The Thing from Another World

Plot synopsis:
At an officers club Anchorage Alaska, Ned "Scotty" Scott (Douglas Spencer) meets with a group of air force officers playing cards. Amid the small talk Scott tells the men that he is a reporter looking for a story. One of the officers admits that a large number of scientists are at the North Pole. Scotty takes an interest on the matter but nothing more is said.Captain Patrick Hendry (Kenneth Tobey) is paged to General Fogarty's quarters. Fogarty explains that a strange aircraft has been found at the pole, Hendry is put in charge of the recovery mission. Remembering the earlier conversation he asks if Scott can fly up with the recovery team.Arriving at the pole they meet with the scientists who are excited about the potential of the find. Hendry catches up with a science assistant Nikki Nicholson (Margaret Sheridan). It is clear from their encounter they have an extensive social past.Nikki introduces Hendry to Dr. Arthur Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) leader of the scientist based at the north pole. Carrington tells Hendry the crashed aircraft is located about 48 miles from the base. When the plane crashed instruments recorded an explosion and magnetic flux disturbance that indicates the plane weighs approximately 20,000 tons.Hendry suggests that, given the recorded weight of the vessel, they must be dealing with a meteor. Carrington, however, shows him a number of radar tracks that show the object change course and speed a number of times before crashing.The expedition flies to the location to begin to unravel the mystery, as they approach the reported location the aircraft's compass begins to malfunction then Geiger counters begin registering erratic levels of radiation. Finally they see a teardrop-shaped area in the snow.Arriving at the actual crash site they realize whatever landed was so hot that it melted enough snow to sink down so that only a stabilizer fin is protruding from the ice. To establish the actual size of the craft the team slowly spreads out over the object. After a few minutes it becomes obvious the craft is circular. "We finally got one" exclaims a scientist, believing they have just located a UFO.Thermite bombs are used to melt the ice around the craft, unfortunately something in the metal used to build the ship reacts to the Thermite and the scientist look on in horror as the whole vehicle disintegrates destroying all evidence of the ship and its origins. A minute later, second object is found in the ice near the remains of the spaceship and on closer investigation they believe it may have been the pilot of the ship. Not willing to risk Thermite's contamination, they cut the creature out of the ice and make plans to transport the complete block of ice back to base.At the base, Hendry refuses to allow the scientists to defrost the block. After the destruction of the ship he doesn't intend to take any more chances He also has a concern about potential disease that may be carried by the creature, or what could happen once the creature's body is exposed to Earth's atmosphere.To secure the block Hendry moves it to a storeroom then breaks the windows to stop any possibility of the ice melting. Hendry sets watches at 4 hour intervals. The first watch is stood by Lt. Ken "Mac" Macpherson (Robert Nichols). The base radioman, Corporal Barnes (William Self) reports that the weather has cut the base of from communication with the outside world. He cannot receive messages but thinks he might still be able to send.Hendry gives him a report on the situation, as well as a request from the scientists to examine the creature. Later that night Barnes reports he got through and has received instructions. Scott is frustrated that someone in Washington has leaked the story, and although he is the only reporter at the base, no one can hear his story. General Fogerty has also forwarded Hendry's report to the highest levels of government, and is waiting for further instructions.Everyone standing watch on the creature is becoming badly spooked. The ice block has become a little transparent and the creature's face can be seen. The eyes give the impression the creature is still alive, Hendry adjusts the watch from four to two hours.The base settles in for the night and Nikki confides in Hendry that she is unsure about what to make out of the situation. She also compliments Hendry on his handling of the situation; she then offers to buy him a drink. They retire to her office and the obvious attraction begins to flower, ending in a steamy kiss and admission of mutual attraction.Back at the storage room, Barnes has taken over the watch on the creature. The creature's appearance has him spooked and not thinking, he throws an electric blanket over the block of ice causing it to defrost unnoticed. Distracted by the novel he is reading, Barnes doesn't notice movement behind him before it is too late. Jumping to his feet he