The Thing

On to the main event! After the novella and the first film, we move on to the reason I did this series in the first place:

The Thing (1982) is one of the great horror films of the eighties that show that practical effects are way scarier than CG.

Impressions
A Norwegian helicopter chases a dog through the Antarctic snow, a man fires at the dog as they fly. They end up at United States National Science Institute Station 4. A group of Americans meets the dog as the men in the helicopter land. One of the Norwegians accidentally blows up the helicopter and himself while the other fires his gun, injuring an American. As the Americans disperse and the Norwegian continues chasing the dog, Commander Garry shoots the second Norwegian. The Americans gather and discuss the strange events while the dog wanders the base.

In case you didn't notice in the last two reviews, I love this film. It didn't get very good reviews when it came out and I can guess why. Science fiction and horror have never been well respected critically and this film focuses more on horror than characterization. Where I think this film becomes great is its building of tension and use of special effects. There's also some very dark humor that gives us some levity as the situation gets grimmer. "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!"

Our Hero
R.J. MacReady is not quite the mythic hero he is in Who Goes There? This MacReady is definitely tough and willing to do anything to stop the Thing. However, he isn't above suspicion or above going pretty insane over the course of the film. It is strange that he's just a helicopter pilot, but people seem to rely on him more than Commander Garry. It's stated that the trust him because he's the most level headed, but that is a bit weak.

Suspicious Observers
Childs is the most obvious and memorable of the many characters. He is very aggressive and eager to accuse people of being the Thing. His hotheadedness gets him into some trouble, but definitely leads into the end.

There are several stand out crew members like Windows, Nauls, Garry, and Blair. Most of them play some role, but they aren't the focus of the story. Once again the madness is present and strikes at almost every character in the story.

Shifty Foe
The Thing is back to its shape adopting terror. John Carpenter shapes it into a nightmare of flesh, blood and tentacles. Even at the height of the terror, the Thing is still more terrifying when it is hidden and waiting behind the eyes of a man. This Thing also seems to have a sense of humor especially when it makes a mouth from a human stomach to bite people's hands off.

Deadly Atmosphere
The dangers of Antarctica are back! Ultimately it is the elements that act as a limit, slowly cutting off access to places. Even getting to section of the camp is treacherous during the latter parts of the story. There is a bit of funky blue screening during the section with the alien crash though.

In the End
"We're not getting out of here alive, but neither is that Thing." That's about as hopeful as the end of the film gets. A dark end to a grim and creepy tale that beats out all the cliffhanger endings that have become so tired in the horror genre.

Overall
This is a masterwork of practical effects. They are disgusting and chilling, but render the mangled human and inhuman forms to great effect. There are some excessive scenes of gore and violence that can be found funny or terrifying. The ultimate breakdown of order without trust and the true fear of being alone is the greatest strength of this film. I recommend this film to fans of practical effects and horror, but be warned it can get quite disgusting.
9/10

Tomorrow I conclude this look at The Thing with the 2011 prequel of the same name.

The Thing From Another World

Yesterday, I checked out the classic novella Who Goes There? Today I look at the first film adaptation.

The Thing From Another World (1951) is Howard Hawks' classic film that is loosely based on the novella, Who Goes There?

Impressions
Scotty the newspaper man arrives at a northern military base to do a story. As they chat about an Arctic research facility where Captain Patrick Hendry's love interest is stationed, the captain is called away and ordered to investigate a crash near that outpost.Once at the base, the captain checks in with the girl he's seeing and then meets with Dr. Carrington. Carrington tells him about the strange impact and how it leveled off and gained altitude before crashing. They organize a team to investigate.

This is another older science fiction film that has aged rather strangely. Coming off the danger the Hiroshima bombing, this film acts as kind of a backlash against the overreach of science. When viewed today, this seems tired and overdrawn especially given the political controversies. There's also a certain anti-authoritarian power of the press subplot that's used for comedic effect until it takes a strange messaging turn at the end.

Our Hero
Captain Patrick Hendry gets a lot of crap about being in love with Nikki and being a strict military man. He is the man we're meant to side with, but he's often stuffy and militaristic.

