Speaking of "the thing"...

[Zardoz!]

The version I have has this bonus DVD with a documentary about how they wrote and evolved the movie. It had some of the earlier ideas they went thru and discarded for the thing and it's abilities.

I was thinking thart a couple of those 'discards" would have made decent movies in their own right.

Could someone take the notes they discussed for the initial concepts of "the thing" and do a movie on them without being accused of stealing ideas since they were never sued or would that still be considered theft?

[Johnny Unusual]

I actually don't think anyone was speaking of "the Thing".  I mean, you shouldn't have to feel that you need some sort of imaginary entry point for us, what you have is fine.

Anyhoo, I don't know what those ideas are (since a friend has had my copy of the Thing for a year and hasn't given it back), but I've heard lots of ideas for films in their development stage that sounds like it would be interesting as it's own entity. 

[Cthulhu Bob]

Don Taylor: "Speaking of cake."
Jim Hughson:"We weren't speaking of cake. What have I taught you about the importance of good segues, Don?"
Don Taylor: "Speaking of segues..."
Jim Hughson: GRRRRR

- EA Sports NHL 2002

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

Speaking of your lobotomy, Zardoz.....

Oh, we weren't?  Silly me.   

If you're talking about Carpenter's The Thing, I've never made it through that movie.  I think it's just an excuse for a lot of gross-out effects.  I think it sucks.

So I'm not interested out of any other ideas that came out of those meetings.

[Cthulhu Bob]

I am saddened you never made it through the movie  . I really enjoyed it myself, gore effects and all. But the best part of the movie for me was the raving paranoia on display, the theme of Man vs. Man even though it seemed as if it was Man vs Nature (or alien in this case) on the surface. What destroyed the expedition wasn't the gross alien infection but the slow erosion of trust between the members of the expedition. Especially considering they weren't exactly a friendly lot to begin with when the husky first arrived on the scene.

I have watched the original and it lacked resonance for me since all the members of that expedition were supremely logical and super-competent, even the mad scientist had a valid reason for what he did. I just never felt that the world at large was in danger, unlike in the remake where I felt that if the Thing got to the mainland it would be adios muchachos for all life on the planet. And watching James Arness playing a vampiric alien carrot just didn't work for me  .

[Zardoz!]

Speaking of your lobotomy, Zardoz.....

Oh, we weren't?  Silly me.   

If you're talking about Carpenter's The Thing, I've never made it through that movie.  I think it's just an excuse for a lot of gross-out effects.  I think it sucks.

So I'm not interested out of any other ideas that came out of those meetings.

So you're a wimp who can't take a "gross out" movie, huh?

Maybe you should stick to power rangers movies then....

[Plastic Self-Cleaning Duck]

Speaking of your lobotomy, Zardoz.....

Oh, we weren't?  Silly me.   

If you're talking about Carpenter's The Thing, I've never made it through that movie.  I think it's just an excuse for a lot of gross-out effects.  I think it sucks.

So I'm not interested out of any other ideas that came out of those meetings.

So you're a wimp who can't take a "gross out" movie, huh?

Maybe you should stick to power rangers movies then....

If you would read that again and pay attention....I didn't say that I couldn't take it....I just said that the movie (such as I found it) seemed to be just the excuse to film a certain type of special effect.

I'm not interested in special effect reels disquised as movies - be it this movie or Armageddon, for example.

[izatright]

"If you're talking about Carpenter's The Thing, I've never made it through that movie.  I think it's just an excuse for a lot of gross-out effects.  I think it sucks."


HOLY HELL!  Are you kidding me?  This is considered to be one of the, if not the, greatest sci-fi / horror masterpieces ever made.  The movie was pure suspense, story and acting.  The "gross-out" effects were only used for crucial moments, and were hardly the point of the film.  From this comment I'm going to assume you're not a horror film fan.  Hostel can be accused of being an excuse for a lot of gross-out effects.  The Thing, however, cannot.

[Cthulhu Bob]

izatright is the perfect name for you sir. Since you were exactly right  . Though I would give the edge to Alien as being the greatest SF/Horror movie of all time by just a single parasitic hair's breadth.

[Zardoz!]

If you have JC's The Thing with the bonus disk, check out the alternate storylines they had, some of them would make decent movies in and of themselves if they were handled right.

[izatright]

If you have JC's The Thing with the bonus disk, check out the alternate storylines they had, some of them would make decent movies in and of themselves if they were handled right.

I'll check that out this Sunday.  I don't think I've seen the bonus features yet!

[Zardoz!]

If you have JC's The Thing with the bonus disk, check out the alternate storylines they had, some of them would make decent movies in and of themselves if they were handled right.

I'll check that out this Sunday.  I don't think I've seen the bonus features yet!

Well, you're in for some treats then. Look at the scene where they describe the SFX on the flying saucer at the beginning, they actually had a tiny model of the thing in it's "true" form in the cockpit of the saucer, not really visible too well, but if you frame by frame it.....

[Mr.Nobody]

I would also like to throw my support behind The Thing as one of the greatest sci/fi horror movies of all time.  I had the pleasure of watching this on HD-DVD a few months back and the picture absolutely jaw dropping.  I've seen the movie many times and I was mesmerized. 

[Cthulhu Bob]

If you have JC's The Thing with the bonus disk, check out the alternate storylines they had, some of them would make decent movies in and of themselves if they were handled right.

I do have the special edition DVD from a few years back but I just checked out the deleted scenes and deleted FX work. It is sadly the single disc edition so I don't think I have the alternate storylines material  .

[izatright]

I do have the special edition DVD from a few years back but I just checked out the deleted scenes and deleted FX work. It is sadly the single disc edition so I don't think I have the alternate storylines material  .

I upgraded to the new Collector's Edition (which is the same thing, but supposedly with a slightly better transfer), so *I* don't have the bonus disc either.  That sucks!