Oct

19

“I Know I’m Human.”

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

October 19, 2007 |

This year, 2007, marks the 25th anniversary of the release of John Carpenter’s classic The Thing. The film remains terrifying even now, a masterpiece of both psychological horror and fantastic special effects that are as good as any computer-generated effects you’ll see in today’s film, and even more impressive when you consider the time, effort, and craftsmanship that went into building the hideous creations.

Originally the short story Who Goes There? by Howard Campbell Jr. was used as the basis for the 1951 film, The Thing From Another World, but Carpenter’s film is much closer to the original story. Instead of “the thing” being a giant walking humanoid, it is an amorphous being that can imitate anything–or anyone. Having been frozen in the Antarctic ice for at least one hundred thousand years, it’s the ultimate product of evolution, the ultimate survivor.

The story itself is, in many ways, a perfectly designed gothic horror piece: a small number of people (an all-male cast, actually) are trapped in a confined space with no escape. The sense of claustrophobia inherent in an Antarctic location may have inspired the original story, and certainly it (as well as The Thing) seem to have inspired “Ice”, one of the best episodes of The X-Files (although, admittedly, it was set in the Arctic, at the opposite end of the globe). Even without the alien intruder the inevitable strain of a small group of isolated individuals forced to live with each other is terrifying enough. As one character mentions, someone could potentially go crazy in the Antarctic in a matter of minutes. The interesting thing about enclosed spaces is they act as a psychological petri dish. Under duress we reveal aspects of ourselves we may not be aware of. We might even say we reveal our true natures. In The Thing is is especially ironic because the characters are dealing with a creature who looks and even acts human but isn’t really human. To borrow a line from a very different horror film, the creature walks among us.

In addition to being a well-paced horror film, part of the reason The Thing lives on is that it’s a broad metaphor. Although it was still largely under the radar, in 1982 a new virus, HIV, and its devastating effects, only recently termed AIDS, was beginning to affect large numbers around the planet. The creature’s behavior, particularly in one disturbingly quiet scene when a doctor, played by Wilford Brimley, watches it devour cells, is very much like a virus. A virus works by entering a cell and replacing the cell’s DNA with its own, turning the cell into a virus-manufacturing machine. The creature behaves the same way; the only difference is it infects larger organisms.

The Thing could also be read as the ultimate post-colonialist nightmare. The goal of alien invaders is, of course, colonization, but what makes aliens from space (as opposed to aliens as a term for individuals from another country) frightening is their ultimate goal is not simply colonization but destruction of life on this planet. Fear of destruction is, after all, at the heart of immigration debates that have plagued this country, as well as others, for over a century, the fear being that immigrant “invaders” will destroy the existing system. It’s a metaphor that works for many science fiction films, including Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, and even Alien, in which the creature uses John Hurt as a host. (The metaphor drops off somewhat after that, though, when it contents itself with simply eviscerating the crew, but it comes back with a vengeance in the sequel Aliens when the human colonists face the threat of being counter-colonized.)

Of course it’s also possible that I’m reading too much into the film. It could be that its long-term survival is simply because it’s a great horror film. There are three scenes that, no matter how many times I watch it, always make me jump out of my skin. For more information about the film than any person could want or need, including a script, the original short story, pictures, and a seriously creepy intro, check out the ultimate fan site: Outpost #31. Better yet, check out the film. If you live close to, or can get to, London, Ontario (Canada) you can attend the 7th Annual Thing Fest on October 27th, 2007.


Comments

3 Comments so far

  1. James on October 19, 2007 10:10 am

    Although I like solitude I do need regular escapism to civilization. I can see where working in an artic station with few people could be potentially traumatic.

  2. John on October 19, 2007 10:11 am

    The Shining anyone? Why do we like movies were people are isloated and pursued by a monster. Go deep with that one……

  3. Christopher Waldrop on October 19, 2007 1:20 pm

    The Shining is a classic example of claustrophobic horror. Or, if you’re into that sort of thing, check out The Descent. I used to like spelunking, but I may never go near a cave ever again.

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