The Thing (1982)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writers:

John W. Campbell Jr. (story)
Bill Lancaster (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Man is The Warmest Place to Hide.

Plot:

Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Plot Keywords:

Body Horror | Shotgun | Drug Abuse | Explosion | Weather

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	R.J. MacReady
Wilford Brimley	...	Dr. Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
T.K. Carter	...	Nauls
David Clennon	...	Palmer
Keith David	...	Childs
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Copper
Charles Hallahan	...	Vance Norris
Peter Maloney	...	George Bennings
Richard Masur	...	Clark
Donald Moffat	...	Garry
Joel Polis	...	Fuchs
Thomas G. Waites	...	Windows (as Thomas Waites)
Norbert Weisser	...	Norwegian
Larry J. Franco	...	Norwegian Passenger with Rifle (as Larry Franco)
Nate Irwin	...	Helicopter Pilot
William Zeman	...	Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Computer Voice (voice) (uncredited)
John Carpenter	...	Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
Jed	...	Dog Thing (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John W. Campbell Jr.		(story "Who Goes There?")
Bill Lancaster		(screenplay)

Produced by
Stuart Cohen	....	co-producer
David Foster	....	producer
Larry J. Franco	....	associate producer (as Larry Franco)
Wilbur Stark	....	executive producer
Lawrence Turman	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey

Film Editing by
Todd C. Ramsay		(as Todd Ramsay)

Casting by
Anita Dann

Production Design by
John J. Lloyd		(as John L. Lloyd)

Art Direction by
Henry Larrecq

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer		(as John Dwyer)

Makeup Department
Lance Anderson	....	special makeup effects
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects (as Dale R. Brady)
Rob Burman	....	special makeup effects
David Robert Cellitti	....	special makeup effects
Don Chandler	....	special makeup effects
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist (as Kenneth Chase)
Robert Cole	....	special makeup effects (as Bob M. Cole)
Jan Cook	....	special makeup effects
James Cummins	....	special makeup effects
Richard Davison	....	special makeup effects
Ken Diaz	....	special makeup effects coordinator
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	special technician: special makeup effects unit
Frank Foster	....	special makeup effects
Danny Gill	....	special makeup effects
Archie L. Gillet	....	special makeup effects
Tim Gillet	....	special makeup effects
John Goodwin	....	special makeup effects
Mentor Huebner	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Erik Jensen	....	line producer: special makeup effects unit
James Kagel	....	special makeup effects (as Jim Kagel)
David P. Kelsey	....	mechanical animation coordinator: special makeup effects unit (as Dave Kelsey)
Jeff Kennemore	....	special makeup effects
Gary Meyer	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Phyllis Newman	....	makeup artist: British Columbia
Derek O'Reilly	....	special makeup effects
Art Pimentel	....	special makeup effects
Michael G. Ploog	....	production illustrator: special makeup effects unit (as Michael Ploog)
Margaret Prentice	....	special technician: special makeup effects unit (as Margaret Beserra)
Vincent Prentice	....	special makeup effects
William Snyder	....	special makeup effects
Michiko Tagawa	....	special makeup effects
Josephine Turner	....	special wigs
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects (as Brian G. Wade)
Vivienne Walker	....	special wigs
Willy Whitten	....	special makeup effects
Stan Winston	....	additional makeup effects
Robert E. Worthington	....	special makeup effects artist (as Bob E. Worthington)
Bill Sturgeon	....	creature effects crew (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Latham Brown	....	production manager
Fitch Cady	....	unit production manager: British Columbia

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Chernov	....	second assistant director
Larry J. Franco	....	first assistant director (as Larry Franco)
Bruce Humphrey	....	dga trainee
Michael E. Steele	....	second assistant director: British Columbia

