The Next Reel Film Podcast

In 1982, John Carpenter's "The Thing" was released but had a tough time competing against other big sci-fi films released at the same time—E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and Blade Runner. It also was viewed by critics as being overly gory and wretched.

Show Notes

In 1982, John Carpenter's "The Thing" was released but had a tough time competing against other big sci-fi films released at the same time—E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and Blade Runner. It also was viewed by critics as being overly gory and wretched. With time, however, the film has gained a big cult following, big enough to warrant a prequel, a comic book series, a video game and a potential sequel. Now, it's considered by many to be one of the great horror films of all time.

Join us—Pete Wright and Andy Nelson—on this week's episode of Rash Pixel's "Movies We Like" (our 50th!) as we start our October horror series with this fantastic film. We talk about why it's one of our favorites and the memories of seeing it for the first time. We chat about the amazing cast and the stellar "thing" designed by FX master Rob Bottin. We talk about Ennio Morricone's music and why this film has gained popularity over time, becoming such a staple in horror, and how that's lead to all of the subsequent spin-offs. It's a marvelous horror film and a great one to start our horror series. Listen in! Oh, and did you know that The Thing is regularly viewed by members of the winter crew down at the Asmundsen-Scott South Pole Station after the last flight out? How fittingly morbid of them...


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What is The Next Reel Film Podcast?

The Next Reel team has been dedicated to reviews, news, and commentary on world film for a decade. This podcast is The Next Reel master feed including all the episodes of The Next Reel, Trailer Rewind, The Film Board, The Speakeasy, and the other shorts, interviews, and specials we've produced over the years.