Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.
So, they're making a prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing. Like 28 years later; well, 29 since it'll be out next year. And it stars Mr. Eko from Lost and some gal (who I didn't recognize). I don't get why they are making this. I also don't get why the two stars are a woman and a black guy, based on the start of the first one anyways. Oh, and one of the heroes is a helicopter pilot, hmmm, seems like that idea has been used before.
Oh, well, if it looks decent, I'll probably be a sucker and go see it, even though Carpenter is in no way involved. But, this seems like a movie that:
1) Didn't need made
2) Is probably going to suck
3) Why, oh why, is it a prequel and not a sequel? I mean, I already know how it ends.
4) And it has the same name as the original? Huh? I mean, you can't even throw in another word or two? "The Thing: The Beginning". Heck, even "Some else's The Thing". Sigh.
Plot Concept: Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost where a discovery full of scientific possibility becomes a mission of survival when an alien is unearthed by a crew of international scientists. The shape-shifting creature, accidentally unleashed at this marooned colony, has the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being. It can look just like you or me, but inside, it remains inhuman. In the thriller "The Thing," paranoia spreads like an epidemic among a group of researchers as they're infected, one by one, by a mystery from another planet.
Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolate region for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash eons ago. But it is about to wake up.
When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton), to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish.
"The Thing" serves as a prelude to John Carpenter's classic 1982 film of the same name.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/06/22 03:19:29
In the dark future, there are skulls for everyone. But only the bad guys get spikes. And rivets for all, apparently welding was lost in the Dark Age of Technology. -from C.Borer
The biggest problem with re-makes and movies make in the context of today rather than yesterday is that all the charm and impact of the movie is sucked right out (Read: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dawn of the Dead, The Day the Earth Stood Still, LIVE ACTION DRAGONBALL Z GAHHHH, brain stop werkin'....derrrrrrrrr)
The Thing was great for its time, just like Alien and Aliens was great for its time (and Predator).
We don't need a prequel or re-make of The Thing. It is not needed and not wanted.
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
Furthermore, this movie will suck. There's only one Thing, and that's Carpenters.
"They invade our space...and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds...and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn here! This far, no further! And I will make them PAY for what they've done!"
Furthermore, this movie will suck. There's only one Thing, and that's Carpenters.
How exactly can Carpenters "Thing" be " The only one"?,when Carpenter "re-imagined" the original 1950's film?
Carpenters version may be the "better" version, but it certianly isn't the "only" version....or even the "original" version.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/06/22 04:21:09
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
I have a much bigger problem of remakes today than yesterday. For some reason, most remakes of movies in today's day and age (yes, even re-makes of re-makes) just simply lose the heart and in its place put advanced graphics or 3D in order to give it force.
WarOne wrote:I have a much bigger problem of remakes today than yesterday. For some reason, most remakes of movies in today's day and age (yes, even re-makes of re-makes) just simply lose the heart and in its place put advanced graphics or 3D in order to give it force.
Yes,I definitely agree with you concerning current "re-makes/re-imaginings" and most "recent" films in general,the majority,IMO, are simply Flash and Boom CGI gak,devoid of any real story or character development.
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
And to retract the Willy Wonka movies, both were based off of a book, but the latter one drew heavily from the first movie adaptation.
It is the same for the Batman movie franchise, but in this case, each of the last two Batman reboots have been largely more successful than the Adam West initial run.
WarOne wrote:And to retract the Willy Wonka movies, both were based off of a book, but the latter one drew heavily from the first movie adaptation.
It is the same for the Batman movie franchise, but in this case, each of the last two Batman reboots have been largely more successful than the Adam West initial run.
Just as the Adam West version of Batman was more sucessful than this version...
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
gorgon wrote:Although both films were adaptations of the story "Who Goes There," IIRC, with the Carpenter film being more faithful to the source.
I belive your correct.
Well, "who goes there" was set in Antarctica, but the Howard Hawks version with James Arness as the "intellectual carrot" (the mind boggles) was set in the Arctic.
Both took liberties with the story, but I prefer the Carpenter version as well.
It's a goldmine for quotes.
"I don't know what's in there, but it's weird and pi&&ed off, whatever it is".
I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.
That is not dead which can eternal lie ...
... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
WarOne wrote:And to retract the Willy Wonka movies, both were based off of a book, but the latter one drew heavily from the first movie adaptation.
It is the same for the Batman movie franchise, but in this case, each of the last two Batman reboots have been largely more successful than the Adam West initial run.
Just as the Adam West version of Batman was more sucessful than this version...
Hmm....those were "serial films," where they adopted an episodal type of continuity. I guess those could be considered the pre-cursor to the Adam West Batman.
The Thing scared the crap out of me (I watched it when I was about 10 ).
Although I don't hold out much hope for a remake. As has been mentioned, it seems most films at the moment go for graphics over plot, acting, and atmosphere.
And The Thing is all about the atmosphere, acting and plot.
