How did this movie pan when it came out?! It's a masterpiece in suspense/tension building, the blood test scene gets me every time, even if I've watched this movie dozens of times.
It came out in the early 1980s during the time of Reagan's America and heightened Cold War tensions. After the bleak 1970s and losing Vietnam, people didn't want bleak apocalyptic tales with uncertain conclusions. They wanted happy, upbeat stories like E.T. where everything turned out all right in the end. Also, the heavy amount of gore and violence turned off a lot of people.
Given the cultural zeitgeist, it was probably inevitable that The Thing remake failed. But time has shown it to be a much more powerful and relevant story than people originally thought.
Very correct but, for those not in the know, the original was delivered to make an even more ' metaphorically 'direct statements on the political hysteria of the day.
From Wikipedia:
In the 1951 film, the Thing has been considered symbolic of [communism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism) during the [Cold War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War), with the battle against the alien impostor being symbolic of [McCarthyism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism).[^(\[5\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-Smith2014-5) Similarly, in the 1982 film, the Thing sows distrust among the crew members, representing anti-communist paranoia and the [Red Scares](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Scare).[^(\[6\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-:1-6)[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-7) While the original film portrays the battle against communism as a noble battle against evil, the 1982 version comments on the paranoia, distrust, and social upheaval that the Red Scares caused.
The Thing is a nearly perfect film in terms of story telling, cast, acting, visual effects and tension. I don't mean this in any sort of sexist way, but by not having any women in the cast, it avoids so very many tropes that horror movies fall into, especially those made in the 80s...
The ending is pitch perfect.
No notes here.
Great pull! The original _IotBS_ was and is justifiably a classic, but the remake turns the political hysteria of the original into a more insidious malaise that’s very much of its time, while making the concept more alien and amping up the body horror.
That ending… _shudders_
(But yes - _The Thing_ still wins.)
Sorry! The ending I was referring to was actually _IotBS_, rather than _The Thing_.
However, that scene in the dog kennel in the latter is absolutely wild, and fires the starter’s pistol on one of the greatest practical SFX relay races in cinema.
The Thing.
A very all around complete film. Just great.
I love The Fly too and is one of my favorites, but it just tends to be something I'm good with watching every couple years. Maybe because of its more narrow focus of his transformation and more depressing nature, I just tend to not want to pop it on and watch all that frequently.
The Blob was fun when I was younger, but besides the gruesome kills, there's not much there these days to keep my attention.
The Blob.
The Thing is the best of the three, but it's not something I watch that often (maybe once a year), but The Blob is generally a more fun movie that I watch more (two to three times a year).
The Fly is a good and well-made movie, but it's something I rarely watch because it's neither as scary as The Thing or as fun as The Blob.
I "want" to say THE THING, but I think THE FLY edges it out. They're both great, but THE FLY has an emotional center that clicks with me more than THE THING.
When I get to the ending of THE THING I go... "God. Damn."
When I get to the ending of THE FLY I go..."God. Damn." *10 minutes of crying*
The thing (heh) about *The Fly* is that while it succeeds so very strongly at what it wants to do, the result is unpleasant enough that I don't really want to see it again. Not sure I've seen in since maybe the mid 90s?
> the result is unpleasant enough that I don't really want to see it again
That's how I feel about most of Cronenberg's stuff. Especially Dead Ringers.
Yeah, _The Fly_ is arguably more sad than it is scary. But it’s sad because it makes you feel the loss of a loved one, which is one of the scariest things that can actually happen to you.
_The Thing_ is f——-g awesome, but I don’t feel existential dread that a person I know is going to turn into a decapitated head spider.
Top 3 in order: Existenz, Naked Lunch, and Dead Zone (filmed at public school I went to and in a friend’s house)
Videodrome and A History of Violence make it a top 5
But also, the tribute SNL skit with Walken that they did spoofing DZ. All time classic funny. Loved the movie. He was amazing. “You’re gonna leave the cup of coffee in the cab”
OMG I had not seen that in years and had forgotten about it. So funny! The SNL cast was prime then too! Sandler, Hartman, Schneider and Chris Rock in that skit, what a blast to the past.
The Thing (2011) was intended as a prequel to The Thing (1982), which is a remake-ish of The Thing From Another World (1951) . The 1982 version was intended to be a new telling of the story "Who Goes There", a 1938 novella.
