Decided to shed some light on various editions of "The Thing" (1982), following the thread about its mix: https://fanrestore.com/thread-4162.html

This is one of the (many) titles that have A LOT of different editions; but AFAIK not many have different color grading - think also that two editions, released one after the other in about one year timespan, are both supervised and approved by director of photography Dean Cundey - even if they have VERY DIFFERENT color gradings!


Theater releases:

- video

1. shot on 35mm anamorphic 2.39:1
   
2. 70mm blowup 2.20:1
   

- audio

1. Dolby Surround (4:2:4) on 35mm
   
2. magnetic 6-track on 70mm (probably format 42 Dolby 70mm Baby Boom - confirmation needed)
   
3. mono on some 35mm prints
   

Home releases:

- video master - media (difference in frame size and color grading)

1. SD or HD - DVD NTSC Collector's Edition
   
2. SD or HD - DVD PAL, LD PAL
   
3. HD - DVD NTSC Collector's Edition V2, HD-DVD, BD Universal
   
4. 4K negative - BD Arrow, BD Turbine, BD Shout Scream Factory Collector's Edition
   
5. 2K interpositive - BD Shout, BD Shout Scream Factory Collector's Edition
   
6. 4K - UHD-BD Universal, iTunes
   

- audio type - media

1. 2ch Dolby Surround from 35mm - PCM LD NTSC, LD PAL; DTS-HD MA BD Shout, BD Turbine
   
2. 2ch Dolby Surround with "Superstition" replaced - PCM WS LD
   
3. 2ch Dolby Surround folddown from 5.1 - PCM Signature LD NTSC
   
4. 4.1ch CREATED from 70mm - DTS-HD MA BD Shout, BD Turbine
   
5. 5.1ch CREATED from 70mm - DTS-HD MA BD Arrow, BD Shout, BD Turbine; DD+ HD-DVD; DD BD Universal, DVD
   
6. 5.1ch from 4.0 printmaster - Signature LD
   
7. DTS-X remixed from 70mm - DTS-HD MA UHD-BD
   

- commentaries

1. John Carpenter & Kurt Russell (unedited) - analog LD; DD DVD
   
2. John Carpenter & Kurt Russell (edited) - DD UHD-BD, BD Arrow, BD Shout, BD Turbine, DVD (after 2008)
   
3. Dean Cundey (DoP) - DD BD Shout, BD Turbine
   
4. Stuart Cohen (Production) - DD BD Shout, BD Turbine
   
5. Mike White, Patrick Bromley and El Goro - DD BD Arrow
   
6. Todd Cameron (Outpost31.com) - DD BD Turbine
   

---

- extras

BD Shout:

• The Film (Network TV Broadcast Version) (1.33:1) [480i] - DD 2.0
  
• "Still Galleries" slideshows [1080p]
  
• - Behind the Scenes (4:47)
  
• - Lobby Cards and Press Still (4:18)
  
• - Programs (1:44)
  
• - Posters (1:59)
  
• - Storyboards (2:34)
  
• - Production Artwork (1:24)
  
• 2 Theatrical Trailers (3:27) [1080p]
  
• German Theatrical Trailer (1:47) [1080p]
  
• Teaser Trailer (1:22) [1080p]
  
• TV Spots (1:35) [1080p]
  
• Radio Spots (2:27)
  
• "Requiem for a Shape Shifter" interview with director John Carpenter (28:39) [1080p]
  
• "The Men of Outpost 31" documentary (51:14) [1080p]
  
• "Assembling And Assimilation" interview with editor Todd Ramsay (11:09) [1080p]
  
• "Behind the Chameleon" featurette (25:26) [1080p]
  
• "Sounds From the Cold" interviews with supervising sound editor David Lewis Yewdall and special sound effects designer Alan Howarth (14:53) [1080p]
  
• "Between the Lines" interview with novelization author Alan Dean Foster (15:58) [1080p]
  
• "The Art of Mike Ploog" photo slideshow (12:21) [1080p]
  
• "Back Into the Cold: A Return to the Shooting Locations of The Thing" photo slideshow narrated by Todd Cameron Of Outpost31.com (11:16) [1080p]
  
• Outtakes (5:19) [1080i 60hz]
  
• "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary (84:03) [1080i 60hz]
  
• Vintage Featurettes from the Electronic Press Kit (13:20) [480i]
  
• Vintage Product Reel (19:38) [480i]
  
• Vintage Behind-The-Scenes Footage (2:02) [480i]
  
• Annotated Production Archive (54:12) [1080i 60hz]
  
• "The Making of a Chilling Tale" vintage featurette (5:14) [480i]
  
• "The Making of The Thing" vintage featurette (9:20) [480i]
  

A limited edition of 1000 copies with 2 18" x 24" posters of the new commissioned art is available three weeks prior to official release date from Shout! Factory direct.

A limited edition with 18" x 24" poster available two weeks prior to official release date from Shout! Factory direct.

