I've seen this movie so many times. I own it twice on DVD, I own it on 4K, Blu-Ray and I even have a copy on the now defunct HD-DVD format. I regret not seeing it in the theaters back in 1982. I don't know why I didn't go. I was certainly old enough to appreciate it. Instead, I saw "E.T.". I got swept up in happy little alien fever. I went with the crowd. All I had to do was wander over to a different screen and watch Carpenter's creation in all its paranoid glory. Sigh...
As with all good movies, music, or books, I experience something new every time I view it. I keep trying to piece together how the Thing spread throughout the camp. I keep looking for clues. Like when Blair performs an autopsy on the recently roasted Thing. While he's presenting his thoughts on what the Thing is, he absent-mindedly taps his pencil eraser on the steaming carcass, crosses his arms and brings the pencil eraser perilously close to his mouth. Then he makes a talking point by waving the pencil in the air and ever so briefly...it touches his lip! Did he infect himself? Is it too late?!?!? Has the Thing spread itself to Blair?!?! These kinds of moments fill the movie. It so suspenseful and so paranoid. And the isolation is torture. You know they all have nowhere to go. All those nameless men. Well, they aren't nameless, it's just that it's hard to remember them all. And the strange thing about it is, we still seem to care about them. I think that's because Carpenter has done such a masterful job of building the suspense through threat and isolation that we can't help but subconsciously put ourselves into their places.
There are so many great scenes. The opening helicopter-chases-dog scene. The horror of finding the Thing in the dog pen. The death and subsequent transformation of Norris. Wow! Is it gory! And in this particular case, I think the gore is absolutely necessary. That's kind of the knock on this film. The gore has been classified as extreme. And it is. But this is a story about such a faceless, out-of-this-world beast that it all seems so appropriate. And those effects. I don't think I need to say any more than others have already posited about the very special practical effects by Rob Bottin. They have to be the best I've ever seen.
Then there's the "blood test" scene. All of the men at the Antarctic station volunteer to give a blood sample and then have it tested, while tied to chairs, to see if it reveals which of them are actually the "Thing". One by one, a heated copper wire is placed into a petri dish of blood from each one of the men. Seeing the smoke rise from the wire when it's touched to the dish of blood brings some relief. Will the next dish be Thing-free? You'll have to watch it and see for yourself. The setup and execution of this scene is one of the most intense and frightening things I've ever watched.
I am very happy that this film has found its place thanks to Home Video. It's now considered a Horror/Sci-Fi classic. It is without a doubt my favorite Horror movie, perhaps my favorite monster flick and quite possibly my top Sci-Fi feature. It's that good.
I've watched this far more than just the one Trakt recorded instance but I've lost count of how many times. NOTHING about this film ever gets old: from the opening sequence to the final dialogue, I still love this movie and can probably call it my all-time favorite horror movie. I don't think there was a single unmemorable character here: from Clark and his dogs, to Doc, to the high-strung Garry, to Kurt Russell's McReady character, they were all great and all added to a great blend of chemistry. The remote location where all the events took place just added (IMO) to the horrific effects, as there was no hope whatsoever of any kind of "rescue": what happened was going to happen and nothing could stop it except the handful of men there at the station. I've watched it numerous times and will - in all likelihood - watch it again soon; it just never gets old. It's not for everyone simply because it's sci-fi horror and of course by today's standards, a lot of the effects (courtesy of Rob Bottin) seem a bit outdated, but a lot of movie sites claim that John Carpenter's The Thing has a "cult following" and if that's true, then you can count me as a die-hard member of that cult. Love this movie!
John Carpenter's filmography does include a few misses, but alongside 'Halloween', 'The Thing' is certainly the director's greatest masterpiece.
Numerous elements that make for an almost perfect movie contribute to this. The sets and the setting are fantastic. The basic premise, in which an isolated group of people is threatened by an entity that has infiltrated them, has been used thousands of times in films and TV shows for a reason. It is unmatched in its simplicity and ensures a high level of tension throughout, while the individual members of the group become increasingly suspicious of one another.
