Christian Cinema Review: The Thing Movies and Blu-ray Releases

Pastor J reviews the film series about The Thing, including the 1951 classic The Thing from Another World and the 1982 cult classic John Carpenter's The Thing.

He discusses the differences between the two films, including the monster's appearance and the plot.

The pastor also reviews the 2011 prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing, which explores the backstory of the helicopter chase scene.

He compares the special effects of the three films, preferring the practical effects of the original.

It's time now for the Classic Cinema Rewind with Pastor J. I'll see you back at the hut. Oh boy. Hey, doggie. Now join Pastor J as we rewind the tape. And enjoy some classic cinema. Greetings, Classic Cinema fans. This is Pastor Jay here with you once again on the Classic Cinema Rewind podcast. We thank you for joining us today. Whether you're listening to us on our podcast on the many channels all around the world, or whether you are watching us on YouTube or watching us on the video on UltimateTube. Wherever you're listening or watching, we appreciate you being part of this journey. Today we're talking about an interesting subject. We're going into a film series, or let's do it this way, a series of films, because there is a difference. A film series is a bunch of movies that kind of join together and go into a tell a story arc, where a series of films is a bunch of films that kind of connect by having maybe the same story or a similar story. So this is not a film series. This is a series of films. A very, very interesting distinction. And today we're talking about a trilogy of films or three films that kind of have the same story. In 1938, John W. Campbell Jr. wrote a science fiction short story that was entitled Who Goes There? And it was so well liked and so well done that the amazing producer, Howard Hawks, decided that he was going to make this into a feature film. And what came from that was this film here. Those of you that are watching on the video can see it. Those of you that are listening on the podcast, it is The Thing from Another World. This, I'm actually, I actually have the Blu-ray release from Warner Archive in my hands right now, and it's really, really cool. The Thing from Another World, a Howard Hawks production. And many of you may only have never seen this. I don't know. So hopefully anybody that's watching this has seen this. If you're a classic cinema fan, if you've never seen The Thing from Another World, I have to say, where have you been? But anyway, The Thing from Another World is a very interesting film. It's basically the story of who goes there. and it's about a bunch of researchers in the Arctic that find a spaceship and a creature frozen in the ice and the creature thaws out and goes on a rampage. Now, we know that story, probably many of us, because we've seen the other films, but if you've never seen this one, this is a very interesting film because it's not a shapeshifter, you know, a creature that takes the form of someone else. This is actually a huge hulking monster, and oh, this is a tremendous film. And I love this film for the simple purpose and the simple reason that in this film, the monster is played by James Arness. Now that's what makes this film so interesting to me is this is James Arnest, the man that would end up playing Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. I mean, unbelievable that he plays the creature, the thing from another world. And wow, because James Arnest was a really big fella. I mean, and that was the cool thing about him. He was so massive and so big and so strong looking that he could play this without very little, you know, padding or makeup or anything. Because he was so big and so strong looking anyway that they didn't have to put a lot of stuff on him to make him look so huge. Because he just was. He was just massive and big and strong looking. and that was what was so amazing about this. This film has a very claustrophobic feel to it and we're going to talk about the actual release, the actual Blu-ray release in a little bit so stay tuned for that as we look at the Blu-ray release of this. But anyway, this film was produced in 1951. Very, very interesting. Now, I want to go to the next one, which is this film. This is John Carpenter's The Thing. Now, the interesting thing about this is that this film, John Carpenter's The Thing, was released in 1982. So you're talking basically 30 years later from The Thing from Another World comes The Thing, John Carpenter's The Thing. Now, this film actually takes the whole premise of The Thing and changes it from what we saw with The Thing from Another World and made it into a shapeshifter or a creature that can change its likeness and become like the host, if you will. And it's really, really cool. John Carpenter took a film and a film idea and made it into a cult classic now the interesting thing with John Carpenter movie The Thing and this is of course on Blu-ray for those of