KnockBack, Episode 96: The Thing
Added 2019-12-12 17:01:01 +0000 UTCJohn Carpenter hit a bit of a home run with The Thing back in 1982, though contemporary critics didn't give him or his movie any shine. In fact, his film's reception was so bleak that it kinda-sorta destroyed Carpenter's career... at least for a while. But hindsight is 20/20, as they say, and with nearly four decades to marinate on it, many people have come around to The Thing's seminal place in horror and sci-fi history. Its hopeless tale of a stranded Antarctic research base grappling with something from quite literally out-of-this-world is only bested by its amazing practical effects, which are considered some of the goriest ever seen in a major motion picture into the '80s. So gas-up your chopper, strap-in, and get ready. Those wily Norwegians really screwed up, and now we're all gonna pay the price.
Comments
I know I’m two months late, but thank y’all for doing this episode. It’s one of my favorite movies. I dunno if you saw this during the research, but Quentin Tarantino’s film ‘The Hateful Eight’ was so inspired by this film that he went as far as including unused songs from The Thing’s soundtrack for his film. (Kurt Russell is also in it) I figured that was a nice little piece of trivia to add to this episode.
Michael Miller
2020-02-11 16:16:14 +0000 UTCOh, I did not mean to correct you at all! I really loved the episode. I also thought the new Halloween was directed by him until I saw the end credits and I was surprised to see it was directed by David Gordon Green Director of Pineapple Express of all things! So weird. But I agree with you, his career has many cult movies but he never really managed to get the success he deserved. Specially with In the Mouth of Madness and They Live. Real shame!
Hugo's Desk
2019-12-22 06:02:34 +0000 UTCWell I qualified my statement by saying he's never made a movie with a gross above $40m or whatever it was. Still, thank you for the corrections. <3
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-22 01:35:34 +0000 UTCIt's funny that you even knew what he was talking about!
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-22 01:35:06 +0000 UTCYes! I actually had that written in my notes but I never brought it up, foolishly. People certainly had different expectations...
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-22 01:34:49 +0000 UTCGlad you watched before listening. Some people aren't so patient!
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-22 01:34:25 +0000 UTCThat's a pretty good one. =D
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-22 01:34:07 +0000 UTCHi Colin, great episode, one of my favourite films and favourite directors. I actually got to meet him this year when he played a concert in London. Only wanted to let you know that Carpenter did not direct or write the 2018 Halloween. He only did the music with his son. You also point out that Carpenter didn’t do much, that is not totally accurate, he is not a blockbuster director or a big-budget director, in fact, his most expensive movie was Trouble in Little China, but he is a cult director with a huge fan following. Similar to Cronenberg, his filmography is very bizarre and strange so not to everyone’s taste. Anyway thanks so much, great episode as usual.
Hugo's Desk
2019-12-21 16:56:24 +0000 UTCHey C&D, The Dutch farmer was al over the news here in Belgium. Because Belgium is the neighbor country of the Nederlands. Now the farmer is arrested for child abuse. Because the children could not leave. They were malnourished. It's so funny that this story came up in Dagan's segment. Keep up the great work guys! Greetings from Belgium
Kjell Dirckx
2019-12-20 07:25:49 +0000 UTCWhy don't we just wait here for a little while...see what happens... Fantastic KnockBack guys! A little context for the panning of The Thing in '82 that I didn't hear mentioned. 2 weeks before release of the film, 1982's box office champ was released to theaters. Another little movie about an alien called E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. That did not help Mr. Carpenter's film at the movies along with the notorious '80s horror film enemy, the MPAA. John Carpenter is my favorite director so I would love if you tackled anything from Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) up to his last "cult-classic" In the Mouth of Madness (1995). Not sure if you know but he's also an avid gamer. Nor am I sure if you've seen They Live (1988) but knowing your interest in politics it would be fun hearing your thoughts on that one down the line.
Luke Tucker
2019-12-20 00:29:39 +0000 UTCI stopped to listening to the podcast to go finally watch this movie. I must say as someone who really isn't in to horror that much, I really enjoyed the film and thought it held up really well. In reference to the Dutch Doomsdayers you were talking about at the beginning of the episode. I grew up in a evangelical denomination of Christianity that taught frequently about the end of the world, the Anti-Christ, and the Rapture. So it does not surprise me that the father of that family did what he did.
Samuel Mills
2019-12-17 21:24:50 +0000 UTCSo the cow dad joke... I think “moo-vie magic” would have been better. Well...”better,” haha.
Forrest Hunter
2019-12-17 20:14:15 +0000 UTCYeah, I thought that was a fun aspect of the conversation. That is more interesting to listen to.
Peter Campbell
2019-12-17 06:00:34 +0000 UTCI liked our conversation because Dagan and I didn't quite seem to see eye-to-eye. Which is good!
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-17 05:10:55 +0000 UTCSee below.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-17 05:10:31 +0000 UTCGlad you liked it! (The movie.)