However, the practical special effects are probably the film's biggest selling point. Even in the year 2024, they are still unbeatable. I was lucky enough to be able to see 'The Thing' at a re-release in a theater with an audience, and the reactions definitely did not disappoint.
Meanwhile, the actors are also good. The cast is not necessarily diverse; it is exclusively male. But all the actors are convincing, especially leading man Kurt Russell. The characters are mainly stereotypes, but that doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. The great score, which includes music by Ennio Morricone as well as works by Carpenter himself, also contributes to the dense atmosphere.
Overall, 'The Thing' is not exactly a hopeful film, which is probably why it flopped at the box office in the early 1980s. But I like it precisely because of the resolute way in which it is told right to the end. It's a timeless classic and one of the best horror films of all time.
“THE THING”: A COMMENTARY
:heart:100% :thumbsup:41 :thumbsdown:0 = Masterpiece!
The Thing isn't a very complicated or deep narrative, nor does it need to be; it establishes the setting and the character quickly before beginning o build-up to the main event while keeping things firmly grounded. This plot development is confident and effective. What makes the plot thick even more than the mysterious alien creature hiding in plain sight is the paranoia, fear and uncertainty spread among the base crew, driving some of them mad and making others angry, scared or catatonic. The characters are forced to work together to understand the alien and how it's defeated, been though they cannot trust each other - this makes for a tense atmosphere and good stuff to fuel the narrative.
The film's ending is, as we all know, both infuriating and mysterious, with the full truth of the matter left unresolved as the two surviving staff members wait out for the fire to consume them.
With such a simple plot, The Thing can put focus on its different characters and allows time to bring out their different character traits. None of the characters is particularly deep, and most o them exist just to be killed off, but they are believable enough to carry the film. All actors do a great job in their respective roles, but the standouts are A. Wilford Brimley as the mysterious senior biologist; Donald Moffatt as the station commander and Kurt Russell, the de facto lead and helicopter pilot. Russell's character is the hero of the day and much like Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley in Alien, he mostly blends in with the rest of the cast and doesn't become the hero u til the circumstances force him to.
The Thing immediately opens up with scenes that establish the barren and isolated setting, the small crew and a seeming madness spreading in nearby bases - something is amiss, and we don't know what. The music and slow, calculated direction combined with the empty setting and the constant fear of the unknown means that this film maintains an extremely high dose of tension and suspense at all times.
The body horror thrills are used sparingly, but when they arrive they provide guaranteed chills - this film is not for the faint of heart! The real tension is maintained in the constantly growing unease among the staff, leading to loads of pointless accusations and sacrifices. Few sci-fi flicks, thrillers or horror movies are this good at maintaining a high level of tension that somehow still keeps growing, right up until the explosive finale.
Visually, this film is a mix of simple, but effective sets and some of the finest, scariest and most convincing practical alien effects I've ever seen. Director John Carpenter goes all in from the very start, showing the glorious and horrific creature the characters have to deal with and bringing it to life in ways that are, quite honestly, magical. Just look at the twisted, horrifying bodies of the dead people - they look like absurdist Picasso paintings! Carpenter's handiwork is steady, evocative, and fantastic. He's not trying to lean on too many tricks, but keeps the cards close to his chest until the last moment, to make the most out of the material he has to work with.
Ennio Morricone's score is low-key and ominous, and it should ostensibly keep you glued to the screen, expecting to be surprised by an unseen attacker at any time!
Random Observations:
Is it just me, or do the opening titles purposefully hark back to another classic sci-fi horror, Alien? It sure feels like that!
The big question we have been asking ourselves all these years is this one: is Kurt Russell one of the aliens, in a clever, evolved disguise? There is evidence towards this, but also evidence that suggests that he is human. We will likely never know!
THIS MOVIE IS SUPER FRICKIN AWESOME AMAZING AND ONE OF THE BEST HORROR MOVIES EVER MADE AND EVER TO BE MADE.
IT'S A CRYING DAMN SHAME THAT THEY JUST DON'T MAKE EM LIKE THIS ANYMORE.
THIS IS A TRUE MASTERPIECE IN HOW TO CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL AND TIMELESS.