you that are watching or listening to the podcast. If you're watching the video, you can see that. But anyway, if you're listening to the podcast, this is the Blu-ray release that we have here. And the interesting thing with John Carpenter's The Thing is that he got a very awesome actor. He got, yes, he got Kurt Russell to be in this film. Now, me, I remember Kurt Russell. I was brought up on Kurt Russell from the Disney movies. That's where I was introduced to Kurt Russell when I was a kid, was all the Disney films from back in the day. I wasn't old enough to go to the theaters to see him. I mean, he was long, well, an actor, an adult actor before I was even, you know, old enough to really understand it. But anyway, so they took the, but I was introduced to Kurt Russell from the Disney films, like The Barefoot Executive, The Strongest Man in the World. There's one called Now You See Him, Now You Don't, I think is what the title was. there was just a bunch of them and I was introduced to Kurt Russell that way so I remember him as a kid actor but he became the quintessential action B action star if you will with The Thing from Another World I love this film very very cool interesting release and we'll talk more about this actual release in a little bit but who doesn't love The Thing This thing, The Thing, John Carpenter's The Thing. A very interesting film, and I love the same kind of claustrophobic feel that comes from being in this little closed-in area, far from anyone, from any help, basically, and you're just sieged upon by this creature. Now the interesting thing about this film is the fact that they took the idea of trying to find out who the thing was and they took the blood from people and they heated it up to find out who was the thing. Very awesome. That was a really cool premise and so that is really cool. So the thing, John Carpenter's The Thing, very cool, 1982. Then came 2011, basically almost 30 years later. Notice that. It's about 30 years from The Thing from Another World to John Carpenter's Thing, and then another 30 years from The Thing, John Carpenter's, to this release, which is The Thing. This is actually a prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing. Now, this is a Blu-ray release as well, for those of you that are listening on the podcast. If you're watching the video, you can see that. But this is a Blu-ray release of The Thing, the prequel. Now, the interesting thing about this film is that it is, as we said, a prequel. If you remember, if you've ever watched The Thing, John Carpenter's The Thing, You remember seeing the opening scene of this helicopter chasing down this dog and just shooting it and trying to kill this dog. And we never could understand why. We never understood at the beginning of that film. Of course, we found out. But we never understood at the beginning of the film why these people were chasing this dog. So the producers came up with the idea of why not kind of explore that story. So that's why this is actually a prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing. Now, the interesting aspect of this film is that I wish they would have done, And from all accounts, they wanted to do more of less CGI and more practical special effects. I wish they would have. The CGI is okay. It's pretty good. I mean, it's not terrible. But there's just something about John Carpenter's The Thing. I love practical special effects, that kind of stuff. I'm not a big fan of CGI. I'm just not. but I wish they would have done the more practical effects for this one. It would have been more of an actual prequel to me than a CGI prequel. But anyway, now the interesting thing about this film, it's kind of the same premise. It's a bunch of guys and a lady in the Arctic kind of checking out this frozen creature that they found and all, and trying to figure out what's going on and what to do with it and all. Now, the interesting thing that I do love about this release in comparison to this one, not in comparison, that's the wrong word but in other words, the way they did it John Carpenter's the thing, one of my favorite scenes is that tense scene where they're checking the blood and I think that's so cool and I was fearful when I watched this one that that's what they were going to do do that same exact thing and I was like that should be a John Carpenter thing, that shouldn't be anybody else's thankfully they didn't do that with the prequel, it was very interesting the lady scientist finds out that the thing cannot replicate metal. So what she does to try to find out who's the thing is she takes a flashlight and shines it into people's mouths to see if they have metal in their teeth, like fillings. and if you don't have a feeling, hey, you know, then maybe you're just the thing. And then there's that tense scene where this one guy, he's sitting here and he's saying, hey, so I'm going to be killed because I take care and brush my teeth and take care and I floss. Love that. It's so cool. Very, very cool. I love that they went that route as