The Thing [Blu-ray]

Description

Review Howard Hawks’s original 1951 production of The
Thing from Another World can be glimpsed playing on a TV that fateful October
evening in John Carpenter’s blockbuster hit, Halloween (1978). A few years
later, Carpenter reteamed with his Escape from New York star Kurt Russell to
do a remake. But while the first movie version of The Thing was in atmospheric
black and white, Carpenter’s 1982 version is in widescreen, full color, and
features some of the most revoltingly explicit, surreally imaginative special
effects (courtesy of FX-meister Rob Bottin) that have ever been seen on the
screen. Researchers in the remote Antarctic dig up the remains of a spacecraft
that has long been frozen in the ice. But the alien life unthaws and infects
the living (not only humans but sled dogs too), living and gestating inside
them. (This horrific concept was also explored in the two versions of Invasion
of the Body Snatchers and the Alien movies.) This Thing is chilling in every
sense of the word, with plenty of terrifying, adrenaline-pumping moments that
build it to a powerful and shockingly nihilistic conclusion. It’s a harsh and
uncompromising movie (hewing more closely to the original 1930s story “Who
Goes There?”)–so much so that it probably never would have been given a
green-light by any studio in the more cautious and doggedly upbeat 1990s.
–Jim Emerson

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror, Mystery & Suspense/Thrillers, Action & Adventure
• Format: Color, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Blu-ray, Widescreen, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled
• Contributor: Thomas G. Waites, Donald Moffat, John Carpenter, Charles Hallahan, Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, Richard Masur, Joel Polis, David Clennon, T.K. Carter, Richard Dysart, Peter Maloney See more
• Initial release date: 2010-01-03
• Language: English
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 0.01 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 4193858
• Director ‏ : ‎ John Carpenter
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Color, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Blu-ray, Widescreen, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 49 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ January 3, 2010
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David