BEST AND WORST REMAKES: BEST #2 – THE THING

In all fairness, I didn’t mind the Assault on Precinct 13 redo, and technically The Thing 2011 was a prequel (if it was a remake, it would’ve been HIGH on the naughty list). But I did lambaste whoever-the-hell-helmed The Fog and Rob Zombie’s Halloween. One of my big complaints with Zombie’s version was its deviation (in spirit, tone & character) from the Halloween of 1978. But isn’t Carpenter’s The Thing a complete deviation from The Thing From Another World? Does that make me (gasp!) a hypocrite to praise one remake for the very thing I shat on another for?

Both Things are products of their times. In 1951, the threat is definable and the heroes respect each other’s jobs. Defeating the Thing is a team effort between scientist and military, ending with a cautious warning to stay vigilant of the stars. The ‘82 version is in complete contrast. The Thing is amorphous, the men introverted. As the threat magnifies, our heroes (and even the Thing itself) become more and more paranoid. There may be a victory at the end, but it’s a deeply cynical one. The lesson sinks in fast: it’s best to keep your eyes on your buddy rather than the skies above.

I’m not sure if Halloween ’06 reflected its times the same way Halloween ’78, Thing ‘51 and Thing ‘82 reflected theirs. We were coming to grips with 9/11 and entering an endless cycle of war and terror. Maybe it was a more brutal and grim world, but maybe I was too busy living in it to grip what Zombie was trying to say about it. Then again, movies are as much about entertainment as they are art — give or take a percentage on each side.

I watched The Thing From Another World with my kids a few months ago and they lapped it up. I still watch John Carpenter’s The Thing regularly, as well as the original Halloween. Yes, they may be specific commentaries of the time they were made in, but they’ve transcended those times too. All three movies are as fun as they are thoughtful, gripping and scary. I guess that’s the real difference.