This is the character list for John Carpenter’s The Thing. It opens the script.
The screenplay was written by Bill Lancaster who only wrote a couple of things to my knowledge. That’s a shame because I think the script for this movie is perfect.
I love this character list, it’s got such a pop to it. The descriptions being so terse and brief give it a weird dread feeling. Like reading an obituary.
And in terms of character, really these descriptions are all that are needed. They give it all. You can read one of them and instantly get a strong feeling for the character. What a great jumping off point.
This is one of those things that’s never exactly seen on screen, it’s something to help the actors, the production, the general atmosphere of the story. It heightens everything, clarifying some of the broader character decisions perhaps, in a very simple, direct fashion.
It’s a great example of simple communication. The characters are defined in as few words as possible, and it still works.