Remaking THE THING?!

When I first heard the news that a remake of the classic was underway, my immediate reaction was a scowl and a snarl. Why, why would anybody think this was a good idea? John Carpenter’s 1982 film is one of the true greats of the genre, though it ironically is itself a remake. 1951’s THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD may get overshadowed by Carpenter’s film, but it’s a masterpiece in its own right. Why create a new movie that is guaranteed to come up short by comparison?

Then I found out that this new movie, coming to us from Blumhouse, is going to adapt the recently discovered full-length novel of the story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell. This extended version of the tale is entitled “Frozen Hell.”

My advice would be, then, for them to make this new movie as strikingly different as possible from Carpenter’s movie, and from the original. Aim for an “alternate interpretation” of the source material instead of a retread of what’s been done before. Because if it ends up being compared to the other two movies, the new one will, no matter how good it is, come up short. If it’s very much its own thing, vastly removed from the others, then it can be appreciated as such. In fact, they should call the new one FROZEN HELL. Or, at the very least, THE THING: FROZEN HELL. To differentiate it from its predecessors.

If they go that route with it, I’m kinda excited about the news.

By The Evil Cheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 MORTUI VELOCES SUNT!

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