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The Thing ()

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A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
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Writers:
Stars:
Awards:

Photos and Videos

189 photos | 8 videos

Cast verified as complete

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MacReady
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Blair (as A. Wilford Brimley)
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Nauls
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Palmer
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Childs
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Dr. Copper
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Norris
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Bennings
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Clark
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Garry
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Fuchs
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Windows (as Thomas Waites)
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Norwegian
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Norwegian Passenger with Rifle
Nate Irwin ...
Helicopter Pilot
William Zeman ...
Pilot
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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Computer (uncredited) (voice)
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Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
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Dog Thing (uncredited)
Bill Lancaster ...
Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)
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Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)

Directed by

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John Carpenter ... (directed by)

Written by

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Bill Lancaster ... (screenplay by)
 
John W. Campbell Jr. ... (based on the story "Who Goes There" by)

Produced by

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Stuart Cohen ... co-producer
David Foster ... producer
Larry Franco ... associate producer
Wilbur Stark ... executive producer
Lawrence Turman ... producer

Music by

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Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by

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Dean Cundey ... director of photography

Editing by

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Todd C. Ramsay ... (as Todd Ramsay)

Editorial Department

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Kimberly Ray ... assistant film editor (as Kim Ray)
Jan Wesley ... assistant film editor

Casting By

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Anita Dann

Production Design by

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John J. Lloyd ... (as John L. Lloyd)

Art Direction by

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Henry Larrecq

Set Decoration by

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John M. Dwyer ... (as John Dwyer)

Makeup Department

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Lance Anderson ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Rob Bottin ... special makeup effects creator and designer
Dale Brady ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Dale R. Brady)
Rob Burman ... crew: special makeup effects unit
David Robert Cellitti ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Don Chandler ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Ken Chase ... makeup artist (as Kenneth Chase)
Robert Cole ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Bob M. Cole)
Jan Cook ... crew: special makeup effects unit
James Cummins ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Richard Davison ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Ken Diaz ... special makeup effects coordinator
Gunnar Ferdinandsen ... special technician: special makeup effects unit (as Gunnar Ferdinansen)
Frank Foster ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Danny Gill ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Archie L. Gillet ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Tim Gillet ... crew: special makeup effects unit
John Goodwin ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Erik Jensen ... line producer: special makeup effects unit
James Kagel ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Jim Kagel)
Jeff Kennemore ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Phyllis Newman ... makeup artist: Stewart, British Columbia
Derek O'Reilly ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Art Pimentel ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Margaret Prentice ... special technician: special makeup effects unit (as Margaret Beserra)
Vincent Prentice ... crew: special makeup effects unit
William Snyder ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Michiko Tagawa ... crew: special makeup effects unit
Josephine Turner ... special wigs: special makeup effects unit
Brian Wade ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Brian G. Wade)
Vivienne Walker ... special wigs: special makeup effects unit
Willie Whitten ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Willy Whitten)
Robert K. Worthington ... crew: special makeup effects unit (as Bob E. Worthington)
Lynn F. Reynolds ... makeup artist (uncredited)
Bill Sturgeon ... creature effects crew (uncredited)
Stan Winston ... additional makeup effects (uncredited)

Production Management

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Robert Latham Brown ... production manager
Fitch Cady ... unit production manager: Stewart, British Columbia

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Jeffrey Chernov ... second assistant director
Larry Franco ... first assistant director
Bruce Humphrey ... dga trainee
Michael E. Steele ... second assistant director: Stewart, British Columbia (as Michael Steele)

Art Department

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Jim Callan ... painter (as James Callan)
Michael R. Gannon ... assistant property master
Richard A. Gonzales ... swing gang
Bill Holmquist ... carpenter
Mentor Huebner ... production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Gary Meyer ... production illustrator: special makeup effects unit
Graeme Murray ... set decorator: Stewart, British Columbia
Bob Nohles ... propmaker foreman
Frank Parker ... property master: Stewart, British Columbia
Michael G. Ploog ... production illustrator: special makeup effects unit (as Michael Ploog)
Joseph R. Savko ... swing gang
Barton M. Susman ... leadman (as Bart Susman)
Milton Wilson ... swing gang
John Zemansky ... property master
Henry Alvarez ... sculptor (uncredited)
Robert Misetich ... painter (uncredited)
Drew Struzan ... poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department

