The Thing
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The Thing |
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1951
Winchester 87m
This classic sci-fi chiller about a slimy alien presence (James Arness, who would later be Marshall Dillon on TV's "Gunsmoke") that invades an arctic military station. THE THING is very much a film of it's producer Howard Hawks, although Christian Nyby, Hawk's editor on RED RIVER, was credited as director. Hawks's style, themes, and handling of the actors dominate the film. THE THING was based rather loosely on a science-fiction story by John Campbell, Jr. (it was first published under his pseudonym, Don A. Stuart) in which the alien had the ability to change his shape at will, causing havoc among the soldiers who begin to suspect each other of harboring the alien. Lederer's screenplay (rumor has it that Hawks collaborator Ben Hecht had a hand in it) streamlines the narrative and allows Hawks to concentrate on the human interaction in the face of crisis. Where as the original story (and John Carpenter's 1982 remake) is a study of paranoia among comrades, Hawks's film revels in the interworkings of a tough group of professionals capable of handling any crisis if they stick together. Their unity is what the film is about, a familiar Hawksian theme. In a genre often dependent upon special effects, THE THING is relativley stark and restrained. The monster is only glimpsed in shadows and darkness, thus allowing the imagination o the audience to fill with the terrifying details. Russell Harlan's Cinematography and Dimitri Tiomkin's eerie early electronic score provide enough chills to satisfy any horror fan. No ray-guns, strange costumes, or futuristic inventions are needed here: even the spaceship is only suggested, never seen. The fact that the alien closely resembles a human heightens the sense of personal, human struggle that is the cornerstone of all good drama. |
1951
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Academy Awards Best Picture - AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Best Director - George Stevens/A PLACE IN THE SUN Best Actor - Humphrey Bogart/THE AFRICAN QUEEN Best Actress - Vivien Leigh/A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Best Supporting Actor - Karl Malden/A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Best Supporting Actress - Kim Hunter/A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
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