One big strike against The Thing was that it came out just about the exact time that ET was ruling the box office. Talk about running smack up against the zeitgeist in a big way. It was the Anti-ET in just about every conceivable way.
Joyce: Dawn, you be good. Xander: We will. Just gonna play with some matches, run with scissors, take candy from some guy, I don't know his name.
'Beneath You'
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Frankenbuddha - Jun 28, 2010 4:35:10 am PDT #9308 of 30000
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
Volans - Jun 28, 2010 6:56:22 am PDT #9309 of 30000
move out and draw fire
And I saw ET once in the theater and never again.
Whereas I saw The Thing a couple times in the theater, again on VHS, and own it on DVD.
tommyrot - Jun 28, 2010 7:00:56 am PDT #9310 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
I saw ET when it came out and hated it. (I didn't like that the scientists were evil. Plus ET rising from the dead annoyed me.) A few years ago I bought a cheap DVD of ET and watched it again. I didn't hate it the second time, but didn't really love it either.
But ET inspired that "Trumpy" movie that mst3k did, so that's something....
Haven't seen The Thing in a few decades - need to remedy that.
Frankenbuddha - Jun 28, 2010 7:21:58 am PDT #9311 of 30000
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
One big strike against The Thing was that it came out just about the exact time that ET was ruling the box office. Talk about running smack up against the zeitgeist in a big way. It was the Anti-ET in just about every conceivable way.
I should clarify that I meant this was a big reason the movie got piled on by critics and ignored at the box office. I love The Thing and own it. I probably like Kurt Russell's misnathropy here even more than in Escape from New York. Plus, once you've seen this you will never look at Wilford Brimley the same.
DavidS - Jun 28, 2010 7:32:11 am PDT #9312 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Before I forget, I bookmarked this article for you, Corwood.
Transcendental Style in the Cinema of John Ford. Comments are well worth reading also. (For a change.)
Hayden - Jun 28, 2010 7:55:09 am PDT #9313 of 30000
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
Thanks! I read that the other day, actually. Kenny gets on my nerves often (this one, in particular, was freakin' awful, nothing but self-satisfied japery masquerading as criticism), but it's always good to read someone taking Metcalf down.
Sean K - Jun 28, 2010 8:29:26 am PDT #9314 of 30000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
ET was also the reason Blade Runner tanked at the box office. They opened on the same weekend.
But that's 'Ffista movie discussion no. 23, right?
Atropa - Jun 28, 2010 9:13:22 am PDT #9315 of 30000
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
I saw a double-feature in a theatre of The Thing and Alien when I was ... 9? 10? Around then. Talk about not sleeping for days afterward.
Polter-Cow - Jun 28, 2010 9:33:42 am PDT #9316 of 30000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Damn, Jilli. Seriously.
Frankenbuddha - Jun 28, 2010 9:35:25 am PDT #9317 of 30000
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
Heh, and now we hit Buffista conversation #62.5 - what was your most traumatizing formative movie-going experience.