Art Department
Henry Alvarez	....	sculptor
Jim Callan	....	painter (as James Callan)
Michael R. Gannon	....	assistant property master
Richard A. Gonzales	....	swing gang
Graeme Murray	....	set decorator: British Columbia
Bob Nohles	....	propmaker foreman
Frank Parker	....	property master: British Columbia
Joseph R. Savko	....	swing gang
Barton M. Susman	....	lead man (as Bart Susman)
Milton Wilson	....	swing gang
John Zemansky	....	property master
Robert Misetich	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	foley supervisor
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joe Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	production sound
Jack Gosden	....	dialogue loop editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound effects editor
Duane Hensel	....	sound effects assistant
David Katz	....	sound recordist
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recordist
Ernesto Mas	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recordist
Colin C. Mouat	....	supervising sound editor
John Post	....	sound effects assistant
Kendrick Sweet	....	sound editor (as Kendrick P. Sweet)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recordist
David Lewis Yewdall	....	supervising sound editor
Alan Howarth	....	special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects
Hal Bigger	....	special effects foreman
Michael Clifford	....	special effects: British Columbia (as Michael A. Clifford)
William Lee	....	special effects assistant
Hans Metz	....	special effects assistant
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician
Lee Routly	....	special effects: British Columbia (as Leroy Routly)
John K. Stirber	....	special effects assistant (as John Stirber)
Andrew Miller	....	special effects (uncredited)
Andrew Miller	....	special mechanical effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
James Belohovek	....	animator: animation effects sequence
James Hagedorn	....	opticals: main title sequence
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects designer: main title sequence
George Lockwood	....	opticals: main title sequence
Bill Taylor	....	matte photographer
Susan Turner	....	miniature supervisor: main title sequence (as Susan K. Turner)
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Henry Schoessler	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Cecere	....	stunts
Kent Hays	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Denver Mattson	....	stunts
Clint Rowe	....	stunts
Ken Strain	....	stunts
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (as Rock Walker)
Dick Warlock	....	stunt coordinator
Jerry Wills	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunt double: Kurt Russell (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David R. Anderson	....	gaffer: British Columbia (as Dave Anderson)
Jon Antunovich	....	lamp operator
Cyrus Block	....	camera operator: British Columbia
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip: British Columbia (as John 'Dillard' Brison)
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera (as Clyde Bryan)
David Geddes	....	second assistant camera: British Columbia
Dave Gordon	....	dolly grip: British Columbia
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer: British Columbia
Laszlo Horvath	....	best boy grip
James L. Hurford	....	best boy grip: British Columbia
Ray Kinzer	....	grip
Kris Krosskove	....	dolly grip
Terry Marshall	....	lamp operator (as Terry Marshall Jr.)
Thomas Marshall	....	gaffer (as Tom Marshall)
Charles E. Nippell	....	best boy electric
Michael Orefice	....	lamp operator: British Columbia
Paul Prince	....	first assistant camera: British Columbia (as Paul R. Prince)
Douglas Pruss	....	second assistant camera: British Columbia
Barrett J. Reid	....	generator operator: British Columbia
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator
Steve Tate	....	second assistant camera
Mark Walthour	....	gaffer
Len Wolfe	....	best boy electric: British Columbia
Ronald Woodward	....	key grip (as Ronald T. Woodward)
Michael Hofstein	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jim Aupperle	....	animator: animation effects sequence (as James Aupperle)
Randall William Cook	....	dimensional animation effects creator: animation effects sequence
Ernest D. Farino	....	animator: animation effects sequence
Katherine Kean	....	animator: main title sequence
Carl Surges	....	animator: animation effects sequence
Keith Tucker	....	animator: main title sequence

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ronald I. Caplan	....	costume supervisor
Trish Keating	....	costume supervisor: British Columbia
Gilbert Loe	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Kimberly Ray	....	assistant editor (as Kim Ray)
Jan Wesley	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Craig Harris	....	musician: synthesizer
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Dan Anglin	....	transportation captain
Bob Cornell	....	transportation captain
George Lawson	....	driver
Alois Stranan	....	transportation captain: British Columbia

Other crew
Candy Artmont	....	script supervisor (as Candy Marcellino)
Yervant Babasin	....	craft service
Ellen Benjamin	....	assistant: John Carpenter
Debbie Collier	....	production secretary
James T. Colovin	....	assistant dog trainer
Rocky Corsini	....	craft service
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	technician
Shelby Hetherington	....	cook: British Columbia
Spencer Hyde	....	craft service: British Columbia
Nate Irwin	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Karen Kalton	....	production secretary: British Columbia
Susan King	....	assistant auditor: British Columbia
Robert Knoechel	....	auditor: British Columbia
Ron Macinnes	....	production assistant
Karen Miller	....	production accountant
Maynard M. Miller	....	technical advisor: Juneau (as Dr. Maynard M. Miller)
Robin Mounsey	....	technical advisor: British Columbia
Lawrence Perry	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Clint Rowe	....	dog trainer (as Clint E. Rowe)
Clint Rowe	....	owner: Norweigan dog (as Clint E. Rowe)
Peter J. Silbermann	....	publicity coordinator (as Peter Silbermann)
Ken Strain	....	helicopter pilot: British Columbia
Tana Tocher	....	cook: British Columbia
Linda Von	....	assistant: Stuart Cohen
Robert Weatherwax	....	animal trainer (as Bob Weatherwax)
Christine Wilson	....	script supervisor: British Columbia
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)
Raymond Stella	....	body double for hypodermics (uncredited)

