• Login
    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Thing, The: John Carpenter’s
    Genre:Science Fiction

    Reviewed In Issue 30 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Kurt Russell

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3
    Sound Rating: 4
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Universal Studios Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 40946
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $34.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 109
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1982
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): Yes

    Credits Information
    (Director): John Carpenter
    (Screenplay/Written By): Bill Lancaster
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Ennio Morricone
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): John L. Lloyd
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Todd Ramsay
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Wilbur Stark
    (Co-Producers): Stuart Cohen
    (Producers): David Foster & Lawrence Turman

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Panavision
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    A remake of the 1951 film Thing From Another World, John Carpenter’s The Thing features Kurt Russell as a member of a research team who has discovered an alien buried in the snow of Antarctica. When the creature thaws, the horror begins.

    LaserDisc Picture:


    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition:
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The dual-layered DVD, framed at 2.32:1, is not anamorphic and exhibits slightly sharper images when compared to the LaserDisc. The DVD’s overall picture exhibits better clarity, but both versions exhibit good color fidelity, though sometimes inconsistent, with natural fleshtones, rich colors, white whites and deep blacks. Interior scenes often appear slightly plugged up and most of the picture is wanting in true depth and definition. Shadow delineation is generally good, though sometimes lacking definition. The LaserDisc is 2.35:1. The original 4.0 printmaster has been remastered and coded in Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete. The matrix PCM version on the LaserDisc delivers consistently engaging surround envelopment where the discrete version is often absent of any signal. With dialogue levels matched, sound element levels between the two versions are inconsistent. There are a few explosive instances when the powerful Dolby Digital .1 LFE channel is activated. Dialogue is largely ADR-processed but generally sounds natural. The synthesized music score with deep bass presence nicely complements the suspense.