The Thing Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
The stage is set for havoc and terror when a twelve-man research team stationed in Antarctica finds an alien
being that has fallen from the sky and has been buried for over 100,000 years.
John Carpenter's The Thing is a seminal piece of horror that is not only a fine
specimen of its era, but it also serves as a shining example of horror done absolutely right in
any era. Combining gross-out special effects reminiscent of Hellraiser, the nail-bitingly
intense, claustrophobic filmmaking of Alien, offering a story that is very
well-paced, such as George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead,
and presenting the
idea that true terror can be found at any time, in any place, and inside anyone, much like Alfred
Hitchcock's Psycho, The
Thing works on every level, and represents the peak of each and every aspect that may be
utilized
to make horror films effective. Granted, this amalgamation of styles is not the only
formula for winning horror. Carpenter's Halloween features
next to no gore, relying instead on the other hallmarks of great horror to craft perhaps the finest
film the genre has ever seen. It is for this reason that John Carpenter is arguably the foremost
horror director alive.
He's a slave to no particular style, and because of his mastery of both ends of the spectrum --
intense, gory
horror (The Thing) and psychological, relentless terror (Halloween), and
everything
in between
(They Live) -- Carpenter will go down in the annals of cinematic horror as one of the
finest
there ever was, alongside Dario Argento, Alfred Hitchcock, George A. Romero, and Wes Craven.
When 'The Day After Tomorrow' meets 'Independence Day.'
A Norwegian chopper circles the perimeter of United States National Science Institute, station 4,
a remote scientific outpost deep in the Arctic. For reasons unknown, a gunman inside the
chopper fires a rifle at a
dog. The engagement ends with the chopper down and the two-man crew killed. The confused
American research team takes in the seemingly harmless dog, and several of the group, including
R.J. "Mac"
MacReady (Kurt Russell, Stargate), take their
own chopper to the Norwegian outpost in hopes of discovering what drove the Norwegians to
hunt the dog
in such an aggressive manner that ultimately cost them their lives. There, amidst the
smoldering remains of the station, they find the remnants of some "thing." Taking it back to
station 4, the facility's medical examiner, Dr. Blair (Wilford Brimley, The Natural), finds
inside of it normal human organs, but the "thing's" external appearance is anything but, a bloody
jumble of limbs, torsos, and faces melded together as one. Soon after, the team discovers a
deadly creature in their midst, one that can absorb and imitate any life form it so chooses, leaving
the team confused, frightened, and untrusting of one another. A series of bloody events reveals
that appearances can be deceiving, that your best friend may very well be harboring inside of him
a deadly creature capable of unleashing unspeakable, grotesque attacks.
The most obvious, and superficial, aspect of The Thing is its incredibly gory and downright
disgusting props and special effects. Let it be stated up-front that anyone
without an iron stomach will want to stay far away from this film. The gore is
appropriate to the story and no matter how nauseating, no matter how twisted, and no matter
how far the effects push the boundaries of taste, they make the film all that much the better.
Nothing
short of the grotesque would suffice in moving the story along, showcasing what
there is to fear and why the paranoia and tension amongst the stranded Arctic team is as
elevated
and intense as it is. As noted in the open, however, the film's special effects are not the
centerpiece of the film. For as unpalatable as they may be, they simply reinforce the story rather
than tell it. The movie, including the dialogue, the direction, the acting, the set design, and
the music, does an excellent job of elevating the tension in the American compound that finds
itself the new victim of "The Thing." The actors are
convincing in their paranoia, distrust, and outright fear of one another and everything around
them. The nondescript sets, with little recourse for the comfort of the terrified prisoners-of-fear,
certainly elevates the film, as there is nothing but a flamethrower and a few sticks of dynamite to
protect themselves, and only a scalpel and a few petrie dishes to assuage their paranoia and
decipher who is human and who is not.
Also a show-stopper and plot mover is The Thing's excellent score courtesy of Ennio
Morricone (The Untouchables).
The legendary composer's work features heavy use of electronic and synthetic beats and is not
only
reminiscent of Carpenter's own work on films like Escape From New York, but also of
Goblin's tremendous soundtrack to Dawn of the Dead. Reminiscent of the late 1970s
and early
1980s, the score features pulsating, low beats meant to instill in listeners a sense of impending
dread, while other, higher-pitched cues are meant to give listeners the chills, and it does so
efficiently and without remorse, complimenting each and every mood and emotion throughout
the film perfectly. Last but not least is the film's conveyance of the true meaning of terror, one
that I cannot specifically delve into without spoiling the film, but suffice it to say that the
conclusion is the very essence of horror. In many ways, it is trademark Carpenter, particularly
when thought of in the context of Halloween and They Live.
