John Carpenter's
THE THING


Directed by John Carpenter
Produced by David Foster, Lawrence Turman
Co-producer: Stuart Cohen
Associate Producer: Larry Franco
Executive Producer: Wilbur Stark
Director of photography: Dean Cundy
Written by John W. Campbell, Jr. (story), Bill Lancaster

Starring:

Kurt Russell as R.J. MacReady
Keith David as Childs
Wilford Brimley as Dr. Blair
David Clennon as Palmer
Donald Moffat as Garry
Thomas G.Waites as Windows
Joel Polis as Fuchs
Peter Maloney as Bennings
Charles Hallahan as Norris
T.K. Carter as Nauls
Richard Dysart as Dr. Copper
Richard Masur as Clark

Music by Ennio Morricone
Special Effects: Rob Bottin
Editing by Todd Ramsay, Jan Wesley, Kim Ray
Distributed by MCA/Universal Pictures
Released/Premiered June 25, 1982
Running time 109 min.
Language English
Cinematographic Process = Panavision (Anamorphic)
Printed Film Format = 35 mm and 70 mm (blow up)
Aspect Ratio = 2.35 : 1
Print Details = 35mm, 6 reels, Panavision, scope presentation, aspect ratio 2.35:1,
Technicolor, Dolby Stereo, Eastman, 109 mins, 9766 feet
MPAA Rating = Restricted (US)
Costs = $15 million plus ads and prints
Box Office Grosses (USA) = Opening Weekend $3.107million
Total Gross = $13.782 million


Worldwide Titles & Subtitles:

- THE THING (English)
- La Chose (France DVD or THE THING)
- La Cosa Non Fidarti Di Nessuno (Italy)
- La Cosa El Enigma De Otro Mundo (Spain)
- La Cosa De Otro Mundo (Argentina)
- La Cosa Del Otro Mundo (Mexico)
- Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt (Germany/Austria)
- Stvor (Yugoslavia)
- L'Effroyable Chose (French-Canadian)
- L'Enigma De Otro Mundo (South America)
- L'Enigma De Otro Mundo (El Hombre Es El Sitio Mas Calido Para Esconderse) (Argentina)
- A Dolog (Hungary)
- Coś (Poland)
- THE THING "Se" jostakin (Finland)
- THE THING (Din Kropp Ar Varmaste Gomstallet!) (Sweden)
- THE THING (Tingen Fra En Annen Verden) (Norway)
- THE THING (Det Grusomme Udefra) (Denmark)
- O Enigma de Outro Mundo (Brazil)
- Нечто (Russia)
- Padaras (Lithuania)
- Şey (Turkey)

Taglines:

- Man is The Warmest Place to Hide. (US)
- The Ultimate In Alien Terror. (US, UK & Australian video and poster)
- Now It Is Free To Become One Of Us (US print ads)
- Look Closely At Your Neighbours. Don't Trust Anybody. (UK & Australia)
- The New Classic Of Alien Terror (US paperback)
- Lo ultumo en terror aliengeno (Argentina)
- La terreure extra-terrestre a son paroxysme (France DVD)
- 12 hommes en proie a... "LA CHOSE" (France and Belgium video)
- L'ultime terreur venue de l'espace (French-Canadian)
- Jusqu'au bout de la terreur (France poster)
- Den Yttersta Skracken (Sweden)
- No Importa De Donde Viene. Esta Entre Nosotros (South America poster)
- Lo Ultimo En Terror Desconocido (Argentina poster)
- Kauhua Sietokyvyn Aarirajoille (Finland poster)
- Obce istoty nie byly jeszcze tak grozne (Poland)
- O maximo em terror aliengena (Brazil)


Certification/Ratings:

USA: R
Canada: R
UK: X (original rating)
UK: 18 (video rating) (1987)
Germany: 18 (SPIO/JK)
Finland: K-18 (1982) (cut)
Finland: K-16 (1989) (cut)
Finland: K-16 (1999) (uncut)
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

The following timeline is based on actual times spotted in the film, mostly from the clock on the rec room wall. Other times can be reasonably inferred, and these are surrounded by parentheses. One of the times (the timing of the kennel attack) is taken directly from the script. Still other events are impossible to place except that they occur on a certain day, in which case they are listed without times.


