"The Thing from Another World" (1951)

The cold is almost another character in The Thing from Another World. Set at a cramped science station out at the North Pole, the film is constantly reminding you that damn is it ever cold this far north. The wind howls and the snow blows, and the chill seeps into our bones as much as the characters’. The other key factor that continues to make the film successful is its sense of space, or rather its lack of it. The characters are confined in small buildings, and they feel trapped in, which creates a sense of claustrophobia. When a UFO crash lands, a group of soldiers and scientists extract the frozen corpse of an alien, but the block of ice thaws and soon the creature is on the loose. How director Christian Nyby and cinematographer Russell Harlan choose to shoot the Thing (James Arness) adds to the effect of dread and discomfort. The film shoots the alien at a distance or in shadows, which, coupled with the makeup and special effects design, still serve to disturb. Minimizing the monster’s actual presence leads the film to nicely focus on the conflicting opinions and dynamics of those stuck at the station. Though Howard Hawks was only a producer on the film, his presence can be felt throughout the film. The film seems carefully attuned to Hawks’ directorial mantra: “Three great scenes, no bad ones”. It also features Hawks trademark sense of “macho heroics and succinct wit,” as Nathan Rabin described it. We may no longer be in the Atomic Age, but The Thing from Another World still works as efficient, well-crafted science fiction entertainment regardless of era. 

Grade: A-