THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD
The prototype of all the alien-invasion movies that followed, this remains among the best.
By Steve Biodrowski
The film that really launched the Hollywood alien invasion craze of the 1950s, this Howard Hawks production (directed by Christian Nyby) boasts rapid-fire dialogue that shoots the story along at an amazing clip. As Denis Gifford pointed out in "A Pictorial History of Horror Movies," for all the science fiction trappings, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD is essentially an old-fashioned horror story dressed in modern drag: the enthusiastic scientist is the equivalent of a mad doctor; the military take on the Van Helsin role, eager to destroy the menace; and the alien (James Arness) bears a suspicious resemblance to the Frankenstein Monster (with that squared off head).
All the jump-out-and-grab-you scares of the ensuing decades were never able to match the shock impact of the moment when one of the humans casaully opens a door--only to find the equally surprised Thing on the other side! This is one of the few times you see a relatively close shot of the extra-terrestrial, who is mostly glimpsed in brief flashes, obscured by snow or shadows; instead, the the story effectively builds tension by focusing on the human characters as they anxiously anticipate the Thing's next move. Thanks to this approach, along with fast pacing and efficient storytelling, the film holds up remarkably well today.
This is the prototype of all the alien-invasion movies that followed. Set in a military camp in the arctic, the story was remade by John Carpenter in 1982 as THE THING -- a more ambitious adaptation of the original Joseph Cambell story "Who Goes There?" -- but not nearly as effective. This version is lean and mean, with lots of claustrophobia and a wonderful sense of approaching dread. Unlike HOUSE OF WAX, this is a film that has more than just nostalgia value to offer modern viewers.
TRIVIA
Howard Hawks was a well-known producer-director of macho films, including Westerns and Mysteries (such as THE BIG SLEEP, with Humphrey Bogart). This is his only science-fiction effort.
Because the film shares so many characteristics of the films that Hawks directed (fast-paced, overlapping dialogue; team work and loyalty under pressure, etc), it has often been suggested -- and even assumed by many -- that Hawks directed this film as well. No first-hand source has ever confirmed this rumor, and James Arness has said that, although Hawks was a presence on the set in his role as producer, the credited Christian Nyby did indeed direct the film.
