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The Thing From Another World [DVD] [1951]
 
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The Thing From Another World [DVD] [1951]

DVD ~ Margaret Sheridan
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
RRP: £9.99
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Frequently Bought Together

The Thing From Another World [DVD] [1951] + Them [DVD] [1954] + Forbidden Planet - 50th Anniversary 2 Disc Special Edition [1956] [DVD]
Total RRP: £39.97
Price For All Three: £11.84

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Product details

  • Actors: Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, Robert Cornthwaite, Douglas Spencer, James R. Young
  • Directors: Howard Hawks, Christian Nyby
  • Format: PAL
  • Language English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 2
  • Classification: 12
  • Studio: Universal Pictures UK
  • DVD Release Date: 19 Mar 2007
  • Run Time: 83 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000KJT7V4
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 5,832 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    Popular in this category:

    #28 in  DVD > Classics > Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

With its modest special effects, lean plot, and small cast of lesser stars, this 1951 thriller remains a sturdy blueprint for fusing horror and science fiction. The formula has been employed countless times since, fleshed out with more extensive and elaborate production values, and manned by higher profiled marquee names, but the results have yet to improve on The Thing from Another World, Howard Hawks's lone foray into sci-fi. The story begins as military airmen are dispatched to a remote Arctic research station where scientists have detected the crash of a spacecraft. An effort to retrieve the saucer-shaped vehicle fails, but the team returns to the station with the frozen body of its sole occupant. When the extraterrestrial pilot is accidentally thawed, the crew, headed by a tough-talking pilot (Kenneth Tobey), grapples with a massive, chlorophyll-based humanoid (James Arness) thirsty for blood and in no mood for galactic diplomacy.

Hawks takes only a production credit for this low-budget exercise, but his filmmaking style transcends Christian Nyby's nominal direction: rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue, an ensemble of comrades whose professionalism is tempered by wisecracks, and unsentimental female characters (embodied by feisty romantic interest Margaret Sheridan) recall Hawks's signature works, while propelling the plot over any potential gaps in credibility. It's hardly surprising, then, that The Thing from Another World remains among the most influential science fiction movies ever shot, or that it remains exciting entertainment a half century later. --Sam Sutherland

Synopsis

The air force is asked to investigate the crash of an unidentified object and discovers a strange spaceship and a mysterious figure frozen in the ice...

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Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
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 (14)
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 (3)
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 (3)
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A classic of its kind., 12 Feb 2007
By Johnnybluetime - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)      
This is without doubt the best of the '50's aci-fi movie's that followed the onset of the Cold War.It's a simple story,a monster on the loose in a restricted and restrictive enviroment,in this case a scientific station in the Arctic.An airforce crew are sent to investigate reports of an aircraft crashing nearby,which turns out to be a flying saucer.Nearby,encased in the ice,is the pilot and when he defrosts it turns out he's in a mighty hungry after his long journey.And,unfortunately for some of the residents of the station,on the planet that The Thing is from, evolution has taken a different course to ours and vegetables drink blood.Human and animal.

Sounds pretty formulaic,but what really sets this film apart is the acting,direction and script.A fine ensemble cast bring interest to even the most minor characters and Kenneth Tobey,Margaret Sheridan and Robert Cornthwaite give their best performances along with several others.That's down to the dialogue;often smart and sassy,overlapping like a good Altman movie,and when it gets technical it stays believable.

Nothing stays still for long,something's always happening, but the tension,and the film actually is tense despite being 56 years old,is maintained by largely not showing the monster.We catch glimpses;in the distance in a snowstorm,through a briefly opened door,in the chaos and confusion of a fire.Enough to satisfy us,but not so much we take it for granted.

In the past there have been claims made that Howard Hawks directed it,even so the name on the credits still says Christian Nyby ,but whoever did it did a damned good job.Like Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers this film transcends its genre and that's why it's been remade so much,once officially,by John Carpenter,and several times unofficially in theme and plot.

