‘The Thing’ is worth a revisit ‒ just don’t forget the flamethrower!

“THE THING”

Blu-ray widescreen and DVD widescreen with Ultraviolet digital (in one package), 2011, R for strong creature violence and gore, disturbing images and language

Best extra: Feature commentary with director Matthijis van Heijiningen and producer Eric Newman

THERE MIGHT be something more to be had on film from John W. Campbell Jr.’s novella, “Who Goes There?” Voted one of the best science fiction novellas written by the Science Fiction Writers of America, it was published in 1938 in the Golden Age of Science Fiction (1930-1950). It inspired two outstanding films: “The Thing from Another World,” 1951, starring a pre-“Gunsmoke” James Arness as said-Thing and directed by an uncredited Howard Hawks, and “The Thing,” 1982, starring a fierce Kurt Russell and directed by John Carpenter. Now “The Thing” returns as a prequel to Carpenter’s film.

I wanted to like this since rumor had it that Carpenter approved of the prequel and might be making a cameo. But that sets up the flick’s worst problem in that we’re pretty certain how it will end. In “The Thing Evolves” bonus feature, director Matthijis van Heijiningen says, “There’s a very sad, sort of melancholy quality in this movie because you’re watching ghosts. You know almost 100-percent of the guys you’re watching are going to die.”

The plot covers the discovery of an alien spacecraft found frozen deep in Antarctica by a Norwegian research team and what happens when they dig up its frozen occupant. Visual references to the Carpenter/Russell outing are deliberate throughout, such as the fire ax stuck in a wall; a monstrous, burned carcass, and blood – lots of it – everywhere. The sense of isolation and fear is paramount. But that’s the appeal of Campbell’s story, the paranoia of pre-WWII anxiety, and the futile hope that isolation will guarantee salvation: “If the thing doesn’t find me, I’ll be safe.”

Van Heijiningen says, “We felt like detectives – there’s a crime scene and …we had to approach it as a story by autopsy. We had relics from Carpenter’s film that informed us of what had to have happened in the Norwegian camp.” Van Heijiningen, writer Eric Heisserer and producers fill in the blanks. Imagine Engines out of Vancouver, B.C., supplied the creatures and they are magnificent, clearly the best element of the film.

In the bonus feature, it’s said that to artists who make movie puppets, Carpenter’s film is their “Citizen Kane.” Puppets were also used in van Heijiningen’s film, giving actors something to react to in their scenes. But this time they’re blended with CG to provide even more realism. Nightmare images merge, bleed, blend and mutate. The characters remain horribly aware of what’s happening to them. Determined to have Norwegians play Norwegians in his film, van Heijiningen brought the country’s superstars in to experience “The Thing.” Kristofer Hivju (Jonas) bonded with a centipede hand/arm device behind scenes, naming it “Kathy.” When Kathy “turns on him,” it creates one of the best gasp-moments onscreen anywhere.

That and more come through on Universal Studio’s high-def presentation. The picture is all it could be, crisp, clear and loaded with detail washed with a quality film grain, covering the blinding white snow of Toronto-based Antarctica up to playing hide and seek in the space craft. Sometimes images are too precise, especially when we miss frosted breath or complexions, such as actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s snow white beauty, are perfectly clear throughout the mayhem. Since the creative team did not want to duplicate Russell’s fearless R.J. MacReady, they admit to trying for “Aliens’” hardcore Ripley in Winstead’s character. Another negative of the film; she just doesn’t bring it. Winstead never achieves the tension or authority required to pull that role together.

That’s where the uncompressed DTS-HD soundtrack stumbles as well. Sometimes dialogue is swallowed, although effects like crackling flame-scoured bodies and creature noise is brilliant – especially the snick of critter feet scrambling overhead once the alien bursts through the ceiling. Sound bounces through all speakers, just as it should.

Additional extras include a energetic commentary from van Heijiningen and producer Eric Newman; “Fire and Ice,” a feature on creating the effects; a few take ‘em-or-leave ‘em deleted scenes; and Blu-ray exclusives, U-Control, picture in picture interviews and behind-scenes info that can be watched as the movie is viewed, and Internet and smart phone data connections.

Horror-effects fans and those who loved Carpenter’s film will have fun with this pre-visit to the cold, bad-luck research station.

— Mike Reynolds

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