The Thing is a prelude to John Carpenter’s classic 1982 film of the same name.
Bonus Material:
- Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Two Phone Calls
It's True
Come In, Over!
That's Not Karl
Colin
Two-Heads
Start the Helicopter Now
- The Thing Evolves
- Fire and Ice
- Feature Commentary with Director Matthijs Van Heijningen and Producer Eric Newman
Bonus Material:
- Deleted/Extended Scenes:
Two Phone Calls
It's True
Come In, Over!
That's Not Karl
Colin
Two-Heads
Start the Helicopter Now
- The Thing Evolves
- Fire and Ice
- Feature Commentary with Director Matthijs Van Heijningen and Producer Eric Newman
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Stalker
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The only reason I bought this film was to see how it would tie in with the John Carpenter version on J W Campbells "who goes there". I can tell you now, that if you are a fan of the original Thing, then you WILL be disappointed. The film feels rushed, poorly edited and makes no sense whatsoever. In the original version, the shape shifting thing takes a long time to absorb an organism. But, in this version the two headed beast that MacReady and Doc find at the Norwegian camp took literally seconds. The parts that are CGI look CGI and the animatronics look too glossy, almost plastic in texture. The great thing about the original was the dark brooding atmosphere and unease between the characters. In this new version, there isn't a single likeable character. And finally, it still never explains how the guy sitting in the chair with his neck and both wrists cut actually managed to do it.
Do yourself a favour and watch Christian Nyby's and Howard Hawks version, "The Thing from another world" instead.
Do yourself a favour and watch Christian Nyby's and Howard Hawks version, "The Thing from another world" instead.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A few fondly remembered movies from the 1980's have beeen subject to the remake treatment lately. But when it came to The Thing [DVD] [1982], the makers of this new version opted instead to do a prelude [or prequel, if you will] to the original version. Although as anyone who has seen that will know [and you probably have if you're reading this] that film did offer the opportunity for such.
[Minor spoilers follow in regards to it, so be careful if you haven't seen it...]
The John Carpenter classic began with people from an American Antarctic research base investigating strange behaviour by two people from a nearby Norwegian base, and coming into contact as a result with an alien creature that absorbs and takes on the characteristics of any living thing it comes into contact with.
The Carpenter version didn't exactly reveal much about what happened at the Norwegian base, thus this new version takes the opportunity to do that, rather than simply remake what John Carpenter did back in 1980's.
Doctor Kate Lloyd [Mary Elizabeth Winstead] is a palentologist called in to help when the Norwegian team find a spaceship under ice in Antarctica, and a body of a creature near it. When the creature comes to life and starts to absorb and kill people, those at the base have a fight for survival on their hands. They have no idea if any of their colleagues can be trusted. But the creature can't be allowed to get out, or the future of the human race could be endangered.
This is thus set in 1982, and the production design is pretty good because it does recreate an 80's feel very well. In many ways it does feel as if could have been a product of the time.... Read more ›
[Minor spoilers follow in regards to it, so be careful if you haven't seen it...]
The John Carpenter classic began with people from an American Antarctic research base investigating strange behaviour by two people from a nearby Norwegian base, and coming into contact as a result with an alien creature that absorbs and takes on the characteristics of any living thing it comes into contact with.
The Carpenter version didn't exactly reveal much about what happened at the Norwegian base, thus this new version takes the opportunity to do that, rather than simply remake what John Carpenter did back in 1980's.
Doctor Kate Lloyd [Mary Elizabeth Winstead] is a palentologist called in to help when the Norwegian team find a spaceship under ice in Antarctica, and a body of a creature near it. When the creature comes to life and starts to absorb and kill people, those at the base have a fight for survival on their hands. They have no idea if any of their colleagues can be trusted. But the creature can't be allowed to get out, or the future of the human race could be endangered.
This is thus set in 1982, and the production design is pretty good because it does recreate an 80's feel very well. In many ways it does feel as if could have been a product of the time.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By french bob
Format:DVD
People describe this as a prequel to the 1982 classic.
But its so similar in so many aspects that my take is that this version is an attempt to outdo that film using the latest technology available which has resulted in a mere imitation of John Carpenter"s iconic and bleak masterpiece.
The makers were unable to match special effects and
the tension from JC"s creation,even though they went to
meticulous detail recreating the struggle in the Norwegian camp prior to The Things escape.
Credit for a strong attempt to capitalise on the classic,but for me nothing new was added and JC"s The
Thing remains King.
But its so similar in so many aspects that my take is that this version is an attempt to outdo that film using the latest technology available which has resulted in a mere imitation of John Carpenter"s iconic and bleak masterpiece.