I prefer Carpenter's version as well but the original film was fairly decent as well. I always liked that they were horror movies were no one acted to stupidly. There wasn't much of the "lets split up" or "I'll investigate the dark hallway alone when I know there is a monster on the loose" kind of plot devices. These were people trying to survive, not trying to die.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
The original was a good scifi film in its time. Carpenter's The Thing is as much like the first as Alien is like It! The Terror from Beyond Space.
I just fear this is going to be a CQI fest with minimal story and even less acting.
In the dark future, there are skulls for everyone. But only the bad guys get spikes. And rivets for all, apparently welding was lost in the Dark Age of Technology. -from C.Borer
Furthermore, this movie will suck. There's only one Thing, and that's Carpenters.
bs. The Thing from Another World is an absolute classic that wipes its butt with Carpenter's Thing.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
The main selling point of The Thing was the intense atmosphere of paranoia and suspense.
Films nowadays cannot do this, because the majority of cinema goers are tards who nerdrage if they dont actually get to see the monster for 90% of the film, as in Aliens vs Predator 1, 2, and electric boogaloo.
If they make a prequel to the thing, A, it should be set in space or the antartic, and B, it should show the monster only in times of heightened panic like the original.
It will do neither, it will be set in a city, it will have a Meghan Fox esque bouncy wench running in slow motion for half of it, and the creature itself will be 100ft tall and shoot lazers out of its bum.
It will also most likely have a sterotypical and highly racist black male character because everyone knows that is hilarious, and the lead character will be a late teen boy who just cant seem to fit in at school, and never gets the girl.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/06/22 13:43:54
Ifalna wrote:The main selling point of The Thing was the intense atmosphere of paranoia and suspense.
Films nowadays cannot do this, because the majority of cinema goers are tards who nerdrage if they dont actually get to see the monster for 90% of the film, as in Aliens vs Predator 1, 2, and electric boogaloo.
If they make a prequel to the thing, A, it should be set in space or the antartic, and B, it should show the monster only in times of heightened panic like the original.
It will do neither, it will be set in a city, it will have a Meghan Fox esque bouncy wench running in slow motion for half of it, and the creature itself will be 100ft tall and shoot lazers out of its bum.
It will also most likely have a sterotypical and highly racist black male character because everyone knows that is hilarious, and the lead character will be a late teen boy who just cant seem to fit in at school, and never gets the girl.
Excellent synopsis
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
I bet it opens with it killing a few people, story/character development ends there as it can't quite get over it. Main characters escape, because it seems impossible for them to fail at the end anymore.
Ifalna wrote:The main selling point of The Thing was the intense atmosphere of paranoia and suspense.
Films nowadays cannot do this, because the majority of cinema goers are tards who nerdrage if they dont actually get to see the monster for 90% of the film, as in Aliens vs Predator 1, 2, and electric boogaloo.
You mean like the reaction to Cloverfield?
Carpenters "Thing" was loaded with suspense for a good 3/4th of the film...Because you didn't 'know' what it was that was killing people.
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
helgrenze wrote:
You mean like the reaction to Cloverfield?
Carpenters "Thing" was loaded with suspense for a good 3/4th of the film...Because you didn't 'know' what it was that was killing people.
Exactly, like Alien.
Its a formula that does not work for modern movies, because they won't make money. It works in older classics because the people who take the effort to watch the classics tend to know WHY they are classics, and appreciate good film making. The people who will go buy The Thing nowadays are not the same people seen as the main cinema demographic.
If instead of being a classic The Thing was released now with the exact same plot and just updated visuals, it prob would make less in the box office then clash of the titans did
Or The Maltese Falcon... iirc, only one gunshot is 'seen' and two people shown dying. The rest is all character and such. Amazing movie, but by todays "standards" would bomb at the box office without explosions and car chases.
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
Just noticed some ...intersting wording in that plot....
Joining a Norwegian scientific team ...an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice,.....Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter
If I read that correctly, the female lead joins the aliens in fighting the 'monster'. Or am I getting that wrong....?
Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!
Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."
helgrenze wrote:Or The Maltese Falcon... iirc, only one gunshot is 'seen' and two people shown dying. The rest is all character and such. Amazing movie, but by todays "standards" would bomb at the box office without explosions and car chases.
Exactly.
It's amazing to me just how many great films are simply dismissed by the average movie goer as being "Dull and Boring" simply because there isn't an explosion every two minutes.
It truly seems that plot and character development have taken the backseat,or in many cases been thrown from the car completely,in favor of..BOOMPOWBANGWOWGAINTROBOTBANGBOOM!!!.
This of course is why cinemas are flooded with such gak now,the producers make what the public seems to want.
...meh,I at least can console myself with my extensive DVD collection
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2010/06/22 17:22:01
I am both selfish and chaotic. I value self-gratification and control; I want to have things my way, preferably now. At best, I'm entertaining and surprising; at worst, I'm hedonistic and violent.