Day 1
-------

8:25 AM

Men relaxing, playing in the rec room; Mac playing chess in his shack
(8:30) AM

Norwegian Chopper does flyby; dog-Thing arrives at Outpost 31
9:36 AM

Norwegian body lying on ping-pong table; discussion about what to do
9:55 AM

Mac and Copper leave for Norwegian camp
(11:00) AM

Mac and Copper arrive at Norwegian base and begin their inspection
12:30 PM

Dog-Thing takes first victim at Outpost 31
(2:00) PM

Mac and Copper return to Outpost 31


Unwrapping and initial inspection of burned Norwegian-Thing


Autopsies of Norwegian and Norwegian-Thing
7:00 PM

Men relaxing/playing in the rec room
(7:05) PM

Clark cages the Dog-Thing


Day 2
-------

4:30 AM

Dog-Thing attacks the kennel
AM

Autopsy of Dog-Thing and dead dogs in the Lab; discussion amongst the men
AM

Review of Norwegian video tapes
AM

Mac, Norris, Palmer leave for crash site
AM

Mac, Norris, Palmer arrive and inspect alien wreckage
PM

Mac, Norris, Palmer arrive back at Outpost #31
PM

Discussion/debate in the rec room about the derelict ship
5:36 PM

Blair performs computer simulation and calculations
PM

Transferring Thing carcasses into the store room
PM

Bennings attacked by the Norwegian-Thing and killed; Bennings-Thing torched
PM

Blair goes berserk


Day 3
-------


AM

Blair locked into the tool shed
AM

Blood discovered to be contaminated
(9:20) PM

Blood is burned and destroyed; Mac makes his speech
9:35 PM

Doc, Garry, and Clark are drugged and tied down in the rec room


Day 4
-------
There are no events seen in the film during this day.



Day 5
-------


(8:30) PM

Mac makes his tape
(9:00) PM

Fuchs gets killed
10:05 PM

Mac organizes search parties to find Fuchs
(10:50) PM

Childs and others begin boarding up outside doors
(11:20) PM

Mac breaks in and takes charge
(11:30) PM

Norris-Thing bursts out and gets killed


Day 6
-------


(12:26) AM

Mac directs everyone to tie themselves down in the rec room
12:28 AM

Clark shot and killed by Mac
12:43 AM

Palmer-Thing's blood jumps out of petri dish
12:49 AM

Palmer-Thing hit with flamethrower
(1:10) AM

Blair discovered not to be in the tool shed
(1:15) AM

Tool shed and Blair-Thing's escape vehicle destroyed
1:30 AM

Bulldozer crashes through rec room wall
(1:40) AM

Demolition of Outpost #31 begins
(2:00) AM

Final confrontation with Blair Monster

A few weeks ago it was reported that Strike Entertainment, the company that made the "Dawn of the Dead" remake, "Slither" and "Children of Men", is looking for writers to pen a prequel to my all time favourite movie, John Carpenter's "The Thing".
In the meantime a writer has been found (Ronald D. Moore) and the film will be a remake and not a prequel.

The movie and especially Rob Bottin’s special effects had such a big influence on him that he became an SFX artist and he founded his own company. He and his crew are responsible for effects like Ben Affleck’s angel wings in Kevin Smith’s "Dogma” and the aging of Ellen Bursytn in "Requiem for a dream”. The latest work of the "V.G.P. Effects + Design Studios” includes SFX for "Scary Movie 4”, "Hood of Horror”, "Driftwood” and Clint Eastwood’s "Flags of our Fathers” and "Letters from Iwo Jima”. Vincent and I will talk about our ideas for the remake, you will get to see lots of exclusive images from the early stages of pre-production of the remake and sequel movies that were planned a few years ago and lots more.

Welcome to our little chat Vincent. I think you were surprised like me when you heard there are plans for a prequel to John Carpenter’s masterpiece "The Thing”. We already know that there were remake plans for a mini TV series from the Sci-Fi channel but a big screen movie is a completely different thing and gives us fans lots of room for speculations doesn’t it?

Vince: Yeah it does. I just hope the ideas and what is behind them are good enough that it won't be dumb. There would only be a few directors I could trust with a property like that I think the fans would agree with some of those ideas. Some of my top choices would be David Fincher, Zach Snyder, who did 300 & Dawn of the Dead remake what a great director. I was talking to him years ago about doing the comic book MAGE since then we lost touch.

Another weird choice but I feel would be interesting to see is Darren Aronofsky He has a quirky original style and if there was a direct remake that would be say very Un-Hollywood like I believe that is what his version would look like would be something very disturbing and never seen. Another choice David Cronenberg, my friend Oscar nominated Josh Olson wrote "A History of Violence” and I think I could see even David doing a good job if the script was good and if Josh wrote it. Even he being such a Monster Fan on the outset could even see him, Josh directing it.

Mac: Good choices there Vince. All of the directors have pretty much their own vision on how to make movies. I also like Snyder’s and Fincher’s work. And Darren Aronofsky’s "Requiem for a dream” was on of the coolest movies ever. I’m really very curious how his new movie "The Fountain” will be like. David Cronenberg also is a great director. He did so much for the horror genre, but like John Carpenter he had problems whenever he was working with big studios. None of his big budget movies ever was really successful and appreciated by his fans. But I have to tell you that my first choice would still be John Carpenter himself, especially since I saw his Masters of Horror episode "Cigarette Burns”. He still rocks as a director. Just give him free hand and let him work, and his movies kick ass.
Now I want to come back to the previous attempts of recreating "The Thing” in a new way. You told me some time ago that you were working on the remake and sequel versions of "The Thing” the Sci Fi Channel planned some time ago. What was your job during the projects?

Vince: I was involved briefly with the first remake for the Sci Fi Channel I did some designs & a model for David Foster who in turn recommended I get them to Frank Darabont, who was writing the new sequel for the Sci Fi Channel version. I met with David and he was really impressed by my ideas so was Frank Darabont but, I did not have the prize because Frank has certain alliances with effects people s