draws and fires his pistol as he retreats from the storage room.Somewhat hysterical, Barnes reports to Hendry and the scientists that the creature is alive and it chased him. Hendry and the group return to the room to find the hollowed out block of ice and creature is gone. Through a broken window they can hear a battle going on between the camp dogs and the creature. The men race to the aid of the dogs, but the creature escapes.The scientists discover an arm of the creature torn off during the attack. The scientists begin investigating the arm. First they discover the arm is made of chitin and laced with barbs and they suspect this makes the creature amazingly strong. The arm also appears to have no nerves and the cellular structure is identical to vegetable matter.Dr. Carrington, having found seed pods attached to the creature's arms, surmises that on its home planet, plants rather than animals evolved into intelligent beings. As the debate continues the arm begins to move by itself. Carrington theorizes that some of the frozen blood from one of the huskies had been absorbed into the arm, causing temporary re-animation. Although surprised, thinks this is caused by various parts of the creature being able to become independent organisms.Hendry is concerned the creature may re-enter the base. Everyone is armed with guns and axes and a search begins. At the greenhouse, Carrington notices something wrong with some molds near the back door of the greenhouse. After the soldiers leave, Carrington points out to some of the scientist that a number of the most temperature sensitive plants have died, probably from exposure to cold air. They conclude that the back door to the greenhouse had been open for a short time, allowing a blast of cold air inside. Searching the room they discover the body of a dog in a small storage container, drained of blood. The creature had been there and had fed on the dog. He asks the scientists to watch the room that night without telling Hendry.Having swept the base, Hendry searches outside. On returning he is greeted by Dr. Chapman, who badly injured he explains the scientists have been attacked and killed in the greenhouse. Chapman adds that he saw the bodies of his comrades hanging from rafters and appeared bled dry of blood.Hendry races to the greenhouse and orders the door opened. He is immediately attacked by the alien. Escaping Hendry closes the door then shores it up to stop the creature breaking into the rest of the base. Hendry scolds Carrington for sacrificing the lives of his comrades -- when the door was open, Hendry saw them hanging from the ceiling with their throats cut.Carrington later quietly gathers the remaining scientists and explains the situation. The alien is intelligent and he believes the creature intends to kill everyone at the base. He then shows them an experiment he's set up. Taking a number of seeds from the creatures arm, he's planted them and fed them a diet of blood from the stores in the infirmary. Within four hours the seeds had sprouted and were continuing to grow quickly. Using a stethoscope he believes he can hear the plants wailing like new born children looking for food. Some of the scientists are repulsed by Carrington's actions and try to convince him to tell Hendry. He refuses believing only the scientists can save the situation.Nikki finds Hendry and shows him Carrington's notes. Hendry realizes this explains a secondary issue they have had: to find the basic blood supply that is needed to treat Chapman for his injuries.Hendry confronts Carrington, who refuses to buckle and stop the experiment. Hendry wants the plants destroyed and the creature trapped and destroyed in the greenhouse. A message from Fogerty interrupts the exchange, he has instructed all efforts must be made to keep the alien alive. Carrington sees this as validation for his actions.Frustrated and deciding Fogarty is not in full understanding of what is happening at the base, Hendry decides to ignore the General's instructions. He gathers all the military personnel in the mess hall to consider options. They agree on an idea of dousing the creature with kerosene and lighting it, hopefully cooking the alien. Nikki points out one of the Geiger counters has begun to react. It means the creature is on the move and if the readings are correct, heading for the mess hall.Everyone scrambles to get ready as the alien bursts into the room. They successfully ignite the kerosene and set the Thing on fire, but the creature escapes back outside using the snow to douse the flames. Scotty, wanting to take a picture of the monster, fails to do so when he trips over a nearby bunk. Regrouping the men decide to repeat the attack, only this time using a lot more kerosene. However, the method proves to be more dangerous.The creature shows its intelligence by cutting the oil flow to the heating system. Hendry believes the creature is trying to set its own trap. Anyone