Carpenter's version is easily as good as this original,albiet a lot gorier and with more special effects,and if you like the plot and atmosphere of one you'll like the other.However,if you're only interested in the blood and guts of Carpenter's version you might as well give this one a miss.For myself I find it an endlessly rewatchable late night movie.Up there with Hichcock's 39 Steps or Bob Hope's version of The Cat And The Canary.
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19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Great film but BIZZARE release on DVD!, 13 April 2007
By P. D. gray "Paul G" (Tyne and Wear, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I agree with all the views posted on this DVD. I saw this in the shops and was glad to see it was a 2 disc release but confused as to what 3 versions of the same film were doing on it. Firstly the original black and white, then the colourised version and lastly a remastered version of the original black and white. I thought that perhaps they had revamped the effects in the remastered version and added sound effects or something, there must be SOME reason for including 2 versions of the black and white film but no, bizarre. If you cleanup and remaster a black and white film then you put that on the dvd and not ALSO the crappy one, why do that and basically take up another disc??? did any thought go into this release? The commentary by John Carpenter is on the uncleaned black and white film so perhaps thats why it was included, maybe they couldnt licence the commentary for the cleaned up version but that sounds rather unlikely. Anyway, great film but a very strange release, no documentaries, no extras..nothing, just 3 versions of the same film, they could have left the crappy black and white uncleaned print off and made it a 1 disc release. Mind you, even though its 2 disks, most places have it pretty cheap so at least your not paying over the odds for it!
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The King of B-Movies!, 14 Dec 2003
By Deborah MacGillivray "Author," (US & UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: The Thing From Another World [DVD] [1951] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
I am a sucker for old Black and White horror/Sci-Fi. This is one I bought on VHR and then on DVD. I am sure years from now when they have another format, I shall buy it once again. I just enjoy it that much.

The Special Effects are not too much. The great winter scene they filmed when finding the spacecraft was filmed in the desert!! The Thing is Matt Dillon (no, not the actor but Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke - James Arness! Marshall Dillon what wuz you doin' at the North Pole?).

Where this film keeps is high rank and respect, is through taut direction, fast pace and strong performances from character actors such as Kenneth Tobey, Dewey Martin and Robert Cornwaithe. Based on John W. Campbell Jr.'s story "Who Goes There?", it's a handful of Air Force lads against the evil menace battling to the death to save the world. Christian Nyby is credited with directing this, though many swear it was really Howard Hawks (and it has the trademark of many Hawks films).

It's interesting to compare John Carpenter's version done in 1982. Carpenter how did previous take off on Another Hawks' film, and in this one reversed the sense of US against IT, by making his crew doubt each other (more true to Campbell's story).

Both film are interesting on many levels, but the main 'THING', they are great fun!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars worth watching, at the right price...
worth watching, if you can pick it up cheap or as part of a collection.
classic 50's "cold war" paranoia sci-fi, and even worth a look as a kind of "prequel" to Carpenter's... Read more
Published 1 month ago by edchristopher

5.0 out of 5 stars 50s Sci-Fi Excellence
I first saw this picture on Moviedrome on Sunday night in my late teens. Already being a fan of black and white Sci- Fi pictures thanks to my mum I was immediately enthralled... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Patrick Cann

5.0 out of 5 stars The Thing From Another World 1951, 2 disc edition - The original and best!
For years I've been a fan of John Carpenter's version of this classic, and have been waiting for a chance to see this, the original, produced by Howard Hawks in 1951. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Victor Tugelbend

4.0 out of 5 stars Sci Fi Classic
Based on the novel Who Goes There this Howard Hawks vehicle is a masterpiece. The cast with one huge exception are excellent. Read more
Published 14 months ago by G. R. Donaldson

4.0 out of 5 stars The Thing
This is a classic movie and Shows Hawks great style but if you've ever read John W Campbell Jr's Book Who goes there? Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. D. Williams

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly my all-time favourite movie....
It's a toss-up between this utter classic from 1951 and creature-feature 'Them!' for my fave film ever... Read more
Published 20 months ago by R. V. Halward

3.0 out of 5 stars An ok sci-fi movie for the 50's
I general like watching black and white movies regardless of genre. However having read John W Campbells short story Who Goes There several times this movie has little to do with... Read more
Published on 19 Nov 2007 by C. Dunlop

5.0 out of 5 stars Watch the Skies!
Unforgettable film. Watch the skies. Always watch the skies. I'd seen it before of course and would only have lowered my rating if there was a problem with quality. Read more
Published on 12 Nov 2007 by Roger Gay

5.0 out of 5 stars "Keep watching the skies!"
Based on the novel 'Who Goes There?' by John W. Campbell Jr, 'The Thing From Another World' drops us right into the action when a team of scientists based at the North Pole... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2007 by Sheryl Podlesak

5.0 out of 5 stars I've aged but The Thing hasn't
I saw this many years ago as part of a weekly double bill on tv,But this version is great!The colourised version is so good it almost brings new life to a classic. Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2007 by D. Laidlaw

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