THE THING (Prequel/Remake) Teaser Poster & Trailer (1 Viewer)

[SWFF]

 

[Don Solosan]

You started a thread for this movie on 10/4/10.

 

[SWFF]

Goddammit, you're right, I did. D'oh! Can someone merge these two threads?

 

[SWFF]

 

[Johnny Angell]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

If this is a prequel, then this cast is the Norwegians we see at the beginning of Carpenter's movie? Then we already know their general fate. Bummer. If this is a remake, than frankly, it reminded me too much of Carpenter's movie.

Prequels are dicey. When you already know what the story is leading to, it's hard (at least for me) to get interested. The Alien prequel could be different. Telling that tale could involve a lot of different stuff. But this movie, seems like it will be too familiar. I'll be interested to read reviews when this comes out.

 

[Johnny Angell]

The website clearly states this is the Norwegian camp and the movie is a prequel. Wouldn't a sequel have made more sense? Carpenter's version let the possibility of the Thing's survival and open question. A sequel would leave us wondering about the movie's resolution.

 

[WillG]

The Alien prequel could be different. Telling that tale could involve a lot of different stuff. But this movie, seems like it will be too familiar.

Well, the Alien prequel doesn't really exist anymore. What connection Prometheus will have to "Alien" (if any) has been kept ultra vague so far. From the trailer for the new "The Thing" I gather it's the story of the Norwegian camp, but does anyone know if it actually exists in the same "Universe" as Carpenter's film? The trailer shows that there are Americans at the camp and and also a few women. We didn't really see much evidence of this in the Carpenter film (obviously, this doesn't mean those character couldn't have existed in the 1982 version, but it seemed from the investigations of the camp and the videos that are found and watched that the Norwegian camp was an all male group.) Also, the helicopter shown in the trailer doesn't look anything like the one the two Norwegians are using to chase the Thing-Dog at the beginning of the 1982 version again, doesn't necessarily prove anything, but it left me with the question of whether or not the new version is more of a reboot than a prequel.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Over at thethingmovie.net, it refers to the new movie as "a prelude to John Carpenter's 1982 film." I'll take them at their work and it sounds like the same universe to me. I wouldn't put too much stock into the helicopter not matching or the fact there's women. So far, it looks like a prequel too me. I shouldn't be prejudging it too much. Even if they are doing a story in which we know the depressing ending, if they tell a compelling story it could still be good. I just think they start out with a strike against them. If you check out the photo gallery at the site, you'll notice there are pictures that look like scenes out Carpenter's film. The lead female actor looks like she's got Kurt Russel's role.

 

[dpippel]

I see a lot of "borrowing" from Carpenter's movie in this trailer. The dog chewing the enclosure wire to escape the Thing, the "burn it" scene, the Thing on the table in the medical lab, and of course the music. Hopefully the filmmakers haven't been lazy and simply done a retread here.

 

[WillG]

Over at thethingmovie.net, it refers to the new movie as "a prelude to John Carpenter's 1982 film." I'll take them at their work and it sounds like the same universe to me

See, to me that sounds vague enough to indicate this is not necessarily a direct prequel. Also, I'm people who have seen Carpenter's film knowing the fate already is not lost on the filmmakers. And even though there are certainly fine films out there where you already know the fate of the characters before the main story occurs, it seems to me possible the filmmakers here might not want to go in that direction. I guess we'll see in the coming months, but I still wonder if this is more of a "re-imagining" of events based on Carpenter's film than a direct prequel.

The lead female actor looks like she's got Kurt Russel's role.

I'm a little bit skeptical of this too. I've got no problem with female heroines, but I think one of the big appealing factors of the original was that it had this "testosterone" atmosphere among the characters. From seeing the trailer I'm getting a vibe that she'll make it because she's a "pure" scientist as opposed to the other guy you see in the trailer who gives her a snarky "yes!" when she asks if it's such a good idea to get this thing out of the block of ice so quick. Ie, signs of cliched characters.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I think it's a lot harder sell these days to make an all male action film. Look at Predators, where they assembled the baddest killers to be found and they included a woman. Nah, they had to do it. Besides is much more likely today than when Carpenter's film came out for there to be females doing this kind of research.

 

[WillG]

Besides is much more likely today than when Carpenter's film came out for there to be females doing this kind of research.

