A special trilogy, comprising The Thing, Prince Of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness.
We take a look…
This article originally ran onDen of Geek UK.
It contains spoilers forThe Thing,Prince Of DarknessandIn The Mouth Of Madness.
If I was an imitation, a perfect imitation, how would you know if it was really me?
Its a more faithful adaptation of John W. Campbells short storyWho Goes There?
Even more unsettling is the complete lack of explanation of the things motives.
Theres no reasoning with it because it never talks, except when imitating somebody it has already absorbed.
As frosty as the intended ending is, the film didnt receive any kind of warm receptionupon its release.
Critics werent up for nasty aliens after the many delights ofE.T.
Partly as a result of the shockingly vehement critical response, it bombed at the box office.
While order does exist in the universe, it is not at all what we had in mind.
Its the end of the world, Jim, but not as we know it.
Both acts are forms of order that humanity has tried to impose upon the universe.
As inThe Thing, escape from the contained setting is made physically impossible, even in downtown Los Angeles.
This makes for another very claustrophobic setting in which science and religion clash dramatically.
As unrealistic as his books may seem, hes actually writing reality.
Near the end of the movie, Dr. Wrenn asks Trent, What if you dont read?
Theyre making a movie is the bitter reply.
All contrivances aside, this is still a solid movie on first viewing.
In short, reality no longer exists.
Viewed separately, the films of Carpenters apocalypse trilogy are tremendous.
