FILMMAKER MOVIE REACTION!! The Thing (1982)

Hope you enjoy my filmmaker reaction to The Thing. :D
Full length reactions & Patreon only polls: / jamesvscinema
Original Movie: The Thing (1982)
Ending Song: / charleycoin
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[@JamesVSCinema]

HALLOWEEN TIME BOYS AND GIRLS. Something new I'm excited to add to the mix here! Let me know your first viewing experience of this film. Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Have a Daredevil Season 2 Episode on Friday and THE BOYS Season 2 Saturday. Enjoy the day!

[@lauce3998]

What's new should be The Fly.

[@noheroespublishing1907]

Carpenter truly is a filmmaker's filmmaker; he's both easy to watch, and easy to learn from.

[@jva2722]

It is a perfect setting. As to your comment about them being scientists. The cool thing is that IRL all bases on the continent are research bases. So that just makes it all the more realistic. I love this movie. If you love it apparently they have a graphic novel continuance. It is in 3 parts, climate of fear I think is the name of one. Oh, and also a ps2 game. I've never played it but it follows the movie so I want to.

[@jva2722]

The director stated one of the two was the thing in the end scene. It is widely believed it is Childs.

[@retromillenium]

@James VS Cinema Back between 2012 and 2014 there was a Thing based haunted house at Universal Studios Hollywood. It came out a year or two after the 2011 Thing prequel. By the way if you haven't seen the 2011 Thing prequel please do a reaction video for that movie next. Also, there is a third person action Thing video game that came out in 2002. It's good not great.

[@natanlopes4000]

And until this day, THE BEST DOG ACTOR OF ALL TIME

[@bbb462cid]

perhaps even a GOOD BOY

[@patrickgogan3517]

@@bbb462cid well trained indeed lotsa treats lol

[@MySerpentine]

@@patrickgogan3517 He was half-wolf, so he was kinda . . . just like that.

[@mattdubya1037]

he played “white fang” too. how bout them apples!

[@sayoryeetbeems379]

He was a good boy indeed

[@MichaelFreckelton]

The Thing's screams are so genuinely haunting, and according to John Carpenter they are made of the screams of everything it's absorbed so if you listen hard enough apparently there are human voices buried in that sound.

[@jeanpaulmichell7243]

The sound design for the Thing is rarely mentioned, but man it is some of THE most unsettling sounds ever put to film. The kennel scene, when the men are walking up to the darkened area where the dog-thing is... Just close your eyes and listen. It's like people, animals, and whatever all else shrieking from the deepest pit in hell. Should've won an award for sound design, really.

[@MichaelFreckelton]

@@jeanpaulmichell7243 for real, and making the score for that scene strip back to just that low electronic drone made it all perfect. Incredible work

[@hachimaki]

The Norwegian scientist in the beginning is literally yelling "that's not a dog, it's a thing!" Kind of spoiled the movie for me on a first time watch, not gonna lie lol

[@DarthTach]

Only if you speak Norwegian. 😉

[@quintonthevillain2745]

Even knowing that, no clue how that could spoil too much for you. It was just the initial mystery, and even then you only knew something was off about the dog. Not in what way.

[@hachimaki]

@@quintonthevillain2745 true, "spoiled" may have been a bit too much, but it did change how I probably would've viewed the scenes with the dog otherwise.

[@thatnorwegianguy1986]

Unless you started this movie without you know reading the title of the movie you would not be spoiled. What he is saying is that's not a dog it imitates a dog and that honestly just makes it more intriguing. Okay what is imitating a dog ??

[@hachimaki]

@@thatnorwegianguy1986 ok, but let's say I didn't understand what he said, in that case I wouldn't immediately assume that the dog was sketchy just because some seemingly crazy person is trying to kill it. And just because the title is what it is doesn't mean that I would do that either.

[@pranavnnair5]

I am so jealous of Kurt Russell's beard in this movie. He Has some great hair genetics

[@JamesVSCinema]

Right!? Hahaha

[@edhopper5092]

For me it’s between this and The Hateful Eight. Man’s got A1 tier facial hair

[@TheLisa-Al-Gaib]

He was definitely at “peak hair” in this movie, lol.

[@Cwinkle]

Finding out that rob bottin was only 20 years old when he did the effects in this movie really shows how talented he is

[@blakeharris58]

It would make some people feel like failures.

[@Mintylight]

Also he was young enough to not realise the huge amount of work would end with him in hospital. An older more experienced person would prob go "Nah man, what you ask is not possible to do w todays methods, with this budget, in this amount of time." Thankfully he didn't know better, and we got some of the best practical effects ever put to film!

[@TheLanceUppercut]

The dog acting in this movie is just chef's kiss amazing.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Right!?

[@rsrt6910]

The dog was named "Jeb" who was half Husky, half Wolf, so he never barked and always gave an air of a loaded gun whenever he was around the crew. The set was always locked down whenever they were shooting with Jeb so no one would spook him and rip someone's throat out. The actor that played the dog handler had to train with Jeb for two months just so that Jeb felt comfortable enough to walk beside him without wanting to attack him.