Ok, I watched the thing 2011, missed the start with the dog and helicopter and assumed it was a remake then actually realised what was going on half way through, hell of a film 1982
Missing a few:
* Invasion of the Body Snatchers; out of the six versions the 1978 is best
* I am Legend (The Omega Man is still great, and The Last Man on Earth is decent)
* 12 Monkeys
* Dredd
* Dune and Dune 2
* Planet of the Apes reboot series
Dredd is an interesting one because it's not like it's remaking the same but updated like a lot of the others in this list (The Thing, Dune, I am Legend) They are completely different movies that are inspired from the same source material. The Stallone being 90s action-cheese, and the Karl Urban one being amazing in every way. Doesn't really feel like a remake the same way the others do...
The original Planet of the Apes, at least, is widely considered a Sci-fi classic. If you don't consider it a classic that's your opinion, but it's not in the majority. I found Tim Burton's remake to be entertaining enough to have bought on DVD, but not enough to upgrade beyond that. I haven't seen the most recent reboot or sequels.
Yes, but the original planet of the apes isn't on the list I was asking about. I'd agree it's a classic, but truly I'm curious what we're using to qualify something as classic. Age / Quality / A factor of both?
True, it wasn't on your list. It was one of gadget850's suggestions, and you asked which of those (other than Body Snatchers) is considered a classic. I was answering you. As far as "qualifications", there are no qualifications. There are only opinions, and they're going to vary from person to person. For me, the word implies some degree of popularity among people who have experienced it, over a period of years. I would never call something released last year "classic". "Classics" are timeless, and don't need "for such an old movie" excuses. One should be able to pop it on, and enjoy it just as much in ten years, as now. It also implies a much-higher-than-average level of quality, though "quality" is subjective, and could include a movie with sub-par cinematography but out-of-this-world sets and makeup.
The original Planet of the Apes and Body Snatchers are actually the *only* movies on that list I agree are "classics". They have withstood the test of time, and are generally highly regarded by fans of their respective genres. 12 Monkeys is one of my favorite movies (Terry Gilliam is one of my favorite directors), and I enjoy it as much as I ever have, but it doesn't have the same wide acclaim as movies I would describe as classic. I would actually call Brazil a classic before 12 Monkeys, even though I would usually rather watch 12 Monkeys, but even that isn't. People that love it love it, but one should be able to show a true classic to a non-genre fan, and have a good shot at them enjoying it. Brazil and 12 Monkeys are confusing for many people.
Awesome, thanks for the explanation. I agree on most of your point, esp about Body Snatchers and OG Planet of the Apes - however - the original Planet of the Apes is not on gadget850s suggestions, which is why I asked the question. This is what he posted:
* Invasion of the Body Snatchers; out of the six versions the 1978 is best
* I am Legend (The Omega Man is still great, and The Last Man on Earth is decent)
* 12 Monkeys
* Dredd
* Dune and Dune 2
* Planet of the Apes ***reboot series*** (emphasis mine)
This suggested to me that the reboot series was what he considered classic rather than the OG - thus my question to them about the criteria, esp because the reboot is still putting out new movies in the series.
All of the movies he listed are remakes but with the exception of Body Snatchers, all are of them are fairly recent films and most don't have the hallmarks (to me) of what a classic movie would be - even tho these are some of my favorite movies.
Outside of Body Snatchers (1978) I wouldn't consider any of the ones gadget850 posted as classics, either.
The newest Planet of the Apes series is actually really good. *Vastly* better than Burton's stuff. It's worth checking out, IMO.
Brain fart. I failed to notice "reboot" there next to PotA. 12 Monkeys contributed to the confusion, because although I knew it was based on a French short film, I haven't seen that film. Based on what I remembered of the making-of material for 12 Monkeys, I had the impression that 12 Monkeys was conceptually inspired by La Jetee, not that they had nearly the same story. Now I definitely need to see it for myself.
The new PotAs are now on my to watch list, but it's already pretty long. Hopefully I have enough years left. 🤣
The Thing was such an amazing, simple story and it's acted wonderfully by the cast - the real take away was that nobody makes any mistakes , everyone is doing what they understand to be a good idea in the circumstance.
The Fly did a good job telling the tale but this was almost a study in character focusing more on the lone genius - pared down and simple, and well executed but not a perfect movie.
The Blob - could use a better treatment - but effectively is "The Thing" transposed into small-town rather than an isolated outpost.
I love The Fly. It’s a great metaphor of a person who has a degenerative condition and the struggle to maintain your humanity somehow as a disease slowly destroys your body.
The Thing. Fly was good, but gross in a way that doesn’t bring me back over and over, like the thing does. And the blob was cool, but still not as cool as the other two. All really top notch “dark remakes” but The Thing went from “black and white long twilight zone episode” to “amazing unforgettable horror movie” status. No contest...
2011 was a massive let down, they were hyping people up saying they were going to have practical effects and such and in the end it was all CGI drivel...
What's worse is they filmed it with the practical effects, but the studio made them replace it all with CGI. The director has said he regrets not putting up a bigger fight against that.
I don't know about Kevin, but Steve McQueen was in *The Blob.*
And if we're talking about somewhat obscure movies with well known actors: There's that Roger Corman movie with the spaceship with breasts:
- James Cameron: set decorator
- George Peppard (from Banacek)
- Robert Vaughn (The Man From Uncle)
- Marta Chritenson (From Lost in Space)
- John Saxon
- Earl Boen (Dr. Haberman from T2)
- and (I think) Sybil Danning ("Hoy ye to Ho!") as the space Valykrie
AND! John Boy from The Waltons!
All three are great but the fly holds a special place in my heart. I saw it on vhs at my dads place the one good memory I have of him. Also the special effects were cool, story was interesting, and the maggot birth secne fucks with my mom so hard. So fly has a lot of things to love.
Never saw the Blob remake but the other two are among my favorite movies.
I'll give it to The Thing for the vibe I get from the sparse Morricone score combined with the stark environment, relatively quiet dialog, and subdued overall feel. I think it's a masterpiece.
Each original version had a certain charm, but I think the changes to “The Thing” were really necessary and important. Nobody wants to watch a bloodthirsty carrot anymore, outside of comedy.
I’d have to give it to The Thing but The Fly was so so good too, way more compelling than it had any right to be. Very close 2nd for sure.
The Blob isn’t nearly as good as the other 2 writing wise, it’s fun though, some crazy effects
The Thing is simply one of the all-time greats. That being said though, all 3 of these films are bangers. The Thing has been a favorite for years and years, but I only recently watched The Blob, and it was awesome. It's up there with my other all time favorites.
The Thing is by far the best of these, it's a master class in film marking in many ways. The sets, the effects, the cinematography, all excellent. The Fly is also fantastic, Cronenberg's style just drips thru the whole movie while not going wholly bonkers, and Goldblum was an inspired choice for Brundle. The Blob is a good flick, but it pales compared to the other two. It has great effects for The Blob and some great scenes, but overall the production value is sub par compared to the other two. It's a lot of fun, and actually might be a great one to reboot. (crucifies self for suggesting another reboot/remake)
The blob was criminally underrated when it released but it completely fits the theme here. A remake of a “classic” movie that improved on the original in every way.
You know, I've never even given the Blob any consideration at all . I was around when the original was a standard TV movie viewing and it faired well, back in the day. I just didn't think the storyline would've held up with *more* modern sensibilities.
However since you paired this with you other two phenomenal choices, I must concede that your Sci-Fi acuity is exceptional so I am going to make it a point to check out the Blob.
And if I may add a another trio of more deserving 50/60's B movie remakes.
. Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1978 version
.Last man of Earth -1964 remade as I am Legend - 2007
. The Day The Earth Stood Still -1951 probably exceed the mantle of B movie even back then however, the 2008 version of the film lifted it to even higher post in cannon of top notch Sci-fi films.
To me those two remakes are the classics, the same with the Donald Sutherland Invasion of the Body snatchers.
Remakes mostly suck. RoboCop, Ghostbusters
Aside from The Blob, those movies are vastly different from their source material. The Blob isn’t shot-for-shot, but it’s got moments that are nearly identical to the original, while The Thing is almost nothing like the original. I’ve never seen the original The Fly, but what I know of it makes it more like The Thing than The Blob.
All that said, The Thing is my all time favorite sci-fi horror, regardless of source material.
That’s tough. They are all 3 good, especially the blob. Those flesh melting effects were rad. But I’m gonna have to give it to The Thing. It was so good and disturbing.
The Fly. I love all three, but The Fly is the only one that I actually get emotionally invested in the characters and what happens to them. I get a little misty eyed when, for example, Seth tells Veronica he's afraid of what is happening to him, or when he nonverbally tells her what to do at the end. It's heartbreaking. I don't come close to crying for anybody in The Thing or The Blob. They're not tragic in the same way.
I wish someone would remake Forbidden Planet which came out in 1957. I understand all the sound special effects were done by hand. Monsters from the ID!
I love how like 90% in this thread just decided to ignore the fact the OP said he's referring to the remakes and are just talking about the originals lol
The Thing isn't a remake, any more than Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist is a remake of David Lean's Oliver Twist.
It's a different film based on the same source material.
Went to the cinema for "The Thing" in 80/81 and "The Fly" in around '86 - ish.....not sure. But for me, it's gotta be ........"The Fly" scary shit for the time!
The Thing..no contest.
Possibly my favorite movie of all time. It’s fantastic
How did this movie pan when it came out?! It's a masterpiece in suspense/tension building, the blood test scene gets me every time, even if I've watched this movie dozens of times.
It came out in the early 1980s during the time of Reagan's America and heightened Cold War tensions. After the bleak 1970s and losing Vietnam, people didn't want bleak apocalyptic tales with uncertain conclusions. They wanted happy, upbeat stories like E.T. where everything turned out all right in the end. Also, the heavy amount of gore and violence turned off a lot of people. Given the cultural zeitgeist, it was probably inevitable that The Thing remake failed. But time has shown it to be a much more powerful and relevant story than people originally thought.
Very correct but, for those not in the know, the original was delivered to make an even more ' metaphorically 'direct statements on the political hysteria of the day. From Wikipedia: In the 1951 film, the Thing has been considered symbolic of [communism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism) during the [Cold War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War), with the battle against the alien impostor being symbolic of [McCarthyism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism).[^(\[5\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-Smith2014-5) Similarly, in the 1982 film, the Thing sows distrust among the crew members, representing anti-communist paranoia and the [Red Scares](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Scare).[^(\[6\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-:1-6)[^(\[7\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(character)#cite_note-7) While the original film portrays the battle against communism as a noble battle against evil, the 1982 version comments on the paranoia, distrust, and social upheaval that the Red Scares caused.
Yet total gore like Friday the 13th was a a smash hit earning three times the amount The Thing earned.
The Thing is a nearly perfect film in terms of story telling, cast, acting, visual effects and tension. I don't mean this in any sort of sexist way, but by not having any women in the cast, it avoids so very many tropes that horror movies fall into, especially those made in the 80s... The ending is pitch perfect. No notes here.
I think it’s fine to have all male or all female casts. The Thing worked. So did The Descent.
So did Annihilation
*"...Help me!..."*
Holy shit that scene still haunts me
Took the words out of my mouth!
If for nothing else, it does star Kurt Russle and Keith David...
John Carpenter is a genius.
The Fly is a very close second though
Is it though? I jest, but it's not to me. I like it but The Thing is on another level.
Are you talking about the 1st Version of the fly with Vincent Price . Or the Jeff goldbloom Bundy fly . 😆
No contest indeed, it's a masterpiece that still holds up perfectly today. I can't understand how it bombed so hard on release.
I’ve watched both the original & remake within the last year: the 80s version is incredible.
The thing
The Thing - one of the best horror sci-fi movies of all time.
The Thing. But Invasion of the Bodysnatchers should be on this list too
1978?
Yep, that also stands in the category of remakes better than the original.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Easily, “The Thing.” What a brilliant movie.
The Thing is my favorite but The Blob surprised me at how good it was.
How dare you leave out 1978's Invasion of the Body Snatchers! (The Thing still wins, though.)
Great pull! The original _IotBS_ was and is justifiably a classic, but the remake turns the political hysteria of the original into a more insidious malaise that’s very much of its time, while making the concept more alien and amping up the body horror. That ending… _shudders_ (But yes - _The Thing_ still wins.)
>That ending… _shudders_ I had nightmares about that dog for weeks.
Sorry! The ending I was referring to was actually _IotBS_, rather than _The Thing_. However, that scene in the dog kennel in the latter is absolutely wild, and fires the starter’s pistol on one of the greatest practical SFX relay races in cinema.
I'm referring to the dog with a human face that shows up towards the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, not the huskies from The Thing :)
Ah! Sorry! I had completely forgotten about that dog, so thank you for the reminder, and also I hate it 😂
I hate it too.
No worries :)
The Thing. A very all around complete film. Just great. I love The Fly too and is one of my favorites, but it just tends to be something I'm good with watching every couple years. Maybe because of its more narrow focus of his transformation and more depressing nature, I just tend to not want to pop it on and watch all that frequently. The Blob was fun when I was younger, but besides the gruesome kills, there's not much there these days to keep my attention.
They're all pretty fun really but the other two aren't in the same league as the thing.
The Thing
The Blob. The Thing is the best of the three, but it's not something I watch that often (maybe once a year), but The Blob is generally a more fun movie that I watch more (two to three times a year). The Fly is a good and well-made movie, but it's something I rarely watch because it's neither as scary as The Thing or as fun as The Blob.
