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1951 Movie The Thing from Another World Movie Title Card

The 1951 “creature feature” The Thing from Another World also known simply as “The Thing” was a ground breaking film that was the first movie to ever depict aliens with an attitude that seem to have only one thing on their mind and that is everyone. This theme of destroy humanity films became very prevalent during the 1950′s. Some say, and I am one of those who does, that “The Thing” was at least a partial inspiration for the much later ground breaking 1979 “creature feature” Alien, staring Sigourney Weaver which spawned several sequels.

1951′s The Thing from Another World is a story of Scientist at an US military Arctic research station, inside the Arctic Circle, who discover an unexplained object buried in the ice. After notifying the U.S. Air Force a plane load of Airmen and a lone news reporter are dispatched to the Arctic research station. There first belief is that buried craft is a Russian spy-plane buried in the ice.

The scientist and airmen take a closer examination of the object and discover that the shape of the aircraft is round and conclude it is a spacecraft, probably a flying saucer, is buried in the ice.

The Air Force Commander, Captain Patrick Hendry, orders thermite charges placed around the perimeter of the craft to melt the ice. Unfortunately, the thermite reacts violently with the spacecraft and it is destroyed. After the explosion they do find a body that had apparently jumped free before the explosion and apparently frozen solid once out of the spacecraft.

1951 Movie The Thing from Another World Monster

The scientist and airmen carve, this time by hand, out the body (probably the pilot) and take it back to the Arctic research station where the creature is put in to cold storage. The scientists want to thaw the specimen, while Captain Hendry claims military jurisdiction and orders everyone to stand down until they get direction from higher authority in Anchorage.

There would have been no story if it weren’t for a sudden Arctic storm that comes out of nowhere and blocks their communication link with their home base in Anchorage. Then another freak accident happens when the electric blanket the Airman guard is using to keep warm is somehow placed on top of the block of ice holding the alien. The alien creature (James Arness, in his pre-Gunsmoke TV show days) is not dead and is freed and all hell breaks loose somewhere on the grounds of the Arctic station.

Their first understanding of just what it is they are up against comes when “The Thing” begins slaughtering their sled dogs. Then once it has finished with the dogs it begins going after the humans.

The scientists after getting a severed hand that one of the dogs had ripped off identify the thing’s cellular structure as being similar to a vegetable, except it walks on two legs. A kind of super-intelligent plant life form, “The Thing” feeds on human blood for nourishment. Captain Hendry wants to destroy the Thing before it gets any more of his men, however, their lead scientist, Dr. Carrington, wants no harm to come to the beast in the name of science.

1951 Movie The Thing from Another World DVD

In one scene the soldiers trap it in a dark room where they set it on fire. As the Thing bursts into flame (along with the room), the soldiers keep pouring buckets of kerosene on it. “The Thing” then runs around in flames, attacking the soldiers and eventually smashes through a window and out into the snow.

Next the station inhabitants start to see their own breath and realize the Thing has disrupted the heating system and is determined to wipe them out.

They also realize that “The Thing” is radioactive and armed with a Geiger counter they began to track “The Thing’s” movements and set a trap. I want to know how the story ends.

Watch: The Thing from Another World

Review:

As a nostalgist of the era of classic space travel and alien invasion movies I consider this movie to be one of the best alien invader movies ever made. The film is fast paced featuring sharp, snappy dialogue with in-depth characters. “The Thing” even has time for a romantic liaison between Captain Hendry and the team leader’s saucy secretary (Margaret Sheridan). The bulk of the movie revolves around the research team trying to deduce ways to thwart “The Thing” as it picks them off one at a time. You don’t get to see “The Thing” itself until the very end of the film when it is destroyed.

“The Thing from Another World” is one of those horror films which hasn’t aged at all. Taking a very simple approach to horror, relying more on tension building and mayhem, the film is still worth watching by todays younger people and those of us who remember it from our childhood.

1951 Movie The Thing from Another World Novella

There was a much bleaker and more depressing remake by John Carpenter, staring Kurt Russell, which was more faithful to John W. Campbell, Jr.’s novella, Who Goes There?, original story. Carpenter’s version was one of those rare cases of a big budget remake actually being as good and some Scifi enthusiasts have the opinion that it is even superior to the original. Carpenter’s, ferocious, no holds barred 1982 version was actually more true to Campbell’s story.

The technology used in special effects in 1950, allowed no way for the film makers to remain faithful to Campbell’s story. James Arness, playing “The Thing” does’nt even have a close-up because the film makers felt the makeup would not look good under scrutiny. In John Carpenters film the alien life form could assume the physical appearance of any organism, including copying other humanoids.

Cast
Kenneth Toby – Captain Patrick Hendry
Margaret Sheridan – Nikki
Robert Cornthwaite – Dr. Carrington
Douglas Spencer – Scotty
James R. Young – Lt. Eddie Dykes (as James Young)
Dewey Martin – Crew Chief
Robert Nichols – Lt. Ken Erickson
William Self – Corporal Barnes
Eduard Franz – Dr. Stern
Sally Creighton – Mrs. Chapman
James Arness – ‘The Thing’

Publication Source:
Based on John W. Campbell, Jr.’s novella, Who Goes There?

Production Credits:
Director – Christian Nyby
Screen Writer – Charles Lederer

List of Space Travel Movies Episodes: