Watching the original "The Thing" - I'd forgotten how truly good a movie it is.

[Rabrrrrrr]

What an amazing work.

Carpenter's was also amazing.

I haven't seen the original in probably 25 years, a year or two before I finally got to see Carpenter's The Thing. I had memories of the original being slightly cheesy, which it isn't at all. But then, I was 15 or 16 at the time and my taste had not yet fully developed; but on the other hand, even at that age I was a huge fan of The Shadow and some of the other older radio science fiction shows, and Star Trek and Twilight Zone, so it's not like I was a dumbshit about it.

But - wow - this is really a good movie. And not just good for science fiction; it's just a damned well made, well written, well acted, well directed movie.

[bridgit]

1. i think that's the one where Marshal Matt Dillon's brother plays 'the thing'...

[sarge43]

3. James Arness (Marshal Dillon) played The Thing

Mainly because he's built along the lines of a refrigerator - 6'7" tall, chest measurement: 48"

[speedoo]

4. My understanding is that it was James Arness himself.

I guess I should google it, but have not done so, yet.

[bridgit]

6. cool, i defer...

:hi:

[speedoo]

7. Yup, it was James Arness...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044121/

:hi:

[bridgit]

8. i was thinking of his Peter Graves bro, the bad guy in Night Of The Hunter...

not the Bob Mitchum super bad guy, but the thief he shared a cell with in the beginning, the guy that stole the money...that guy oh well :dunce:

[sarge43]

15. Oh, the guy who likes gladiator movies?

Gotcha.

[bridgit]

16. *that's* the guy...

:rofl: :thumbsup:

[azmouse]

2. I love '50's sci-fi.

Just finished watching The Blob. Classic.

[speedoo]

5. I saw the original when I was a kid.

Scared me shitless. Did the same to all my friends. It's been a long, long time since I've seen it, but I can still see the hand moving, on the table.

[Beausoir]

9. Excellent script. Very snappy dialogue. One of my favorite movies ever.

I am in the process of introducing my 10 year old son to sci-fi....not the crap that comes out today, but the really good old stuff.

He's loving it.

[NYCGirl]

10. Good movie to start with — has he seen "The Day the Earth Stood Still"?

Good disarmament message with the sci-fi.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043456/

[Beausoir]

11. Not yet! We've done The Blob, Forbidden Planet and War Of The Worlds.

He really loved Forbidden Planet.

He's also into those old Sinbad movies. Harryhuasen stuff.

I will seek out The Day The Earth Stood Still.

Thanks!

[NYCGirl]

14. "Forbidden Planet" is a wonderful movie — and it has the added plus of being

adapted from Shakespeare's "The Tempest"! (And "The Blob" has Steve McQueen.)

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. The Super Deluxe version of Twilight Zone just came out on DVD

All five seasons, with boatloads of extras, AND a lot of commentaries recorded for this set.

TCM is showing all old GOOD sci-fi movies today, like The Blob.

Thanks for introducing your son to science-fiction!! :applause:

make sure to show him the original King Kong, too.

And I'm glad to hear he's into the Harryhausen stuff.

[sarge43]

18. Another one to run down

Destination Moon, 1950

A very creditable attempt to show a moon expedition circa 1950's science and technology. Robert Heinlein wrote the script and Chesley Bonestell did the background mat paintings. Bonestell's spacescapes alone are worth a viewing.

[Critters2]

13. I got two MST3K dvds for Christmas.

I'm having friends over tomorrow night to watch the one with "Santa Meets the Martians".

There's good 50's sci-fi, and then there's fodder for MST3K.

[RebelOne]

17. I must have watched the original 100 times.

I am old enough that I saw it at the movies when it was first released. I believe that it is one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.