[@heyimgoingtoplaysomegames]

@@rsrt6910 Thank you for sharing!! I love everything I learn about the backstory of this movie ;)

[@QuayNemSorr]

The guy (Bottin) making the effects was just in his beginning 20'ies and worked 10 hours a day every day on this for 57 weeks. He then was put in the hospital diagnosed with exhaustion and an ulcer.

[@RD-lt3ht]

NO, up to 20 hrs a day...and he slept in a cot in his studio, and only ate candy bars because that was quicker than sitting down for a proper meal...Yep, he had to be hospitalized!

[@please_im_a_staaar]

His young age was probably the reason why they exploited him so much tbh.

[@henrycohle913]

If the most perfect film ever exists, it would probably be The Thing. Not saying it's the greatest, but this film is the definition of flawless.

[@laboon344]

I don't know if you know this if you do then I'm just gonna say it for those that don't know There are flaws in this movie like 2 or three I think I can't remember the exact mistakes I think one of them is the director didn't catch something that gave away who was the thing I think 🤔 honestly I think that's the only mistake/flaw in the movie I don't know

[@lauce3998]

Best tension and best effects. Is perfect.

[@nathanpapp432]

Windows/Palmer scene is pretty rough and the 3rd act feels a bit rushed. Other than that its one of the best horror movies ever made. Perfectly atmospheric.

[@JBeck33]

This and Halloween. Just a coincidence both by Carpenter. But, those two movies are perfect.

[@kthx1138]

The craft, of the direction, the cinematography, the prosthetic FX, is impeccable.

[@kennieminski7080]

The Norwegian camp is just the american camp redressed after being burned up during the climax.

[@patrickgogan3517]

Cheaper especially in the early 80s lol

[@civlwrbuf]

Side Note, they made a prequel that shows everything that happened at the Norwegian camp, even down to the ax.

[@civlwrbuf]

Thanks understandable. It takes a little bit of mystery and luster away from the first.

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

The prequel makes no sense and misses the thermite being used to uncover the spaceship.

[@BuckRodgers3]

@Carlos Saraiva Yeah after learning they covered up some really cool looking practical effects with that very meh CGI I cant look at the movie the same way again. And due to the cover up the shots in the ship look terrible.

[@pyry7150]

I remember the first time I saw that dog-sequence, I remember stopping the DVD in absolute terror and then contemplating for a solid 15 minutes, whether I should continue watching or finish the movie next morning.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Yeah that scene didn’t hold back at all!

[@kthx1138]

Pulled out all the stops, the dog's insides on the outside!

[@uburton]

11:04 I've watched this film many times, but I've just noticed those tentacles break from the wall as The Thing falls to the floor. They're probably the same tentacles that Clark shut the door on. Eugh.

[@FerrariFilmIndustries]

One of my favourite horror films, and favourite films overall

[@JamesVSCinema]

Exactly overall it’s just a fantastic film

[@terrancebrown87]

Same!

[@danusmc3]

I love nearly everything John Carpenter makes. Halloween, The Thing, In The Mouth of Madness, Big Trouble in Little China, etc. And Kurt Russell is one of my all-time favorites as well. These two together = Gold!!! And Carpenter does all of his own scores (music) to his films, by the way.

[@zade8586]

Well he did have the legend Morricone to help with this one.

[@Grottgreta]

You can do a lot of stuff with CGI, but you can not recreate that goopy look that they pulled off with this movie. Absolute top tier film, I re-watch it every halloween

[@JamesVSCinema]

100%!!

[@Grottgreta]

@gilkesisking "It's so dense, every single image has so many things going on"

[@sike2399]

CGI can't make you cringe the way practical FX can. Computer generated images are intangible, they don't make a sticky mess that freaks everybody out, it removes the viscera from the 'visceral experience'.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

@gilkesisking I agree

[@mylamename14]

Exactly. That’s why CGI blood is such a bummer. It can’t mimic the viscosity of a practical liquid.

[@christinanatarelli8827]

One thing I love about this movie and is seldom talked about, the song played before the creature makes its first kill is Superstition from Stevie Wonder. Hints to horror and bad luck all throughout the song, “the devil’s on his way” is the key line in that song. Love the little foreshadowing there lol

[@JamesVSCinema]

Yes! Couldn’t put that in for obvious reasons but I noticed that as well!

[@88wildcat]

I was thinking the reason they put that song in was the line "when you believe in things you can't understand and you suffer."

[@YOUfailME911]

From what I've heard, apparently the screams are the sounds of every single organism that has been assimilated into the thing. Crazy as hell!

[@kthx1138]

And it makes you wonder: Beyond all its imitations, what really IS the thing? An amalgum straight from hell.

[@drake128]

The only other animal/ creature that has creeped me out is the bear in annihilation.