The makers were unable to match special effects and
the tension from JC"s creation,even though they went to
meticulous detail recreating the struggle in the Norwegian camp prior to The Things escape.
Credit for a strong attempt to capitalise on the classic,but for me nothing new was added and JC"s The
Thing remains King.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Celina Grace
Format:DVD
If you haven't seen John Carpenter' incredible film (itself a remake), then this will past muster as a reasonably effective sci-fi horror. If you have, then this is, much like the alien of the film, a pallid imitation of the real thing. I'm afraid the fact that's it's supposed to be a prequel passed me by completely - as did the 1980s setting - although the final shot was a lovely one, for those of us who know the 'original' film.
It's efficient, especially in the first half but it had nothing like the creeping tension of the 1980s version. Note to the film-makers: less is definitely more.
It's efficient, especially in the first half but it had nothing like the creeping tension of the 1980s version. Note to the film-makers: less is definitely more.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jules
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
This is a pretty good prequel to the 1982 original The Thing with Kurt Russell imo, better than i thought it was going to be, as i love the original & have seen it numerous times. A Norwegian Antarctica based science research group uncover something underneath the Ice, and then we follow they're scientific leader Dr. Sander Halvorson (Ulrich Thomsen -Adam's Apples) as he hires Paleontologist(study of prehistoric life) Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead -Final Destination 3) to come & help investigate something they have found out there, purely on the premise that it's something they havent seen before, she accepts. Once the find is taken back to base & the group celebrate the discovery of the century, the merriments soon turn to horror, as whatever was in the ice has escaped running amok, but they cannot go anywhere, as a storm has moved in. It's time to see who is..... what!
Overall, from a nostalgic point of view, if you have seen the original before many times like myself, you will find this film hard to shock you outright as you already have a good idea of whats going to happen. It's just getting there that's going to be the interesting bit. And in that respect i thought it was rather good overall. It's still very much an enjoyable film as a science fiction horror by itself, but i would still recommend watching the original after or before this & see how it all ties in together. The mostly unknown cast of Scandinavian & American actors were decent.... Read more ›
Overall, from a nostalgic point of view, if you have seen the original before many times like myself, you will find this film hard to shock you outright as you already have a good idea of whats going to happen. It's just getting there that's going to be the interesting bit. And in that respect i thought it was rather good overall. It's still very much an enjoyable film as a science fiction horror by itself, but i would still recommend watching the original after or before this & see how it all ties in together. The mostly unknown cast of Scandinavian & American actors were decent.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some Good Moments
John Carpenter's 1982 version of The Thing is a classic horror but it left a few interesting questions aside from that fascinating ending. Read more
Published 22 days ago by D Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars
An ADEQUATE reproduction of a truely classic film!!
Having watched this film I must say that I was a little disappointed. I truly believe that it is no match for the original. Read more
Published 1 month ago by MR DAVID WRIGHT
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Thing. (The Remake)
At first when i first saw this remake come out i thought, not another remake of a classic film. But, actually this movie IS good not excellent. (Hence the four stars). Read more
Published 2 months ago by Four Star
5.0 out of 5 stars
some great thing
this is much better than the original and much more exciting,really enjoyed this version and well worth the watch,recommended for a scary night
Published 2 months ago by darren rainey-penton
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Thing
I DID NOT FIND THIS FILM VERY ENTHRALLING AT ALL TO ME ITS JUST THE ORIGINAL FILM BEEN BROUGHT UP TO DATE,never mind I watched it, with an open mind and enjoyed some of it. Read more
Published 3 months ago by david bowen
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Love It!
This was a great film! I am a big fan of the orignal film, so watching this to see what happened before was exciting!
Published 3 months ago by MarkAnthony
5.0 out of 5 stars
love
quality product used them before very happey with the product would recommend them to friend and family would re purchase
Published 3 months ago by andrew varden
5.0 out of 5 stars
the thing
i thaught this was gonna be a remake,but it turned out to be a very good prequel.
up to date visual effex,(the original was very plasticine/clay-motion)
regardsAleXx
up to date visual effex,(the original was very plasticine/clay-motion)
regardsAleXx
Published 4 months ago by sidewalksurfer69
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing.
was really looking forward to seeing this movie but was disappointed. Not a patch on the Kurt Russell one. Thought with the technology they have today it would've been better.
Published 4 months ago by DEBS
3.0 out of 5 stars
Your DVD collection is the warmest place to hide
Is this an original movie or actually a thawed and cunningly disguised impersonation of a John Carpenter movie made in the 1980's? Read more
Published 5 months ago by December Hare
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