Ennio Morricone – The Thing (Music From The Motion Picture)

This is an amazing pressing. Immaculate sound. The synths on the second side are crisp and deep. Such an enveloping listen on a good system. I am stoked I was able to snag a copy as The Thing is one of my favorite movies. A+ soundtrack.

2025 repress and re-release from waxworks info: So I was interested in this because there is a standard version for $35, but an $80 version as well, and it wasn't clear what else came with it due to the hefty price.

Looking back at the release from 3 years ago, that $80 version had the special slip cover that look like cracked ice, but it also came with a small booklet that included interviews from various people and Carpenter. Here is that info from 2017: https://thevinylfactory.com/news/waxwork-thing-soundtrack/

"The “old-style satin coated gatefold jacket” comes with spot gloss varnish, an 11″x22″ poster, and 11″x11” booklet featuring an exclusive interview with director John Carpenter."

But for this release...

I ed them, and it turns out that that special book is not included. I also am pretty sure the poster is not there but if it is considerate a bonus in having low expectations.

So essentially, the cracked ice special cardboard slipcover that is very, very cool, seems to be $45 more expensive to be $80 total.

I'm not too shy about collecting interesting collector's editions in place of a normal edition, but I'd rather have an arts and crafts day where I make this myself for fun.

I know the run is limited and we're lucky to get another person but it is pretty astonishing they could charge that much for just a piece of cardboard.

Thought I would provide a heads up. But I'm also very curious to the people who bought the first one, what makes it so special if I am missing anything, etc. Thanks.

Link to both new releases: https://waxworkrecords.com/products/the-thing?variant=51745635533164

If anyone still interested in this item please me, thank you!

The pressing on this is amazing. Super clean. Super quiet.

New pressing being released in spring 2025. Be fast before it'll be sold out. Just ordered my copy. Hopefully better pressing than previous two. 😀🤔 80 bucks directly from WW.

Another review posted years ago which has gone missing, maybe due to a merge, who knows...

Anyway, back here to explain something special about the soundtrack to my absolute undefeatable No.1 horror film of all time.
Imagine as composers, John Carpenter and Alan Howarth, after both individually & as a duo penning some landmark, game changing scores like Halloween, ing on the soundtrack duties for 'The Thing' to a 3rd party?

Well, they did, & not just any old Joe...

John apparently insisted Morricone was a better man for the job than he; which takes a great deal of professionalism & self honesty.
The concept for 'The Thing' was paranoia. Not knowing who's real, or who's next to be assimilated in absurdly grotesque alien mutation. The backdrop: cold, desolate, isolated, fragile, remote & with no where to go. The last place on Earth you'd want to be in times of terror.

Morricone was the choice, due to his works on Western movie soundtracks ('A Fistful Of Dollars' being the best known), where his mastery of tension & baron landscapes has created audial memories as important as the visual aspect of those films. Something JC did also for his other movies, but here, he insisted on Morricone.

The result is absolutely perfect. I can't imagine 'The Thing' sounding any other way; & Morricone definitely paid respect (or compliance), as the Carpenteresque feel is there; stark, minimal, repeating bass notes & atmospheres of dread & adventure at times. Check the opening scene for the best example.

What Morricone captured that perhaps would have been lost via another artist is the detail. The FX of 'The Thing' is legendary; what Rob Bottin & crew did was a 1st, nothing like it had ever been seen before. Splintering, dripping, pulsating matter unpredictably exploding into random horrific forms, & as he did for the western, Morricone nailed it with the audio equivalent, as if the instruments were mutating too. Interestingly the decision to use orchestral instruments & retain a classical sense works so well; had this been heavily avant-garde, coupled with the imagery it might well have been a toxic overkill.

The greatest & most gallant handover in movie history, from one enigma to another.
Superb soundtrack.

Does anyone have the tip on jacket listed on the sticker? Mine came as a standard gatefold cover with a black poly lined inner, but no tip on jacket here..... unless the definition of tip on jacket has changed?

very expansive for a bad pressing whit much noise.... unhappy

Sound a little low but good pressing overall. No problems on my copy

Really nice press. A little high SNR but the strings are translucent and the bass organic. And it’s an incredible soundtrack of course!