I was six or seven when I saw The Thing on video. I don’t think my parents loved me very much. My opinion on what’s grotesque is rather skewed. But I suspect you’re correct, listening to Ebert talk about the movie was a little surprising. Then again, both Gene and Roger didn’t seem to care for excessive violence and gore.
Yeah, even after all these years we can still talk about who was and who wasn’t a Thing.
And hell, when they were and weren’t.
Or the eponymous MacGuffin of the 1950 Phil Harris song.
And the rebranded Nazi jeep.
I watched it a couple months ago with my daughter (24) and she laughed at the effects I thought were so scary. She said it reminded here of Beetlejuice. I suppose there’s something to be said there. I still love the dialogue and the two guys at the end just waiting for the fire to go out.
Best. Line. Ever!
I loved the move when I first saw it on HBO sometime in the early 80s. It still holds up as a truly scary horror film.
Whenever I hear the word Sweden, I reply “They’re Norwegian Mac.”
It’s definitely in my Top 5 list of horror movies.
One thing I love are the practical effects. I don’t care how good CGI is nowadays… practical effects that are well done will always trump CGI, IMO.
Just when you think it’s perfect and can’t be beat, BAM! you remember Wilford Brimley is in it. I love to watch him.
I have seen the (1982) movie many times, but a couple weeks ago I watched it with my 31 yo. girlfriend and my children (ages 16 and 13), who all had never seen it, and are nowhere near the age group that watched the movie new, so no nostalgia was factored in.
Everyone was impressed, and didn’t argue my point that I’ve always held this movie as a prime example of old-school special FX that still look great. “Computer-generated effects are usually cheesy and lame in comparison” was heard from the younger crowd.
“Cheatin’ bitch” - MacReady playing Chess is the best line in the film.
“I was wonderin’ when El Capitan was going to get a chance to use his popgun.” also good.
I tried to watch this again recently and couldn’t find it online. I think you can rent it on Amazon or something but I was looking to watch it from somewhere I was already paying for.
There was a prequel in 2011 and it was pretty decent. There didn’t seem to be any reason for it to actually exist but I thought the filmmakers did a good enough job with the property.
Ha! Whenever I hear the word “Swedes” or Sweden I always retort: “Crazy Swedes!”
I thought the prequel was supposed to be closer to the original story, there’s always room for that. The Thing (1982) really should have been called The Thing II. I agree also the ‘prequel’ wasn’t great, but good enough.
Yes! I also recommend The Curse of the Cat People which is kind of a sequel. Tourneur and Val Lewton were masters of that creepy unseen horor.
And Richard Dysart (later to be in L.A. Law)
And Childs. First he’s “Then we’re wrong.” about Mac. Then he’s “Which makes you a murderer.” Guess he just didn’t like Mac. (I think it was the sombrero.)
Played by Keith David, who is currently the voice of the President on Rick and Morty.
Holy crap! I never realized the guy who was Spawn and Goliath was Childs too!
Donald Moffat was of course the corrupt US President in one of the Harrison Ford Tom Clancy films, Clear and Present Danger.