[@sN00p_]

@@drake128 that bear was creepy asf

[@kurtjk01]

The aspect which sets this apart from most other horror films is that the characters are indeed professionals: scientists, mechanics, pilots, and so on. You don't get to Antarctica by being a screw-up. So they react not like your typical panicky teenagers, but rugged individuals who are competent and resourceful. So, yes, they make mistakes; mostly from sleep deprivation, and trying to deal with something completely out of their experience. But they are also all highly intelligent, strong, and determined to survive. If it had been a boatload of cruise ship passengers or teens, the world would've been toast inside 27,000 hours. But these few explorers on the edge of the world manage to defeat (possibly, depending upon your interpretation of the ending; but damned near almost at any rate) something which knows how to build star ships.

[@EvanSaltare]

This is one of those movies that I can watch over and over. If it's on TV, I'll leave it on in the background while I'm cooking or cleaning and sit down to watch a scene here and there.

[@CatBxtchNami]

@Warren Yu It actually is a good training for willpower, in the day you watch this while eating a slimy lasaga, you will feel true strength!

[@mylamename14]

This film, Alien, and The Shining are a masterclass in isolation. Expertly done.

[@CosmicShadowMari0]

YES. Love the movie, the practical effects in here are directly responsible for my love of learning about how movies work.

[@JamesVSCinema]

That’s so awesome to hear! Great movie to inspire filmmakers

[@CosmicShadowMari0]

@@JamesVSCinema I don't know if musicals are your thing, but you may enjoy checking out some songs from "Little Shop of Horrors" if you haven't already. I hold that and "The Thing" as some of the pinnacles of practical puppeteering. Songs to look at would be "Feed Me" and "Mean Green Mother," though they contain spoilers if you were interested in checking out the movie at some point on your own time.

[@IcePrincess751-kb9bq]

I regret watching the 2011 remake of this film.I was curious to see just how lazy the special effects were going to be with overuse of CGI.That god awful piece of garbage was one of the biggest insults to such a near-perfect horror original!😖Why,..just why?!😥

[@tupac-man8120]

@@IcePrincess751-kb9bq this movie is also a remake though

[@Luemm3l]

what baffles me is that the dog hasn't got an oscar for best performance... massive respect to the animal handlers/trainers of this movie. The dog plays with so much subtlety, wonder how many shots some scenes took.

[@GriffinKneesock]

The Thing is based on a novella called “Who Goes There?” which recently had a discovery of itself. As mentioned it’s a novella, but recently a university professor found a manuscript copy in their archives of a complete novel version that was much expanded upon and never published, that thanks to Kickstarter finally got republished with a full hardback version.

[@fxzero666]

That sound at 14:43 no matter how many times I have heard it, always sends chills down my spine and give me goosebumps.

[@katie4076]

Practical FX just hit different. rewatched this not too long ago with a friend who'd never seen it and was reminded about how much of a work of art this movie is. really appreciate your commentary on this one!

[@snowflakepillow8697]

"Why the hell would I want to see a John Carpenter horror film scored by anyone other than John Carpenter?!" "Because it's going to be scored by Ennio Morricone." [head explodes]

[@TheLegendOfOblivion]

I love it, everyone is reacting to this movie for the first time lately. Such a fantastic and terrifying film. If you liked this I recommend. "Color Out Of Space" (2019)

[@JamesVSCinema]

Hahaha that’s great!

[@rastiga9196]

Color Out Of Space is such a good Lovecraft movie!

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

I was gonna mention the first 'real' (rated-R) horror movie I ever watched, and to this day a major favorite, "An American Werewolf In London."

[@samieltheinfamous]

@@jean-paulaudette9246 It was mine, too. First saw it when I was four.

[@alexhouser5279]

The flares are a tool to set the lighting and mood of this film. Well done!

[@TheOnlyHellGod]

What I like about this movie the most is how everyone interprets the ending differently depending on their view of people. If you're trusting, you think neither of them are The Thing. If you only trust certain people, you think one of them is the Thing. If you trust no-one, you think they're both The Thing. Genius.

[@IvanPolyansky]

One of THE essential psychological thrillers. This is an EXTREMELY well made film full of subtleties.

[@pretentiousn3rd]

The scene with the chest opening up with teeth one of my favourite scenes in any horror movie and the fact that it was practical was extra amazing. Looking for another body horror I'd recommend David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) with Jeff Goldblum, another one of my favourites

[@JamesVSCinema]

What a crazy scene right!?

[@christinanatarelli8827]

I propose a Cronenbergathon! 😈

[@johnloony68]

@@JamesVSCinema They cast a double-amputee actor for that scene

[@Spottedfeather]

this is a horror movie now ? I assume you're the kind of person that calls Harry Potter fantasy and Die Hard a christmas movie...

[@kthx1138]

The Fly: Chris Walas FX!

[@jsmarty1]

imo, the greatest horror film of all time. Absolutely terrifying and filled with paranoia. Love it

[@JamesVSCinema]

Agree Jonny!

