Art of the Title

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The Thing (1982)

The Thing
I dunno what the hell's in there, but it's weird and pissed off, whatever it is.
—Clark
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Special Optical Effects Supervisior Peter Kuran discusses the title effect, from the documentary The Thing: Terror Takes Shape:

When I did the effect for the title I used… a fish tank that was about four feet wide by two feet high. I put smoke in the fish tank and on the back of the tank I put the title that was drawn on an animation cel and behind that I had a piece of plastic garbage bag which I stretched over a frame and behind that I had a light pointing through the letters. When I photographed it, I put a flame from a match to the plastic. The plastic would open up and let the light through the letters. That is how the letters look like they form and burn on with the [light] rays. It was a simple process but we went through a lot of takes; one take only formed the letters “N.G.*”

*On a film set, the mark of “N.G.” or “N.F.G.” is taped to any equipment that does not work. No good.

  • Credits

Visual Effects Designed by: Visual Concept Engineering, Peter Kuran
Miniature Supervisor: Susan K. Turner
Animators: Katherine Kean, Keith Tucker
Opticals: RGB Optical, James Hagedorn, George Lockwood

Music Composed and Orchestrated by: Ennio Morricone
Additional Music: John Carpenter, in association with Alan Howarth

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Title sequence

  • Composer

    Ennio Morricone
  • Category

    Film
  • Styles

    main title, mixed-media, typographic
The Thing
  • Film Director

    John Carpenter
  • Release Date

    June 25, 1982
  • Aspect Ratio

    2.35:1
  • Studio

    Universal Pictures
  • Country

    USA
  • Language

    English
  • Reviews

    Reviews on Letterboxd
  • IMDb has full details

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