Observers
Nikki is a hard drinking and tough talking girl who's kind of a flirt. She helps to thwart Dr. Carrinton's initial mutiny and even mentions another way to fight the Thing. She has some great sarcastic comments and would have been way better if not relegated to the role of romantic interest.

Dr. Carrington wants nothing more than to study and try to reason with it. He plots behind the captain's back to try to capture the creature. He believes it will reason with him despite their differences. He ends up as a raving mad scientist and becomes more annoying than menacing as the film goes on.

Ned 'Scotty' Scott is a newspaperman skeptic. He comes up against military red tape when he tries to release the story about the space man. He ends up being more comic relief than anything.

Bloothristy Foe
The Thing is unleashed by accident when one of the soldiers tosses an electric blanket over the block of ice it's frozen in. It isn't freed until about halfway through the film. The Thing is a plant monster that is nearly immune to man's attacks. It seeks to spread its seed pods and feed upon the Earth's animals. This is an unfortunate dumbing down of the Things abilities due to the budget constraints of the era. It ends up being more Frankenstein than Thing.

Frigid Atmosphere
The icy wastes don't feel like much of a constraint. They are decently rendered and look rough, but the characters treat it more like a slightly tougher nuisance. Inside the base it runs more like a basic lodge than an Arctic base. It isn't until the heat is knocked out that things actually begin feel more desperate.

In the End
The end is even more abrupt than the end of the novella. A final confrontation happens followed by an inspirational speech by Scotty.

Overall
Unfortunately this film relies on many scientist, military and journalist stereotypes to fill out its cast. While Nikki breaks the mold, she doesn't get much more to do than romantic banter with the captain. There's a lot of military protocol and inane chatter that could have been streamlined throughout the first half. The tension and mistrust of the original story is lost to human stupidity. This film is better off when not compared with the original story, though I think it remains a bit dry. It is an interesting look at classic postwar science fiction.
6/10

Tomorrow, I take a look at John Carpenter's The Thing!

Who Goes There?

For my next adventure into the annals of science fiction classics I've decided to check out The Thing. John Carpenter's 1982 classic is based on a novella by one of science fiction's great editors: John W. Campbell Jr. He allowed some of the greats of science fiction such as Heinlein and Asimov to get their starts. He tends toward hard science fiction, so things could get tough.

Who Goes There? (1938) By Don A. Stuart a.k.a. John W. Campbell Jr.

Impressions
In an isolated Antarctic research facility, several scientists discover a crashed alien spaceship and a creature frozen in the ice. There is some disagreement as to whether the creature will survive the thawing process. They leave a man to guard it as it thaws, but he later reports that it eluded him while he was napping. The creature attacks their sled dogs and they discover it can imitate any creature on Earth.

The idea that something can become exactly like us and take our body and mind for itself has haunted humanity in myth and folklore. "Who Goes There?" brings the myth to science and makes it all the scarier for it. This extension of myth even jumps into our human characters with the massive MacReady, an almost demigod, who mush face and vanquish the mythical Thing. It manages all this with an awesome amount of tension and terror.

Our Hero
MacReady the 'man of bronze' is second in command of the station. He takes over command once Commander Gary is under suspicion of being a thing. He is a large, powerful man who easily takes command and doesn't crack under pressure. Despite his impressive description, he has a solid human side and fears more for the others than himself.

Suspicious Observers
There are a lot of characters, 17 named and 37 total people on site. It is difficult to parse them out, but the tension remains on MacReady, Blair, Norris, Garry, and Kinner for the most part. There is even some attention paid to the strain of facing the unknown and the madness that can result.

Shifty Foe
The Thing, as it is called in all the related media, Begins a a giant greyish blue brute with long claws and three red eyes. It quickly spreads throughout the station turning man against man as it tries to achieve its goal of propagation. The only major difference between it and the most popular version is that this one is suspected to be psychic.

Deadly Atmosphere
The dangers of Antarctica are not only explained, but demonstrated several times. Campbell is know for his lengthy sections of psudeo and real science, but the sections in this story aren't overly long and help to drive tension and sow mistrust among the men.

