Carpenter's Best Work

Rating: 8/10 (31 August 2016)

"Trust is a tough thing to come by these days."
The centre-piece of this feature is the bleak, isolated Antarctic landscape in which the story is set, which Carpenter contrasts so effectively from the outset with the claustrophobic confines of the American research base. The latter was built from scratch at the edge of a glacier in Stewart, British Columbia, with the remoteness of the location shoot exemplified by the cast and crew's hair- raising tales of being transported there. Based on John W Campbell's 1938 story 'Who Goes There?', this adaptation is much more faithful to the source material than Howard Hawks' 1951 original version, 'The Thing From Another World'. Thus, it is ironic that much of the criticism levelled at this production when it was released at the box-office was in lambasting Carpenter for creating such a dark and violent vision in comparison to Hawks' treasured original treatment. In fact, Carpenter not only paid homage to Hawks' original in his version, but also in his earlier body of work. In his 1978 breakthrough, it is playing on the TV set where Jamie Lee Curtis is babysitting, while in this feature the video footage the American team watch to learn what their Norwegian counterparts have unearthed consists of clips from Hawks' version. Carpenter's version's poor critical reception was largely based on its gory special effects, with Roger Ebert dismissing it as a 'barf-bag movie', while Hawks' 1951 director, Christian Nyby, wounded Carpenter by caustically commenting: 'If you want blood, go to the slaughterhouse'. It is clear that by wishing to preserve the shape-shifting alien presence of the source material, and thereby avoid the 'man in a costume' horror of his childhood, Carpenter irrevocably tied his film's fortunes to the quality and reception of its special effects. A second upshot of this decision was in handing total creative licence to special makeup effects creator, Rob Bottin. Having cut his teeth the year previously on 'The Howling', this former apprentice to Rick Baker both thrilled and appalled audiences in equal measure with his nightmarish visions. Though a little dated today, these still retain the power to shock, and deserved at least an Academy Award nomination. In spite of Bottin's laudable workmanship, what they did earn at the time was both a notoriety which deflected attention away from the film's strengths, as well as a period of hospitalisation for Bottin out of pure exhaustion. A further critique aimed at this production was a lack of sufficient characterisation, though it could be argued that with a plot so driven by suspicion, the audience's lack of in-depth knowledge of individual characters adds further to the tension. It is clear that the screenplay, penned by the son of Burt Lancaster whose only other screen writing credit was for the light comedies of the 'Bad News Bears' franchise, is as much of a psychological thriller as it is a visceral horror story. As Carpenter himself later commented: 'The paranoia is the glue that holds the movie together'. This is gradually racked up by the director before reaching its apogee in the film's most acclaimed blood-test scene. It is also supported by Ennio Morricone's throbbing baseline soundtrack, which was so unfairly nominated for a 'Razzie'. Many have questioned the plausibility of the actions of the men trapped on the base with this shape-shifting presence, forgetting that the latter's arrival sharpens the level of mistrust and friction which had been building throughout the team's isolation from the wider world. As such, the alien interloper in its desire to survive at all costs is able to exploit the breakdown of discipline as the team's fragile relationship is tested to its limits under siege. The cast give commendable performances in capturing the escalating tension and dread, none more so than Keith David as the volatile 'Childs' whose belligerence surfaces towards Kurt Russell's hirsute, cynical, renegade helicopter pilot as they bid to take control of the beleaguered survivors. It is fitting that these two characters are the only ones left to await the dying of the flames of their razed base uncertain as to whether their enmity is purely on human terms or one biological organism against another. This is another perfect vehicle provided by Carpenter for Russell's ability to deliver an understated but memorable performance in a role turned down by both Nick Nolte and Jeff Bridges. Russell also contributed the final lines of dialogue: 'Why don't we just...wait here a little while...see what happens?' Although now regarded as a cult movie which raised the bar for the horror genre, this production 's failure at the box office marked the last time Carpenter would be entrusted with a major studio, big-budget vehicle, and the virtual end of Lancaster's career, as both were removed from plans to have them bring Stephen King's 'Firestarter' to the big screen. A victim of the timing of its release to audiences warmed to a much more benign vision of alien visitation in blockbuster, 'E.T.', Carpenter's feature has finally accrued the plaudits it deserves.