John Carpenter's The Thing - What were the lights?

In The Thing, there's a scene where Dr. Blair, played by Wilford Brimley, is examining what I believe is the first half-alien, half-human victim.

The scene switches to showing the harsh weather outside. At this time, two lights can be seen that look like an approaching plane.

Just at the last moment when a plane would be visible, it seems like they stop and turn to the right of the screen. At one point they almost look like two planes' lights.

Were they part of the movie, like a supply plane?

plot-explanation the-thing

Best Answer

Ahh...no they weren't aircraft lights, they were from a Skidozer and are the headlights as it was moved around the compound at night.

Getting a decent GIF that meets the SE criteria (filesize-wise) is difficult but...

From a Wikia

The Bombardier Skidozer is an enclosed-cab, truck-sized, fully tracked vehicle designed to move on snow (also known as a snowcat). Referred to as the 'tractor', a Skidozer features prominently in the 1982 film The Thing as U.S. Outpost 31's ground transport and snowplow. Other vehicles operated by the outpost include a Caterpillar bulldozer and a Bell 206 helicopter.

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John Carpenter's The Thing - What were the lights? - Covered with sheet sofa and floor lamp and packed cardboard boxes in light spacious room of new contemporary house

John Carpenter's The Thing - What were the lights? - Picturesque scenery of ships floating on sea reflecting glowing lights of St John s city against cloudy evening sky

John Carpenter's The Thing - What were the lights? - Golden toy with paper cup on head

How did Blair get infected in The Thing?

Blair destroyed the dogs, tractor and chopper. The dogs being killed was a completely human response backed by his scientific knowledge that any one of the dogs could have been inadvertently infected during their attack in the kennel cage by hostile or cellular infection.

What was the Norwegian saying in The Thing?

During the opening of John Carpenter's "The Thing" (1980), the "crazed" Norwegian that accidentally shoots one of the expedition members shouts "Get the hell away from that thing. That's not a dog, it's some sort of thing! It's imitating a dog, it isn't real! GET AWAY YOU IDIOTS!!"

Were any dogs harmed in the making of The Thing?

The dogs were very carefully handled and protected from harm throughout the film. The level of care for the animals is evident in producer Stuart Cohen's statements: GREAT attention was paid to the welfare of the dogs in this scene.

Who was The Thing at the end of The Thing?

The closest thing to a definitive answer may have come from cinematographer Dean Cundey, who said he and Carpenter used eye light to show who was human and who wasn't. If that's true, and you look closely, it's more likely the thing is Childs than MacReady.

John Carpenter's Lost Themes HQ [full album] [lossless rip] [AAC]

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