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John K. Adams ... foley supervisor
Joseph F. Brennan ... boom man (as Joe Brennan)
Thomas Causey ... production sound
Jack Gosden ... loop dialogue editor
Warren Hamilton Jr. ... sound effects editor
Duane Hensel ... sound effects assistant
David Katz ... sound recordist
Gregg Landaker ... sound re-recordist
Ernesto Mas ... assistant sound editor
Steve Maslow ... re-recording mixer
Colin C. Mouat ... supervising sound editor
John Post ... sound effects assistant
Kendrick Sweet ... sound editor (as Kendrick P. Sweet)
Bill Varney ... sound re-recordist
David Lewis Yewdall ... supervising sound editor
Alan Howarth ... special sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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Roy Arbogast ... special effects
Hal Bigger ... special effects foreman
Michael Clifford ... special effects: Stewart, British Columbia (as Michael A. Clifford)
David P. Kelsey ... mechanical animation coordinator: special makeup effects unit (as Dave Kelsey)
William Lee ... special effects assistant (as William D. Lee)
Hans Metz ... special effects assistant
Lee Routly ... special effects: Stewart, British Columbia (as Leroy Routly)
John K. Stirber ... special effects assistant (as John Stirber)
Andrew Miller ... special effects (uncredited) / special mechanical effects (uncredited)
Bruno Van Zeebroeck ... special effects crew (uncredited)
Gary Zink ... welder (uncredited)

Visual Effects by

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Jim Aupperle ... crew: animation effects sequence (as James Aupperle)
James Belohovek ... crew: animation effects sequence
Randall William Cook ... dimensional animation effects creator: animation effects sequence
Ernest Farino ... crew: animation effects sequence (as Ernest D. Farino)
James Hagedorn ... opticals: main title sequence, RGB Optical
Katherine Kean ... animator: main title sequence, VCE
Peter Kuran ... visual effects designer: main title sequence, VCE
George Lockwood ... opticals: main title sequence, RGB Optical
Carl Surges ... crew: animation effects sequence
Bill Taylor ... matte photography
Keith Tucker ... animator: main title sequence, VCE
Susan Turner ... miniature supervisor: main title sequence, VCE (as Susan K. Turner)
Albert Whitlock ... special visual effects
Jim Danforth ... matte artist (uncredited)
Henry Schoessler ... visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts

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Anthony Cecere ... stunts
Kent Hays ... stunts
Larry Holt ... stunts
Melvin Jones ... stunts
Eric Mansker ... stunts
Denver Mattson ... stunts
Clint Rowe ... stunts
Ken Strain ... stunts
Rock A. Walker ... stunts (as Rock Walker)
Dick Warlock ... stunt coordinator
Jerry Wills ... stunts
Dick Warlock ... stunt double: Kurt Russell (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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David R. Anderson ... gaffer: Stewart, British Columbia (as Dave Anderson)
Jon Antunovich ... lamp operator
Cyrus Block ... camera operator: Stewart, British Columbia
Dillard Brinson ... key grip: Stewart, British Columbia (as John [Dillard] Brinson)
Clyde E. Bryan ... first assistant cameraman (as Clyde Bryan)
David Geddes ... second assistant cameraman: Stewart, British Columbia
Dave Gordon ... dolly grip: Stewart, British Columbia
Chris Helcermanas-Benge ... stills: Stewart, British Columbia
László Horváth ... best boy grip
James L. Hurford ... best boy grip: Stewart, British Columbia
Ray Kinzer ... grip
Kris Krosskove ... "a" camera dolly grip
Terry Marshall ... lamp operator (as Terry Marshall Jr.)
Thomas Marshall ... gaffer (as Tom Marshall)
Charles E. Nippell ... electric best boy
Michael Orefice ... lamp operator: Stewart, British Columbia
Paul Prince ... first assistant cameraman: Stewart, British Columbia (as Paul R. Prince)
Douglas Pruss ... second assistant cameraman: Stewart, British Columbia
Barrett J. Reid ... generator operator: Stewart, British Columbia
Raymond Stella ... camera operator
Steve Tate ... second assistant cameraman
Mark Walthour ... gaffer
Len Wolfe ... electric best boy: Stewart, British Columbia
Ronald Woodward ... key grip (as Ronald T. Woodward)
Frank Detone Jr. ... rigging grip (uncredited)
Michael Hofstein ... additional camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Olivares ... assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Ronald I. Caplan ... costume supervisor
Trish Keating ... costume supervisor: Stewart, British Columbia
Gilbert Loe ... costume supervisor

