MovieChat Forums > Them! (1954) Discussion > THEM! (James Cameron already re-made it)

THEM! (James Cameron already re-made it)

posted 19 years ago by [email protected]
56 replies | jump to latest

james Cameoron did a fine job lifting virtually every plot element from the movie THEM!. Don't believe me?

1. The little girl

2. The little girl's doll's head

3. The search for the queen laying the eggs.

4. Entering the nest (the hive)not to mention the eggs.

5. The military going in to the nest and machine gunning them "insects".

6. The flame thrower and destroying the eggs

7. The female scientist who leads James Arness and and James Whitmore into the nest and declares when seeing the eggs: BURN THEM! BURN EVERYTHING!

8. The military going under the streets of LA in earch of the ants which looks like planet Acheron's "heat exchange coolers" in Aliens.

9. Even the WEATHER which in THEM! is a sandstorm and is EXACTLY the same weather conditions on James Cameron's ALIENS. It's sets a great mood.

My point is that ALIENS for me (and I own both films) is a space-age version of THEM! and nothing more.

[–] cynema 11 years ago

So glad someone else noticed this.
However, I do not think he was trying to HIDE this, more he was paying HOMAGE to THEM with ALIENS.

"The more real things get, the more like myths they become. " R.W. Fassbinder

[–] timhoward1111 10 years ago

Wow! Velera
are you ever right. Aliens is an exact copy of THEM. Very good pick up!

[–] drystyx 10 years ago

Excellent. I honestly hadn't thought of that, and I congratulate your perceptions, Velera. I'm envious, and I'm not saying that in satire. Those are extremely valid points, and enough of them certainly to warrant the question as to whether it was intentional or perhaps "subconscious".

Either way, you're obviously correct. Definitely inspired by Them was Aliens.

But if ye do doubt your courage, go no further, for Death awaits you with nasty pointy teeth!

[–] nickm2 10 years ago

Definitely inspired by Them was Aliens.

Inspired by Yoda was your posting style? 😀

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

[–] weejockxxx 10 years ago

I totally agree with all those points. The first time I watched Aliens I got the feeling I had seen some of it before. The I re watched Them!
Aliens is a great movie but Them! was first.
Oh gravity, thou art a heartless bitch!

[–] pawtrax67 9 years ago

Isn't there only three stories in the world.

Man against Man.
Man against himself.
Man against Nature?

If so, then everyone copies everything.

[–] carlowville707 9 years ago

Movie-making is full of it! Many comments have been made over the years about what "THe Big Chill" owes to John Sayles' wonderful "Return of the Secaucus Seven" and I'd add "Peter's Friend" to the list of movies that owe a BIG one to that movie!