In John Carpenter’s The Thing, one victim after another is overtaken, consumed, appropriated, and impersonated by an alien, a shape-shifting thing that shows no mercy. Starring Kurt Russell, Keith David, Wilford Brimley, and T.K. Carter, the movie has been praised for its special effects. Designer, creator, and writer Joshua Graves talks about what makes 1982’s The Thing so memorable. We also discuss trigger warnings, dogs in movies, and The Thing’s ending. Are Mac and Childs both creatures? Plus, see this episode’s notes with links to an award-winning short story about the thing, as well as a revolving door audio commentary on Vimeo, edited by Jonathan Keogh and featuring analysis and background by The Third Channel Podcast, Brainbuster Video, Patton Oswalt & Meredith Salenger, Sam Reid, Luke Pajowski, Annalisa D.H., Jonathan Keogh, and Azzura Nox, it also includes excerpts from Who Goes There by John Campbell Jr. narrated by Peter Coates. Plus, Keogh’s special cut has archival interviews with John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Keith David, Larry Franco, special effects wizard Rob Bottin, and also Quentin Tarantino.
The Thing (1982) with Joshua Graves
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