I’ve expressed my dislike for horror movies before. Well, my avoidance at least. But I love The Thing.
It’s a classic for a reason and even though it contain my #1 least favourite horror elements to endure (transformation scenes), they’re so good, I can tolerate them. It’s intense, claustrophobic, and a brilliant movie.
One thing I like to do with a good or interesting film is to research it. The Web has made it easier to do dig deeper, between blogs and database sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes.
Did you know: John Carpenter’s favourite genre isn’t horror but, in fact, westerns. He calls Howard Hawks and Sergio Leone two of his favourite filmmakers.
That’s why film commentaries help so much. You get to hear facts straight from the director’s mouth. But when that director is John Carpenter, you’re in for a great listen. And when you add Kurt Russell and his raspy laugh? It’s a comedy movie on its own.
Stream the condensed version below. If you want to listen to the full commentary, check it out on YouTube. And thanks to the person on Twitter who posted it (sorry, I can’t remember you if you somehow read this).