opposed to doing the same thing I think that was very cool Very tense film Very interesting film It a pretty good prequel I just wish they would have done less of the CGI and more of the practical effects. I think it would have made it a lot better. But that's me. Alright, I've went a little long talking about these films, but let's talk about the releases. Let's talk about what these Blu-rays look like right after this. Now you can own the latest albums from singer-songwriter Jason Pastor J. Lockard. I thank Jesus, the healer, for saving my sinful soul. Streets of gold and a crystal sea, a mansion there awaiting me, and no more. Saying goodbye By going to ClassicCinemaMagazine.blogspot.com A paradise beyond the sky All right, thanks for staying with us here on Classic Cinema Rewind. We appreciate you listening in. And we're talking The Thing, the three Thing films. So let's jump into these Blu-ray releases. I love these Blu-rays. I love getting good stuff on Blu-ray. Amen. That's cool stuff. Anyway, the first one is the classic The Thing from Another World. This, of course, is Howard Hawks' production with James Arness' The Thing. And this is a Warner Archive release. Warner Archive is just killing it, man. I mean, they are just bringing so many of these awesome films to Blu-ray. And what a blessing it is. It's just awesome to get these amazing old films on Blu-ray. because we're not going to get them. We're not going to get them in the stores. They're just not going to happen because, sadly, people are not wanting, most people are not wanting these old classics. And that's a shame because these things are amazing. They really are. I love this film, The Thing from Another World. It's probably my favorite of the three. Of course, I'm a classic cinema fan, so of course I'm going to say this is my favorite, of course. But there's just something tense about this one. the restoration that they put into this film is amazing the blacks are so moody and dark and the whites are so bright and brilliant there's no sign of damage on this release it's just gorgeous, it looks amazing as for bonus features on this Blu-ray release you get the HD Spanish trailer and you get this standard definition theatrical trailer You also get English subtitles for those that are deaf and hard of hearing, which is a very cool thing for those people. This is really, but the bonus features is not why to get this. Why to get this, why you should get this film is because the thing looks amazing. The film transfer is spectacular. I've never seen it look any better than it does right now on Blu-ray. It is spectacular. is definitely worth checking out. I definitely suggest picking this up for the science fiction fan in your life as we're at the Christmas season. Maybe you're looking for a good film for someone to give to someone that is a science fiction fan. This is going to be spectacular for them. So definitely check out The Thing from Another World. Very good from Warner Archive. this one John Carpenter's The Thing is from Universal and the Blu-ray here looks good I will say this, the Blu-ray looks amazing the picture is pretty stellar, it's pretty amazing it looks awesome I think the thing that bothers me about this release is, and let's face it, I paid for this So, you know, the good folks at Warner Archive gave me a copy of this, and I don't give them that because they gave me the copy. I tell the truth, and I enjoyed this release. I think it's great. That's why I gave them that. I paid for this one, and I have to tell you the truth. If I loved it, I'd tell you I loved it. I actually don't love this release. I got this at a Goodwill for only $2. so it wasn't like I spent a whole lot of money. It was brand new, sealed up, packaged for $2. But I don't love this release. I'll be honest with you. I really don't. This release here of John Carpenter's The Thing has basically no bonus features on it at all. They got Kurt Russell and they got John Carpenter in a room and they let them watch the movie and talk about it and so you get an audio commentary, which is okay. But you've got John Carpenter and you've got Kurt Russell in a movie and you can't do specific interviews and put those on this? You can't put them? Come on, people. You can't do that? Make some bonus features. Put the trailer on this thing. We don't even get the trailer on this release. I mean, this is terrible. I mean, there's like no bonus features on this release at all. It's really kind of bad, in my opinion. Universal really dropped the ball on this one because they could have made a tremendous release here with all kinds of bonus features, all kinds of stuff. And they just basically threw the film on there and threw an audio commentary on there. And it's kind of lousy. It's kind of a bad release with no bonus features. Now, I know I gave the Thing from Another World a great bunch for what little they did. but I give them a pass. I give these older films a pass because these older actors are gone, man. We're not going to get interviews with