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-17 05:10:27 +0000 UTCEnjoyed the podcast. I don't agree with you at all on the beginning (you need that instant paranoia introduced to give you a feeling of something being wrong) or there being too many characters (too few would have limited the story-telling into looks and conversations rather than movement around the area and the paranoia that brings). But it was fun to hear another point of view. This film freaked me out when I first saw it and still gets under my skin. Alien, on the other hand, doesn't do anything for me at all. I don't find it scary. Different strokes for different folks.
Peter Campbell
2019-12-16 20:00:47 +0000 UTCBack in the day AMC ran like top 100 horror movie moments and I remember The Thing. The puppet work is outstanding and this movie is my favorite horror movie.
Andrew
2019-12-13 21:49:01 +0000 UTCThis movie is a MASTERPIECE, front to back.
Andrew
2019-12-13 21:41:23 +0000 UTCThe degrees of Kurt Russell.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 20:49:53 +0000 UTCI still don't get it.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 20:49:39 +0000 UTCI'm curious about the life of birds.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 20:49:26 +0000 UTCThe Thing is a masterpiece, I watch it periodically. It was used as inspiration for the original Resident Evil 2. Which would make it the second game I know of that Kurt Russell was in a movie that inspired a video game. Kurt Russell really gets around.
Dav9834
2019-12-13 18:23:25 +0000 UTCSo it seemed you didn't understand how you were saying The Thing wrong. You were pronouncing it The Theng. Here's the short version. the - this, that, there, fa(th)er thing - think, three, thank, thought, wrea(th) (The) uses the vocal cords. (Thing) uses the tongue on the back of your front top teeth and you release air (this is what you aren't doing). You are using your vocal cords and turning it into Theng. If you need to hear it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9CdgopSW0I
Trevor Deal
2019-12-13 17:17:31 +0000 UTCI laughed out loud several times during the first 10-15 minutes "what do birds even do all day?" That shit cracked me up! /long time fan from the cold and dark Stockholm
Frej Karlsson
2019-12-13 16:16:26 +0000 UTCWell, it'll be here when you're good and ready.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:17:41 +0000 UTCNice, I'll check it out.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:17:32 +0000 UTCOh yeah, fuck that. That would be a dealbreaker.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:17:20 +0000 UTCMost excellent. =)
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:17:12 +0000 UTCAll of these things are well within the realm of possibility.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:17:06 +0000 UTCAnd I say hey!
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:16:52 +0000 UTCEnjoy!
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:16:39 +0000 UTCYou're very welcome. Thank you for listening.
Colin Moriarty
2019-12-13 07:16:18 +0000 UTCMy CLS backlog is building up. I’ve been too busy to keep up with all my podcasts lately. Really looking forward to this one...
Brandon Hardman
2019-12-13 01:19:58 +0000 UTCI 1000000000% agree with Colin - the opener of this movie achieves nothing besides ruining any curiosity a new audience might have and look inexplicably shitty while doing so. it's always felt like a studio exec demanded it upon 'not getting it' or something like that... also...the mystery of the Practical Fx guy is FASCINATING - homie was in his early 20s, banged this out and disappeared after. great video regarding his work here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jOpG--0EbE
Toren R. (KESA)
2019-12-12 20:15:26 +0000 UTCColin, I once had to end it with a girl because of how she ate. So damn loud. I feel your pain
Adam Barnes
2019-12-12 19:37:08 +0000 UTC20 min in and I can’t stop laughing!!!
Michael Gates
2019-12-12 18:56:15 +0000 UTCAlien and the Thing down. Now just need to do Blade Runner! Also, your mentioning of Clue in the podcast just made me want a Knockback episode of Clue the movie.
Barrett Boswell
2019-12-12 18:47:24 +0000 UTCI've noticed this recently too
Jordan Maus
2019-12-12 18:35:46 +0000 UTCArthur was the shit! I was watching that well past when I probably shouldn’t have been tuning in anymore.
Craig Carter
2019-12-12 17:40:43 +0000 UTCOh hell yeah, a cinematic classic. John Carpenter is one of the greatest. Can't wait to listen.
Marcus Brown
2019-12-12 17:17:19 +0000 UTCI think i figured out the dilemma of you saying “thing” strangely to some. So you seem to continue vibrating your vocal cords on the T-H- of “thing,” which seems to create a sort of humming/buzzing undertone when you say it. I think it’s an East Coast regional thing from what I can tell. Whereas the rest of us stop vibrating our vocal cords when we make the T-H- sound so it’s softer. You can try both and you’ll see what I mean. I’m not certain that’s what’s happening, but I think it is. Personally I don’t really care, I always thought it was cooler sounding the way you say it.
Caleb Greer
2019-12-12 17:16:51 +0000 UTCI just saw this for the first time ever earlier this year. As a huge fan of Alien I was very pleased with The Thing as well. I don't know how I missed this movie after 33+ years of living. I cant wait to listen to this before the game awards tonight! Thank you once again for the content.
Anthony J Sanchez
2019-12-12 17:09:58 +0000 UTC