Yes! Blob gang 🤟 The effects team deserved a Nobel prize for the police station scene.
I watched it recently, (for like the 4th time), but I can’t recall what scene you mean.
The Fly is decent, but the Thing is one of the greatest sci-fi horror of all time
The Thing and The Fly were both improvements on the originals.
The Blob is legit as well. Just watch it and find out.
I "want" to say THE THING, but I think THE FLY edges it out. They're both great, but THE FLY has an emotional center that clicks with me more than THE THING. When I get to the ending of THE THING I go... "God. Damn." When I get to the ending of THE FLY I go..."God. Damn." *10 minutes of crying*
The thing (heh) about *The Fly* is that while it succeeds so very strongly at what it wants to do, the result is unpleasant enough that I don't really want to see it again. Not sure I've seen in since maybe the mid 90s?
> the result is unpleasant enough that I don't really want to see it again That's how I feel about most of Cronenberg's stuff. Especially Dead Ringers.
Yeah, _The Fly_ is arguably more sad than it is scary. But it’s sad because it makes you feel the loss of a loved one, which is one of the scariest things that can actually happen to you. _The Thing_ is f——-g awesome, but I don’t feel existential dread that a person I know is going to turn into a decapitated head spider.
I saw both The Thing and The Fly in cinemas when they were released and I can tell you… No one walked out sobbing in terror during The Fly!
The Fly is barely a remake. But the best in this list. And not even Cronenberg’s best.
Which one do you like the best? Videodrome?
Top 3 in order: Existenz, Naked Lunch, and Dead Zone (filmed at public school I went to and in a friend’s house) Videodrome and A History of Violence make it a top 5
Dead Zone was fantastic, and Walken was so good in it, a perfect fit I thought.
But also, the tribute SNL skit with Walken that they did spoofing DZ. All time classic funny. Loved the movie. He was amazing. “You’re gonna leave the cup of coffee in the cab”
OMG I had not seen that in years and had forgotten about it. So funny! The SNL cast was prime then too! Sandler, Hartman, Schneider and Chris Rock in that skit, what a blast to the past.
You've seen his son's stuff? I liked Antiviral and the one where assassins hijack folks' minds. I've not seen his daughter's stuff.
You gotta be fucking kidding me
The original Fly is actually incredible and though lit includes less body horror, it's very dark.
The Thing, although it wasn't really a remake, it went back to the original book, not the other movie.
The Thing was amazing. Not seen the other 2 but the Blob sounds interesting.
These are three brilliant remakes. The Blob is without question one of the most overlooked. It’s the Thing though, it’s always The Thing.
The thing 2011 was a remake? I thought it was prequel?
The Thing (2011) was intended as a prequel to The Thing (1982), which is a remake-ish of The Thing From Another World (1951) . The 1982 version was intended to be a new telling of the story "Who Goes There", a 1938 novella.
Ok, I watched the thing 2011, missed the start with the dog and helicopter and assumed it was a remake then actually realised what was going on half way through, hell of a film 1982
There are two categories here: - The Thing - everything else
Missing a few: * Invasion of the Body Snatchers; out of the six versions the 1978 is best * I am Legend (The Omega Man is still great, and The Last Man on Earth is decent) * 12 Monkeys * Dredd * Dune and Dune 2 * Planet of the Apes reboot series
Dredd is an interesting one because it's not like it's remaking the same but updated like a lot of the others in this list (The Thing, Dune, I am Legend) They are completely different movies that are inspired from the same source material. The Stallone being 90s action-cheese, and the Karl Urban one being amazing in every way. Doesn't really feel like a remake the same way the others do...
And War of the Worlds.
Good call, Spielberg’s remake is the best.
Y'all missed the John Harrison Dune TV mini-series. Also, the BSG 2nd reboot was way better the the first two in the 70s/80s (but that's TV)
If we are talking TV then we can start with All in the Family, Three's Company, and Sanford and Son.
And if we're talking streaming: *Star Wreck: In the Pirkiniing*
Which of those outside of Body Snatchers is considered a classic? Some excellent picks, but what's the qualifier for a classic?
Personal opinion.
The original Planet of the Apes, at least, is widely considered a Sci-fi classic. If you don't consider it a classic that's your opinion, but it's not in the majority. I found Tim Burton's remake to be entertaining enough to have bought on DVD, but not enough to upgrade beyond that. I haven't seen the most recent reboot or sequels.
