Directed by:
John CarpenterScreenplay:
Bill LancasterCinematography:
Dean CundeyComposer:
Ennio MorriconeCast:
Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Thomas G. Waites (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
MacReady (Kurt Russell) and his team of twelve Antarctic researches unearth and inadvertently defrost a hideous, 100,000-year-old alien life form. Havoc ensues as the isolated scientists struggle with a foe that is a shape-shifting misanthrope. The remaining men are soon faced with the task of determining who's who in order to ensure their survival. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (13)
Perhaps I’m overly sensitive to the genetic transformations of people in movies, but the first time I saw The Thing, when I was an eighth grader at elementary school, I couldn’t sleep all night and was sweating like I had a fever. It was a terrifying experience. I vowed to never watch another horror movie. However, that intense experience was also the reason that horror later became my favorite genre. The Thing has a unique atmosphere of isolation and despair, which is perfectly supported by Morricone’s gloomy music, timeless special effects and a wonderfully dark, pessimistic ending. It’s a precisely paced horror movie that gradually tightens the noose around your neck and it’s an existential downer almost from the start to finish, with some of the most terrifying horror scenes ever.
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I had chills running down my spine throughout this outstanding horror sci-fi. Carpenter’s style is put to ample use here and the B-movie make-up suddenly looks darn convincing. The subject is excellent and has great potential in itself, maybe slightly B-movie, but high quality. The atmosphere of anticipation, distrust and secrecy grows by the minute. Kurt Russell gave perhaps his best ever performance in The Thing, and when I think about it, Carpenter did too. The carefully build up in atmosphere in combination with Morricone’s music creates an amazing experience making for a rather sleepless night ;).
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They’re not who they are... Thanks to the tense atmosphere and awesome psychological aspect, this is on its way to being perfect. But unfortunately Carpenter pulls the “monsters" out of his sleeve too early. I would have preferred just a sense of unseen evil, especially when the monsters turn out to be unfrightening stuffed toys. The scenes that get by without them and rely purely on atmosphere and actors (or dogs) get full marks. If it had lasted out longer without those DNA blood clots, then... But enough ifs (but if somebody were interested how awesome it could have been, take a look at an episode from season one of The X-Files titled Ice which pays tribute to The Thing). But I still, I’d really like to see a prequel of this, showing the events at the Norwegian base. So, just watch this movie, it’s the right Thing to do…
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I don't like horror as a genre, but survival horrors are an honorable exception. And The Thing is almost a perfect representative, apart from the repulsive "gore" scenes, it contains something much more effective – a game with the psychology of the viewer. The principle of placing a group of characters in an isolated place (in this case, the white plains of Antarctica), making it impossible to escape (in this case, a massive storm) and exposing them to an enemy that can hide inside any of them is proven, but nowhere does it work as perfectly as in The Thing. The minimalist screenplay draws attention to the raw atmosphere, the replicas of the characters are more so purposeful, everything important can be seen and, above all, FELT. Something almost physically palpable comes out of The Thing - fear is not felt by artificial props, but by real experience. When the Thing appears, there is almost relief... Real fear is ignorance, insecurity. In short, this is how I imagine the perfect horror about surviving in extreme conditions. And the atmosphere of the polar base is so unique that The Thing probably won't be improved upon any time soon.
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I'll admit this one got me. As always, great atmosphere (I managed to nibble on the Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film while watching it), decent Morricone music, a pretty good Kurt Russell, really good visual effects for its time and above all a brilliant ending. I love this movie!
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Gallery (193)
Photo © Universal Pictures
![The Thing - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/159/261/159261402_3b81f6.png)
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