The Thing from Another World: Film Classic

Before viewing The Thing from Another World, I had never seen what would be considered a "classic" horror movie. Growing up in the 80's, Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, etc were synonymous with the genre, and I was never all that  interested in these types of movies.  Unfortunately I didn't make it through the 80's and 90's without being subjected to a few of those. I saw them as basically reasons for people to come up with new ways to kill folks, upping the ante with each sequel (the original Halloween being the only exception). After sifting through what are considered classic films of this genre, I settled on The Thing From Another World, or, The Thing, for short.

The Thing begins with a group of Air Force troops stopping by a North Pole base to check out the crash of an unknown object. They discover that it was a flying saucer that crashed, and there is an alien being of some kind that is frozen in a block of ice. They take the block inside the base, and, of course, the alien escapes. The airmen and others on the base have to survive while they figure out a way to stop the creature.

One thing that I've noticed when watching classic films from the 30's through the 50's is that so many movies that come after them are heavily influenced by them. So much so that it makes the original source seem cliche, even though it isn't. Example: The scientist at the base wants to preserve the alien and study it, to the point that he seems "mad" by the story's end. Mad scientists are old hat these days, but back then they were few and far between. This film's influence has been so great that it has been remade twice (John Carpenter's 1982 gorefest and 2011's poorly received prequel/remake).

All in all I found The Thing to be refreshing. Instead of focusing on multiple killings and gross-out scenes, the film's pace is slow and steady as it introduces the characters, they find "The Thing", it escapes, and suspense builds. It's a simple cat and mouse game in a unique setting, and it was a precedent-setter.

Anyone looking for a classic staple in the sci-fi/horror genre need look no further than The Thing. It is available on DVD at a fairly inexpensive price, and should get a Blu-ray release before too long.

WarGames: Shall We Play a Game?

 
WarGames ended up as the number 5 box-office film of 1983, one of only two sci-fi films in the top 10 (the other being Return of the Jedi). The movie's depiction of computers seemed quite far fetched over thirty years ago, but now it doesn't seem so far removed from reality.

As David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) attempts to hack into a video game company's database, he inadvertently gains access to a NORAD computer control system known as WOPR (War Operation Plan Response). David thinks he's playing a game, but he is in fact toying with the computer that controls the nation's nuclear weapons systems.

It's a blast seeing the old technology David uses in his computer setup, from the modem and old school telephone to the giant floppy disks. The robot voice is reminiscent of a Speak & Spell, and the WOPR itself takes up an entire room. The NORAD control center still impresses with its large monitors and bustling atmosphere, and is loosely based on a real facility.

Performances in Wargames are solid all around, from Broderick and Ally Sheedy to John Wood, Dabney Coleman and Barry Corbin. The opening scene is one of the best in cinema, and sets the stage for the thriller that is to come. Wargames still holds up well all these years later due to the believability of the story (especially today), the characters' ability to make the viewer care about them, and the quick pace set by director John Badham.

Wargames remains popular today and is still quoted often. "Shall we play a game?" is commonly heard as a pop culture reference, most recently in last year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film is a must-see for any 80's fan waxing nostalgic over the decade, or anyone looking for a good, solid entertaining thriller.