[@GradyBroyles]

It's the most successful film expression of "Lovecraftian" horror ever put to film. It never really explains what they are why they're here or anything and the end leaves you with as many if not more questions. Most attempts at cosmic horror blow it when they explain things.

[@patrickgogan3517]

And the underrated Rob Bottins special effects protege of Rick Baker

[@actuallywill]

notice how in the blood test scene, Palmer (the one who changes) is the only one that has no eye shine when on camera? that is the giveaway in that specific scene.

[@yeolpirate]

actuallywill I remember reading awhile ago that the lack of eyeshine was a small but deliberate lighting effect that the cinematographer did. It can be spotted throughout the film right to the last scene. I never noticed it until it was pointed out to me. So unsettling!

[@rsrt6910]

John Carpenter himself debunked that hypothesis saying no one but him and the writers knew who the Thing was until they filmed that scene.

[@szariq7338]

I'm actually interested in what practical effects they used to show jumping blood on Petri dish?

[@Squival138]

actually that eyeshine has been debunked. As other characters who are infected DO have an eye shine, including Palmer in earlier scenes. There is a guy on youtube who has incredibly in depth looks at The Thing, can't for the life of me remember the name of his channel but he comments on a lot of early vids that went up talking about the "eyeshine" and the "breath." It's basically by accident and not intentional.

[@emsleywyatt3400]

@@szariq7338 Hollow fake hand with a tube running up the inside. So simple when you know the answer.

[@shainewhite2781]

One of the best Sci-fi Horror films ever made! Saw this when I was 12 years old in July 2002 during July 4th weekend, and it scared the hell out of me!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Yup! Same here hahaha

[@mrjohnson8343]

There is a multiplayer game loosely based on the Thing, it's called "Among Us" Also The Thing was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's short story "At The Mountains of Madness"

[@JamesVSCinema]

Oh yeah that’s why I made the “sus” joke! Hahaha

[@mrjohnson8343]

@@JamesVSCinema that's what i get for commenting in real time

[@phononanon]

@@mrjohnson8343 I was seconds away from referencing Among Us and then he brought out the sus and I was like, "okay, I see you James."

[@FinishedGamesLLC]

The Thing is not based on H.P. Lovecraft's works. I don't know where you heard that, but it is false. It is based on John W. Campbell Jr.'s novella "Who Goes There?" (1938) It is also a semi-remake of the film The Thing From Another World (1951).

[@Messengus]

To further go down Devin's correction-esque response, also worth noting they did literally make a The Thing video game around the PS2 generation (no multiplayer and it wasn't very good though!). They've made one official board game of it (The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31), one board game is currently on Kickstarter (The Thing), and they made one that's come out twice now based on the book, also called Who Goes There?. To be specific, I also think the inspiration for Among Us is waaay more in the social deduction board game genre of games like Werewolf and Mafia, with the theme being more of an Alien riff than The Thing.

[@traceyreid4585]

I watched this movie first time around at the cinema... You can't imagine the shock of some of these effects seen for the first time. The 80's was a special time for movie/story telling development

[@LockeDemosthenes2]

The Thing unfortunately flopped at the box office, mainly because it came out the same month as E.T. It's a great example of a cult classic that later found its audience from video rental and television. It's a top 10 film for me btw, it's amazing. P.S. fun fact, Quinton Tarantino's The Hateful Eight is largely an homage to The Thing. Both involve characters being suspicious of eachother in an isolated winter environment, and both star Kurt Russell and have a musical score by Ennio Morricone.

[@darkhorse1280]

Another fun fact: Tarantino also used The Thing's opening DVD menu theme as one of his scores in The Hateful Eight. Morricone was the GOAT of composers! RIP

[@lauce3998]

E.T. not only fucking The Thing, but also Blade Runner!. That's why he deserves the bonfire.

[@naxotogo]

but, Morricone's music was barely used?? Carpenters music was much more prominent, at least his style is ALL over it.

[@nathanpapp432]

Most of Morricone's score in The Hateful Eight is unused pieces he wrote for The Thing OST.

[@radoszny]

I heard that Morricone wrote the music to the movie before it was made and told Carpenter to use it as he sees fit. In the end he wrote mostly his own pieces largely inspired by what Morricone gave him.

[@kylemurdock8034]

This is a rare miss for James, didn't anyone mention that you're required to eat spaghetti and meatballs while watching this movie 🤣

[@JamesVSCinema]

😂😂😂

[@heather9857]

LOLZ

[@oobillionsunsoo7176]

Dude! You asked about my reaction to the dog kennel scene? I was 10 when I first saw it and I was scared out of my friggin mind! I couldn't watch the other transformations in the movie. I was haunted by the sound effects and experienced nightmares for a long time. It was THIS movie that made me afraid of the dark, and had me closing all the closet doors, turning on all the lights, and checking under my bed. But now, I love this movie. The Thing (1982) to me is the greatest horror masterpiece ever created Bar None!