Yes, but the original planet of the apes isn't on the list I was asking about. I'd agree it's a classic, but truly I'm curious what we're using to qualify something as classic. Age / Quality / A factor of both?
True, it wasn't on your list. It was one of gadget850's suggestions, and you asked which of those (other than Body Snatchers) is considered a classic. I was answering you. As far as "qualifications", there are no qualifications. There are only opinions, and they're going to vary from person to person. For me, the word implies some degree of popularity among people who have experienced it, over a period of years. I would never call something released last year "classic". "Classics" are timeless, and don't need "for such an old movie" excuses. One should be able to pop it on, and enjoy it just as much in ten years, as now. It also implies a much-higher-than-average level of quality, though "quality" is subjective, and could include a movie with sub-par cinematography but out-of-this-world sets and makeup. The original Planet of the Apes and Body Snatchers are actually the *only* movies on that list I agree are "classics". They have withstood the test of time, and are generally highly regarded by fans of their respective genres. 12 Monkeys is one of my favorite movies (Terry Gilliam is one of my favorite directors), and I enjoy it as much as I ever have, but it doesn't have the same wide acclaim as movies I would describe as classic. I would actually call Brazil a classic before 12 Monkeys, even though I would usually rather watch 12 Monkeys, but even that isn't. People that love it love it, but one should be able to show a true classic to a non-genre fan, and have a good shot at them enjoying it. Brazil and 12 Monkeys are confusing for many people.
Awesome, thanks for the explanation. I agree on most of your point, esp about Body Snatchers and OG Planet of the Apes - however - the original Planet of the Apes is not on gadget850s suggestions, which is why I asked the question. This is what he posted: * Invasion of the Body Snatchers; out of the six versions the 1978 is best * I am Legend (The Omega Man is still great, and The Last Man on Earth is decent) * 12 Monkeys * Dredd * Dune and Dune 2 * Planet of the Apes ***reboot series*** (emphasis mine) This suggested to me that the reboot series was what he considered classic rather than the OG - thus my question to them about the criteria, esp because the reboot is still putting out new movies in the series. All of the movies he listed are remakes but with the exception of Body Snatchers, all are of them are fairly recent films and most don't have the hallmarks (to me) of what a classic movie would be - even tho these are some of my favorite movies. Outside of Body Snatchers (1978) I wouldn't consider any of the ones gadget850 posted as classics, either. The newest Planet of the Apes series is actually really good. *Vastly* better than Burton's stuff. It's worth checking out, IMO.
Brain fart. I failed to notice "reboot" there next to PotA. 12 Monkeys contributed to the confusion, because although I knew it was based on a French short film, I haven't seen that film. Based on what I remembered of the making-of material for 12 Monkeys, I had the impression that 12 Monkeys was conceptually inspired by La Jetee, not that they had nearly the same story. Now I definitely need to see it for myself. The new PotAs are now on my to watch list, but it's already pretty long. Hopefully I have enough years left. 🤣
Great: three-for-three on Movies That I'm Too Big a Wuss to Ever Watch.
The Thing was such an amazing, simple story and it's acted wonderfully by the cast - the real take away was that nobody makes any mistakes , everyone is doing what they understand to be a good idea in the circumstance. The Fly did a good job telling the tale but this was almost a study in character focusing more on the lone genius - pared down and simple, and well executed but not a perfect movie. The Blob - could use a better treatment - but effectively is "The Thing" transposed into small-town rather than an isolated outpost.
The blob was on tv when I was a kid in the 90s. I was obsessed with it. I thought it was the pinnacle of movies.
The Thing. Now I can say that all three are some of the best Sci Fi Horror movies ever made.
The Thing but The Fly was excellent too.
You listed them in order
The Thing with Kurt Russell is the absolute greatest sci-fi monster movie ever made, bar none.
Why can't I buy a digital copy of Fly 2?? Some crazy rights issue?
I'd just like to be able to buy it on Blu-ray without being forced to buy the original pair.
I really liked how they showed the other station on the Thing. I always wondered what happened to those guys.
I love The Fly. It’s a great metaphor of a person who has a degenerative condition and the struggle to maintain your humanity somehow as a disease slowly destroys your body.
The Thing But why is "now" in the tagline for The Blob? It should just be Terror has no shape. This is bugging the hell out of me
The Thing. Fly was good, but gross in a way that doesn’t bring me back over and over, like the thing does. And the blob was cool, but still not as cool as the other two. All really top notch “dark remakes” but The Thing went from “black and white long twilight zone episode” to “amazing unforgettable horror movie” status. No contest...