In the End
The end is entirely different from its successors. It has a weighty philosophic end that I feel is packed with symbolism that makes me want to go over the rest of the story again and see if there's anything I missed while being swept up in the mystery.

Overall
This novella could have definitely been expanded into a full on novel. There is some time skipped that would have been tedious the way it was set up, but it could have easily been expanded to be as tense as the rest. It is an excellent story on its own and interesting to compare to its successors. If you love John Carpenter's The Thing, you owe yourself this quick read.
9/10
Read it here for Free!

Tomorrow we move on to the first film version based on this novella: Howard Hawks' The Thing from Another World!

Empathy Games ~Fourth Doctor and Leela~

Continuing with the Companion Chronicles, it's time for the Fourth Doctor.

Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles

Empathy Games (2008) By: Nigel Fairs

Impressions
Leela is hooked up to a hospital bed dying in an alien prison. Leela hears a girl crying and tries to remember why the girl was crying. Leela recalls a time when the Tardis console room was bruning and she saw fear in the Doctor's eyes. They escape to the planet Synchronis, an isolated planet of peace. Unfortunately, while wandering the marketplace, a giant rodent attacks. Leela fends it off, but is nearly killed in the process. After waking up, she finds the Doctor in a coma and is offered to fight for the mysterious Co-ordinator in the Empathy Games.

First off, his is not a rip off of the Hunger Games, though there are some minor similarities. They both came out around the same time. Empathy Games tries incredibly hard to be deep and poignant. Unfortunately, it would have been better off if they'd focused more on the world and made the games longer. Instead Leela goes into some dream states and runs around some tunnels. After the hook at the start, it meanders around with a lot of passing out and reawakening.

Our Heroes
Leela is our narrator for this adventure. Her in a hospital bed dying at the beginning is not exactly the kind image for a beloved character, but it could have been forgiven. Unfortunately, the effect of contemplating death ends up more as a side note than the main track. It probably would have been better to focus on this point rather than the fear tangent which gets a bit tired.

The Fourth Doctor is in a coma for the majority of the story. As with most of the Companion Chronicles, he appears toward the end to save the day. Leela does a good job of fighting and figuring some of it out, so the Doctor could have done a bit less.

Sacrificial Observers
Bakora is a native who befriends Leela and acts as a kind of guide. She falls into the big trap of being less a character and more an information feeder and eventual plot device.

Domineering Foe
The Co-ordinator is an arrogant and controlling opponent. He is a typical tyrant afraid to lose power and eager to use Leela to keep it.

Civilized Atmosphere
The ideas behind the waterfalls of empathy and the hospital are cool. So are the methods that the city uses to control the population. Unfortunately beyond their initial descriptions they come off as rather bland.

In the End
The end tries to wrap everything up, but it is all a rush of explanations. The the final fate of the Co-ordinator is a good one. There is a great bit of Leela's backstory revelaled at the end, but I would have preferred it used as more than an emptional end note.

Overall
Empathy Games is a simple case of trying too hard. There are the concepts of fear, empathy, death, and life all vying for space in this story. That is way too much to focus on and make it an enjoyable or thought provoking listen. It has some interesting points and I think the idea of death on its own would have made a fine focus. If you like Leela, give it a listen, otherwise there are better Fourth Doctor Adventures to occupy your time.
5/10
Buy it here from Big Finish!

The Doll of Death ~Third Doctor and Jo~

Well, here's the Third Doctor. He is a dashing gentleman of action and science. This story is told by his companion, Jo Grant, and takes place during the Doctor's exile on Earth.

Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles
The Doll of Death (2008) by Marc Platt

Impressions
An older Jo recalls a time when she worked at Unit with the Brigadier and the Doctor. The Doctor has detected a 'Blue Shift' that causes “Retrocausation! Events before their cause. Time in reverse.” They follow the indicator and encounter a scientist who tries to hide a tablet as they enter. Later an old woman enters and claims the tablet is hers. Then the world goes strange and Jo sees some dolls and even herself lying dead on the floor.