[@ganjiblobflankis6581]

10:59 Doom and Resident Evil look like something from this movie. Carpenter almost certainly pinched the imagery from some old paintings depicting hell, degeneracy or ruination , but for the people who made those later works, Alien and The Thing were likely their first exposure to such things. Carpenter was clearly going for gory shock value, but he and the effects artists knew their art and put the work in to get exactly the right vision on screen. The best part is, the movie does not remotely rely on this for the horror: the gore is just one instrument in the orchestra. Strong contender for greatest horror movie ever and probably my favourite.

[@mihirlavande]

The fact that people are still dissecting the ending of this movie 38 years later is a testament to how well made and timeless this John Carpenter classic is.

[@davidalexander_93]

So awesome seeing you react to my all-time favourite horror movie. I remember the first time I saw it I was really impressed by it's practical effects, it scared the crap out of me!

[@maxskellington910]

5:40 fun fact! They purposefully picked someone who wasn't a cast member to be the shadow on the wall! They didn't want it to be recognizable, so that we wouldn't be able to actually figure out who got infected first.

[@88wildcat]

It didn't work. You can deduce that Norris or Palmer had to be the first infection. Earlier in the movie between that shadow scene and the blood test Palmer takes a hit from a joint and passes it to Childs who also takes a hit. Yet Childs blood is human in the blood test scene. If Palmer had been infected then he should have passed it to Childs so Palmer can't be infected when he is hitting the joint. That leaves Norris as the only possibility for first infection. Remember Blair has been isolated from everyone else so he can not be infected unless Palmer or Norris infected him after he was put in the tool shed.

[@weirdguy1495]

Between Brandon watching The Exorcist and you watching this movie, those are two horror juggernauts right there, and it's only the first full week of the month.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Was just finishing his video a few minutes ago hahaha!

[@CapraDemon101]

Yeah you two are literally perfect personalities for this. You both have excellent minds for film analysis. I've been telling every film buff friend about you both.

[@weirdguy1495]

@Michael Mathers Honestly, yeah, give me some shit for both comedy as well as to know what *not* to do.

[@cristonsloan]

@@JamesVSCinema The reason I'm watching you is because someone in the comments on one of his videos recommended your channel after I posted my appreciation for the way he adds so much value to everything he watches - you're now my two favourite reactors by far because of that exact fact.

[@mattdubya1037]

when the dog walked into the room the shadow on the wall was Norris. the dog thing turned him early on. probably faked his heart attack figuring he could then “die” and come back later unnoticed

[@RapidFire280]

Yes! My favorite horror movie! I completely agree with you about the storytelling aspect. The film makers made this movie very ambiguous to put you into each characters shoes.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Exactly! Something I felt gets overlooked at times but it’s one of the main reasons I truly love this film!

[@HmmNeatCody0_o]

John carpenter said that the screams of the alien are a mixture of all the life it’s consumed in the galaxy.

[@123mrblonde]

They had a The Thing haunted house at universal studios in like 2007 once I remember walking through it.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Oh nice!!

[@emsleywyatt3400]

This is a great film to rewatch, knowing which characters have been absorbed and evaluating their behavior in light of that knowledge.

[@michaelbastraw1493]

"Back in the day" title card. In a smoky environment, between a transparency of the title and a light source was a black plastic bag that was set afire. As it melted, more of the title was revealed. Best. Leo.

[@sarataylor6164]

Was a black plastic bag part of the ending scene? Is that a giveaway to the end?

[@michaelbastraw1493]

@@sarataylor6164 Ms. Poems and Postcards: not that I know of. I don't recall a black plastic bag being significant at the end of the movie. It was simply a masking tool used to slowly reveal the title in an interesting way. Best. Leo.

[@pree381]

This movie (at least some of it) was filmed on the ice fields outside my hometown in Juneau, Alaska. So my AK history teacher used that as an excuse to play it during class.

[@SuperTigger1999]

one of my favorite movies for horror l just love that they really go all out with the practical effects and love how Resident Evil took inspiration from these also the soundtrack is great

[@JamesVSCinema]

Exactly! The passion in this film is incredible

[@Fallingsnow57]

I attempted to get a job in Antarctica primarily because watching this movie during the winter in Antarctica is on my bucket list. The money would have been decent, but that was my true motivation.

[@nickmanzo8459]

Yes! Lovecraftian is the perfect word for it, John Carpenter used the Shoggoth as an inspiration for the look of The Thing.

[@Bunke09]

I first watched this movie a few years after it came out at like age 12. Loved it. My first horror movie I went to was Jaws at the drive in at age 2 thankfully I don't remember it. I saw some crazy movies while pretending to be asleep in the TV room as a kid for sure. Ghost Story 81, Creepshow & Cat People 82, Cujo 83, Children of the Corn 84, Life Force 85, Dead Ringers 1988. Had a baby sitter for my little brother and I play Alien on a home reel to reel projector when I was 13 in 86ish. Considering the spaceship the Thing must have some sort of cellular intelligence it uses independent of it's human hosts imo.