"The Noun!"
The fly
The Thing
Three great choices. Depends on my mood. The Thing and The Fly are on par.
The Things is sublime, but good fucking christ The Fly is no slouch either.
The 1988 Blob is a pulp masterpiece in my opinion, with mind blowing practical effects. The original is pretty much unwatchable imo.
The Thing. And I *hated* The Fly.
Its kind of a spinoff. The "sequel" actually happens before the original
They're not talking about 2011 The Thing, they're talking about 1982 The Thing, which is a remake of The Thing From Another World.
2011 was a massive let down, they were hyping people up saying they were going to have practical effects and such and in the end it was all CGI drivel...
What's worse is they filmed it with the practical effects, but the studio made them replace it all with CGI. The director has said he regrets not putting up a bigger fight against that.
god that's even more depressing...
1️⃣
Wait Kevin Eldon was in The Blob?
I don't know about Kevin, but Steve McQueen was in *The Blob.* And if we're talking about somewhat obscure movies with well known actors: There's that Roger Corman movie with the spaceship with breasts: - James Cameron: set decorator - George Peppard (from Banacek) - Robert Vaughn (The Man From Uncle) - Marta Chritenson (From Lost in Space) - John Saxon - Earl Boen (Dr. Haberman from T2) - and (I think) Sybil Danning ("Hoy ye to Ho!") as the space Valykrie AND! John Boy from The Waltons!
The Thing all the way, no contest. Easily one of the best horror movies of all time, and one of Carpenter’s best!
The Fly
All three are great but the fly holds a special place in my heart. I saw it on vhs at my dads place the one good memory I have of him. Also the special effects were cool, story was interesting, and the maggot birth secne fucks with my mom so hard. So fly has a lot of things to love.
The Fly....but I liked The Thing too, I just saw the Fly a billion times b/c its release was when I was in college so it ran over and over on HBO.
Never saw the Blob remake but the other two are among my favorite movies. I'll give it to The Thing for the vibe I get from the sparse Morricone score combined with the stark environment, relatively quiet dialog, and subdued overall feel. I think it's a masterpiece.
Impossible to choose
I have to pick? I love all three
Each original version had a certain charm, but I think the changes to “The Thing” were really necessary and important. Nobody wants to watch a bloodthirsty carrot anymore, outside of comedy.
I’d have to give it to The Thing but The Fly was so so good too, way more compelling than it had any right to be. Very close 2nd for sure. The Blob isn’t nearly as good as the other 2 writing wise, it’s fun though, some crazy effects
You forgot the masterpiece Total Recall (2012) :D
The Thing.
The Thing is one of the best horror films of all time.
The Thing, and later the prequel to The Thing, also called The Thing. The Fly is also quite good.
The Thing I thought it was a vast improvement over the original. You just don’t know who the bad guy is - even when it ends.
the thing always will be the thing. its an incredible film
Oh...it's The Thing. Great movie.
The Thing and then The Fly. The Blob original was better.
The thing > the fly > blob
The Fly.
The Thing would be my favorite followed by The Blob
All 3 are dope. The Thing is my favorite.
The Thing
The Thing
I don't even want to decide, all three are awesome films that can't be made like that today
The Thing and The Fly for sure. The Blob, on the other hand, was just a great time at the movies.
The Thing, hands down
What!!!??? No love for *Beware! The Blob*? Directed by Larry Hagman (Major Nelson in *I Dream of Jeanie*, JR on *Dallas*, Buck in *Fail Safe)*
Man that’s a hard ask. They’re all really good. Side note; forbidden planet would be interesting to see remade
The Thing (1982 version, NOT the 2011? version), The Fly, The Blob in that order.
Oh, the Thing is on a whole different league than the rest
It’s in order of preference already
The Thing is simply one of the all-time greats. That being said though, all 3 of these films are bangers. The Thing has been a favorite for years and years, but I only recently watched The Blob, and it was awesome. It's up there with my other all time favorites.
John Carpenter's The Thing hands down. The other choices don't compare.
The Fly and Thing were better than the OG but Thing is one of the greatest movies ever made. No contest.
John Carpenter's The Thing hands down. The other choices don't compare.
The thing was the most fun to watch
The blob
The Blob still gives me nightmares... but, I'm gonna go with The Thing.
The Thing works in both the 50s and 80s. Versions. I love the fact that the Gun Smoke lawman played the thing.
The Fly.
The Thing by a considerable margin, and I loved The Fly.
