THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951)

75^TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTATION

Seventy-five years ago, “Keep watching the skies” became the watch cry for a nation obsessed with stories of flying saucers and little green men. Howard Hawks tapped into the UFO craze with this still-chilling tale of an Arctic science outpost laid siege by one very large alien (played by future Gunsmoke star James Arness). Hawks only produced, though director Christian Nyby, his longtime editor, consulted with him constantly during production. The result, based on the short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell, is the most Hawksian film he didn’t direct, with such trademarks as the tight, witty script, the sparing relationship between stars Kenneth Tobey and Margaret Sheridan, and the frequent use of claustrophobic two-shots. Whomever you credit, it became a major influence on directors like Joe Dante and John Carpenter.  The latter’s 1982 remake is probably more familiar now, but even he bows to the original as the gold standard in ‘50s science fiction.

d. Christian Nyby, 87m, Digital

Courtesy Warner Bros. Discovery.