[@vandibber8221]

First viewing experience of this was walking into the living room aged 10 in 1987, my dad was putting this on and told me to go to bed cause it was too scary. I threw a tantrum and demanded to be allowed to watch it, my dad said "ok, but if you have nightmares, you're not allowed to call for me." So I watched it, was terrified and was hooked on films like this for life.

[@Gumislove]

This movie is so great! I haven't seen it in years either, so I'll probably watch the full reaction later today cause this movie definitely deserves a full rewatch!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Hahaha ay!! Definitely a full rewatch!

[@ludovicoc7046]

James, I've watched several of the first-time-viewing movie reaction sites on KZbin and I gotta say yours is the most informed and intelligent response channel. Good job, keep it up! Subscribed.

[@ericdaniel2596]

John Carpenter is brilliant. I love his films. Great reaction!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Hey thanks Eric!

[@Yaksniffer2]

One of the GOAT’s. First time I saw this, the paranoia is sets up by not knowing who’s infected, and the twists and turns, I totally bought into all of it. The practical effects elevated it.

[@ttanza4004]

"John Carpenter's THE THING" is actually My own Number 1 Favorite Movie. I realize that this probably sounds crazy and foolish but I have actually watched the Movie so many times over the years that I now actually know the whole entire movie line for line.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Doesn’t sound crazy at all, people know Shrek line for line..the entire franchise of movies. So you’re good haha

[@Yora21]

The Thing certainly ranks in my all time top 5, with The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Ghost in the Shell. The late 70s to mid 80s were when movie making was at its peak.

[@ceno8039]

Respect bro, same here!

[@HaloOfSun]

Best Sci Fi movie EVER. The first time I saw this, right after it ended I started it all over again. The tension and paranoia feels so palpable.

[@BrandonLikesMovies]

The Thing multiplayer is a brilliant idea, needs to happen haha. I'm always trying to find more movies like this one, but nothing comes close. Not sure if you've seen The Void, but I thought that probably had some of the closest body-horror feels to it, although I didn't find it that great of a movie unfortunately.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Right!? I know the game “Among Us” is blowing up right now but I’d love for a full multiplayer game with quality graphics and realism to take place with this movie haha. Would be too dope! I’ve heard a lot about that actually, haven’t seen it myself but I do remember people mentioning that movie because of the body-horror practical effects!! Watch out for them Aliens Brandon!

[@tonyleong4961]

@@JamesVSCinema they did make a game... a real Thing game.... interesting mechanics based on Trust, but didn't quite nail it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpCqiX2oaM-hq80 still might be worth a play through if through playstation now or xbox live

[@CalvinChikelue]

First time I watched the dog scene, I was spooked & likely did jump but overall the thing that sticks in my mind most & overwhelmed those feelings was just absolute awe at the grandeure of those practicals. Not just that someone had the idea of such a creature unlike anything my, at the time child, mind could comprehend but also that people were able to take that vision & make it a reality.

[@heilmann18]

There's a short story by Peter Watts from the perspective of The Thing itself and it's a very interesting read, totally recommend looking into after watching the movie. Keep up the reactions man, love your channel!

[@JamesVSCinema]

That alone sounds very interesting! I’ll definitely ready up on that! And thank you for the love my friend

[@IamtheDesperado]

James you keep pumping out banger after banger reaction videos man. Your work ethic is admirable.

[@JamesVSCinema]

I appreciate the love seriously hahaha! I love doing this!

[@IamtheDesperado]

@@JamesVSCinema this is definitely one of the greatest horror films ever made glad you liked it brotha. Keep up the good work.

[@thesyndrome43]

mate, I'd pay to spend a weekend in a wintery place, if they offered to pay me I worry that I'd say yes too fast for them to reach 50 million as their offer lol. I'm a winter person and HATE the heat, so much that I've been praying for it to snow in my country every winter for about 7 years now (still waiting....)

[@whoalookout8578]

I know I'm lat to the party, but where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

[@darmok3171]

I love your commentary and insights into this film, and I love seeing people react to it. When I first saw this film, I was eight and my parents weren't home yet, so I locked myself in the bathroom for 3 hours until they returned :)

[@JamesVSCinema]

Hey thank you my friend!!

[@alejandrojames1588]

You've probably seen it already but if not definitely watch Alien (1979). Easily my favourite horror and love how it came out basically at the same time as Star Wars showing two separate ideas behind sci-fi cinema

[@JamesVSCinema]

Loved me some Alien! One of the first films that inspired me to be a filmmaker

[@gregghelmberger]

I love your commentary for this. You're knowledgeable and you communicate that knowledge well, which means I learned more from you about a movie I've loved since it came out. Definitely subbed to your channel!

