You can relive two of renowned director John Carpenter’s most iconic films, Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing, at Manship Theatre this Friday (the 13th!).
Released in 1986, Big Trouble in Little China is an absurdist fantasy martial arts comedy film starring Kurt Russell in the role of Jack Burton, whose journey leads him into the dark underworld beneath San Francisco’s Chinatown. Here, he comes face-to-face with sorcerers, spells and curses, culminating in a hilarious romp through a fantastical land. While the film was a commercial failure upon its release, it has since garnered a substantial cult following.
Carpenter’s 1982 science fiction horror movie The Thing, meanwhile, is arguably his most iconic film. He didn’t achieve overnight success with it, though. Similarly to Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing was initially mocked by critics and had very little financial success, but its popularity skyrocketed after it was released on video. The film’s story follows a group of researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous “Thing,” a parasitic alien life form that is capable of imitating other organisms, spurring intense paranoia and conflict within the group.
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If you’re interested in reliving this pair of cult classics, or if you’ve never had a chance to see them before, you can purchase tickets to Manship Theatre’s Friday the 13th double feature here. Tickets are $9.50 for each screening, or $14 to see both movies. Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing roll at 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., respectively. Manship Theatre is at 100 Lafayette St.