them. It's not going to happen. They can't. I mean, you can't interview someone that's passed away. So that why I don expect that much But these actors are still alive This director is still alive We should have had something else with this release this is just bad on their part and I don give them a pass on it I say, I think they should have done better, so Universal, you should have done better on this release, but it does look good, so if you just want the film, hey, you can have the film. then Mill Creek Entertainment has re-released this one on Blu-ray this is also a Universal release you know what I just thought of that Mill Creek has been doing a lot of Universal they've done a deal with Universal to release a lot of their films maybe someday down the line they might re-release this maybe they get the rights to this and maybe they can put some more stuff on it Maybe we get a better release. That's something to think about. But anyway, they did get the rights to this one, though. So they re-released this, put all the bonus features on this. And this release, the prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing, is actually pretty good. You get a feature commentary from the producer and the director. You get The Thing Evolves, a featurette, which kind of tells you the story of the making of this thing. Fire and Ice, which is also a featurette. And then you get deleted and extended scenes, and you get the theatrical trailer. So this thing is pretty jam-packed with good stuff. So this one I'm pretty happy with. They really did do a good job with putting a lot of good stuff on the Blu-rays. See, this is the thing, in my opinion, with Blu-rays. Blu-rays have much more data on the discs. so you can put the film in high definition and still have a lot of room left over for extra features. This here by Universal, they put nothing on it. Absolutely nothing on it and dropped the ball. So you get basically nothing on it. I don't know, man. It's just bad. But this release was really good. It has a lot of different stuff on it. So I'm pretty proud of that. I'm glad Mill Creek did that and brought us the thing, the prequel. So anyway, so here is what we have talked about today. We've talked about The Thing from Another World, the original, John Carpenter's The Thing, and then The Thing, the prequel. These are very interesting films, and I do highly suggest that if you've not ever seen any of these, which I can't believe anybody watching this channel would have not seen any of these, but if you haven't, definitely check those out. Start off with The Thing from Another World. It is the best. Then go to John Carpenter's The Thing. Then go to the remake of The Thing or the prequel of The Thing. It's definitely worthwhile. That makes a good little block of trilogy of Thing films to definitely check out. And I do highly suggest it. Like I said, this release of John Carpenter's The Thing from Universal could have been a whole lot better. But, hey, if you can find it like I got it for $2, hey, you know, pick it up. It's not a bad deal. I do, though, highly suggest the Mill Creek release of this, the prequel, and Warner Archives release of The Thing from Another World. All right, I'll be right back after this with some final thoughts. Read reviews of the latest DVDs, Blu-rays, TV shows, and so much more at classiccinemamagazine.blogspot.com. All right, I want to thank you for joining me today on this journey into the abyss of The Thing series of films. We have had really a fun time talking about these amazing films and these releases as well. What is your thoughts of The Thing from another world? John Carpenter's The Thing and The Thing prequel. Let us know in the comments below. If you're watching on YouTube or UltimateTube or if you're listening to the podcast. You can also send me your thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram at TheRealPastorJ. Follow us there. And be sure to go to ClassicCinemaMagazine.blogspot.com every single day. We post up new articles, reviews, podcasts, videos, all kinds of stuff every single day. Every day of the week. So go there, check out something every single day. Make it part of your daily experience. And we, again, want to thank you for joining us on this journey today. And until we see you next time with another podcast, we're probably going to start the Christmas season in our next episode, kind of talking Christmassy stuff in the next episode. So because Christmas season is upon us, people. Whether we like it or not, maybe you do, maybe you don't. But anyway, whether you do or you don't, it's upon us. And so we'll probably do that next podcast. But anyway, whatever we talk about next week, we appreciate you joining us in this journey. And until we see you next time, this is Pastor Jay reminding you that if you want to see a great film, check out a classic. And we will see you next week here on the Classic Cinema Rewind. Have an awesome holiday season and watch a classic film. 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