THOSE PRACTICAL EFFECTS WOW...JUST....WOW
SOME IF NOT THE BEST I HAVE SEEN IN ANY MOVIE AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF MOVIES, NEVER MIND ALL THIS MODERN DAY CGI BULL-CRAP
NOTHING WILL EVER TAKE THE PLACE ARE EVER BE AS GOOD AS PRACTICAL EFFECTS, THERE IS JUST NO SUBSTITUTION TO REPLACE PRACTICAL EFFECTS AND IN MY OPINION THEIR NEVER WILL BE. IT'S THIS FILM AND OTHER'S LIKE IT
NIGHT OF THE CREEPS
PHANTASM
DEAD ALIVE
SOCIETY
AND MANY OTHER'S OF THIS TYPE THAT MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH HORROR AND WITH MARVEL BEING MY FAVOURITE EVER GENRE
HORROR COMES STRAIGHT IN AT A VERY CLOSE SECOND TO THE POINT I HAVE A MASSIVE MASSIVE HORROR COLLECTION ON
BLU RAY AND
THE THING IS RIGHT UP THERE IN ONE OF THE TOP SPOTS. AND TRUST ME WITH THE SIZE OF MY MOVIE COLLECTION THAT IS NO EASY FEAT.
IT'S DEFINITELY A VERY STRONG 10/10
ALL HORROR MOVIES SHOULD DEFINITELY USE THIS MOVIE AS A BLUEPRINT, no way they could go wrong.
This is how you do a HORROR movie you don't pull your punches and you commit and go all out.
(God it's so messy
and I bloody love it).
How will we make it?
Maybe we shouldn’t.
Wow, this is a masterpiece!
It's so nice to have some change of environment in horror movies and here we get snow, and it fits so well with the plot. The atmosphere created is amazing, the sense of isolation and paranoia is huge, the landscape beautifully shot makes you even feel the cold while also appreciating the view. And speaking of paranoia, this is the element that's always present. You know the thing is in there with the survivors, you don't know where, you may not see it, but you sure can feel it. From the start to the very ending (what a great ending by the way).
We are presented to a large number of characters and in just a few minutes we already know the basics of each ones personality and their names, the characters are memorable, that's impressive. Mac is a great protagonist, Kurt Russell did a fantastic job, not only him, but the other actors as well.
This film is so well designed that you can sense the deadly and at the same time beautiful plains of Antarctica and its vastness. Whereas in the research base where the characters are located you get a claustrophobic and unpleasant feeling increased even more by the horrifying situation they're facing.
The creature is so well designed, it is simply grotesque and gross, it assumes a lot of creative and different shapes. The whole makeup and special effects are surreal, I have no idea how they did that, but I'm glad they did. You can take the best CGI today and it will not transmit to you such repugnance and terror. And that assimilation process is just absurd. Rob Bottin and everyone else on the crew, including Stan Winston (that was called to help to create the dog-thing), you guys rock!
Enio Morricone's score is as great addition to what it is already fantastic, making it perfect. It is minimalist, instigating, dark and terrifying. So immersive.
All of that makes this Carpenter's best film and probably my favorite horror movie ever. Also, The Thing's poster is the beeest and so iconic.
I interpreted this movie not only as what we see, but also resembling the Cold War. Not just by the cold obviously, all the paranoia and tension created represents that moment in our history. People at that time were so scared of something that could happen and never knew who or where the enemy was.
This movie is timeless.
It’s surprising, in retrospect, that The Thing wasn’t better received by contemporary reviewers. Granted, it faced unusually stiff theatrical competition in E.T. and Blade Runner, both less than two weeks old, which certainly stole a great deal of its thunder. At the hour of The Thing’s opening, Spielberg’s family-friendly blockbuster had already established a popular, positive outlook on alien relations (basically the antithesis of The Thing’s overwhelming nihilism), while Ridley Scott’s sci-fi opus was exploring equally bleak tones and mature, ambiguous themes. There’s no room for three films to coexist at the top, particularly ones with such similarities. Public sentiment agreed that John Carpenter’s small-scale saga of a fierce, faceless extraterrestrial attack in the Antarctic desolation couldn’t hold a candle. Fortunately, hindsight has been more forgiving.
