The Thing (1982) - S10 E73

We’re back for another season of themed movies where this time, we’re focusing on “Flops”!

Get ready to lock your doors and check your blood, because this week on Shoot The Hostage, Dan and Sarah are diving deep into the icy paranoia of John Carpenter's 1982 masterpiece, The Thing! After 12 years of podcasting, Sarah's finally talking about what she calls her favourite movie of all time. No pressure!

Expect the usual foul-mouthed fun as we dissect this creature feature classic, which was a big flop when it first hit cinemas in 1982. We'll be scratching our heads over why this cinematic gold – starring the magnificent Kurt Russell as R.J. MacReady, the moustache-less Wilford Brimley and the always-watchable Keith David didn’t set the box-office alight. We’ll be pondering whether the critical mauling at the time had anything to do with this box office bomb's frosty reception.

In this episode, we'll be getting our teeth into:

• The insane practical effects by Rob Bottin (with a little un-credited help from Stan Winston) that still hold up better than most CGI sludge today.
• The film's return to the source material novella Who Goes There? and its relationship to the 1951 film The Thing from Another World. Was Carpenter's version a remake, a re-imagining, or something else entirely?
• The film's themes – is it a reflection of Cold War paranoia or something more akin to the AIDS epidemic of the early 80's?
• OF COURSE, we’ll be arguing about that ending. Who’s A THE THING!

So, if you're a fan of movies that didn't do well at the box office but found their audience later, or if you just love a bit of John Carpenter brilliance, then strap in. We promise spoilers and swearing. You’ve been warned!

Have you checked out the excellent podcast with Chris & Joel, Just The Thing? That’s a big recommend whether you’re a fan of The Thing or just movie-chat in general. Check it out!

Season 10 runs until May 26th with 10 episodes this time

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