[@alexkull24]

7:07... There is a game perfectly inspired by this movie, it's called Among Us! XD

[@JamesVSCinema]

You looking kinda sus Alex xD

[@alexkull24]

@@JamesVSCinema (▀̿ ̿ ----- ▀̿ ̿ )

[@alexkull24]

@@esinach SCP: Secret Laboratory... The closest! XD

[@tolkienismaster]

@@esinach Try boardgames. There is The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, Who Goes There? and soon The Thing: the boardgame(now on kickstarter). I played Who Goes There? many times and I love it. Second edition is coming soo also.

[@nocturneJOJO]

@@esinach there is an official The Thing videogame, it was released on PC, PS2, and original XBOX, it's an official (John Carpenter approved) sequel to this movie and capture a lot of the theme and atmosphere. Another somewhat inspired and more recent game is an indie game called Distrust but that one is isometric, you can find it for cheap on GOG and Steam (I think I bought it for 2-3€ on Steam during some sales) for its price it's quite nice. :)

[@noheroespublishing1907]

I loved the director's commentary during the blood test scene, Carpenter was basically like, yeah, once it starts flinging Windows around, this is what it's like to be trapped in hell.

[@pedrolopez8057]

"They're approaching it like scientists. " They're on a research station, they probably all are scientists. I've applied for a job in Antartica and they like to have people with multiple skills. Like a biologist who is also a plumber. Or a geologist/paramedic. Re: multiplayer game. There was a video game that came out, which Carpenter said was canonical, but of course that was well before the internet took off.

[@szariq7338]

Several of them, but not everyone: Copper - physician McReady - heli pilot Childs - mechanic Palmer - second pilot and second mechanic Gary - security Windows - radio operator Clark - dogsitter Nauls - cook

[@jasonlockyer8647]

Enjoying your appreciation of some classics, I was blown away by this film when I watched back in the early eighties. I didnt get to see it at the cinema as i was too young but as soon as my dad purchased a Video player it was one of the first films we rented along with Jaws and Time Bandits (great film worth checking out, also Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels). All the best from the UK. J

[@JamesVSCinema]

Much love J!! 🙏🏽

[@bencarlson4300]

Ennio Morricone’s BRILLIANT score was nominated for worst original score at the Razzies. Years later, Morricone would win the Oscar for The Hateful Eight which included unused pieces from his score for The Thing.

[@stevepower1764]

John Carpenter was on fire back then. He made so many great movies from the late 70's to mid 80's. "Halloween", "Assault on Precinct 13", "The Thing", "Escape From New York", "They Live", "The Fog", and "Big Trouble In Little China" just to name a few. I watched most of those for the first time when I was in my early teens back in the 80's and have loved them all ever since.

[@ChappieCrosby]

Here is my artistic interpretation of this film (one of my favorite films of all time). The Thing is symbolism for the AIDS epidemic and the fear-mongering that took place in the 80s over it. It being in the blood and originally coming from animals points me towards this view. There are quite a few interpretations to be had on The Thing (maybe some Red Scare commentary as well).

[@56postoffice]

I think it was mentioned by Carpenter on the commentary track about the Thing being a metaphor for the AIDS virus, which was still a new thing at the time.

[@rsrt6910]

Actually, all it was, was a much more faithful adaptation of the source material, John W Campbell Jr's novella "Who Goes There". In fact, the first time I watched it I realized in the first act how they were going to identify who was a Thing because I'd read the novella before. After re-reading it, it was uncanny how faithful John Carpenter was to the story, even keeping the names of the characters and such (though obviously Carpenter's MacReady wasn't the "bronze god" that Campbell painted him to be)

[@unxprienced9548]

MacReady handing "Childs" the gasoline and then laughing because he knows that it isn't Childs is amazing

[@chloe1-2-3-4-5]

I will never understand how this movie flopped when it came out.

[@sweetcinnamonpnchkin]

Same release as E.T.

[@patrickgogan3517]

Back in the early 80s it wasnt a big thing (pun intended) lol took time like wine

[@litjay7073]

sweetcinnamonpnchkin and Blade Runner

[@adrianburchell8075]

ET came out first and everybody was loving the friendly alien...this came out...

[@Telecritter78]

“And your final boss monster is….Wilford Brimley.” “Wait. The Quaker Oats guy?” “Trust me.”

[@throwabrick]

The bottle at the end? That wasn't whiskey. That was kerosene.

[@vaguesage]

Agreed, and you see McCreadys breath from the cold but not Child's. Also, older versions show a dog running through the snow as the credits roll, suggesting the Thing will reach population. This is considered one of three of Carpenter's apocalypse trilogy. The others being "In the Mouth of Madness" and "Prince of Darkness".

[@Yora21]

There is nothing in the movie to indicate that.

[@Deception975]

@@vaguesage I don't understand why people focus on the breath. Earlier in the movie, we clearly saw the breath of the Bennings-Things. So that isn't a telling sign if they are human or not. As for the bottle. Why was McCready going to drink it? At that point, he thought he was alone. A Thing has all the memories of the human it has assimilated. If Childs was a Thing. He/It would know that isn't drinking alcohol.

