The Thing Prequel

**MinionZombie** · 20-Sep-2011

Originally Posted by paranoid101

I am legend was ruined for me with the awful mosters CGI (plus it was pretty crap anyway) if its done badly it takes me out of the movie.

Damn straight, and Neil's right - a really good puppet or practical effect is better, because you know that it physically existed in the same space as the actor and you know that the actor is looking directly at something in front of them ... CGI can be done well, but in a horror movie, it's much better to go practical I think.

Regarding that trailer - is it me, or is 'the thing' itself not very good at keeping itself secret? Surely that's the whole point of the creature itself? To blend in totally ... in Carpenter's flick it was mostly only caught out (like during the blood test sequence), although there was that awesome bit where the guy had a heart attack and his chest burst open - but I'd imagine that's more because it was physically being attacked (by the electric shocks). I can't recall the creature ever being so blatant in JC's flick - whereas in that trailer it's just bursting around all over the place showing itself off every five seconds.

I will see it eventually, but I really don't know when.

This flick seems more concerned with action than the actual thing that made JC's original (it's a retelling of the book, not the 50s movie) ... but considering it's *sigh* "from the producers of Dawn of the Dead" (as in the shitty remake that totally missed the point of everything that made Romero's flick great), then it's no big surprise. Plus - there's an awful lot of CGI in that ... I thought this was supposed to have physical effects in it? That trailer suggests an awful lot of pixels running around screaming.

I was holding out hope that this could be worthwhile seeing in the cinema ... I never thought it'd beat JC's movie, but geez, the more we're shown the more it becomes painfully evident that they've totally missed the entire point. If the creature replicated it's target as badly as the team behind this 2011 version have, then it'd stick out like a sore thumb ... mind you, it clearly has no interest in playing it sneaky in this new movie.

**shootemindehead** · 20-Sep-2011

Originally Posted by paranoid101

Anyone else feel that the CGI mosters are not a patch on the original ones?

Yes.

It's just not there yet.

***Neil*** · 20-Sep-2011

Originally Posted by shootemindehead

Yes.

It's just not there yet.

It can be... But it has to be spot on!

**shootemindehead** · 20-Sep-2011

hmmm, for hardware, I'd agree. Stuff like vehicles, tanks, planes, spaceships etc.

But, for organic material, I don't think it's there yet. It's too easy to spot and rarely convincing completely. Gollum was probably the best effort yet.

Another issue I with it, is that it totally destroys physics. When using CGI for people etc, the temptation is there for film makers to abandon physical reality and have their characters do all sorts impossible maneuvers.

Drives me nuts.

**bassman** · 20-Sep-2011

Originally Posted by shootemindehead

But, for organic material, I don't think it's there yet. It's too easy to spot and rarely convincing completely. Gollum was probably the best effort yet.

I thought both King Kong and Ceasar from the new Apes film blew Gollum out of the water. It's definitely improving.

**shootemindehead** · 20-Sep-2011

Haven't seen the new Planet of the Apes and I was bored stupid by the King Kong travesty, I've wiped it from my memory.

*Blank*

See, totally gone.

It is getting better yes, but my heart still sinks when film makers resort to it over a decent mechanical effort. Partly because the old art is going to die out.

**paranoid101** · 20-Sep-2011

Not only can too much CGI take you out of the film, but It can also take the actors out of the film when theres way too much (see Phantom Menace)

Think Gollum work so well is because Andy Serkis was with the Actor as well when they did the scenes and most were done on location not against a green screen.

Agree on Rise of the Apes the CGI in there never once ruined that film for me.

**MikePizzoff** · 20-Sep-2011

Well, that trailer looked like shit. The studio definitely won't be getting money from me for this one.

**MinionZombie** · 20-Sep-2011

Count me in as another fan of Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes - the key being, not only quality CGI, but the performance capture itself, and adding that glimmer of life into their eyes. Little things that are inescapably 'real' to something that is 'living' - if it's not there you instantly miss it, but if it is there you don't immediately notice it being there, rather it just feels right.

Agree on the machinery vs organic situation ... not hard and fast rule, but generally speaking that seems to be the case. However, that demonstration of CGI used in The Walking Dead was surprising - there were some zombies that were quite close to the camera that were totally CGI, but when watching the episode I completely believed them to be actual actors in zombie get-up.

**slickwilly13** · 20-Sep-2011

I guess I will have to take one for the team and watch it first, huh?

**paranoid101** · 20-Sep-2011

Also The Thing is surposed to be Hidden, in that Trailer how many times did they Show it?

The original works better cause when the thing made its Appearance its totally shocking.

What you Imagine in your head and what is not seen is always more scary than plastering it all over the trailer.

heres the original trailer look how many times they even show the monster hardly any.

**AcesandEights** · 20-Sep-2011

Now that was a *channles MZ* proper old skool trailer.

Wow, Man is the Warmest Place to Hide...what a great tag!

**MinionZombie** · 21-Sep-2011

Originally Posted by AcesandEights

Now that was a *channles MZ* proper old skool trailer.

Wow, Man is the Warmest Place to Hide...what a great tag!

I thought I felt someone digging around my brain last night.

Agreed - that trailer gives you a little taste of the craziness in store, but it just teases you with it. The majority of what goes on is hidden - and what's hidden is scary - meanwhile the new one looks like an action movie that is always wiggling its privates in front of your face.