The Thing

[MetalJoe]

The Thing on the big screen eh? I'll have a bit of that.

Cheers for posting QC.

[dvdmike]

I got my tickets last week, I am loving this universal season

[Lime-01R]

but I think the nearest cinema to me showing it is in Fulham, little bit of a schlep on the train.

Thats where I'll be seeing it, loved watching the digital re-release of The Good the Bad and the Ugly there last year

[NemesiS]

One of my favourite films. The bit where the head grows legs and scuttles off is just insane. Or it was at the time it was out.

I actually always thought they would do a follow up to this but was happy that they left it where it ended. Just a classic horror Sci-Fi like Alien.

[anephric]

Rob Bottin tried to get a sequel off the ground, with him directing, for years. Some of the follow-up Dark Horse comics weren't too bad.

[NemesiS]

Rob Bottin tried to get a sequel off the ground, with him directing, for years. Some of the follow-up Dark Horse comics weren't too bad.

The way the film ends with the two of them left, it was almost made for a sequel.

Do the comics follow on from where the film ends? I never even knew there were comics about the thing. I'll have to check them out

[anephric]

Yep, the first series carries on exactly where the film ends (Childs and Mac don't die of cold ) and the artwork on the first series, by John Higgins, is sensational.

[NemesiS]

Yep, the first series carries on exactly where the film ends (Childs and Mac don't die of cold ) and the artwork on the first series, by John Higgins, is sensational.

Just found a set on the bay

Cheers for the heads up

[dvdmike]

I saw Whiteout as Optimum hyped it as a Thing like flick, and bar being a fun little show based movie had nothing supernatural in it at all

[Kit]

The setup for a sequel's there, it‘s just finding the right script:

In 2004, John Carpenter said in an Empire Magazine interview[12] that he has a story idea for The Thing II, which centers around the two surviving characters, MacReady and Childs. However, Carpenter felt that due to the higher price associated with his fee, Universal Studios will not pursue his storyline. Carpenter indicated that he would be able to secure both Kurt Russell and Keith David for the sequel. In his story, Carpenter would explain the age difference between the two actors by having frostbite on their face due to the elements until rescued. The assumption of the sequel would rely on a radio signal being successfully transmitted by Windows before Blair destroyed the communications room. Thus, after the explosion of the base camp, the rescue team would arrive and find MacReady and Childs still alive. Carpenter has not disclosed any other details.

That would have been perfect, like 15 years ago, but there’s no way Carpenter could pull that off given Kurt Russel's age. I mean, with the exception of Bruce Willis, I can’t think of many aging actors that can revisit an old franchise and maintain continuity between films - hate to see The Thing II turn out like Terminator 3 or (heaven forbid) Crystal Skull.

Yep, the first series carries on exactly where the film ends (Childs and Mac don't die of cold ) and the artwork on the first series, by John Higgins, is sensational.

In the game when the rescue team return to the base they find MacReady missing (unexplained) and Childs dead. That would be a great way to start a sequel and there's still lot's of places in the first left unexplored; like the alien ship.

Edit: does MacReady return to the ship in the comics?

[Matt]

I hope they make no sequel. The film can standalone just fine, no need to continue it. It will only cheapen the first.

Plus of course, Carpenter should never be let near a camera these days

Besides, MacReady is The Thing by the end of the film. Of that I have no doubt. Earlier in the film, they debate about just leaving it to freeze, but then it won't die and will be discovered again in the future. At the end, he suggests just sitting there and waiting to see what happens - he's knackered, needs to rest.... he knows he'll be discovered again when the rescue team eventually arrive.

[bash]

No way, I've always thought that neither of them are The Thing in the end. They're just waiting to die, for the thing to turn up else where or be rescued. If anything Childs is more likely to be The Thing as he claims to have seen Blair earlier and got lost in the snow.

There's supposed to be a an unreleased alternate ending where Macready gets rescued as Windows got a distress call out before everything was smashed up. Macready gets a blood test proving he's not the thing.

[SuperBeatBoy]

My favourite movie ever. I must have watched it a bajillion times. My favourite scene is the part where the dogs are locked up and start splitting apart. The gore effects are still out of this world today, i don't think anyone has trumped them since as they are especially creative in their design and grotesqueness.

There were rumours of a remake, but i haven't heard anything since. I hope to god, Michael Bay never touches it with his stubby palms.

[Matt]

No way, I've always thought that neither of them are The Thing in the end. They're just waiting to die, for the thing to turn up else where or be rescued. If anything Childs is more likely to be The Thing as he claims to have seen Blair earlier and got lost in the snow.

There's supposed to be a an unreleased alternate ending where Macready gets rescued as Windows got a distress call out before everything was smashed up. Macready gets a blood test proving he's not the thing.

Never heard of that alternative ending before - you sure it's real, or a myth? Thought it would have cropped up by now, the DVD special edition 10 odd years back was pretty inclusive.

Seriously, he is The Thing. There is no other logical conclusion. The conversation earlier about not letting it freeze and be rediscovered later lays the foundation. It's his idea to wait / freeze to death.

If he wasn't The Thing, he'd have to kill Childs just in case he was. Childs can't be, or they'd be aware of each other.

Sorry man, Kurt is gone

[bash]

Never heard of that alternative ending before - you sure it's real, or a myth? Thought it would have cropped up by now, the DVD special edition 10 odd years back was pretty inclusive.

Wikipedia is your friend

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(film)

*edit*
In fact, reading that again its states that JC had an interview with empire with talks of a sequel where Childs and Macready get rescued via a distress call given my windows (he was a Thing, wasnt he?) before the smashed equipment.