What a ride this is. Carpenter leans hard on the suspense, skillfully employing the locale’s smothering isolation as amplification in much the same way Scott did with Alien, just a few years prior. The nature of the beast, as an invisible, corrupting force, is a brilliant device for this type of story. Nobody’s safe and nobody can be trusted, not even oneself. Late in the crisis, when the team has finally developed a reliable blood test, that fear is palpable. We can see it in their widened eyes and held breath: what if I’m already infected? Their uncertainty intensifies our own, heightening tensions to unbearable levels. In this, Carpenter teaches a master class, and the payoff - a series of lumpy, repulsive creature effects from Rob Bottin - are worth the price we pay. When the alien mass sprouts from its living host, the results are car-crash grotesque, all melted flesh and unnatural deformity. Appropriately powerful and haunting, alien but also eerily familiar, they shock and disgust, every single time.
There’s no two ways about it: this is a classic. An intelligent, potent, thrilling example of science fiction and horror that's right up there with the best of each genre. Tragic that the poor initial reception had such a negative impact on Carpenter’s career.
"The Thing" could be seen as the natural evolution of the formula that began with Ridley Scott's "Alien". The two movies have an entirely different setting and atmosphere, but share the same simple structure: a group of humans ends up being stuck in a confined space as they are chased by an unknown alien entity. However, the "Thing" manages to become something more than a beautifully designed hungry monster: it's a threat with no discernible appearance, as it has the ability to imitate the organisms it consumes and blend in with its prey. This allows Carpenter to convey his trademark cynical, nihilistic view of humanity, focusing on how easily a team of highly unlikeable characters can fall apart as they slowly get consumed by their distrust and paranoia. The "Thing" has no evil intentions and is just trying to survive, but it won't take much for the humans to end up turning against each other.
It must be said that the film takes a damn long time to get to the point, but Carpenter's "chilly" cinematography and slow camerawork manage to build the story's tension and keep us craving for more flamethrower bursts to warm up the atmosphere. As mentioned, the "Thing" never shows its true self, but in return offers a lot of grotesque "transformation" sequences that managed to turn a mild psychological horror into a true cult film. The practical effects surely aged a bit, but the art direction and design are so over the top and visionary that the final result still holds incredibly well.
On a side note, the film is supposed to be a remake of Christian Nyby's "The Thing from Another World", but is actually based on the science fiction short story "Who Goes There?" (which also inspired Nyby's film). Other than the title font, the two movies are very little in common. Just think that "The Thing from Another World" cannot change appearance, is always recognizable, and gets its ass kicked by a cohesive team of heroes.
Review by Simon MasseyVIP 11BlockedParent2017-03-18T15:46:40Z
There are a lot of qualities that make The Thing work so well as a horror film. It has been rightly lauded for its set-piece moments and striking practical effects, but what keeps this timeless are the same elements that can be found in a similar classic film of the time, Ridley Scott's Alien - the beautiful yet harsh outdoor locations photographed to stunning effect, creating a sense of scale and isolation that remind the viewer how cut-off the characters are and contrasting sharply with the claustrophobic interiors ; the minimalist score from Morricone that adds to the tension ; the great production design that ensure the setting feels like a realistic working environment ; the memorable characters, notably of course Kurt Russell's Macready ; the efficient script that introduces the personalities of the main group quickly and the camaraderie between the characters that ensure the audience believe in the group as a working community and care about their survival. But this is no mere retread of another film - the alien presence here working from within to split the group apart rather than bringing them together. Unlike Alien, the central villain is harder to define and from the opening moments, Carpenter creates a sense of unease and paranoia that permeates the whole film right through to the final frame, ensuring the audience like the characters themselves are never quite sure who to trust. The effects may have dated to a modern audience (though the tangible feel to the practical work is creepier than anything that could be created in CGI) but it's the quieter set-piece moments of tension and mistrust that remain just as strong as ever and make this Carpenter's best film.