Since the publication of my post on Annihilation, I realized that it wasn’t the only piece of horror and science fiction that has played a role in my current abstract builds. I’ve decided to do a small series on these movies and novels. (spoilers be warned)

In 1982 the world was given one of the best horror classics of all time, John Carpenter’s The Thing. A chilling horror movie set in the remote vastness of Antarctica, where something beyond man’s comprehension both attempts to destroy and assimilate a group of American Research scientists.

It wasn’t exactly popular at the time it was released. The audience and critics were harsh with reviews and it only brought in about 13 million at the time. It almost ruined Carpenters’ career. The unfortunate problem is that it shared the theaters with films such as Blade Runner, E.t, and Tron. I believe that the audiences weren’t ready for a film such as The Thing at the time.

The themes of The Thing can be debated depending on what you believe. Some see it as a movie discussing the impact of the red scare. Some say it’s a movie discussing the lasting effects of both the Nixon and Reagan administrations. Some compare the assimilation and body horror to that of the AIDS/HIV epidemic.

Much like most cosmic body horror, I believe it’s mankind’s attempt to survive the unknown and the paranoia that surrounds the unknown. You can never truly understand what the alien is. Did it assimilate another being before heading towards the earth? Is the ship constructed by it or was it stolen?

I really do love The Thing. It’s one of the few horror movies that still gets me to this day. There’s a wonderful video essay on it here. I would like to add that the soundtrack also plays a huge part in its neuroscience.

Sometimes I watch it during the winter when blizzards have me housebound for days. Really adds to the experience. It also has been deeply inspiring to me as someone who does what is considered body horror to gunpla. It may not seem like it is directly inspired as I do love my horror to be colorful (yes, horror can be colorful).

I’ve been inspired to take a more weird horror step in my building. Beargguys have been the unfortunate victims on this one. While this was mainly inspired by Annihilation, I was moved to add more body horror to it. I had some ideas about fusing beargguy skulls together in odd manners. 

This was an earlier one that I enjoyed doing after watching it (and the disappointing prequel. It looked like a Syfy original movie).

I have so many ideas that I would like to do one I can get my hands on both the haros and beargguys for it. I’ll keep you updated on those with part two.

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I hope you found this post enjoyable. Have any questions or opinions? If so share them in the comments.

Happy Thursday everyone!

-J