---

BD Arrow:

• "Who Goes There? In Search of The Thing" documentary (77:47)
  
• "1982: One Amazing Summer!" documentary (27:20)
  
• "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary (84:00) [480i]
  
• “NoThing Left Unsaid: 35th Anniversary Celebration Texas Frightmare” featurette (55:08)
  
• "The Thing 27,000 Hours" short (with optional commentary by fans of The Thing) (6:01)
  
• Fans of The Thing:
  
• - "Outpost #31: History and Impact of the Fans" featurette (15:42)
  
• - "We've Found Something in the Ice: A Fan’s Journey" featurette (5:38)
  
• - "The Thing Tribute Artwork" slideshow (0:24)
  
• Production Archive:
  
• - Production Background Archive (30 text pages & images)
  
• - Cast Production Photographs (15 text pages & images)
  
• - Production Art and Storyboards (53 text pages & images)
  
• - Location Design (69 text pages & images)
  
• - Production Archives (62 text pages & images)
  
• - The Saucer (2:22) (full motion & frame by frame options offered)
  
• - The Blairmonster (1:00) (full motion & frame by frame options offered)
  
• - Outtakes (4:08) (full motion & frame by frame options offered)
  
• - Post Production (29 text pages & images)
  
• Theatrical Trailer (1:58)
  

---

BD Arrow Limited Edition:

same as Arrow, plus:

• 38-page liner notes booklet with writing by Violet Lucca and Kevin Alexander Boon
  
• 8 reproduction lobby cards
  
• Poster
  

---

BD Universal:

• "U-Control" feature: Picture-in-Picture commentary (featuring the "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary)
  
• "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary (84:00)
  
• Production Background Archive (29 pages)
  
• Cast Production Photographs (15 pages)
  
• Production Art and Storyboards (52 pages)
  
• Location Design (68 pages)
  
• Production Archives (61 pages)
  
• The Saucer
  
• - Frame by Frame (47 pages)
  
• - Full Motion (2:20)
  
• The Blairmonster
  
• - Frame by Frame (44 pages)
  
• - Full Motion (0:58)
  
• Outtakes
  
• - Frame by Frame (7 pages)
  
• - Full Motion (4:06)
  
• Post Production (28 pages)
  
• Theatrical Trailer (1:52)
  

---

BD Turbine

• - The Film - US TV Version (93:45)
  
• - Trailers
  
• - US Teaser (1:04) [1080p]
  
• - US Trailer 1 (1:30) [1080p]
  
• - US Trailer 2 (1:56) [1080p]
  
• - US Trailer 3 (1:58)
  
• - German Trailer (1:47) [1080p]
  
• - TV Spots (1:35) [1080p]
  
• - Radio Spots (2:06) [1080p]
  
• Features
  
• - "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary (84:00) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - "The Men of Outpost 31" documentary (51:14) [1080p]
  
• - "Behind the Chameleon" featurette (25:26) [1080p]
  
• Interviews
  
• - "Requiem for a Shape Shifter with John Carpenter in conversation with Mick Garris" (28:39) [1080p]
  
• - "Between the Lines" interview with novelization author Alan Dean Foster (15:58) [1080p]
  
• - "Assembling And Assimilation" interview with editor Todd Ramsay (11:09) [1080p]
  
• - "Sounds From the Cold" interviews with supervising sound editor David Lewis Yewdall and special sound effects designer Alan Howarth (14:53) [1080p]
  
• "Fear on Film" A roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris (25:39)
  
• Archives
  
• - Storyboard to Film Comparison (8:25) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - "Trailers from Hell": "The Thing" (1982) with commentary by Jesus Treviño (2:20) [1080p]
  
• - "Trailers from Hell": "The Thing" (2011) with commentary by Jesus Treviño (2:46) [1080p]
  
• - "The Saucer" featurette (2:20)
  
• - Outtakes (6:16) [1080p]
  
• - Promo Clip Tape (13:46) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - "The Making of The Thing" featurette (9:20) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - "The Making of a Chilling Tale" featurette (5:14) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - Behind the Scenes (2:02) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - Promo Scenes Tape (19:38) [1080i 60hz]
  
• - Text and Image Archive [1080p]
  
• -- Cast, Production, Photo Gallery (2:30)
  
• -- Storyboards (8:41)
  
• -- Location Designs (11:21)
  
• -- Production Archives (10:11)
  
• -- The Saucer (7:50)
  
• -- The Blair Monster (7:20)
  
• -- Unused Scenes (1:10)
  
• -- Post Production (4:40)
  

CD Soundtrack
A Rare Collector’s Item: The Score by Ennio Morricone and John Carpenter

• - Humanity (Part 1) (6:58)
  
• - Shape (3:20)
  
• - Contamination (1:06)
  
• - Bestiality (2:59)
  
• - Solitude (5:58)
  
• - Eternity (5:35)
  
