An Antarctic research team is terrorized by a shape-shifting
alien organism that takes the appearance of everyone it kills. HORROR/SCI-FI
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The Thing (1982)Directed by John Carpenter
Written by Bill Lancaster Starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Donald Moffat, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Joel Polis, Thomas G. Waites Remake of 1951's The Thing from Another World Based on the novella Who Goes There by John W. Campbell Jr. |
The Thing is one of the most memorable horror films ever, due to its insane special effects that still hold up over any remake or reboot. I put The Thing on the same pedestal as Halloween and Escape from New York as one of Carpenter's best and most out-there films. This film set the bar for horror special effects, and frankly I don't think it's been beat yet.
The alien creature in this film is quite possibly the most terrifying villain ever put to film. It can take the shape of any living organism, mimicking anybody it kills. When it changes shape, it erupts into a mess of exploding flesh and sickening slimy entrails that clearly John Carpenter had a lot of fun creating. It's the creature that makes this movie but a lot of the horror comes from the feeling of isolation and mistrust that the movie creates. No matter how many times I watch this movie, I always seem to forget who the monster is, which makes it a mystery every time. It's awesome. The Thing is an awesome horror film and a benchmark in special effects. It takes what could have been a conventional monster movie and turns it into something you will never forget. Leave it to Kurt Russell to be the one man who can stop this thing, and by the end of the film, you're not even sure he did. It's a truly frightening film that still looks great after all these years. |