The Uncanny in The Thing

Kevin Winslow 

The Uncanny in The Thing

Blog Post #4

"The essential factor responsible for the production of uncanny feelings is the intellectual uncertainty, those doubts and confusions which are liable to arise when we come across something completely unfamiliar in a foreign (Alien) environment" 

- Schneider on Freud 

In Steven Schneider's article Monsters as (Uncanny) Metaphors, he argues using writings by people such as Sigmund Freud that something becomes 'Uncanny' when it was once familiar but has since been twisted with elements that appear alien-like. The unsettling feeling that one gets when viewing an object that is uncanny is caused by the twisted appearance of that object that otherwise would be considered normal/familiar. This however isn't just limited to creatures or people, environments can also appear to be uncanny. Schneider states that the more at home a person feels with their environment the less frightened they'll find themselves to be. This is why a twisted basement, attic, etc sequence are typically so effective in horror films; by taking the viewer out of a comfortable situation it increases the amount of potential fear the scene could incur.

In John Carpenter's film The Thing, a monstrous alien creature infiltrates a militarized camp of scientists and destroys them from within. The monster assimilates the properties if its victims into itself allowing it to hide amongst the rest of the unsuspecting team. When the creature finally reveals itself it is particularly horrifying due to the bastardized appearance (Uncanny) it has of something that was familiar just moments prior. The idea of a horrifying beast hiding within something that appears to be friendly and normal creates a scenario where the members of the team can no longer trust each other. The Thing is unique in the way that every human could potentially be the monster. Very quickly in the film members of the team try to isolate the monster and purge it from the facility, but often not only fail but lose more members of the team to the monster. A scene that happens later in the film has the protagonist essentially interrogating the team in order to draw out the beast that potentially is hiding within them.   

The scene begins with the protagonist R.J. MacReady tying up the rest of the team, he does this while pointing a dangerous weapon at them. Since MacReady is in the possession of explosives he finds himself in a position of great power, as no member of the team is willing to risk trying to openly kill him. The scene is completely devoid of any music, which gives it sort of a dark suspenseful feeling. One of the members of the team attempts to kill MacReady with a surgical tool but it quickly eliminated by him. Both of them were uninfected by the thing which shows the team members willingness to make rash decisions based upon their fear of the unknown uncanny creature that stalks them. MacReady tests the blood of each team member in an attempt to identify which of them are most likely infected. One of the blood samples finally gets a reaction which causes the whole team to enter a screaming panic. MacReady eliminates the monster but it's too late as the creature has already claimed another member of the team.

The fit of hysteria that the team goes into when the infected member is revealed is a perfect example of the internal fear people have of uncanny monsters and uncanny looking objects that could occur elsewhere. All the members of the team take their fear of this monster and project it onto every other member of the team, essentially making every person a potential threat.   

- Works Cited -

Schneider, Steven. "Introduction: Horror Film Monsters." Horror Film Reader - Monsters as (Uncanny) Metaphors. 167-188. Print.