ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC] FRENCH: Dolby Digital Surround
Video:
Widescreen 2.35:1 Color
Subtitles: Spanish Packaging: Snap Case Rating: R Features:
Interactive Menus "Making Of" Featurette Production Photos Trailer running commentary with director and Kurt Russel interviews never-before-seen stop motion animation footage cut from the film work-in-progress visual effects footage behind-the -scenes location footage outtakes
Release Date: Oct 26, 2004 Region: 1 Runtime: 109 mins Studio: Universal Studios Audio:
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC] FRENCH: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video:
Widescreen 2.35:1 Color (Anamorphic)
Subtitles: English, French Packaging: Custom Case Rating: R Features:
Feature commentary with Kurt Russell and director John Carpenter John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape, an 80-minute original documentary featuring interviews with John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, special effects make-up designer Rob Bottin, legendary matte artist Albert Whitlock, plus other members of the cast, crew and special effects team. Stop motion animation cut from the film Exclusive work-in-progress visual effects footage Behind-the-scenes location footage Original theatrical trailer Outtakes from the film Behind-the-scenes photographs Storyboards and conceptual art Annotated production archived
John Carpenter's apocalyptic The Thing was released in cinemas just two weeks after E.T. in 1982. The two movies could hardly have presented more contrasting ideas about extra-terrestrial life, and it was Carpenter's uncompromisingly bleak vision that lost out at the box-office. But his audacious remake of the Howard Hawks 1951 B-movie The Thing from Another World has since been acknowledged as a classic in its own right, not only for its pioneering makeup and special effects techniques, but also for its bold treatment of an alien "infection" that eerily foreshadow s AIDS-inspired blood contamination scares. Whizzkid Rob Bottin was responsible for the surreal and stomach-churning make-up effects that are so crucial a part of the film's success--without his utterly convincing creations Carpenter would never have been able to make a monster movie without a "man in a suit"--and filming on a glacier in British Columbia ensured the complete authenticity of the Antarctic setting. Kurt Russell leads a strong all-male cast who powerfully convey their isolation and distrust of one another--in more ways than one this is a film about alienation. The uneasy atmosphere is enhanced by an icily monochrome score from Ennio Morricone, as a series of unforgettable horror set-pieces lead to a wonderfully downbeat finale.
On the DVD:: The bonus features are exemplary, notably the excellent 80-minute documentary, "Terror Takes Shape", which covers all aspects of the production; and the relaxed, friendly, informative commentary by director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell--a model for how all commentaries should be. There's also an outtakes reel with some tantalising stills of unused footage. Text and stills-based montages illustrate the location design, conceptual artwork and various other aspects of the production. The sound mix is Dolby 5.1, although the non-anamorphic widescreen picture is not all it could be. --Mark Walker
Making Of Feature Commentary With Director Production Background Cast Production Photos Production Art Storyboards Location Design Production Archives Out Takes Production And Post Production Notes Theatrical Trailer
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