John Carpenter’s 1982 classic "The Thing" resonates with a particular nostalgic charm for Gen X viewers, combining elements of 1980s culture with iconic scenes and concepts that have been copied and parodied for over 40 years. This film isn’t just a remake of the 1951 "The Thing from Another World" or just an adaptation of John W. Campbell’s novella "Who Goes There?" It is a masterful reinterpretation that, like its titular creature, mimics the original but evolves into something uniquely its own.
Set against the stark, icy backdrop of Antarctica, "The Thing," screening July 25 and 30 at Ambler Theater, introduces us to an isolated group of American researchers who face an unknown terror. The film’s pacing alternates between slow-burning suspense and explosive moments of terror. Ennio Morricone’s minimalist, haunting music adds to the tension, while the lack of music in some scenes makes the horrifying visuals even more shocking.
For Gen X viewers, the film is a nostalgic journey back to a time when Kurt Russell was a major star. Playing R.J. MacReady, the rugged helicopter pilot with his iconic beard and piercing blue eyes, Russell embodies bravado and vulnerability, a combination that has made his characters relatable and compelling. Wilford Brimley as Dr. Blair and Keith David as Childs also invoke nostalgia. Brimley is now known to younger audiences as a meme, and David’s deep and intense voice is recognizable from modern voice acting roles including "Rick and Morty” and “The Princess and the Frog.” But for Gen X, Brimley and David are 1980s icons, ubiquitous character actors who showed up in a vast array of media from David’s appearances in the heralded Vietnam War film “Platoon”and TV’s “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” to Brimley’s in the cult classic “Remo Williams” and the made for TV “Ewoks: The Battle for Endor.”
The film’s color palette is dominated by shades of browns, tans, and greens popular in the late '70s and early '80s. The researchers’ base, cluttered with everyday items like Coors beer cans, a Panasonic video player showing "The Price is Right," and an Asteroids arcade game, serves as a nostalgic time capsule. Listening to Stevie Wonder’s "Superstition" while playing pool and cards or smoking joints, the characters' familiarity powerfully contrasts with the eerie weirdness and otherworldly moaning of the alien creature. The horror peaks in scenes like the infamous dog transformation, where the creature screams and writhes and takes on heretofore unimaginable shapes. As one character aptly states, "I don't know what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off."
Carpenter’s "The Thing" goes beyond simple imitation. The alien entity in the film, which assimilates and mimics other life forms, serves as a metaphor for the creative process behind the movie itself. Once the creature is no longer attempting to precisely imitate to survive, once it is free from respecting the physics of the original form, it becomes something much more – something weird, creative, and truly horrifying. Likewise, Carpenter’s film does not slavishly adhere to its sources. Instead, it takes the core elements and reimagines them, creating something that is at once familiar and startlingly original. This leads to moments of true genius and horror, as the alien’s transformations are rendered with groundbreaking special effects that remain impressive to this day.
The special effects, crafted by Rob Bottin, are a testament to practical artistry. The grotesque forms that the creature assumes pushed the boundaries of what audiences expected from horror at the time. Despite its initial mixed reception, "The Thing" has endured as a cult classic, revered for its innovative approach to horror. For Gen X viewers, it offers a potent mix of nostalgia and timeless storytelling, reminding them of a formative period in their lives while still delivering the visceral horror that defines the genre.
Enjoy a special screening of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” on 35mm at 7 p.m., July 25 and 30 at Ambler Theater as part of the movie house’s Retrograde series. After the screening on July 25, walk over to Forest and Main Brewing Company for a “The Thing”/80s trivia night. Show your ticket stub at the bar for $5 drafts.