Thanks
Stan Winston	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• David Foster Productions
• Turman-Foster Company
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• AXN (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC (1984) (West Germany) (video)
• CIC (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (UK)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Dreamstate Effects
• Motion Graphics (computer graphics)
• Stan Winston Studio
• Universal Title (optical effects)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Pickwick/Maslansky/Koenigsberg Inc.  special publicity
• RGB Optical  opticals
• Universal Title  end titles

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's The Thing (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Norwegian

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1999) (uncut) | Germany:16 (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (1989) (cut) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) (2004) | Finland:K-18 (1982) (cut) | Argentina:18 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA (re-rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kimberley, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

David Foster Productions

Trivia:

The original movie, The Thing from Another World (1951), took place at the North Pole. This version takes place at the South Pole.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The action takes place over the course of several days and nights (as evidenced by alternating daylight and nighttime scenes) but an opening screen caption identifies the time as "winter 1982", and MacReady later mentions that it's the "first week of winter." During the first week of winter in Antarctica (the last week of June) there would be no daylight. If by chance MacReady (who is an American) is referring to North American winter, that would make it summertime in Antarctica, so it should never get dark at the camp.

Quotes:

Garry: This is pure nonsense. It doesn't prove a thing.
MacReady: I thought you'd feel that way, Garry. You were the only one who could've gotten to that blood. We'll do you last.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Faculty (1998)

Soundtrack:

ONE CHAIN DON'T MAKE NO PRISON

A Timeless Look in Paranoia, a Horror Classic

Just to put things in perspective for you before I get into my thoughts on this film, I am only 20 years old and have grown up in the era of CGI, blue screen effects...and this movie was made around the same time i was born.

With that said, WOW, I only recently saw John Carpenter's version of 'The Thing', and what a masterpiece it truly is. I have long since been a fan of John Carpenter, in particular his works from the late 70's and 80's. In 'The Thing' John Carpenter has truly crafted a paranoia inducing, perhaps gut wrenching classic.

The movie is an update of the classic 'The Thing From Outer Space', but only like it's predecessor, this film is in full color, and the characters of this film have much more to worry about than an alien veggie

The film centers around a group of Arctic Researchers you encounter an alien lifeform capable of taking the form of anything it comes into contact with, and out of for that matter. Kurt Russell stars as R.J. MacReady, an alcoholic Vietnam Vet, thrust into the role of leader of a group of relatively cold and callous men all of whom are readily plunging into manic paranoia and somewhat madness once they realize that they are up against a creature that can take any form, be any one of them.

John Carpenter, more than in any other of his films, manages to create a truly believable and incredible atmosphere. When watching this film you truly get the sense of the dark,sinister, desolate surroundings, you feel and realize that these characters have no where to go...never for one second do you not believe they are stuck on a polar ice cap. Also, this film has perhaps one of the greatest endings to any film of it's genre, or any genre for that matter. I'm not going to give it away here, but to say that it will leave you wondering would be an understatement.

Kurt Russell is superb as MacReady....truly conveying the emotions of a man thrust into a situation of unimaginable horror, forced to lead a group of men who cannot trust that the man next to them is not the creature that has driven them to the brink of paranoia and emotional meltdown.

I don't care if this movie is 20 years old by now, the special effects in this movie are gut wrenching, mind blowing, and absolutely awesome. They blow away any CGI pixel based crap out there today. The 'Thing' itself is a truly horrifying and disturbing creation...unlike any alien you have ever seen in a movie before. Those who have a low tolerance for gore and blood had best prepare themselves for watching this movie.

This movie does what any good horror/sci fi movie should do, it really thrusts you into it's character's world. It leaves you wondering, what would you do, who could you trust if anyone you knew could be the creature waiting to feed on you, and take you over as well. The images, and ideals of this movie stayed with me long after i first saw it, and today as i write this review send a chill up my spine.

It is a true shame this movie is only now getting the proper recognition it deserves. A box office flop when released, now more then ever when movies are paper thin with plot, and one dimensional in effects, this film can be appreciated as a true masterpiece of sci/fi and horror.

If possible, get the Collector's Edition DVD, and enjoy it in anamorphic widescreen..the way it is truly meant to be seen. Marvel at the incredible scenery, the taught direction, the excellent atmosphere, the sweat inducing, gag reflex activating, and everything else that makes this movie great.

Watch it with the lights out, with a group of close friends...maybe even with a dog around...if you don't what i'm talking about...you will afterwards.

Don't let a classic pass you bye