[@IamtheDesperado]

@@vaguesage Childs breathe is visible if you have a decent HD TV and bluray copy so that theory is cool and all but not really practical. I mean Bennings when he became assimilated his breathe was clearly visible outside right before he was burned to death by McCready

[@rsrt6910]

Disagree: I mean why would MacReady retrieve a blanket and a bottle of kerosine from his shack just so he could take a sip on the far off chance that Childs was still alive and would approach him at that exact moment on the even farther off chance that the Thing wouldn't know what kerosine tasted like with absolutely no evidence that it wouldn't. MacReady was smarter than that. No, mac got a blanket and a bottle of J&B from his shack so he could get blackout drunk in preparation of freezing to death in Antarctica.

[@lukefallon8276]

The Thing was originally a novella called "Who Goes There?" (1938) by John W. Campbell. It was so well written that you felt paranoid just reading it. In the story, Blair destroys all the communications equipment because he realizes the thing would even be capable of riding on a radio wave and spreading that way. It's a great read.

[@emilie11291]

This is the epitome of psychological horror. It's not just the monster that's scary, it's that you can see them all gradually succumb to their paranoia and mistrust of each other (as we all would tbh!) which pushes normally rational and intelligent individuals to do dumb shit that allows the thing to have an upper hand on them (like in the blood testing scene, tying them all to each other was a dumb move if you already assumed one of them was the thing, however that is a result of kurt russell's characters' fear taking the wheel and preventing him from foreseeing how that could end badly). Like you actually start fearing the good guys because you're like "what are they gonna do? are they gonna accidentally kill each other?". thank you for reacting to this

[@DeekerJones]

So I just found your channel, and I gotta say, I really love your take on a lot of my favorite films. Up next in the autoplay is Dredd! A terribly underrated film. I can't wait!

[@JamesVSCinema]

Ay thank you!! Have fun with the videos friend!

[@CynicalRaptor]

Your channel is a perfect blend of the “film review” style and the dime a dozen “reaction” video. You bring a lot more to the table with your film knowledge and I commend you for that. Most people just post a thumbnail of them with their mouths agape and send it with no context.

[@Eprosis]

THE THING(1982) is a perfect example of that classic bit of advice when writing a story (for any format): Arrive late, exit early. We enter the story late because a whole ton has clearly already happened at the Norwegian base, and we exit early, two survivors -- one possibly infected, but we get no resolution. Just dread about what might happen next. Classic film.

[@MoreIrrelevantTwaddle]

FINALLY, some one says what I've been arguing with people online about. These guys are scientists, they are curious to find answers even at the risk of their own lives. Get so tired of ppl saying "This is fake, real ppl would nope the f out of there once things went all weird". So refreshing.

[@N8sSpins]

This man is the best always making quality content and actually interacting with the community

[@JamesVSCinema]

Ay my man Nathan!! Thank you for that brother!

[@best377100]

At 14:30 you can hear Windows drop the key to the blood bank, I love when movies don’t try and spoon feed you info.

[@shaharadegan9993]

Thanks for showcasing one of my favorites! Although I am not into horror, I can never not re-watch “The Thing”. A masterpiece.

[@trentlomelino]

I've been watching a ton of reviews and in depth breakdowns of the film, and it just may be the best horror film ever.

[@ZannNewman]

The use of colour is amazing, watch how it swings from red to blue. And the thing is *Alien* but it's smart, remember it was flying a spaceship - and it seems to keep the memories of everything it absorbs

[@Jmetclaf7053]

I adore the use of color in this film. The way Carpenter uses blue in this movie. Brilliant.

[@leechmiller1072]

Awesome stuff, this is one of my favourite films. I really enjoyed watching your commentary.

[@CasperTheCoolCat]

The Thing imitates every life form it comes across. So in a way, it has many brains.

[@fxzero666]

I absolutely love the fact that every KZbinr has decided to react to this amazing film!

[@strawdawgs78]

The way real light bounces off of practical, handmade special effects can't be replicated with CGI.

[@MortPure]

You're the main guy. This movie is easily in my top 5 ever. Thx for the upload man. This movie being the influence behind The Hateful Eight from Tarantino made me love Tarantino's movie so much too. Paranoia, distrust, cabin fever... all the perfect elements for a good night of fun hehe.

[@JamesVSCinema]

Hahaha my man!

[@dirus3142]

You are the only person I know who asked "why is he trying to shoot the dog?". It's always OMG don't hurt that dog!

[@generic_sauce]

Without a doubt my favorite horror movie of all time! Great story, sets, casts and practical effects make this a suspense filled masterpiece. This is John Carpenter at his finest.

[@crimsonda]

Please do American Werewolf in London! That said, this is probably one of my all-time favorite movies. The FX are still very good but the banger for this film that has always got me is the feel to it. The atmosphere. I find the overall atmosphere of this far scarier than almost any other "horror" flick. You're stuck. You can't trust anyone. It's just an amazing film. I never saw the 50s movie and I haven't read the story both of these were based on but man, this always gets me.