John Carpenter's THE THING was one of the first dvds I ever purchased and I can remember feeling so thrilled that there was actually a feature discussing the making of one of my favorite films growing up as a kid horror junkie. I come from a generation(..an 80s child)who "experienced" THE THING as something we had never seen. The visual effects gave me nightmares and the creatures scared the hell out of me. As I got older, I wasn't as scared as impressed, appreciating how well made they were. THE THING, unless you are the type who complains about gore effects(..like critics were doing at the time of it's release), set a standard in effects that motivated imaginative filmmakers and technicians since. Unfortunately, I feel, like many others, that the "CGI age", contributed to by the likes of THE MATRIX and it's ilk, took away from what made films like THE THING so special and powerful, were to ability to experience authentic practical effects made by the hands of men, and their imaginations. When you watch this thoroughly engrossing and fascinating documentary, you come to realize just how involved so many were into bringing THE THING to life..it's no wonder, considering the great talent who were a part of this production, why the movie turned out so well. I still feel that THE THING is far more than JUST an effects movie. But, you learn a lot about how the film came to be and some rewarding interviews contribute to how THE THING was created, how the efforts of many breathed life into a sci-fi horror classic that remains potently shocking. I do feel THE THING holds up today, decades since first hitting theaters to an audience unprepared or willing to accept it on the terms Carpenter and others unleashed it to them.
Rob Bottin(..the master behind most of the effects work) provides some of the most interesting anecdotes along with actors such as Richard Masur and Chuck Hallahan talking extensively about how difficult, but enjoyable it was to bring such a film to life. Bottin is so enthusiastic and down-to-earth, you just would love to work with such a guy. He provides some of the most revealing and humorous points about the film's making. We learn about an aborted idea using stop motion animation(..seeing a little bit in the doc)and about how life-threatening such a location was in driving to and from the set during a rather dangerous winter. A real fan of the film should get a kick out of THE THING:TERROR TAKES SHAPE, because it tells you so much about the trials and difficulties associated with getting a film right, dwelling on the toughest instances the cast & crew faced along the way.
Rob Bottin(..the master behind most of the effects work) provides some of the most interesting anecdotes along with actors such as Richard Masur and Chuck Hallahan talking extensively about how difficult, but enjoyable it was to bring such a film to life. Bottin is so enthusiastic and down-to-earth, you just would love to work with such a guy. He provides some of the most revealing and humorous points about the film's making. We learn about an aborted idea using stop motion animation(..seeing a little bit in the doc)and about how life-threatening such a location was in driving to and from the set during a rather dangerous winter. A real fan of the film should get a kick out of THE THING:TERROR TAKES SHAPE, because it tells you so much about the trials and difficulties associated with getting a film right, dwelling on the toughest instances the cast & crew faced along the way.