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Thermite Bombs and Trust Issues
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In this episode of The Introverted Obelisk, we pack our thermal underwear, our Geiger counters, and our healthy skepticism as we head north—way north—to a remote Arctic outpost where the coffee’s strong, the tempers are short, and the science is suspiciously well-funded. We’re talking about The Thing From Another World (1951), a Cold War-era creature feature where the invader isn’t just from space—it’s from a garden you should never, ever water.
We follow a crew of square-jawed military men and nervous scientists who dig up a flying saucer, accidentally incinerate it, and then go, “Well hey, at least we saved the alien pilot!” Said pilot turns out to be a humanoid vegetable with a bad attitude and a taste for plasma. Cue the paranoia, ethical debates, and impromptu flamethrower tutorials.
We’ll dissect the film’s themes of science vs. the military, the ever-present Cold War dread, and how this Thing is less about identity theft and more about plant-based homicide. Also, we’ll touch on the wild publishing history of the original novella Who Goes There? and how this film was just the first in a long line of terrifying adaptations.
So, keep watching the skies—and don’t forget the weed killer.
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