The Thing infests Blu-ray with a fine-looking 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Obviously,
The Thing has never looked better on home video than it does here. The film's open,
featuring a background of white arctic snow contrasted against a bright daytime sky, is pure in its
presentation and a pleasure to behold, particularly for those who have seen the film countless
times before. Still, there is some noticeable noise against some of the brightest backdrops that
may bother viewers looking for the smoothest picture available, but it peaks in such scenes and is
never very noticeable through the rest of the film. Colors are somewhat dull, a reflection of the
nature of the movie and not a shortcoming of the transfer. Colors look fine, however, every
shade
rendered very well in the context of the film, with the brighter, outdoor, snowy scenes showing a
bit more depth and vibrancy than the dim interiors. Black levels are fairly good. Flesh tones are
accurate, if not a bit pale, but considering the cold, unforgiving temperature, that's to be
expected. What makes the disc look so good is the detail inside the compound. It's rather drab
and colorless, but it looks worn and beat up, old and lived in, cold and lifeless, and every little
nuance shines through, a tribute to the wonderful set design in the film. Sure, it's pedestrian,
but it is meant to be, and it's stunning on this disc. Detail is increased considerably over the
previous DVD edition in every regard. The Thing boasts a fine transfer that offers quite
the
upgrade from previous standard definition versions.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I would imagine the film's title creature
would
agree. In this case, however, Universal's lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack is not simply a lossy
imitation -- it's the full thing, The Thing exactly as it was meant to be heard. Whether
he
writes the music or not, Carpenter's films always feature standout music, and The Thing
is
certainly no exception. As expected, it's never sounded fuller and more robust than it does here.
The music that plays over the credit sequence to start the movie is clean and precise, with a
constant low frequency pulse that sets a most foreboding tone. Then, a flying saucer sweeps
past
us and hurtles toward Earth in a scene that would later be replicated to begin the Arnold
Schwarzenegger action classic Predator. The
opening scene in Antarctica as we follow a chopper and a shooter chasing a dog from above
features the sound of the rotors spinning all around when the camera is placed in or near the
chopper. Gun shots crackle precisely in each speaker, the result of great sound design. The
entire sequence -- featuring not only the chopper and gun shots but a few explosions -- sounds
far
better than I've heard it sound before. One scene that stood out was a rather simple one, and a
fairly nondescript one at that. At one point in the film we hear a cassette recording of Stevie
Wonder's hit song "Superstition" playing through a vintage boom box's small speakers. It sounds
rather tiny and uninspired through our speakers, meaning it recreates to great effect the sound
we should be hearing were we in the film. A booming, full-throttle rendition
of the song would not fit in this instance, and here is one case where less is most definitely more.
There is often an appreciable atmosphere created in the soundtrack as the harsh, chilled arctic
breeze is generally heard blowing around the room, mostly over the front soundstage, but to very
good effect nevertheless. It's just one small part of the track that adds to the overall feeling of
realism. The film's action sequences also shine. The shrieks of the creature, the power of the
flame thrower, and the various audible accompaniments that enhance the special effects are all
integrated into the soundtrack with nary a hiccup. Dialogue reproduction never falters
throughout. The Thing does not offer an expansive, rich sonic experience as we
might expect from the latest summer blockbuster, but taking all things into account, the film has
never sounded better at home.
The one area where this disc is sorely lacking is here, the supplemental section. Fortunately, the
disc offers two solid extras, the first being a wonderful commentary featuring director John
Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell. Carpenter's recounting of the filmmaking process and the
experiences he and the cast and crew shared while shooting the film is impressive. Russell plays
second fiddle to the director, but his contributions are nevertheless insightful and interesting.
Anytime you have the chance to listen to a world-class director and an accomplished actor,
attached
to a picture representing a fine example of a particular genre, it's hard not to take notice, and this
commentary track is well worth the time one invests to listen to it. Lastly, this disc is
U-Control enabled. When turned on, a pop-up window will appear intermittently throughout the
course of the movie. This window provides an array of behind-the-scenes materials, ranging from
John Carpenter's recounting of the first time he saw The Thing From Another World, and
his
desire to make a film truer to the original John W. Campbell story, Who Goes There?, to
the
work that went into creating the special effects seen in the film. Via the main menu,
users can also choose to jump directly to each segment rather than simply waiting for them to
appear.
The Thing is a fine example of horror cinema, one that not only manages to offer audiences
a barrage of gruesome imagery, but one that also maintains a smart plot and a quick pace while
indulging in plenty of psychological terror along the way. Expertly crafted, well acted, and a
pleasure to watch, The Thing is not for all audiences, but for those capable of withstanding
a
series of bloody and oftentimes shocking special effects, the film offers a rich horror experience, one
sure to stick with you long after the end of the film, and one that has solidified itself as a classic in
the genre. Universal wasted little time bringing this film to Blu-ray, and finally owning and
screening the film in Blu-ray high definition is most welcome. The film features a solid video and
audio presentation, but it does lack in supplemental material quantity, but the quality of what is
available is first-rate. Despite the lack of bonus materials, The Thing is a Blu-ray disc worth
owning, and is an essential addition to any serious library. Highly recommended!
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