who attempts to repair the oil line will be ambushed and killed. Hendry thinks if this fails the creature will next attack the power generators. One of the other scientists recommends a safer trap using electricity from wires strung from the rafters of the camp's main tunnel & a grating placed beneath the floor.Frantic preparations ensure as the men build barricades to force the creature to approach from a specific direction. Almost as soon as they are finished one of the men reports movement near his barricade. The creature moves off and then begins attacking in the direction needed to trigger the trap.Suddenly the lights go out and Nikki screams that Carrington has cut the power, Carrington is quickly overpowered and the all important power is restored.Furious Carrington rushes towards the creature and tries to explain to it that humans are intelligent and that both species could learn from each other. The creature seems completely unimpressed with the encounter and swats Carrington away before once again advancing menacingly. Hendry sees his chance and springs the trap as electrical bolts hit the Thing. The creature struggles briefly before being reduced to a small pile of ash. Nothing is recognizable; no evidence is left to show the threat from space ever existed.A little later, the men are gathered and going over what's been accomplished. Carrington is alive and only mildly injured. The men report that all Carrington's notes have been destroyed along with the alien arm and all the seedlings.With things settling down Nikki corners Hendry and discusses the possibility of taking their friendship a step further and would he consider settling down. He seems to suggest he might and they go to a corner to discuss their future.The radio is now transmitting and receiving clearly, Scott takes the opportunity to send his story to the assembled newsmen back in Anchorage. After recapping events he ends his broadcast with a chilling note. "Watch the skies, everywhere, keep looking, and keep watching the skies."

Tags: cult, horror, murder

Review:
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD...the title conjures up lurid images from the countless 'B' SciFi flicks of the 50s, but as many SF, Howard Hawks, and Classic Cinema fans can attest, this is no sleazy schlockfest, but one of the most entertaining and exciting films ever made, by one of Hollywood's greatest directors.Yes, the credits list Christian Nyby as director, but Howard Hawks was on the set nearly every day, each scene has elements of style unique to Hawks, alone, and even the cast members, when interviewed, have said Hawks ran the entire show.
Unlike the benevolent 'visitors' of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, this alien doesn't warn of total annihilation as the final option, should we carry our nuclear weapons into space; it's ONLY agenda is to kill!This is a truly amazing film, one that has aged little, and is every bit as enjoyable today as when it was released.As the tag line to the film warns us, "Look to the sky...".
He comes of snootish yet still likeable enough because you can see that deep down he really admires Captain Hendry (Tobey) though he can't see eye to eye with him on their situation or dealing of his "Thing From Another world."Every character in the movie is well played.
If you like innuendo, fast paced overlapped dialogue, great characters - and I don't use that word lightly - you'll love this movie.If you want more suspense, a lot more blood, and a much more gloomy setting, certainly John Carpenter's remake is better in these areas.
A Timeless Sci-Fi Classic Regardless of Era. The Thing From Another World is one of the top ten science fiction movies of all time.
It's a super vegetable that requires blood for sustenance, and it makes life very tense for the scientists and military personnel at an isolated Arctic outpost when it's thawed from an icy imprisonment.With an intrepid hero in the form of 1950s icon Kenneth Tobey on hand, it's a guarantee that "The Thing from Another World" is going to be a good time.
Unlike the 1982 version, where the characters had the means to destroy the creature but first had to *identify* who the creature was, our cast here have to improvise their survival.While any genre fan such as this viewer, who'd been brought up on the 1982 John Carpenter film, may be more inclined to favour that brand of horror, this is still very stylish fun.
There are solid shocks, moments of suspense, and atmosphere along the way, as well as a lively finish.This is a film very much of its time, with our military characters very much a dependable bunch of heroes, and the scientists (most of them) treated as highly suspect, especially the misguided Dr. Carrington, played delightfully by Robert Cornthwaite.A little too much time is devoted to the romantic subplot with Captain Hendry and his love interest (Margaret Sheridan), but the actors couldn't be more engaging.
A young James Arness, in his pre-'Gunsmoke' days, has great presence as The Thing.There are images here so striking that Carpenter was wise to pay homage to them in his film: the line of men encircling the buried UFO, and the sight of the burning creature crashing through the building into the snow.It's definitely a different beast, in more ways than one, than what we would see 31 years later, but it's solid entertainment for its own very good reasons.Eight out of 10..
The Thing, released in 1951, is the original hostile alien movie, a must-see for fans of sci-fi and horror.Major director Howard Hawks (Sergeant York, The Big Sleep, Red River, Rio Bravo) produced it but some sources (Leonard Maltin) credit him as co-director.
I have seen this movie many times and I still enjoy it.The fast paced action and strong dialogue make for interesting characters and it would have been great if this were a modern film with a big budget.I have it in black and white and color.I'm watching it now...It's too bad that many of the characters have gone on.I would have liked to have gotten all their autographs on a The Thing...Poster.It's a great movie and I highly recommend it.Kenny Piper.
One of the finest science fiction films of all time, this film, like the original Haunting of Hill House, maintains a sense of fear and mystery simply through the design of the set  -- an isolated arctic research station.
Which unfortunately leaves them with the classic dilemma of being in a rock and a hard place.The characters are solid, there not exactly deep characters but you do get to know some of them enough to like the protagonists and care; their dialog is solid and memorable, it feels like the kind of things you'd talk and say in the real world (well sort of).
There is an inherent tendency to dismiss or discount vintage science fiction movies, with special effects now coming across as dated (despite being cutting edge during their time) and plot and dialogue often ridiculed as cheesy and melodramatic.
Yet the concept of the film being denied the same sort of plaudits and appreciation other highlights of its era enjoy comes across as nonsensical as well as unfair, as The Thing From Another World manages to work around its criticized genre conventions and deliver one of the most intelligent, sensibly constructed and effectively atmospheric science fiction films, or, debatably, films period of its era.Although Howard Hawks is not credited as director (the billed honour is given to debut director Christian Nyby), the film carries too many overtones of being a Hawks film (fast talking, overlapping dialogue, character complexity and a certain abrasive sense of simultaneous fun and seriousness) for his influence to be discarded.
But, regardless of whence the creative input came from, the film stands out as markedly more sensibly put together than the pulpy B-movie its premise could have suggested, turning a simple alien attack into a breathlessly atmospheric study of individuals and groups in an enclosed, isolated area, when beset by an adversary they cannot know or understand.
Robert Cornthwaite's measured calm makes his chief scientist all the more fascinating and, crucially, sympathetic and believable, and Douglas Spencer's bone dry wit perfectly makes for a surrogate comic relief figure as a wisecrack dropping reporter, while his seeming out of place feels entirely appropriate given the fish-out-of-water character.It is these uncommonly canny bits of cultural awareness and sophistication (which may or may not be attributable to the Hawks influence) which rise the film several cuts above the caliber of many of its pulpy followers, making The Thing From Another World not just a white-knuckled study in claustrophobia and interpersonal tension, but one of the more sophisticated, atmospheric and poignant films of its era, enough to keep viewers "watching the skies" for decades to come.
The military is also right in assessing just how dangerous a threat this plant creature is.Christian Nyby standing in for Howard Hawks who produced the film and closely supervised, directed this chilling in every sense of the word science fiction classic.
"Watch the skies",one of the many great lines from this movie.1950s science fiction films just do not get any better than this outstanding classic.Everything works in this film to perfection.The story,the acting,the characters,camera work,the sets.The remote atmosphere.Even the overlapping dialog with one person talking at the same time as another almost 20 years before the film MASH made it famous.Perfectly cast with Kenneth Tobey playing the lead and a number of character actors playing the supporting roles.It shows you do not need big names to make a great film.The Thing is a frightening film so don't view it late at night.The film is played so realistically making the film all the more effective.In some reviews people were trying to compare this film to the remake.Well there is NO comparison,this is the one to see.Not only one of the best sci-fi films made but one of the best movies period!.