So... I've mentioned in the past that I'm not a fan of this era and this story brought back a lot of why I don't care for it. The stories in this era drifted away from science and history into the realm of the paranormal. I have no issue with the paranormal itself, but I don' think it works as a Doctor Who story. If the paranormal this is set up in a more scientific context then its okay, but this one just inserts 'science' to justify the Doctor entering the story.

Our Heroes
Jo Grant is the Doctor's ditzy spy sidekick. Even in the middle of rushing to get somewhere she stops to check out shoes. We do get some tense scenes, but I have a hard time putting myself in her shoes.

The Third Doctor is a heroic gentleman who's not afraid to fight back. He karate chops a spectral hound, which is a lot lamer than it sounds. He kind of acts like a plot device that just shows up to make proclamations and solve certain situations.

Allister Gordon Lethbridge Stewart is a man out of his depth. He continues to take charge even when things have clearly gone out of control. His frustration with the Doctor is touched on, but not played up.

Seargeat Benton appears to support and make googly eyes at Jo. His appearance is necessary and there is even a section that he becomes a kind of 'damsel in distress' for a bit.

Insane Observers
Mrs. Killebrew and her dolls are crazy, but not that scary. She has the crazy old hippie perspective that I found really grating. She ends up showing up and saying "give me my tablet" before giving up and retreating.

Yvoorg Atmosphere
The time period and the limitation to London of the sixties work for the story. However, the backwards time and overlapping just make it more confusing and mysterious rather than to add to the story.

In the End
Was there an explanation for this ending that I completely missed? I was ready to give this thing a seven until it just kind of ended. Also, Jo gets to decide? Ugh.

Overall
I may have been overly hard on this one, though I didn't hate it. It has a very 70s camp horror flick vibe that some people appreciate. So, if you like this era, I'd recommend it.
6/10
Buy it here from Big Finish!

The Great Space Elevator ~Second Doctor and Victoria~

Troughton!!! Yes, I've finally gotten around to the Second Doctor. He is among my favorite Doctors (list and careful examination to come out in November). The Second Doctor is commonly referred to as the 'cosmic hobo.' He is a fantastic Doctor that not many know about because the BBC foolishly trashed most of his episodes during the seventies, leaving very few complete. This is a story straight out of the hardest hit section. The only complete serial featuring the companion that's featured here is The Tomb of the Cybermen (which is a fantastic episode).

Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles
The Great Space Elevator (2008) By: Jonathan Morris

Impressions
The Tardis lands in a control room in the future. As the Doctor, Victoria and Jamie are chewed out by the security officer, an emergency call comes through. It warns of a lightning storm and cuts out. The power has shut off a space station above. Then, the Doctor, Victoria, Jamie, and the Security Officer Tara head up the great space elevator to investigate.

This audio really captures the wonder of traveling with the Doctor. Victoria is amazed at the view of the earth from the elevator and the station as well as the massive tower itself. This story is based on a scientific principle (the left hand rule) and it manages to be entertaining.
 
Our Heroes
Victoria Waterfield is a Victorian girl who sees the Doctor as a father figure. She has a very romantic outlook on the world and that sometimes conflicts with the life that the Doctor leads. She's curious and takes a lot of riskier actions because she doesn't like Jamie and the Doctor's protectiveness.

The Second Doctor acts like a clown to cover up his intelligence. This story has all the hallmarks of this era and Debra Watling does a decent impersonation. I think the Second Doctor is too on top of his game here. Though, the characters never felt in peril, but it is great to hear them.

Jamie McCrimmon is a Scottish Highlander who is fiercely protective of both the Doctor and Victoria. His ignorant blunders even end up helping to save the day. He even tries to peek at Victoria as she changes clothes.

Commanding Observers
Security Officer Tara is on the job and tries to do an official investigation. She's fiery, but not overly hostile to the Doctor and his companions. She acts as an essential authority that allows the group to undertake their adventure.

Static Foe
The Monster is an interesting force that isn't out to harm anyone, but will due to its need to feed. It is frightening in its power, but doesn't come off as scary or creepy.

