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Stars:
Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, and James Arness
Writer:
Charles Lederer
Based
On A Story By: John W. Campbell
Director:
Christian Nyby
Feature
length: 87 minutes
Extras:
Trailer
Languages:
English Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions French and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Snap Case
Chapter
Stops: 25
Sound:
Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1951/DVD Release: 2003
Theatrical
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Although
Christian Nyby is credited as the Director, this classic 1950’s sci-fi
thriller carries the trademark fast overlapping dialogue and depicts the air
force and civilian scientific team overcoming personal odds against a common foe
that are more associated with the film’s Producer Howard Hawks. Adapted from
John W. Campbell’s story “Who Goes There?” Howard Hawks admirer John
Carpenter directed the 1982 remake, which featured a shape-shifting creature
that was closer in nature to the creature of the story, but despite the
outstanding makeup effects by Rob Bottin, the 1982 remake lacked the
characterization that made Howard Hawk’s production so memorable. A third
adaptation is now being developed as miniseries for the Sci-Fi Channel. The
alien menace is a vegetable humanoid like an anthropomorphic carrot “thing”
that feeds on the blood of others and can regenerate itself as well as replicate
itself with alarming speed. Fortunately the monster is largely kept in small
glimpses and in the shadows. For mood and atmosphere as well as the memorable
closing warning “Watch The Skies,” Howard Hawks’ production of “The
Thing From Another World” is definitely worth a look.
Unfortunately
what should have been a special edition release is just a bare bones DVD release
from Warner Brothers with only the theatrical trailer (1:34) included as an
extra feature. Comparing the picture quality of the trailer to the film’s
(1.33:1) presentation on DVD will definitely make one appreciate the fact that
the film definitely looks better than it might have looked previously on home
video, but the overall picture quality is less than one would expect for a DVD
release from Warner Home Video. The detail is there and the picture is sharp,
but uneven with scratches and even a jump cut from the source print used for the
transfer. The English Monaural Soundtrack is clear and free of analogue
background noise, hissing and crackling and English Captions and Closed Captions
for the hearing impaired as well as French and Spanish Language Subtitles are
encoded onto the DVD as options. The
menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.
I
hope Warner Home Video will revisit this title someday and give it the special
edition treatment I think it deserves, but for now “The Thing From Another
World” is available on DVD-Video as is at retailers on and offline from Warner
Home Video and if you are a rabid sci-fi fan like me, I think you will still
want to add it to your classic sci-fi on DVD collection.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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