GITS Script Reading and Analysis Series: “The Thing” — Characters

Welcome to Week 8 of the GITS Script Reading & Analysis series. This week we will be analyzing the screenplay for the 1982 version of The Thing (screenplay by Bill Lancaster, based on a story by John W. Campbell Jr.), your selection for the Horror genre. If you haven’t had a chance to read the script yet, you may access the 1981–03–04 version of the script here.

Today we discuss the script’s characters.

Here is a list helpfully provided by Lancaster:

MacReady — 35. Helicopter pilot. Likes chess. Hates the cold. Pay is good.

Garry — 46. The station manager. Stiff. Ex-Army officer. Wears a handgun.

Childs — 33. Six-four. Two-fifty. Black. A mechanic. Can be jolly. But don’t mess.

Blair — 50. Senior biologist. Edgy. Inquisitive. Overworked.

Fuchs — 25. Sensitive. Intelligent. Unassuming. An assistant biologist.

Dr. Copper — 45. Professional. A decent man. A good doctor.

Palmer — 27. Second string chopper pilot. Crack mechanic. Long hair. Slight sixties acid damage.

Nauls — 22. The cook. Bright. Black. Irreverent. But kindhearted. Roller skates.

Norris — 44. Stocky. Rugged looking. A geophysicist. An incipient heart condition.

Benings — 38. A meteorologist. Dutiful. An old pro.

Clark — 24. The dog handler. Likes it here. Good at his job.

Sanchez — 21. The radio operator. Hates it here. Lousy at his job.

See you in Comments to discuss the characters in The Thing.

For Day 1 of our analysis of The Thing, go here.

For Day 2 of our analysis focusing on structure, go here.

[Remember next week (10/31–11/4), we will be reading Shakespeare in Love, your choice for the Romantic Comedy sub-genre. You may access the 1998–06–04 version of the script here.]

NOTE: THIS SERIES AND THE USE OF SCRIPTS IS STRICTLY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES!

Special Feature: Below is a very cool interview with some of the crew who were responsible for the amazing special effects — before CGI! — for The Thing: