Legendary Director John Carpenter Joins ‘The Thing Expanded’

CREATORVC, the brains behind the hit documentaries Aliens Expanded and In Search of Darkness, are again with their newest enterprise, The Factor Expanded. This new documentary dives deep into each nook and cranny of John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi-horror classic, The Thing. And guess what? Followers can sit up for an unique, brand-new interview with the legendary John Carpenter himself. Directed by Ian Nathan and produced by Robin Block, David Weiner, and Josh Weiss, The Factor Expanded guarantees to be the last word companion to Carpenter’s chilling masterpiece. With the pre-sale operating from August 8 to September 2, 2024, followers can get their names within the credit and join this thrilling journey by signing up now.

With The Factor Expanded, the CREATORVC staff is tackling what many take into account the last word horror movie. The documentary will function an in-depth analysis led by Carpenter, together with a wealth of reminiscences, tales, info, rabbit-hole tangents, and fan theories about the 1982 film and its origins and influences. It’ll additionally cowl the 2011 prequel, the online game sequel, RPG, comics, merchandise, and the unique John W. Campbell novella Who Goes There?.

To mark the launch of the pre-sale, Collider spoke with Ian Nathan final month to get his ideas on the undertaking, the inspirations behind it, and what he hoped followers would acquire from participating with it. This interview occurred earlier than the thrilling information that Carpenter can be interviewed. So, why The Factor? When requested what impressed this alternative, Nathan explains:

“After doing
Aliens Expanded
and creating the concept of this expanded format, which was to take one movie and provides it an epic remedy, we needed to see if we may carry that macroscopic viewpoint however simply directed in direction of one movie. The historical past of CREATORVC is that they did this collection of documentaries on style over eras —
In Search of Darkness
,
In Search of Tomorrow
— masking a complete period in nice element. The concept of the Expanded format was, may we do the identical remedy for a single movie?”

The Factor stood out as an ideal candidate as a result of its complicated story and wealthy thematic parts. Not like Aliens, which presents every part clearly and straightforwardly, The Factor thrives on ambiguity and thriller. “Carpenter’s method generates numerous debate and fan theories. I made a decision to delve into the intricacy of what folks suppose and draw from the movie,” Nathan says. One of many distinctive elements of The Factor Expanded is its fan-driven method. Nathan emphasised the significance of fan enter in shaping the course of the documentary. He stated:

“There’s a fan group on the market that is aware of a lot extra concerning the movie than I do. I do know rather a lot and like it, however there are
individuals who have devoted themselves to finding out it
, imagining it, and theorizing about it.
Their insights are invaluable
. Hollywood typically underestimates followers, treating them like kids, however they’re extremely refined and intelligent. I need to carry their theories and love into the documentary.”

“Hollywood Treats Followers Like Kids”

Nathan appreciates the depth and intelligence of the fan group, which he sees as an important useful resource for the documentary. “It’s one factor I believe Hollywood is completely unaware of. They deal with followers reasonably like kids. They are saying, ‘Oh, give them toys. Be sure that they’ve this factor…’ when truly it’s a very refined fandom, actually intelligent and actually spectacular. I’m a bit bit in awe of it, and a bit bit terrified by it since you do not need to allow them to down. You need to be revered and admired by them.”

Regardless of its preliminary lukewarm reception, The Factor has grown right into a cult traditional with enduring relevance. “It’s wonderful how related it stays. Nice artwork is adaptable to any period. The Factor was seen as a metaphor for the AIDS disaster, and now, popping out of COVID, the concept of a mutating pandemic resonates deeply. The movie’s themes of mistrust and survival are timeless,” Nathan stated. Nathan’s private connection to The Factor runs deep. Recalling his first viewing expertise, he says:

“I first watched
The Factor
once I was both 15 or 16. A couple of associates and I bunked off faculty on Sports activities Day and watched
Alien
and
The Factor
at a pal’s home. It was a life-changing afternoon. I didn’t realize it on the time, however these movies planted seeds that grew into my profession.
The Factor’s
horror, particular results, and
Kurt Russell’s performance
left an enduring impression on me.”

In terms of dissecting a beloved movie so intensely, Nathan admits there may be all the time a worry of changing into too conversant in it. “There’s all the time a worry that you just would possibly get bored with it, but when the movie is robust sufficient, it can endure. Each The Factor and Aliens are extraordinary items of storytelling. The ability of story is so sturdy which you could watch them repeatedly and nonetheless be drawn in. It’s concerning the power of the narrative and the human want for tales.”

The Factor was not well-received initially, some extent Nathan finds essential to discover within the documentary. “Contextualization is necessary. We’ll discover the early Eighties, the science fiction panorama, and Hollywood on the time,” he defined. “The Factor was born out of sync with its period. It was a time when audiences needed feel-good science fiction, and The Factor supplied cynicism and human coldness. But, its story has endured, changing into a traditional. We’ll analyze why it wasn’t initially appreciated and the way it has grown in stature over time.”

In the end, The Factor Expanded goals to be greater than only a documentary; it strives to be a dialog with followers. “I hope it’s like a dialog along with your greatest mate a few movie you each love. It’s meant to remind followers why they love The Factor in an interesting and insightful approach. The followers are an immeasurable useful resource, and their input shapes the documentary. It’s for the followers, by the followers, and formed by their ardour and intelligence.”

The Factor Expanded guarantees to be a charming exploration of one of the vital intriguing and enduring movies within the sci-fi-horror style. With the mixed efforts of Ian Nathan, CREATORVC, and the passionate fan group, this documentary is about to supply new views and insights that can resonate with followers outdated and new.

Followers can be a part of the expedition and be a part of this definitive companion documentary by signing up today. The pre-sale runs from August 8 to September 2, 2024. It is a distinctive alternative for followers to deepen their understanding and appreciation of John Carpenter’s 1982 traditional and to see their names within the credit of The Factor Expanded. Within the meantime, The Factor is obtainable to stream on Apple TV+.

The Factor (1982)

Launch Date

June 25, 1982

Runtime

109

Major Style

Horror

Writers

John W. Campbell Jr. , Invoice Lancaster

Studio

Common

Tagline

Man is The Warmest Place to Cover.

Broaden

​​Watch on Apple TV+