• - Wait (6:30)
  
• - Humanity (Part 2) (7:15)
  
• - Sterilization (5:00)
  
• - Despair (4:50)
  

The Book on the Film
The whole story of the production of the underrated masterpiece and its effects. 136 pages of information and rare images (in German)

Original Book
John W. Campbell‘s original book „Who Goes There“ from 1938 (76 pages, in German)

Fan Items
2 Movie Posters, Set of Artcards and a high-quality embroidered „Outpost 31“ patch

The Design
Two designs of the Deluxe Box: Classic and Modern (with the fitting Digipak slipcase)

- Modern Version: with a new (wraparound) Artwork by Christopher Shy (Digipak with a rare Struzan Motive in b/w) – Limited and Numbered, 2.000 pieces
- Classic Version: with the popular theratrical motive by Drew Struzan (Digipak slipcase with UK motive) – Limited and Numbered, 3.000 pieces

---

DVD Collector's Edition

• "John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape" documentary (83:56 with Optional Isolated Score in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
  
• Production Background Archive (Text Notes, with some Photos) (5:11)
  
• Cast Production Photographs (with Notes) (2:31)
  
• Production Art And Storyboards (with Notes) (8:31)
  
• Location Design (with Notes)
  
• Production Archives (Text Notes, with Photos) (9:41)
  
• The Saucer:
  
• - "Frame By Frame" (3:31)
  
• - "Full Motion" (2:21)
  
• The Blairmonster:
  
• - "Frame By Frame" (7:31)
  
• - "Full Motion" (0:58)
  
• Outtakes:
  
• - "Frame By Frame" (Text & Photos) (1:11)
  
• - "Full Motion" (4:06)
  
• Post Production (Text Notes, with Photos) (4:51)
  
• Production Notes
  
• Cast And Filmmakers:
  
• - Kurt Russell ('MacReady') (7pages)
  
• - John Carpenter (Director) (6pages)
  
• Theatrical Trailer (2mins)
  
• DVD-ROM Features:
  
• - Universal Weblinks
  
• 8-Page Collector's Booklet
  

---

Notes:

- I read on some forum that Arrow BD has a gamma problem, solved with Turbine BD; according to caps-a-holic comparison, this is NOT true
- video (and subsequently audio) tracks from different versions are not in sync; take this in account if you think to mux them

References:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_r...lu-ray.htm
https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=4380
https://fanrestore.com/thread-4162-post-...l#pid74997
http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=13548
http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=166

There are four or five different Commentary tracks spread across the releases...

(2021-09-18, 10:39 PM)MrBrown Wrote: There are four or five different Commentary tracks spread across the releases...

Thanks for the reminder - I completely forgot them!

First post updated.

Also you have the Shout and Arrow transfers backwards. I believe the Shout was the ip and the Arrow was a neg scan.

(2021-09-18, 11:31 PM)PDB Wrote: Also you have the Shout and Arrow transfers backwards. I believe the Shout was the ip and the Arrow was a neg scan.

Indeed...   fixed!

Updated with extras - have fun!

I echo what PDB said about the Shout/Arrow transfers. Also I believe Shout released an encode of the Arrow master in a later Steelbook release.
According to Stuart Cohen's blog The Thing also had mono prints made. There was also a 5.1 AC-3 track on the Signature LD, the 2.0 is a fold-down of that 5.1 mix.

(2021-09-18, 11:42 PM)zoidberg Wrote: I echo what PDB said about the Shout/Arrow transfers.  Also I believe Shout released an encode of the Arrow master in a later Steelbook release.
According to Stuart Cohen's blog The Thing also had mono prints made. There was also a 5.1 AC-3 track on the Signature LD, the 2.0 is a fold-down of that 5.1 mix.

Thanks!

First post updated.

Also, just to be as clear as complete as possible:
There are three books:
The original novella "Who goes there?" by John W. Campbell
"The Thing" novella after the John Carpenter Movie by Alan Dean Foster
"Frozen Hell" by John W. Campbell (a rediscovered original version of the original Novella)

(2021-09-19, 12:09 AM)MrBrown Wrote: Also, just to be as clear as complete as possible:
There are three books:
The original novella "Who goes there?" by John W. Campbell
"The Thing" novella after the John Carpenter Movie by Alan Dean Foster
"Frozen Hell" by John W. Campbell (a rediscovered original version of the original Novella)

About the last one: there are rumors of a reboot film based on it, made by Universal and Blumhouse...

(2021-09-18, 09:53 PM)spoRv Wrote: [*]magnetic 6-track on 70mm (probably format 42 Dolby 70mm Baby Boom - confirmation needed)

Confirmed:

https://www.in70mm.com/library/engagemen.../index.htm

Quote:The film’s 70mm prints consisted of full-frame imagery blown up from anamorphic 35mm photography. The audio was Six-Track Dolby Stereo (“A” encoded “baby boom” format).