Music Department

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Craig Harris ... synthesizer sound
Cliff Kohlweck ... music editor (as Clif Kohlweck)
John Carpenter ... composer: additional music (uncredited)
Alan Howarth ... additional music (uncredited)
Malcolm McNab ... musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited) / musician: trumpet (uncredited)
Haim Shtrum ... musician: violin (uncredited)
Louise Di Tullio ... musician: flute (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Candy Artmont ... script supervisor (as Candy Marcellino)
Joyce Heftel ... additional script supervisor

Transportation Department

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Dan Anglin ... transportation captain
Bob Cornell ... transportation captain
George Lawson ... driver: special makeup effects unit
Alois Stranan ... transportation captain: Stewart, British Columbia

Additional Crew

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Yervant Babasin ... craft service: special makeup effects unit
Ellen Benjamin ... assistant: John Carpenter
Debbie Collier ... production secretary: special makeup effects unit
James T. Colovin ... assistant trainer (as James Colovin)
Rocky Corsini ... craft service / craft service: special makeup effects unit
Shelby Hetherington ... cook: Stewart, British Columbia
Spencer Hyde ... craft service: Stewart, British Columbia
Nate Irwin ... helicopter pilot: Stewart, British Columbia
Karen Kalton ... production secretary: Stewart, British Columbia
Debbie Kennard ... production assistant
Susan King ... assistant auditor: Stewart, British Columbia
Robert Knoechel ... auditor: Stewart, British Columbia
Ron MacInnes ... production assistant: special makeup effects unit
Karen Miller ... production accountant: special makeup effects unit
Maynard M. Miller ... technical advisor: Juneau (as Dr. Maynard M. Miller)
Robin Mounsey ... technical advisor: Stewart, British Columbia
Lawrence Perry ... helicopter pilot: Stewart, British Columbia
Clint Rowe ... owner: Norwegian dog (as Clint E. Rowe) / trainer: Norwegian dog (as Clint E. Rowe)
Peter J. Silbermann ... publicity coordinator (as Peter Silbermann)
Ken Strain ... helicopter pilot: Stewart, British Columbia
Tana Tocher ... cook: Stewart, British Columbia
Linda Von ... assistant: Stuart Cohen
Robert Weatherwax ... animal trainer (as Bob Weatherwax)
Christine Wilson ... script supervisor: Stewart, British Columbia
Robert Latham Brown ... photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)
David Foster ... photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)
Larry Franco ... photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)
Bill Lancaster ... photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)
Craig Miller ... marketing consultant (uncredited)
Raymond Stella ... body double for hypodermics (uncredited) / photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)
Dick Warlock ... photographic model: Norwegian crew (uncredited)

Thanks

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Stan Winston ... special thanks: special makeup effects unit
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

A US research station, Antarctica, early-winter 1982. The base is suddenly buzzed by a helicopter from the nearby Norwegian research station. They are trying to kill a dog that has escaped from their base. After the destruction of the Norwegian chopper the members of the US team fly to the Norwegian base, only to discover them all dead or missing. They do find the remains of a strange creature the Norwegians burned. The Americans take it to their base and deduce that it is an alien life form. After a while it is apparent that the alien can take over and assimilate into other life forms, including humans, and can spread like a virus. This means that anyone at the base could be inhabited by The Thing, and tensions escalate. Written by grantss

Plot Keywords
Taglines Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • John Carpenter's The Thing (United States)
  • L'effroyable chose (Canada, French title)
  • Yuuseikara no Buutai X (Japan, English title)
  • La Chose (France)
  • Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt (Germany)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 109 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $15,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend United States $3,107,897, 02 Jul 1982
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $7,821,228

Did You Know?

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Trivia John Carpenter has stated that of all his films, this is his personal favorite. See more »
Goofs (at around 1h 20 mins) Although Fuchs has told them that the alien organism is highly infective, they don't care about sharing the same knife to get their blood samples. See more »
Movie Connections Edited into Deep Freeze (2001). See more »
Soundtracks Don't Explain See more »
Crazy Credits The title of the movie is revealed in the same style as in The Thing from Another World (1951). The effect was achieved with a plastic bag placed on a stencil that was melted by a heat source placed below it. See more »
Quotes Garry: [1:26:18] I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!
See more »
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