This same group has fond memories of the "intelligent carrot" film, maybe even thinking it was one of the FINEST sci-fi movies of the era.Scientists, military guys, "You can tie my hands if you want to", "We finally got one!", "Watch the skies!!"So, last year, I was waiting for the 50th Anniversary edition on DVD with many extras; you know, the one with surviving cast members commentaries, trailers, the royal treatment.What we got was a VHS tape, a good quality tape, but...
Christian Nyby's (or should that be Howard Hawks?) "The Thing from Another World" (1951) is probably the best of the nineteen-fifties alien invasion films that went down a storm in America.
The Thing is the best of the 50s sci-fi films..the direction is taut and very coherent..there is an air of tension that sustains throughout while at the same time there is a calm, leisurely, non edgy 1950s old school feel to the production...the dialog is intelligent and focused and purposeful and moves the action along brilliantly..definitely a great 50s scifi experience that never gets tiresome or worn out!The actor playing Scotty the newspaper man absolutely nails the role with his pithy sometimes biting sarcasm dished out with a humanity and humor that is a great counterpart to the alpha male leadership qualities of Kenneth Toby's character Capt.
Kind of like the same way the tension in "Jaws" is build up.Another thing, which I thought was absolutely great about this movie was the dialog.
But as Scott´s movie is nothing but good Sci-Fi/horror, "The Thing from another World" is social criticsm and suspense-packed entertainment in one!
One of the all time great sci-fi movies, Howard Hawkes' "The Thing" is a real nail-biter of a movie.
The thing (no pun intended) that I like most about this film is that it scares you and entertains you without the blood, guts and gore of todays sci-fi/horror epics.
The only other thing I have come across like it is the book Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, also a classic in the sci-fi genre.Every time I see it, I see more detail and realize how good a film this is, a period piece that compels me when I have the desire, to unplug the phone, pop popcorn and turn off the lights with a date to hold on to and become a child again, knowing that as bad as things get the good guys will always win..
No major effects work is needed here because one of the film's bright spots is only glimpsing the creature (James Arness) in little snippets, and this after we are made to wait for some time before things kick off.
As a dedicated fan of 50's B movies, sci-fi in general and a fan of all things weird, this has to be pretty much my top film of all time.
Don't let yourself be seduced by the colour and gore of Carpenters inferior 'The Thing', this movie doesn't need it to scare the socks off you, and the performances are top notch from a cast you actually care about.A super-strong, intelligent and highly belligerent alien being made of plant matter is hunting and killing the staff trapped in an Artic research station, using their blood to nurture an army!Freaky Theremin sounds?
The result is that the question of whether "The Thing" can be dispatched before it becomes a Real problem actually takes a back seat to the question of whether it SHOULD be dispatched (show me another "monster movie" which does that!) So it is small wonder the conflict here is resolved by average front-line airmen (those most glamorous of servicemen) of the United States armed forces (I would have thought Air Force, except that the script keeps saying "Army") relying on their own resources and their own initiative in spite of contradictory instructions from "the brass" back in the "rear area", an effect intensified by the use of competent, appealing but decidedly B-grade actors (there are no A-list actors, even character actors, in the piece) -- just "regular guys" pulling together with bravery, journeyman expertize, and teamwork to get the job done.
But lest the thing turn into too much of a war movie, here the civilian veteran war correspondent and the obligatory "love interest" roll up their sleeves and jump in, whether it is shoring up doors or reminding everybody that what you do with vegetables is to boil (or stew, or bake) them, all while keeping a pot of hot coffee on 24/7 (the liquid, after aviation gasoline and bunker oil, that won World War II).Howard Hawks (THE BIG SLEEP, TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, RED RIVER, RIO BRAVO, HIS GIRL Friday, BRINGING UP BABY, and on and on and on) is credited as the producer of this effort, and is said to be an uncredited director as well, and his personal touch is all over the film.
Campbell's story 'Who Goes There?' I didn't come in to it with low expectations or anything like that, but one has to weigh the "It's a Classic" comments with the context of the time: there hadn't been many, if much at all, in the way of alien-invades-and-terrifies flicks; that same year Wise made The Day the Earth Stood Still, which took a different tact on how to look at the Men Coming to Earth scenario.
The Captain Hendry is just out to make sure his crew is safe, his orders go through, and when s*** starts to hit the fan that he has everyone in check and everyone knows what they're doing; on the flip-side the scientist Dr. Carrington is more about, well, the science, trying to study whatever this 'thing' is underneath the ice, that it's something humanity should preserve, regardless of the danger.
And the banter between Henry and the gal, Nikki, helps add maybe not levity but just a sense that these two know each other well, get along, and there's a richness to their relationship that heads off the plot around them.If there is something that hasn't particularly aged well it's in the last act where the scientist gets into that state of mind we've now seen so many times, especially if one's seen just a handful of science fiction films, where Dr. Carrington gets into a frenzy about not killing the Thing.
The most surprising or just suspenseful part comes with the Thing is set on fire; how quickly this escalates, and the realism (yes, realism, no CGI folks) of a guy getting set on fire, is rather extraordinary - it was the one moment of the film where I felt any sort of tension, mostly as I suddenly became anxious as to what would happen to the human characters in the room.But it's easy to make jokes about James Arness and how he is, in fact, a Carrot-Man of an alien (his head is more Frankenstein-monster-shaped, but the connections the scientist character makes to plant-life and vegetation makes this clearer.
The original Black & White version of the famous short science fiction story "Who Goes There?" stars Kenneth Tobey as the commander of an Antarctic research base that discovers an alien being encased in thick ice, that is brought back to the base where it is accidentally thawed out, and goes on a killing spree.
Obviously this is a bunch of nonsense from an ignorant time, but it cements the film as being historically and politically significant, as well as being extremely good fun.Little is seen of the 'Thing' itself (played by western legend James Arness - who passed away last year), which allows the film to build far more tension than the many rubber-suited creature-features that were churned out in the 1950's.
An un-involving romantic sub-plot between Hendry and Carrington's secretary Nikkie Nicholson (Margaret Sheridan) aside, the film breezes by and is very good fun, and if you can see past all the political nonsense, then this is one of the best of the B-movie sci-fi/horrors to come out of the era.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com.
Every time I watch this movie, and it must be over 50 times now, I can't help but think that almost every aspect of the film could happen, just that way.I also really love the interplay of the army, the scientists and the media.
Considering all this, one must weigh the ominous backdrop of the Cold War at the time these movies were made---and the very grim shadow of suspicion cast upon anything "alien." Much has been written about the politics of the "adolescent monster movie culture of the 1950's." But real world conditions lent their psychological fears to even science fiction horror.
The fear and threat of Communism beginning in the late 1940's simply cannot be dismissed as an underlying paranoia in even the seemingly disconnected horror films of that time.Kenneth Toby gives perhaps his best screen performance as the chain-smoking, no-nonsense Captain Pat Hendry stationed in a remote military, arctic outpost.
Partially directed by uncredited Howard Hawks, "The Thing from another World" is undoubtedly one of the best early sci-fi classics.
The music adds a great deal to the overall feeling of the movie.I just bought the DVD version of "The Thing" and re-enjoyed it as the quality is much better (of course).This is the ONLY science fiction movie that I actually decided to turn off one night as I was watching it alone.
The Thing offers a great story, taut direction, good acting, and a chilling atmosphere all cooperating with one another to achieve the end product of one heck of a good film.
I have all the older sci fi movies and watch them a great deal but not like "The Thing.".
The first post-WWII major movie made about invaders, or visitors, from outer space that was released some five months before the similar "The Day the Earth Stood Still" that has become a Sci-Fi as well as cult classic over the years and stood the test of time that even now it still more then hold it's own against like-wises film today.
Great atmosphere and a good sense for story telling make "The Thing From Another World" well worth the watch.