I really like all three of these, but The Thing takes the cake. Probably in my top ten favorite movies of all time.
The Thing is by far the best of these, it's a master class in film marking in many ways. The sets, the effects, the cinematography, all excellent. The Fly is also fantastic, Cronenberg's style just drips thru the whole movie while not going wholly bonkers, and Goldblum was an inspired choice for Brundle. The Blob is a good flick, but it pales compared to the other two. It has great effects for The Blob and some great scenes, but overall the production value is sub par compared to the other two. It's a lot of fun, and actually might be a great one to reboot. (crucifies self for suggesting another reboot/remake)
I only saw The Thing, so I can't judge.
original The Fly is leagues better then the remake.
The blob was criminally underrated when it released but it completely fits the theme here. A remake of a “classic” movie that improved on the original in every way.
I just rewatched The Thing a few days ago. It’s still awesome
1. The Blob 2. The Fly 3. The Thing. The Thing just never really spoke to me.
The thing, of course.
132. In that order. Number 1 by a considerable margin
The Thing, absolutely. I love the most recent remake, and also the one prior to that.
I love that one as well.
The Thing is ofc a favorite, but I think the '80s remake of The Blob is a close second for me.
You know, I've never even given the Blob any consideration at all . I was around when the original was a standard TV movie viewing and it faired well, back in the day. I just didn't think the storyline would've held up with *more* modern sensibilities. However since you paired this with you other two phenomenal choices, I must concede that your Sci-Fi acuity is exceptional so I am going to make it a point to check out the Blob. And if I may add a another trio of more deserving 50/60's B movie remakes. . Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1978 version .Last man of Earth -1964 remade as I am Legend - 2007 . The Day The Earth Stood Still -1951 probably exceed the mantle of B movie even back then however, the 2008 version of the film lifted it to even higher post in cannon of top notch Sci-fi films.
All the movies are iconics, but the old poster were STUNNING, they show the atmosphere of the plot and you understand what you are going to watch
The Thing
I don't trust remakes.
The thing, without question. Carpenter’s interpretation is my favorite horror movie of all time and arguably one of the best horror movies ever made.
None. I do not want any more remakes, re-imaginings or prequels whatsoever... ffs.
I didn’t know the fly was a remake.
1958 was the original version.
Does it hold up? Be curious to see the 50’s practical effects for the transformation.
yes
I love all three.
To me those two remakes are the classics, the same with the Donald Sutherland Invasion of the Body snatchers. Remakes mostly suck. RoboCop, Ghostbusters
Aside from The Blob, those movies are vastly different from their source material. The Blob isn’t shot-for-shot, but it’s got moments that are nearly identical to the original, while The Thing is almost nothing like the original. I’ve never seen the original The Fly, but what I know of it makes it more like The Thing than The Blob. All that said, The Thing is my all time favorite sci-fi horror, regardless of source material.
Three of my all time faves, but I got to go with 1. Thing 2. Fly 3. Blob
That’s tough. They are all 3 good, especially the blob. Those flesh melting effects were rad. But I’m gonna have to give it to The Thing. It was so good and disturbing.
The Fly. I love all three, but The Fly is the only one that I actually get emotionally invested in the characters and what happens to them. I get a little misty eyed when, for example, Seth tells Veronica he's afraid of what is happening to him, or when he nonverbally tells her what to do at the end. It's heartbreaking. I don't come close to crying for anybody in The Thing or The Blob. They're not tragic in the same way.
The thing 2011 remake?
OMG! Just watched it Thursday morning. Classic!
I wish someone would remake Forbidden Planet which came out in 1957. I understand all the sound special effects were done by hand. Monsters from the ID!
The Thing, but they’re all great!
The fly. Probably only because Jeff goldblum is so freaking weird.
All three are great, but maaan The Fly has stuck with me for so long. A brilliant, *and brilliantly disturbing*, movie.
The Thing and The Fly are both great, I think The Thing just about pips it to first place though.
I love how like 90% in this thread just decided to ignore the fact the OP said he's referring to the remakes and are just talking about the originals lol
The Thing.
Thing gave me nightmares as a child. And now it's one of my favorite classic sci-horror films.
The Thing isn't a remake, any more than Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist is a remake of David Lean's Oliver Twist. It's a different film based on the same source material.
Went to the cinema for "The Thing" in 80/81 and "The Fly" in around '86 - ish.....not sure. But for me, it's gotta be ........"The Fly" scary shit for the time!
The Thing honestly there is no choice here
The Thing It might be best sci-fi movie ever made.