I suppose. It's a minor complaint. But I guess if this movie is supposed to be in the Carpenter Universe and if it is indeed a direct prequel, that places the movie in 1982. I guess I get a little annoyed when you try to shoehorn in modern sensibilities into stories that are supposed to be taking place in the past. And and I indicated, I'm just wary of the impression I'm getting that characters could be highly cliched. Guess we'll see what the next few months bring.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Besides is much more likely today than when Carpenter's film came out for there to be females doing this kind of research.

I guess I get a little annoyed when you try to shoehorn in modern sensibilities into stories that are supposed to be taking place in the past.

Even an historical movie, say Cleopatra, can't help but be influenced by the current norms of society. This "prequel" can't help but be different from what it might have been had it been made in 1985. Technology aside that is. I would very much like this to be a good movie, but I'm a bit skeptical, like you.

 

[TravisR]

I don't know much about the gender breakdown of Norway's arctic research teams in the 1980's but was all men a rule? I have no doubt that women would be the minority then and now but I find it hard to believe that there couldn't be any women on the Norwegian team featured in the first movie.

 

[WillG]

Even an historical movie, say Cleopatra, can't help but be influenced by the current norms of society. This "prequel" can't help but be different from what it might have been had it been made in 1985.

I can understand that. Obviously, none of the people who made Cleopatra were living in the period of time. Influence is one thing. What I'm referring to more is the idea of deliberately putting stuff into a story that takes place in the past just to fit a contemporary standard. For example, let's say they were remaking Carpenter's film instead of prequel/prelude or whatever, and still setting the year in 1982. Let's say the writers wanted to have an openly Gay character as one of the scientists. If the movie was taking place today, it would be fine. There's a lot more acceptance of homosexuality in 2011. I would find it harder to believe in a story that was supposed to be taking place in 1982 that an open homosexual would be chosen for an all male research team in Antarctica. (Although, in fairness, now that I'm thinking about it, Nauls from Carpenter's seemed like he could have been).

I find it hard to believe that there couldn't be any women on the Norwegian team featured in the first movie.

Surely it was possible, but I don't believe the film ever showed any evidence of it, so I would tend to think it was probably an all Male team. But, I strongly doubt there were Americans. Seems like there are Americans in this version of the Norwegian camp.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

I wonder if it is a "prequel" in the sense that it is the story of finding the ship and letting The Thing out but the time is now compared to Carpenter's The Thing where they deal with it invading a second camp so it isn't Part 1 of a two part movie with Carpenter's The Thing being part 2. I also wonder if they are going to get the daylight correct this time or are they still going to incorrectly create a 24 hour day and night. At the poles the sunlight remains constant 24 hours a day (plus or minus cloud cover), only slowly increasing or decreasing depending on the side of the summer solstice you are on.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I wonder if it is a "prequel" in the sense that it is the story of finding the ship and letting The Thing out but the time is now compared to Carpenter's The Thing where they deal with it invading a second camp so it isn't Part 1 of a two part movie with Carpenter's The Thing being part 2. I also wonder if they are going to get the daylight correct this time or are they still going to incorrectly create a 24 hour day and night. At the poles the sunlight remains constant 24 hours a day (plus or minus cloud cover), only slowly increasing or decreasing depending on the side of the summer solstice you are on.

When you go to http://www.thethingmovie.net and click on story, you will see where they state: "The Thing serves as a prelude to John Carpenter's Classic 1982 film of the same name." They don't actually use the term prequel but I googled prelude and it is defined as "An action or event serving as an introduction to something more important." Sounds like "what came before" to me. BTW, the Norwegian camp is referred to as being manned by a "crew of international scientists."

 

[David Deeb]

Just saw the trailer. Doesn't impress me. Whether a prequel or sequel, doesn't seem to matter, because based on the trailer, it looks like it's covering essentially the same story as Carpenter's classic.

 

[Sam Posten]

I'm in. They can mess it up I guess but so far based on the trailer it's BOTH prequel and remake. I like that. Bring it on.

 

[HarryCanyon]

Looks nice, i adored Carpenter's 1982 movie since i was 15 and has been one of my favorites and the video game was awesome. The prequel looks nice too. Carpenter's movie was NOT the original, it was a remake of 1951's The Thing from Another World