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

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 structure.

How would you break down the story’s plot?

As a learning exercise, let’s put a special focus on the story’s subplots. List every subplot you spot in the script. One key to zeroing in on subplots: Track each of the characters. Almost all primary, even secondary characters are involved in one or more subplots.

See you in comments!

For Day 1 of our analysis of The Thing, 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!

UPDATE: I found this interesting comparison of the 1951 and 1982 versions of the movie by film scholar Wheeler Winston Dixon.

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