Release Date : 1982
Director: John Carpenter
Creature effects: Rob Bottin, supervisor
Studio: Universal
retrospect and screening by Paul Taglianetti
Faculty instructor/ Idyllwild Arts Academy
This week IAA film history is featuring another John Carpenter Classic, The Thing from 1982. Carpenter's version of the story differs significantly from the early 50's Howard Hawks version. It returns to the source material, the science fiction novella "Who Goes there" for its inspiration.
In the original text, the alien invader had the ability to assume the form of anything it came in contact with. Carpenter and his screenwriter collaborator Bill Lancaster (son of actor Burt Lancaster) kept this major plot point as well as most of the main characters from the novella.
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| Stop Motion Blair Monster which was cut from the film. |
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| Carpenter on set of The Thing (1982) |
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| Norris -thing designed and created by Rob Bottin |
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| Kurt Russel as RJ McCready |
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| Norris Heads built by Rob Bottin |
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| Artist/designer Mike Ploog's design for the Norris Head |
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| Mike Ploog's design for the Norris creature effect from The Thing (1982) |
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| John Carpenter on set |
The Thing is a marvel of pre-digital effects work and stands as one of the great "Creature effects movies of the last 30 years. The film was a huge risk for Carpenter and his first big studio feature (this time with Universal). The creature effects were supervised by talented young artist Rob Bottin, who previously collaborated with Carpenter on his 1980 ghost story, The Fog.
Unfortunately the power that were at the time at the big "U" decided to release the film hot on the heels of Steven Spielberg's mega-blockbuster "E.T." Consequently audiences were turned off by the grotesque workings of Carpenter's alien intruder and stayed away in droves...initially at least.
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| The Thing acting cast |
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| make up effects artist Rob Bottin |
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| The original Thing sled dog design |
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| The "Blair-Thing" head designed and supervised by Rob Bottin |
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| artist Mentor Huebner's designs for the Blair-Monster |
Like another science fiction classic from 1982, Blade Runner, The Thing eventually found an audience on home video and cable and has since garnered a huge following of fans who now recognize the skill and incredible work Carpenter put into his vision.
Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)
http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/th/th.html
Video:
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