Stellar Atmosphere
Space elevators are cool! I loved the elevator ride and the observations of Earth and the space station. Sadly, inside both the bases it returns to sixties 'futuristic' console rooms and corridors. These were quite evocative of the era, but it did leave me a bit sad after the awesome space elevator ride.

In the End
The end involves the Doctor saving the world with a clever ruse, surprise! Okay, there is a bit more than that, but it was pretty standard.

Overall
This is Jonathan Morris' first audio work. I have really grown to look forward to his stuff. Despite the fact that this is not his best, I enjoyed it. The glory of the setting and the simple scientific nature of the plot allow for the story to flow without having to explain itself too much. This is an awesome look at one of Doctor Who's greatest eras and I would recommend it to any fan of the show.
7/10
Buy it here from Big Finish!

Here There Be Monsters ~First Doctor and Susan~

Thanks to a sale on the Big Finish Website, I've acquired all of Series 3 of the Companion Chronicles. This is a classic Doctor Who audio series that focuses on a story told by one of the Doctor's companions. As such, it has a more audiobook style presentation usually with only one or two other actors. The first episode of series 3 is told by the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan. She traveled with the First Doctor and a pair of school teachers named Ian and Barbara during the first two seasons of the classic TV series.



Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles

Here There Be Monsters (2008) By: Andy Lane

Impressions
Susan has been hearing a strange man's voice that reminds her of a past adventure aboard the Tardis. The voice taunts her. She decides to purge it by relating the adventure. She, Ian, Barbara and the First Doctor land in a ship overgrown with trees and vines. They enter a minor control room and see a vine flick a switch resulting in a bang. They decide to trace the vines back to their source.

It is so refreshing to hear a classic sci-fi story that actually teaches about an odd quirk in history. The relation of star exploration to sea exploration is brilliant. This is a great story that fits the large cast that the classic series sometimes stumbled around into a nice tight plot that lets each character shine.
 
Our Heroes
Susan Foreman is not the simpering brat she was during her run on the television series. Here Susan examines her future and her time with her grandfather as well as her reasons for joining and leaving the Tardis in general. This episode does great service to her character, but doesn't overstep its bounds.

The First Doctor is depicted as a sly gentleman bluffing his way through trouble. This audio catches a great vibe for this classic hero. The First Doctor at this point is still prejudiced against humanity and untrusting of them. However, he is well on his way to becoming the Doctor who saves the day at the drop of a hat.

Ian Chesterton is still the hotheaded hero that he is in the series, albeit with a minor role. He and the Doctor argue, but not as ferociously at the start of the series. He also gets some nice subtle romantic moments with Barbara.

Barbara Wright plays the peace keeper between pretty much everybody. She has some great scenes that show her feisty side too. I particularly enjoyed Susan's comparison to her lecturing a school class.

Strange Observers
Captain Rostrum is a plant species that was created to sail the stars. Since plants just sit around and absorb light, his species is ideal for tediously long space missions. Unfortunately, parts of him have been dying for some reason...

The First Mate is a mysterious old man that Susan runs into in the engine room. He is firendly and quickly wanders off, but Susan feels sick around him. This is the voice that taunts Susan at the start and has some strange connection to her.

Atmosphere Adrift
The ship's atmosphere is certainly unique with Rostrums vines and seeds around the ship. The "Monster" from beyond space is rendered well and is believable as something from beyond.

In the End
The end is a bit anticlimactic, but fits the tone of the story. This story great for looking at Susan and the Doctor's relationship as well as giving Susan's depature in the series more weight. This is a ghost story wiht a happy ending. Well, relatively.

Overall
Though some hyperbole creeps in at the seams, this story is a solidly told adventure that feels like it was plucked from early in Doctor Who's second season. All the characters spring to life with minor touches that will make any fan smile. However, I strongly suggest that you see at least An Unearthly Child, The Daleks and The Dalek Invasion of Earth from the classic TV series. After you do, listen away!
8/10
Buy it here from Big Finish!