"The Thing": A masterpiece from another world

There are quite a few film fans who have complained in recent years that Hollywood seems to be running out of ideas.

"The Thing": A masterpiece from another world

There are quite a few film fans who have complained in recent years that Hollywood seems to be running out of ideas. Classics are always reissued as remakes or given a reboot that gives well-known plots an updated look.

Decades ago, content that had already been filmed was being reinterpreted. In many cases it may well be true that the dream factory could have saved the modernized version. However, if the newer film is perceived by many as the original 40 years later, then this should definitely show that there are also very special exceptions.

John W. Campbell's (1910-1971) sci-fi horror fiction "Who Goes There?" about a group of researchers isolated in Antarctica who discover an alien spacecraft, was first filmed in the early 1950s. "The thing from another world", in the original "The Thing from Another World", is considered a classic of science fiction.

But when fans of the fantastic film hear "The Thing" today, most people probably first think of "The Thing from Another World" by director John Carpenter (74), who has long been considered one of the masters of the horror genre. In October 1982, 40 years ago, the film made German cinemas tremble for the first time.

At the time, not many people in the cinema were frightened by the body horror masterpiece. "The Thing", the original title, almost flopped at the box office. According to Box Office Mojo, the film, which reportedly had a budget of around $15 million, grossed just around $19.6 million worldwide. And the critics also smiled at the production to a large extent. Vincent Canby (1924-2000) described today's cult flick in the "New York Times" as "foolish" among other things. The film looks "too fake" to be "disgusting" and can only be perceived as "junk".

In "The Thing from Another World" the researchers encounter an extraterrestrial life form that can imitate other living beings. Fears are raised that if one of the group is infected, this could be the undoing of all humanity if they manage to leave the station for civilization. In spite of endless snow expanses and thanks to partly almost merciless special effects, Carpenter managed to capture a nightmare between claustrophobia, paranoia and disgust, which even years later made the proverbial blood freeze in the veins of the audience.

As the main actor, Kurt Russell (71) once again proved to be a good choice. Shortly before, Carpenter had already shot a sci-fi dystopia with the actor, which also has cult status today: "The Rattlesnake". In addition, the two also worked together on the much later released sequel "Escape from L.A.", on "Big Trouble in Little China" and on the 1979 biopic "Elvis - The King".

Perhaps the prelude to "The Thing from Another World", which was published around eleven years ago, will have a similar fate. Even "The Thing" from 2011, in which Mary Elizabeth Winstead (37) appeared, among others, could not convince many critics. With a budget of $38 million, according to Box Office Mojo, the production was only able to recoup $31.5 million worldwide. As of this writing, however, it seems unlikely that filmmaker Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s (57) debut feature will ever achieve the status of Carpenter's terrifying showpiece.

But fans can probably look forward to a genuine successor. In February, Carpenter indicated that he would like to see a part two. "I would like to do a sequel to The Thing or a sequel or something like that," he told The Hollywood Reporter. At the time, however, there were no concrete plans.

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